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In the world of digital content creation, there are those who make a fortune from ‘YouTubbing’

Friday, September 24th, 2021 00:00 | By
Milly and Kabi Wa Jesus.

“Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labour: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up.”

These are the words of Solomon’s wisdom in the book of Ecclesiastes 4:9-10. The Englishmen then affirmed that behind every successful man, there must be a woman.

These statements have become apparent in the current social media era where couples have chosen to work together as content creators.

Initially, a majority of public figures would protect their partners and children from the limelight, as they feared that they would risk exposing their private lives to the sometimes unforgiving public, making their families vulnerable.

With time, things are seemingly changing, especially in the creative sector—as working as a couple is said to be the key attraction to corporate endorsements, getting more followers on social media and being relevant to the society.

Social media has become a new home for couples content creators to display their lives as some flaunt their posh lifestyle both genuine and fake.

Some give relationship advice, others entertain their fans with their daily drama, while others share their different life experiences as couples.

Digital video sharing platform YouTube is one of the leading paying sites for digital content creators. Couples such as Bahati and Diana Marua, DJ Mo and Size 8, King Kaka and Nana Owiti, Njugush and Celestine Ndinda aka Wakavinye, Terrence Creative and Milly Chebby, The Wa Jesus Family, Frankie Just Gym It and Corazon Kwamboka, Eve Mungai and her boyfriend director Trevor, just to mention a few, have garnered huge fan bases, as the creators work together both in front and behind the camera.

Kabi Wa Jesus says working as a content creator couple has helped him spend more time with his wife Milly and their son Taji.

Sonnie and Mulamwah.

The duo pioneered as the first online content creators couple in Kenya, a journey they started in 2018. 

The movers 

“Working together has helped us to know each other at a deeper level, as we spend most of our time together creating content.

This is unlike many couples that spend time in the office and come back home with the stress they got from their bosses.

This has helped us to grow as a couple knowing each others’ weaknesses and capitalising of our strengths to create a winning team.

She knows what I can do best while I know her strengths which has also strengthened our bond,” Kabi WaJesus tells Spice. 

He adds, “The biggest challenge, however, has been deciding what our next creative project should be, because as a couple driven by a common purpose, we need to keep inspiring the many people looking up to us as their mentors.”

Kabi believes that endorsements from corporations not only come from being a content creating couple.

“For us, it is not all about the couple aspect, but the family aspect hence the slogan of #NiJesus.

People have been accusing us for using the name Jesus to grow our brand, but that is not the case.

We started calling ourselves ‘The WaJesus’ from way back when we were starting out. It is all about Jesus.

Nessy and Lee.

We also want the young people know that marriage works because the modern society does not support marriage. Divorce, separation and abuse are order of the day,” he adds.

Work perks

Kabi started his journey into content creation as a producer with songs such as Ameni and Tambarare both done by the gospel artiste Eunice Njeri.

He later moved from working behind the scenes to working in front of the camera and introduced his wife Milly whom he says was more of an entrepreneur than a content creator, who later on adapted to it.

“We now run a men and boys wear shop called Bossman, which has been a fruit of our consistent content creation. We are proud to have created job opportunities too, as we have seven employees as of now.

For a couple that wants to venture into content creation, go for it but have a purpose; don’t put money first.

We didn’t make even a coin for a whole year when we started this in 2018. Since we had a purpose and consistency, endorsements started to flow our way,” he says.

For comedian and content creator David Oyando aka Mulamwah (who works with his girlfriend Caroline Sonnie on many of his videos), working as a comedian, actor or musician and introducing your partner as a content creator was worthwhile for the couple as it widened their scope. 

“Working together as a couple helps to appeal to a huge fan base. You also create a brand for your partner.

When I started dating Sonnie, she didn’t have a following on social media, but with time, she started gaining fans and endorsements from corporates out of the huge following she had gained. It is now one of her key income-generating channels,” he says.

Less than a week ago, the two welcomed their bouncing baby girl and named her Keilah Oyando, and in a few hours after the baby was born, they set up a Facebook page and an Instagram account for her that have since attracted a lot of followers.

Corazon Kwamboka and Frankie Just Gym It.

Mulamwah intimates that this has attracted endorsements from children clothwear shops and diaper companies. 

“The baby has just gained favour online out of us being content creators. Most of our friends have offered to bring us gifts for her and she is already a brand ambassador of various children wear stores, which had approached us even before she was born.

As a family, having that network is easy, we can hardly miss to get an advertisement since what does not fit the man, will definitely fit the woman. If it doesn’t fit the both of us, then it will do for the baby,” he tells us.

Handling misfortunes

Last year was a tough year for the couple as Sonnie experienced a miscarriage, but she had to make lemonades out of the lemons through empowering women on how she overcame the tumultuous situation.

They intimate that they receive a lot enquiries from many of their fans who’ve experienced a similar situation for advice or solutions.

Another content creator that has stormed social media is Lee Alvin and his wife Nessy who are relationship YouTubers.

The couple serves goals with the simple lifestyle they have been showing to their fans making them garner a huge following.

Lee serves as a lifestyle coach as his full-time job, while his wife is a hair specialist. The duo started vlogging before getting married though.

“Her thought at first was to start a hairdressing YouTube channel. She then did it on her first video, then did the second video with a friend.

I came in on the third video and that is how we became active in creating content,” he says.

For them, the biggest challenge has been creating time for vlogging since this is a part-time gig them.

Lee and his wife Nessy have not faced cyberbullying, but he advises that the best way to handle trolls is by not letting praises and critics get to your head, as the purpose they have is beyond all these. 

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