Connor Franta's Advice for Aspiring YouTubers at VidCon

Have you ever watched those like home makeovers where they make houses out of shipping containers? Shipping containers? They make houses out of shipping containers. My house would be made out of garbage containers, so what up? I'll make it awesome.

Hey guys, it's Tracy at VidCon, and I am sitting with the one and only Connor Franta. What's up?

We were just talking about, this is what number VidCon are you on?

It's like my fourth or fifth. I think fourth, but yeah. I've done a lot.

It is great. And like, it's grown like crazy, right?

Oh my God, yeah, it gets it's different every single year, but for all the best reasons.

And what's like the one thing you've noticed is like 10 times crazier this year than usual?

I well I just got here, so I haven't even been around yet. I literally just drove in maybe like five minutes ago. So, who knows?

He came to us this year. That's what it cool like that.

Yeah, yeah, it's a mystery. We'll figure it out, guys.

He's been doing YouTube for so long. I mean, you're not only a YouTube star/sensation, you are pretty much a mogul now. I mean you have like businesses and empires, like like empires.

Oh my God. I'm flattered. Oh my God.

empires, I mean. But seriously, you have

Yeah, no, I mean like it's it's been cool. I've I've kind of used my my YouTube platform to expand into things that I'm also interested in, cuz obviously I'm interested in YouTube and filming and creative things. So I've used that to launch myself into businesses like the music industry, and the clothing industry, and the book industry. So, it's been fun.

coffee.

And the coffee industry, and the just thing. Yeah, I'm not busy at all.

Seriously. You have like how do you have time for life? But like going from because you were you started in O2L.

Yes. So

Well, no, I started way before that. Before that. And then that was kind of like you guys just this awesome collaboration and you branched out on your own. So how's like the change in that whole experience been?

I mean, it was pretty the same. It was also like two years ago. So

But a lot changes in two years, right?

I mean it was like it was like I've so I've been on YouTube for like six years, so I had like two years to myself, and then I had like two years with O2L, and then now I have two years to myself again. So it's been like a total wave.

And you still see all those guys?

Oh my God, yeah, I just saw Ricky in the elevator on the way up, and I was like, "Ricky!" We are We have I love Ricky. He's so funny.

Um, but like music, so you have a record label.

Yes.

right?

Yes, I do.

And explain how that works, cuz it's all about like how so digital influences are curating.

Definitely. So I figured out that I love searching for new up and coming artists and new music that I want to share with my audience. So I figured out a way to put that on a compilation, so it's like a nice package of new music that I get to share with people, once every like three months or so. So when you download the album, it's like guaranteed that it's 12 artists that you've most likely never heard of.

Really? How do you find them? Like how do you

Yeah, it's really Lots of searching, lots of time. Yeah. Just looking. Just lots of looking and listening.

Who are you loving right now that we should know about, who should be on our radar?

Oh my God. You should I mean he's not new by any means, but you should listen to Jon Bellion's new album. It's

Okay.

first song to last song, amazing. Listen to it. It's great.

Besides music,

Yeah.

you have a brand, Common Culture.

I do.

Coffee and clothing. And then the music technically too. Pretty much all the essential things in life, right? That's all you need in life. It's a lifestyle brand. How did that come about? Like how did you put those things together?

I just Yeah, it just kind of took shape without me necessarily having to even think about it. It was one of those things where I was like, I love clothing, I love coffee, I love music. How can I make them into like separate businesses and like make them more of a part of my life. So I did that, and it's been incredible, and you should check out commonculture. co, because there might be something up there soon.

Ooh. Is

Yes.

Are you one of those people who like I got to have my coffee in the morning and

It's it's so different for me. I actually I like coffee

Are you a coffee drinker?

Yeah, obviously. Oh my God, yes. Oh my God. Um, I was like, Yeah. Me, like, it all comes out. I don't even drink coffee. No, I am I drink coffee for more of like the ritual, so when I wake up, I get really excited to kind of like start my morning off with a cup of coffee and kind of go through my emails and go through Facebook and Twitter and all that stuff. Not necessarily like to wake up. It's more like just part of my routine, but I love it, and I have it probably too much. I have it two or three times a day. It's so good.

See, I can only have it like in the morning, and then I'm like wired if I have it after certain

Oh, I would love a cup right now. It's like 6:00 PM.

That's all you need, right? Seriously. It is. Um, but then like YouTube, like you've done so much with challenge videos, and then you did a very a big thing was, you know, your coming out video. It was a huge thing for you.

Yes.

What's your advice to cuz there's so many kids especially at at VidCon that come here, they want to be you. Like they want to become stars, they want to get into that world.

Yeah.

What's your advice to people who want to do that, and then also, you know, be brave the way you were being yourself and authentic?

I I mean, I think the best way to to get into YouTube is to be your authentic self and to make content that you enjoy and make content that you yourself would want to watch. So if you do that, I think you'll attract an audience to yourself. The more authentic you are, the more people will enjoy your content, is what I've found. So, go out there and be you. People love you.

