WTF... This Again???
Added 2024-09-24 13:00:57 +0000 UTCA change in the viewing audience and a change of building ownership brings an uncertain future to FranLab. Here's looking into 2025, if I can afford it.
Comments
So would 10K set up a viable stock of merch on a good footing?
Bill Rule
2024-10-07 13:54:23 +0000 UTCOh Erik I leave in plenty of screw ups but honestly I have to remove sooo much dead time and hemming and hawing over a problem. I usually boil down at least 1-2 hours of footage to a digestible 20-30 minutes of finished video, so all the other 'fat' is trimmed out.
Fran Blanche
2024-09-26 14:02:23 +0000 UTCI've only been a patron of your channel for just shy of six years, but I don't think I've missed a video in all that time. I've also gone back and watched much of your previous stuff. I really like your teardowns, builds, and reviews, but do what you've got to do stay above water. Re: the storage. What a racket. Should be criminal! I have a largish unit I've had about 11 years. They quadrupled the rent over that time. I felt like I was hemorrhaging money! Then I looked online and found the same size unit for my original starting price, at the same location! Found out I'm not eligible for that price because I already have one. So I had a relative rent it for me, and that worked. Huge pain to move, but worth it to quarter my rent. Shouldn't have to do things like that! I think your storage is significantly bigger than mine, probably wouldn't be worth it, but can't hurt to check. Hope you can find some cost saving measures, and gain some patrons. Crossing my fingers for you.
Michael Aichlmayr
2024-09-25 23:50:44 +0000 UTCI am so sorry to hear that im a big fan i have gave to you for years i hope the future gets better for you and continue to make good content im a MAKER and my Son is a industrial designer, I have a Large LAB like you do i do all kinds of stuff but I have Never make videos but I Enjoy watching you make simple projects thanks From the bottom of my heart
Ross Zahara
2024-09-25 23:32:29 +0000 UTCSometimes it can just be timing. For instance, I like your teardown videos but I'm interested in more faster paced stuff in the summer. I'm sure I'll catch up again when life slows down in autumn/winter.
John Deweerd
2024-09-25 21:33:39 +0000 UTCObviously every job has its ups and downs, and I can't say what is best to post, most enjoyed by me is a combination of electronics and history that includes a good bit of the projects, as well as face videos (news clips, showing items in the vault ect) However sometimes the fact that you are not balancing enough of the projects you really want to do regardless of income with the ones that keep the lights on shows in burnout if nothing else. Anyway plan to keep my current plege for now; And sipping my morning coffee from last years Fran lab worm mug.
EzTerry
2024-09-25 15:08:53 +0000 UTCI love the 2001 prop and other bench stuff but I'm just one viewer. ๐ฅ
Bob Zox
2024-09-25 03:40:49 +0000 UTCDeja vu :-( With the merch side of things, yeah, if you have to buy stuff up front it becomes a big game of cash flow (and space if you physically handle them). My business ran out of cash once due to this, had to stop paying myself a wage for a few months to get back on track. I'm still sitting on 3000 multimeter cases in my storage bunker, slowly getting through them...
EEVblog
2024-09-24 23:53:49 +0000 UTCI like more the video with electronics contents, but what I notices is that YouTube is trying to force me to see the channel they want to sponsor, even if I have all the notification and alarm set for my subscriptions. My subscription collection is 98% of deep electronic contents, but since months I am noticing that my main YouTube channel is full of unrelated videos, current affairs and generalist talk programs, short clickbait and so on. I am forced to go on the subscription section to see really the new videos for the subscribed channel. Sorry but I think YouTube is boycotting you and many others content makers. Unfortunately less and less people is interested in technical matters and the majority of viewers (millions of people) are interested in generalist videos, and so, YouTube promote them, and you are hidden from the main page with many others creators. My two cents advice is to think to the possibility that a 3rd move could happen, and be ready to move AWAY in a cheap and nice place where you can improve your life. Even when Louis Rossmann announced he would have left NY several years ago, I had doubt it would have been a good idea for his commercial activity, but time demonstrated that it was a good idea. So make a plan, and have the plan ready if bad things happen. If you like to do electronic repair videos, do that; if you want to do tear down of legacy devices, do that; do what you like to do, and do not do what you dislike, even if it brings money; this because if you enter in the mind loop to do things you don't like for money, then you are ready for a normal grey "conventional" job, that you may dislike, but brings money.
