Interview: Louise Pentland Discusses Her Channel Shake-Up

We spoke to Louise about her recent change of creative direction

We The Unicorns
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On Sep 12, 2016

We The Unicorns

We The Unicorns say

Why did you decide that now was the time to make a change? Was there a key moment of realisation?

Louise Pentland

Louise Pentland say

I had a big cry at VidCon, actually. A big meltdown-y cry about how much I wasn’t enjoying it all. And then I just thought 'screw it', I'm just gonna not do it, I'm gonna quit. I've been slowly, for a year, been trying to make it a bit more me and a bit more honest and a bit more real - and I've just been failing because I feel very shoved into this box. So I thought rather than trying to quietly climb out of it, I'll just tell everybody that I'm not doing it anymore.

Louise Pentland

Louise Pentland say

And then I'll have to not do it. I won't be able to sink back into where I feel I should belong or, my comfort zone. I'll just have to do what I said I did. So I made a video about it.

We The Unicorns

We The Unicorns say

What precisely was it at VidCon that made you feel that way?

Louise Pentland

Louise Pentland say

It was because when I'm at home I'm leading lots of types of different lives. I'm a mother, a YouTuber, an author, a friend, a taxi service for my daughter - all these sorts of different things. But when you're at a place like VidCon, all you are is a YouTuber.

Louise Pentland

Louise Pentland say

You can only focus on YouTube - because every event you go to is about YouTubers or with YouTubers, or learning about YouTube. It's very YouTube-centric. It got me thinking more about everything and i just felt like I was there and being like 'oOoOo my channel!' But at that point I didn't actually really feel a lot of love for my channel.

We The Unicorns

We The Unicorns say

What kind of reaction have you had from your audience since you announced the shake-up?

Louise Pentland

Louise Pentland say

Everyone seems super hyped for it and I'm so glad. I thought the younger members of the audience might be like 'no I'm 12 and I really like it like this!' But none of them have.

Louise Pentland

Louise Pentland say

In fact so many people my age have come forward and said, 'I've never written a comment on your videos before but I'm super excited for this, I've been wanting something like this for a long time.' So I've been really encouraged that the older viewers have been a bit more vocal.

We The Unicorns

We The Unicorns say

If you find, in the next few months, that your views that a slight hit, will it matter to you?

Louise Pentland

Louise Pentland say

No. As long as I'm happy and comfortable with the content. Ideally I'd like the views to go up and to be happy with what I'm posting. If I had to choose between high-level views while making content that is safe and boring, or making videos that are really good and reflect me properly and have a good message, but have lower views - then I'd choose the latter.

We The Unicorns

We The Unicorns say

What would you say to other creators who are looking to make the same kind of changes as you?

Louise Pentland

Louise Pentland say

Do it. If that's how you feel, do it. Your channel was never (hopefully) created to be an entertainment service to be dictated by someone else. Your channel is such a personal thing. It's not a TV channel, it's not like the BBC where there's a board of people who direct it. It's yours.

Louise Pentland

Louise Pentland say

I just actually finished watching Niki and Sammy's YouTube Honesty Hour video and I can't relate to it more, it's so articulate. it's speaks to the essence of my video as well.

We The Unicorns

We The Unicorns say

Louise, thank you so much for talking to us! 💞

Louise Pentland

Louise Pentland say

Thank you guys! Bye!

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