Yvonne Heimann [00:00:00]:
Have you ever stayed in a relationship long enough that it stopped feeling good just because you thought that's your way to success, that's the way to fix things, that's the way to accomplish what you want to accomplish? That was me and my YouTube channel.
Yvonne Heimann [00:27:00]:
If you've been around for a while. I've had my Ask Yvi YouTube channel since.
My first crappy Facebook live where I had gone pissy with Asana, discovered ClickUp, went live on Facebook, really grainy, really bad video, grabbed that recording, put it on YouTube, and that's how my YouTube channel started back in the day in 2018. And I had fun. I was discovering ClickUp, I was learning how it works, I was figuring out the processes. And it also had the advantage for me to record videos about things that I was teaching and that I was explaining and that I was showcasing so I didn't have to say it over and over and over again. Oh, you have this problem. I talked about it here in my YouTube video. It brought so many possibilities, right? It brought me my collaborations with ClickUp, where I'm still deeply involved in development. I have a straight line to Zeb and his assistant because let's be honest, the assistant has more say than the CEO.
Yvonne Heimann [00:01:41]:
I have connections with the development department, with the sales department. I have my fingers pretty much in any department of ClickUp that came through my YouTube channel. Other collaborations like with eCamm or with Whale Sop or so many other tools came through my YouTube channel. The first big hurdle where that relationship took a huge kick in your face was when we ended up in a YouTube bug. That is when we started going downhill. YouTube had a major bug. I don't know if they finally fixed it. Overall, it's been around for ages where comments didn't publish on my channel.
I saw them come in, they never actually published. And I have no way of telling YouTubers, hey, this is not working. I'm working on fixing it. And we were in this bug for a year. That's where everything started going downhill. I lost views, I lost the community, I lost the conversation. I had so many comments at that time in my videos and everything just went downhill.
Yvonne Heimann [00:02:52]:
Fixed it with YouTube. Finally, a year in, we are starting to get comments again. Everything goes up and.
That's where that toxicity started coming in. And let's be honest, my YouTube journey is just an example of other toxic relationships that we experience. This same story can happen with a client, in your personal relationship, in your team relationships, where we think, oh my God, this is getting better. And it's just draining us. So fast forward to the last year. We started getting comments again, we started getting views again. Then it dipped. We started getting comments again, we started getting views again, and it dipped.
Yvonne Heimann [00:03:40]:
We were never able to get back to what it was. And it became a rat race of trying to work with the YouTube algorithm, trying to get the whole thumbnails. You know, it's literally the same behavior that I had with my first husband. Talk about narcissistic asshole. And one of my boyfriends, where I later fell back into this, where they give you just enough for you to think that things are changing. And we got a little bit from YouTube and like, ooh, I think we're on the right path. And we got smacked over the head again. And this week, just about a week ago, I had the conversation.
With specifically Luby, who is my assistant. She is my right hand. She is my business wife. She is a Leader. Without her, the business wouldn't be where it is today. I probably would have closed down my doors in 2024 when I got smacked over the head really bad. And I was talking with her, and I'm like, I am fighting YouTube. Every time I thought about recording a YouTube video, I literally felt like a little child having a temper tantrum and rolling on the floor and screaming and fighting and doing all the things.
Yvonne Heimann [00:05:11]:
And I'm like, I'm not doing this anymore. What if we just pause? YouTube just done. I record a She is a Leader podcast. We collaborate that with Ask Yvi. It becomes the explanation and the channel video of why there are no new videos. I was literally the conversation. And she's like, then why don't you? And I broke into. I broke out in tears.
I was grieving my home. I was grieving my relationship with YouTube, all the work that I've put in here, the community I had built. And I'm like, I don't. I don't want to, but I also don't not want to. This is how I build relationships with brands. This is how. And Luby came back to me, and she's like, yeah, but you are fighting it. Everything else falls off the deep end because you need so much time to amp yourself up, to record the videos.
You are struggling with what to talk about here.
Yvonne Heimann [00:06:19]:
Why? And she's like, what are you excited about? I'm like, I'm excited about doing the webinars. I'm excited about building out boss your business. I'm excited about launching FemAuthority. That gave me the energy. And it's interesting because one thing, with one of my coaches, what he said is how you work, how you make decision, how you get your energy, how you are in who you are is when things turn you on, when things excite you, when things literally give you butterflies. And I'm like, YouTube is not doing that for me. So I was excited about building my community. I'm excited about the webinars.
I'm excited about relaunching the second edition of Mastering the Basics of ClickUp. And all of that was overshadowed by having to record YouTube videos. So I allowed myself a weekend to just grief and it's done. And suddenly really like on Sunday or Monday, it was like, oh my God, I want to do this short and that and I want to play here and I want to do that. And my creativity came back, my ideas came back, I was excited again. And that was an interesting piece where.
Yvonne Heimann [00:07:38]:
Now suddenly, because I had decided I'm done posting On Ask Yvi YouTube, my energy came back, my creativity came back, my ideas came back and I'm like, we're still going to cross collaborate between the podcast and the YouTube channel. So there is still videos going up on the YouTube channel for that matter.
Then suddenly, a week in, there was a moment of oh my God, I just did a ClickUp webinar that changed.
I should do a quick little video that walks people through of. Here is how this changed and here's what you need to do.
Yvonne Heimann [00:08:20]:
However, YouTube Ask Yvi's YouTube has auto dubbing. It would be great to just no overproduce, no B roll, no nothing, just back to basics and value.