Roberto Coli
2024-09-24 21:51:16 +0000 UTCAgreed, but these days on the internet you will find figures everywhere whose sole intent is to see their typed words published somehow and to see real people react to that. I feel it's a worthy goal to deny them that pleasure, and hopefully make the phenomenon go away.
Erik Broeders
2024-09-24 18:13:54 +0000 UTCGen Z is having a rough time paying the rent due to speculators buying up property and driving up the rent. Maybe we may get a rent price control after the election to stop this greed.
Don
2024-09-24 17:50:28 +0000 UTCOh no! Not again?! You ever get the feeing things are getting worse, not better ? It is crazy, you can't get a break.
veritanuda
2024-09-24 16:56:33 +0000 UTCI don't get that impression, but it's worth keeping in mind she gets nasty comments from knuckle draggers if they think she did anything imperfectly. Like turning the screwdriver backwards to find the seating.
Robyn Banks
2024-09-24 16:50:56 +0000 UTCTough decisions. I have no great ideas. The problem in any situation is always balancing income vs. expenses. After COVID, my "work" became "work from home." But, in reality, that means "work from anywhere." It became so prevalent that our physical office closed its doors and we are now 100% virtual with one HQ office and all satellite offices shut down. I recall you saying you are in the Philly area. Is there any possibility of making a radical move to some location that is dirt cheap outside of Philly? I know I could, if I had to, retire to my family farm in Maine, as it has fiber optic. In the middle of nowhere, population 600, I could be doing exactly what I am doing now in the DC Metro area, at a fraction of the cost. So, there's that. The social life of a toaster, but I'd be working. Any thoughts on corporate sponsorships? Educational grants for teaching certain groups of people? You have a wealth of information. Perhaps, that could be an income stream. How about contacting the Smithsonian? No joke. Years ago, I was approached with a piece of hardware - really old - and asked if I wanted it. I did not, but I suggested they contact the Smithsonian as I knew they had an active program to collect electronic pieces before they disappeared forever. They snatched this up and the people who donated got their name mentioned. Mine is supposed to be there somewhere, too, as "assisted in the process." But, perhaps, they need curators, experts, people who know the history - as you seem to - and are willing to do the research. And, given your proximity to DC, this may be a connection. I recall you had a series of videos related to the trips to DC. That might be another source of contract work, retainer, project work, etc. I wish you luck, Fran. I'll still be here. All the best!
Charles Gage
2024-09-24 16:26:00 +0000 UTCWow that really fucking sucks about the landlords again. I know owning property seems impossible, but I wonder if a big fundraising push could get you there, especially if the bigger channels promoted it? Really wish we could just get you into a stable location and let you focus on what you want to do. Like that awesome Space Oddysey project, that was one of my favorites, really messed up that it didn't get noticed (and the copyright buzzards messing with it). Oh, one other thought - I guess it would entail lowering your standards and your take, but drop shipping/print-on-demand has negligible startup and ongoing labor costs, might be enough to get another few percent that you need?
Robyn Banks
2024-09-24 15:47:14 +0000 UTCI am not a videographer at all. So take my advice for what it's worth. I love your videos, but I would love them even more if they weren't so clean and possibly intended to show how good you are. It feels to me like you edit out the screwups, and when someone points out one to you, you go in defense mode and explain why and how and ... I would think: show the screwups, us, electronics engineers can relate to them. And read all comments to your videos, but never ever reply to one, certainly not in your next video. Peace and love to my favorite creator. ๐ค
Erik Broeders
2024-09-24 15:13:00 +0000 UTC"If you can't be a millionaire, be a revolutionaire."
Keri Szafir
2024-09-24 14:25:52 +0000 UTCApparently your channel has evolved. Go with what works Fran! I still love it. TBH, I havenโt watched a lot of YouTube over the summer(which is a few weeks of bad sledding here in Minnesnowda). However, winter is soon.
Darrell Ashby
2024-09-24 14:25:36 +0000 UTCI have increased my giving by 30%
CPJ
2024-09-24 13:59:53 +0000 UTC
