New Delhi: In a time when anyone with a phone and an idea can become a creator, YouTube is playing a central role in shaping the future of digital entrepreneurship.
Offering a rare behind-the-scenes perspective, YouTube CEO Neal Mohan recently sat down with entrepreneur and investor Nikhil Kamath on People by WTF. What followed was a refreshing and insightful conversation that touched on everything from the rise of the creator economy to the evolving power of storytelling, AI, and authenticity in the digital age. Mohan’s vision wasn’t just about platforms; it was about people, passion, and building something real.
“We are in a moment where anyone, anywhere, can be a creator or an entrepreneur,” Mohan said. “And very often now, they are one and the same.”
When asked a hypothetical question about how to sell T-shirts using YouTube, Mohan shared two important strategies. He stressed that success starts with creating content on topics one is truly passionate about. If the goal is only to drive sales, he explained, it’s crucial to also genuinely care about the content being produced. Audiences are quick to detect inauthenticity, and without real passion, it becomes difficult to build trust or a loyal following.
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Second, he explained that success on YouTube, measured by views and distribution, often takes time. “YouTube can be a slow burn,” Mohan said. “It’s about building expectations with your audience over time — who you are, what your content is about, and why it matters.”
He added that the YouTube algorithm is essentially a reflection of the audience. “The algorithm rewards consistency, authenticity, and audience engagement. It’s not just a system, it’s a mirror.”
Mohan highlighted that today’s creators are essentially entrepreneurs. “They think about product, community, revenue streams, all of it,” he said. “Your YouTube channel isn’t just a billboard. It’s your business model.” He encouraged founders to stop treating content as a marketing tool and start seeing it as an asset. “The story you tell is the business you build,” he emphasised, underlining how narratives shape brand identity and audience loyalty.
Reflecting on his personal journey, Mohan spoke about his early life in Lucknow and how he ventured into software development while still in high school.
His longstanding fascination with both technology and storytelling has been a constant force in his life. He described himself as a lifelong media enthusiast with a strong love for movies, music, and especially sports — passions that, he said, have significantly shaped who he is today.
Discussing how content creation has evolved, Mohan said the very definition of a creator has shifted. “It used to be that you had to be in a studio or part of a big network to reach millions. Now, you just need a phone,” he said. “Your camera is your distribution channel. Your content is your storefront.”
On India’s role in the global creator ecosystem, Mohan called the country a “cultural powerhouse” that is shaping global content trends. “The idea that content in Hindi, Tamil, or Bengali doesn’t travel? That’s gone. Audiences care about stories, not subtitles.” For Indian entrepreneurs, he believes this means local storytelling has global potential.
Challenging popular assumptions about content consumption, Mohan pointed out that television has become the fastest-growing screen for YouTube, especially in the US. This shift in viewing habits suggests a growing appetite for long-form, cinematic content, pushing creators to think more like showrunners and adapt their formats accordingly.
He also highlighted the role of data and analytics in refining content strategy. Creators today have access to real-time feedback that helps them identify where viewers lose interest and make immediate improvements, eliminating the need for traditional market research methods.
In terms of monetisation, Mohan noted that YouTube offers far more than just advertising revenue. Features like fan funding, subscriptions, live commerce, Super Chats, and merchandise have allowed successful creators to build comprehensive business ecosystems around their content. However, he stressed that authenticity remains the most valuable currency in this space. As he put it, “Audiences connect with real people, real stories.”
He emphasised that in today’s digital landscape, anyone building a product, platform, or community needs to think like a creator to stay relevant and competitive. Without adopting this mindset, they risk being outpaced in a rapidly evolving ecosystem.
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