Meet Matt Robb | Tech & Lifestyle Content Creator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Matt Robb and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Matt, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
From a young age, I was brought up watching YouTubers and self-made content creators. I was always fascinated with the idea of creating videos and short films after receiving a camcorder for my birthday when I was young. Money was never a thought in my mind when starting out. I just fell in love with the process of filming, editing and piecing together a short story to tell. I wanted to be like the creators I enjoyed growing up and influence other people to provide guidance on tech products and software people should buy. Over time I upgraded cameras and improved my video quality until eventually my channel grew in size and sponsors approached me this eventually led to me making money. Now my channel is at the point where it’s now my full-time job, but it was never the initial plan; it was always intended to be a side gig. Due to the success of my channel I decided to do a masters degree in business and marketing to help promote and advertise my personal brand across various social media channels to further grow and manage my business.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?

When I hit 10,000 subscribers that’s when I decided to treat my side hobby more seriously as I was already being approached by brands to showcase their products and produce videos for their social accounts and websites. When my channel reached about 40K subscribers, I registered myself as a sole trader here in the UK due to the income I was receiving increasing substantially from YouTube monetization, sponsors, and affiliate income. 

I named my brand MTRB Studios, which is a shortened version of Matt Robb Studios; overall, it sounded more professional than simply using my full name but still kept that little personal touch into the brand. In addition to creating videos for YouTube, I also started producing videos for external clients in person. For instance, I collaborated with Skelp, a Scottish eSports gaming team, to create a documentary on their journey at the Scottish eSports Championship SEL4. This opportunity allowed me to experience my first gaming event and film longer-form content, which was different from my usual tech product videos. Despite the challenges of filming in fast-paced and dark environments, I learned a lot and improved not only my camera skills but also grew my ability to interact and socialize better with in person clients.

I also undertook video projects for local bars and restaurants in Dundee and St Andrews, eventually branching out into venue photography, capturing images of food, drinks, and people enjoying nights out. While I enjoyed these side gigs, they diverted my focus from my YouTube videos. Consequently, I made the decision to leave Scotland, my home since the age of 4, and move to the Lake District in England. 

Living in such a scenic place inspired me to change the aesthetics of my channel from a clinical white set to a more homely environment with leather furniture and walnut tabletops. With this new filming environment, I noticed a significant increase in views on my channel, with videos going from 2k-5k views to 30k-150k views. I also experienced substantial growth in subscribers, gaining around 2000 new subscribers per month and recently hitting 60k. 

An enduring dream of mine has been to live in Canada, and at just 25 years old (having celebrated my birthday on March 3rd), I felt now was the opportune time to relocate. Currently, I am in the process of saving up and preparing to move halfway around the world to start a new chapter in my life. As you can imagine, I’m feeling a mix of excitement, fear, and readiness for personal growth. 

One aspect that sets me apart from other creators is my storytelling approach to tech videos, coupled with a focus on cinematography. This unique style allows me to engage my audience on a deeper level, providing not just information but an immersive experience. 

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?

Between 2018 and 2023, I pursued my undergraduate degree at the University of Dundee, Scotland. My major was in Computer Science, which I studied for four years. However, due to my growing interest in content creation and marketing through my YouTube channel, I decided to pursue a master’s degree in digital and social media marketing, hoping to acquire skills to expand my business. 

During my time in Dundee, I met numerous people, particularly during nights out after classes, although most of them entered and exited my life quickly. Among these encounters, two business owners, Sunny Malik and Damian Radziun, of a Japanese restaurant called Oshibori, made a lasting impression on me. After meeting them on a night out, they invited me to their restaurant located in the city center, and immediately, I knew it was my new favorite spot in the city. I frequently brought friends to Oshibori for food and drinks, benefiting from discounts due to my friendship with the owners. Being around Sunny and Damian exposed me to the inner workings of the business world, and they even offered friendly advice and tips on running my own, despite the differences between our ventures. I brought many friends to their restaurant for Ramen, including classmates from my university course, and even hosted a couple of birthday parties there after closing hours, with the owners’ permission. 

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?

Shoutout goes to those who deserve additional recognition and exposure. I’d like to acknowledge the role my friends played in supporting me as a YouTuber. Starting out with no followers can be daunting, especially when competing with established creators on the platform. My friends not only watched my videos but also provided constructive criticism to help me improve. One friend, Naqash Nadeem, whom I met during my Computer Science degree, was instrumental in supporting my content creation journey. He often contributed ideas for future videos and allowed me to showcase some of his tech on my channel. Starting a tech channel can be challenging when you can’t afford to purchase all the necessary equipment for reviews, so relying on friends and family to lend their tech for videos is incredibly helpful in getting started before approaching companies for collaboration. Naqash even appeared in some of my videos, such as ‘A Day in the Life with the S23 Ultra,’ where he assisted with camera comparisons and acted as my cameraman.

Website: https://www.mattrobb.store

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com//@matt.j.robb

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattrobbt/

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/mattrobbt

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MatthewRobbt/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@mattrobb

Other: https://linktr.ee/mattrobb

Image Credits
Christiano Gioacchini