That's true. That's all you need. It's not that hard. Although it is hard, right? It is hard. It is hard sometimes to be real and be honest. Who are like some of your biggest influences like

Oh, like in the YouTube realm or just in the world?

In the world. Let's start let's start with the YouTube realm. I was like And in general, in the world.

Um, I still am a huge YouTube fan. I watch people like Shane Dawson and Daily Grace, or Grace Helbig, who was Daily Grace back in the day. Um, yeah, I'm a real OG, guys. Influences in the world right now, I'm influenced by more people outside the YouTube realm, like people like Wes Anderson, or Marina Abramović, or Keith Haring. Yeah, just interested in like the art realms a lot right now.

Interesting. Yeah. And then, okay, if you had to do your best fan girl impersonation of your fans,

Oh my God. Can you? My fans are cool. I mean like, they like they're so chill and smart and relaxed. Um, they like that

when they actually meet you? They're always like

Yeah.

They're not like jumping all over you screaming and crying?

Well, they sometimes they cry, but they're like always just like so cool about it. And then like afterwards, they have these cool artsy photos, and then I'll favor them and all that stuff. But um, oh God, I don't even know. I'm bad at impressions. You do one. What what how do people I can't even. Oh my God. Oh my God, that was like a stereotyper. No.

And then, okay, I have to get to a couple questions of Would You Rather, because I know you do a lot of like challenge videos. What's your favorite one? Do you have a favorite like YouTube challenge? Cuz there's always new ones but there's always old school ones too.

Oh God, I don't even know to be honest. I'm trying to think of what I've done recently for a challenge video. Recently my sister and I made a video where we like sucked in helium. Not much of a challenge, but like that was fun. Also probably really bad for your brain, so don't do that.

Okay, so would you rather swim in a pool with snakes, or swim in a pool with spiders?

Whatever I don't even Oh my God.

Not such a great option, right?

The snakes. Yes, the snakes.

Really? Yes. Why so like sure about that?

Cuz I hate spiders.

But you can handle snakes?

Yeah. But I mean like not that I want to. It's not like I'm like, yay, let's go swim in a pool of snakes. Yes. No.

Okay, would you, this is pretty gross. Would you rather eat dog food for the rest of your life, or live in a dumpster the rest of your life?

Eat dog food for the rest of your life. Live in a dumpster, cuz you can make it like cool and chic. Have you ever watched those like home makeovers where they make houses out of shipping containers? Shipping containers? They make houses out of shipping containers. My house would be made out of garbage containers, so what up? I'll make it awesome.

That should be your next YouTube video. Oh my God. How to make a dumpster look How to make a dumpster home DIY. Subscribe for more.

Okay, would you rather not be able to eat your favorite food for a year, or not be able to touch your phone for a year?

Not eat my favorite food for a year. I like I touch You can't not live on your phone, right?

Huh?

Yeah, exactly. I need my phone. Like I can deal without food. certain foods. Not food. I need food.

You need food. What is what is your favorite food?

That's tough. I'm so bad with those thing. People are like, what's your favorite color? I'm like, it changes every day. What's your favorite blah. Um, but I really like avocado toast a lot. Like avocado toast with eggs, and like feta, and like balsamic, and like a little bit of

Oh, sounds fancy.

I know, it's so good. As long as the place is not LA, right? Just kind of like a thing. I'm so glad you got it right. And you can have good or bad. I will Also Brussels sprouts.

Oh. So like a healthy healthy guy. Yeah. Um, okay. So, would you rather share the most embarrassing moment in your life or would you rather tell your deepest, darkest secret?

Deepest, dark, most embarrassing moment of my life. That seems easy. Yeah. And I don't even know what it is though.

I was gonna say, well, what is it?

I knew that was the follow up. Like you I knew I walked right into that. But um, yep. I don't know what my most embarrassing. I'm really bad with questions like this, cuz I don't know the answer. I'm it's hard to pick like one moment. I think it's because I do a lot of embarrassing things on a lot of occasions. Like I remember vividly in ninth grade I had to give a speech and my voice cracked from the first two seconds, and I was brand new to the school and everything and I was like, great, this is awesome. Everyone loves me.

You could have just pretended that you did the helium thing.

I know. Yeah. I could have, yeah. I I know how to go with it now though. Like if my voice cracks during this interview, I know what to do. But I'll I'll let you figure it out if it happens. If not, sorry.

Okay, so who are you excited to see here this year? Cuz there's always friends, right?

Oh my God. I'm so excited to see so many people. This is like a big family reunion for me. I'm excited to see like everyone from England like Zoe and Alfie. I haven't seen them in forever. I just drove past Hannah Hart and like Loze, I haven't seen them in forever. So like everybody. I just I'm so excited to see everyone. And then of course, you guys, everyone that was here, the viewers, it makes me so excited.

Who about the fans?

Yeah. Well, thank you so much.

Thanks for having me.

Thank you.

Big con.