How Jay Yang Built a Brand at 19 With No Experience

No Bollocks with Matt Haycox

At 19 years old, Jay Yang is already inspiring millions—but it didn’t start with success. It started with 5 hours a day gaming and feeling stuck. One day, he looked in the mirror and thought: “I should be doing something better with my life.”

In this episode, Jay shares how he transformed from aimless teen to impactful creator—growing an audience of over 200,000 followers, publishing 1,200+ pieces of content, and building a brand on relatability, resilience, and taking action before you're ready.

Whether you're feeling stuck, afraid to start, or simply tired of perfectionism holding you back—this conversation will hit hard.

Timestamps:
0:00 – Meet Jay Yang: Gaming Kid to 200K Followers by 19
2:28 – Failing on YouTube? Why That’s the Best Thing
8:00 – Sacrifices, Self-Belief & Showing Up Anyway
10:13 – Picking the Right Platform & Growing With Purpose
14:27 – How Jay Hit 200K With Just Text Posts
19:57 – Land Your Dream Internship at 16 (Here’s How)
26:54 – Bold Moves: From Beehive to Noah Kagan’s Team
33:47 – Behind the Scenes of a Creator’s Content Machine
38:29 – Why I Dropped Out After One Year of College
45:31 – Mentors, Meaning & What’s Next for Jay Yang

Connect with Jay:
Website: jayyanginspires.com
Instagram: @jayyanginspires

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Connect with Matt Haycox:

▶ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thematthaycox/
▶ YouTube: Matt Haycox - YouTube
▶ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-haycox/
▶ Website: https://matt-haycox.com/podcasts/
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I’m Matt Haycox, entrepreneur, investor, mentor, and your go-to guy for no-bollocks advice on business and personal growth.

With over 25 years of experience building and funding businesses across industries, I’ve faced it all wins, losses, and the ultimate comeback story. Through my podcasts, No Bollocks with Matt Haycox and Stripping Off with Matt Haycox, I cut through the bullshit to bring you real, actionable strategies and raw conversations with entrepreneurs, celebrities, and industry leaders.

Whether you’re looking to scale your business, secure funding, or avoid the mistakes I’ve learned the hard way, my goal is simple: to help YOU create YOUR success story.

Subscribe to my newsletter and get insider tips on entrepreneurship, strategy, & business growth!...

Chapters

1. Meet Jay Yang: From Gaming to 200,000 Followers at 19 (00:00:00)

2. From YouTube Failures to Real Learning: The Power of Starting Before You’re Ready (00:02:28)

3. Sacrifices, Self-Belief & Sharing the Journey (00:08:00)

4. Choosing Your Platform & Building an Audience with Intention (00:10:13)

5. Growing 200k Followers with Relatable Text Posts: A Masterclass in Content Strategy (00:14:27)

6. How to Land Your Dream Internship at 16: Beehive, Pitch Decks, and Doing the Work (00:19:57)

7. Move Fast, Think Bold: Lessons from Beehive & Getting Hired by Noah Kagan (00:26:54)

8. Inside a Creator’s Team: YouTube, Content Systems & Ideation Strategy (00:33:47)

9. Why I Went to College (and Why I’m Leaving After One Year) (00:38:29)

10. Mentorship, Meaning, and Jay’s Vision for the Future (00:45:31)