And post it on YouTube so I can share it in the community and our Spanish speaking members understand it too. They were so excited when YouTube sent us the auto dubbing feature and they can hear me in Spanish and I'm like, but wouldn't we fuck, conversation again with Luby. But wouldn't we fuck up the YouTube? And she's like, who the fuck cares about the algorithm? They're either way going to pick it up or not. We use YouTube to deliver value, not to drive traffic, not anything else. It just becomes your Vimeo with the features you want to support your community. Where I wanted to take all of this is really this, this reframe. I was struggling with deciding to pause Ask Yvi's YouTube. I really, really was.
Yvonne Heimann [00:09:28]:
That was a big one because I've been doing it since 2018. Since 2018. I have been producing and it was also a little bit of stepping into my power because yes, I still teach how to, but that is not the main.
Focus. Just ClickUp processes is not the main focus. I build simple systems for growing teams. I help founders and CEOs align their processes with their people because that is the biggest issue. That is the biggest pain point. That is the one thing that is missing in systems and processes. Process driven doesn't do shift. It doesn't align with the people.
So yes, we are using ClickUp. Yes, there will still be how to videos because teams need to learn how to use the tool while we working on align all of these processes. That will also mean the G suite tools. That will also mean whale sops. That is a lot of AI tools. That is make.com and YouTube did not have the capability to understand this. It kept pushing me back into having to be the ClickUp consultant, which is not what I am. Yes, I do ClickUp consultant, but it's not at the core.
Yvonne Heimann [00:11:05]:
So it also kind of pushed me of letting that identity go.
And owning that what I do is simple systems for growing teams, which that growth in itself and owning that can be difficult. I know toxic relationships. I know the constant fight. So I'm comfortable there being clear, not having to fight, letting go of things that is something new. And new usually means uncomfortable. It usually means that our brain goes, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. I don't know what you're doing here. This is something new.
This is gonna kill me. That's what our brain automatically does. And it's just not. So reframing this, learning this, letting this go and allowing myself to.
Leave that relationship and be like, I'm not playing your game anymore. I'm not doing this.
Yvonne Heimann [00:12:20]:
Is the first time that I've really done this with YouTube. I've done it with clients before. I'm doing it with a major lead right now. Again, where it's like you just figure your shit out and then come back. Because right now you are all over the place. And there's another just "toxic lead". I've learned it over the years with leads and clients. I hadn't learned it yet with YouTube.
And it's interesting how these patterns do come back around.
In different areas of our life. And that's why I said it's like the toxic acts conversation that I'm having with you over YouTube fits anywhere else. It fits into your personal relationships. Heck, I've done that a couple of times. It fits into your client relationships where they suddenly don't have boundaries anymore. Because let's be honest, I always say if you don't ask, the answer is always no. So your clients get to ask they get to push your boundaries. It is our job to set those boundaries.
Yvonne Heimann [00:13:29]:
And just like I just set boundaries with YouTube, we need to set boundaries with clients. We need to set boundaries with friends. And if we can't have this clear conversation and it's being appreciated and received on both sides, then it's just another toxic relationship. So with that.
First of all, I want to give you a permission slip to just say no and step away from things. Even if you know it's unhealthy for you. Even if you know it's toxic. It might not be easy. I took a weekend off. I literally, when. When I told my coach we decided.
To pause YouTube, to pause focus on YouTube, to pause optimization there, to pause.
Consistently and.
Really focus on producing for YouTube. I broke out in tears when I was telling him that I lost it.
And it felt good to just let it go. It was a fucking crying mess for, like half an hour. Who gives a shit? Fortunately, I have enough German chocolate from Aldi. So I want to give you the permission to feel. I want to give you the permission to say no.
Yvonne Heimann [00:14:51]:
But I also want to invite you to look at your business, look at your relationships, your relationships with personal relationships, business relationships, relationships in your team, relationships with tools and processes.
Where are these energy sucker. Where are these toxic relationships that you just feel like you want to throw yourself on the ground, just have a temper tantrum and be like, I don't want to do this.
The things you are fighting most, the conversations you are fighting most to have, the people you are fighting most to work with, examine those. Is this something where you are just out of your comfort zone and you are just stretching your comfort zone, or is it a toxic relationship you just simply need to let go. And again, it doesn't mean just because you decided this is a toxic relationship, you're gonna let it go. That it's like, ah, sweet. Chances are you're gonna have emotions, and that's okay.
Grab your favorite stuffy. If you haven't seen on my Instagram stories the journeys of Hippo and Ice Bear. Oh, my God, so cute. We're having way too much fun with my stuffy. Yes, I travel with my stuffy. I invite you to let go, to feel the grief, to go through the process and then watch how doors open, how your creativity comes back, how your energy comes back, how your ideas come back, and how you suddenly have fun again. And with that, we are having fun on the podcast. I have some amazing guest lines up lined up.
Yvonne Heimann [00:16:48]:
I had a really, really fun conversation yesterday. With a longtime friend of mine, and we actually talked about that. I hadn't talked to her in months.
And we jumped right back into the conversation like nothing ever happened. That's right there. Those are the relationships and conversations you want to have.
With that pop in the comment section, what is that toxic relationship you're going to let go? Is it a client? Is it a team member? Is it a platform? Or maybe it's a tool or process? I want to hear from you, and I'll see you in the next episode.