I was ready to quit YouTube.

December 2023: 47 subscribers. Zero income. A lonely apartment in Nigeria and a family group chat full of messages like, “When will you get a real job?” and “This YouTube thing isn’t working.” I felt like the definition of failure. Then, one late night, I called my grandmother in Lagos—just to hear a kind voice.

She shared an ancient Yoruba proverb:
“A child with good character, the world will support.”

At first, I didn’t understand. I told her, “Grandma, I HAV...