Jodie Rivera: DIY YouTube Star Makes A Reported $1.5 Million a Year

March 5, 2013
Jodie Rivera in Wizard of Oz Parody in 2008

Jodie Rivera in Wizard of Oz Parody in 2008

You can make money through YouTube and you can run it like a business. Just ask Jodie Rivera of Brockton, Massachusetts. When I first met Jodie  in 2008 she  had just graduated from New England Conservatory of Music. She was living with her Mom and making videos in her bedroom. She  had converted her closet onto a green screen room.  She was cutting on Final Cut Pro.  The young artist had great flare. She was 23 at the time.

I asked Jodie  if I could commission her to do a spoof on the WIzard of Oz for a promotional  campaign. Jodie was game. She delivered a sensational product. It was witty and spunky. She played Dorothy.  She was pleased  with her fee and the story ends happily.

At that time, Jodie had started a YouTube Channel called “Venetian Princess“.

“What are you going to do when you grow up?” I asked.

“I think I’m going to stick with this YouTube thing. I think I can make money at it.”

“How are you going to do that?”

“I can make money advertising.”

“Really?” I asked.

“Yes.  They started a new thing. Every time a video plays, I make a tiny bit of money that goes into my PayPal account — but it adds up.”

So the story has another happy ending.

Most importantly, Jodie loves what she does…. but just as interestingly…

Jodie’s little channel, Venetian princess, is one of the most watched personal channels on YouTube.

The Venetian Princess Channel has clocked over 380 million views. She has moved out of her Mom’s House. She bought a house in Florida and continues to  make celebrity and political parody videos. Her Lady Gaga video  has a whopping 47 million views.

Jodie writes, stars, directs, edits and  posts her own videos. She reportedly is making $1.5 million a year from YouTube and other promotions.

Jodie Rivera may be a Venetian Princess, but she has now been crowned the Queen of DIY.

It is great to see talented people succeed in the world of social media.