PORTFOLIO.YVR: Transitioning from Influencer to Content Creator is a Breeze for YVR's Josh Rimer

Known as a Vancouver-based Influencer and Content Creator, Josh Rimer shares his extensive travels, culinary adventures, musings, and love of community events with a devoted following of over 60,000 across his social media accounts.

Infamous for creating and posting the “most discussed video of all time” on YouTube in 2007, Josh has since uploaded more than a thousand videos to the platform while also expanding to share accessible, inclusive, fun-loving, and very engageable content on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.

Originally from Alberta, Josh arrived in BC with a diploma in Broadcasting from Mount Royal College in Calgary. He has a background in acting, singing and dancing. He has also worked as a theatre and improv actor in various productions throughout that time.

In 2024, Josh works directly with brands of all kinds and sizes to help bring awareness of their products and services to his followers, who have come to know, like, and trust him over the years.

IN HIS WORDS

“I had an entrepreneurial spirit from a very young age. When I was seven years old, I got into some trouble at home because I took all of my Dad’s pop out of the fridge, mixed it all together into a giant jug, and then set up a little table on our front sidewalk to sell glasses of it to the neighbours. It worked, though, because I could make some money from it, so I was hooked.

“I took the earnings from that swamp water mix and bought cheap candies at the corner store that I sold at twice the price to the kids on the street. I also put on a magic show for my neighbours that they had to pay to attend.

“In the winter, I went door to door after it snowed to ask my neighbours if they would pay me to shovel their driveway and sidewalk. My asking price was $2, and it didn’t take long for someone to say yes. It also took a little time to realize they were getting a good deal out of the bargain. Figuring out the correct pricing is always tough at the beginning!

“As a teen, I did more traditional work, like having a paper route and working in fast food. I studied broadcasting in college, and when I graduated, I decided I wanted to have a TV show of my own.

“Rather than go the traditional route, I decided to do it alone. I rented or borrowed all the equipment, brought on my brother to co-star with me and help me edit, found some volunteers to help be our crew, and bought infomercial time on a small TV network to air the episodes late at night.

“I sold commercial spots during the show (primarily to relatives who had their own businesses). Although the show never got properly picked up (and I didn’t sell enough commercial spots to break even), it set me on the path I am on now.

“I got a job at a TV station and focused on that for a while, but eventually, I needed to go out on my own again, so I started my own small video production company.

“It was just me (and whoever I could find when I needed a second camera person). I started out making DVDs of theatre productions so all the cast (and their relatives) could buy a copy, and then I started doing weddings because I realized there was a lot more money to be made in that industry than in the arts.

“Later, I started doing corporate videos because it turned out that companies often have even more money than people do.

“When YouTube started to become popular, I also began using it to get myself noticed in front of the camera. The combination of my experience from being behind and in front of the camera has led me to where I am today.

“My first real business was an incorporated company whose sole purpose was to produce the TV series – it wasn’t a money-making venture but a way for us to showcase ourselves and hopefully get picked up by an experienced production company or TV station.

“Eventually, we ran out of money because we needed to sell more commercial spots to cover the airtime costs since it aired at 1:30 am, and we were trying to be our salespeople in addition to the producers, writers, hosts, editors, etc.

“I then used that business for my video production work for theatre productions and weddings. This was all in Calgary, and I eventually decided to move to Vancouver, at which point I brought the company here while continuing to grow my YouTube channel on the side.

“I always kept the company small (myself and one other employee). Because I struggled so much with working in the business rather than on the business while also making two YouTube videos per week.

“I eventually ran out of money and decided to close the company. Luckily, around the same time, a TV station approached me to license my two weekly YouTube videos to air as interstitial content (during commercial breaks) on their network, so I continued to do that under my name.

“This was also when ‘influencers’ became an industry term, and companies began working with people like me to showcase their products to our subscribers/followers. As my popularity on YouTube grew, I started to get more opportunities, like being invited to speak at events and conferences.

“At one, an attendee came up to me afterwards and said that he worked with a tourism board that would be interested in bringing me to their destination to make a YouTube video about the visit.

“I went on that trip and was immediately hooked on making my content more focused on travel to encourage more opportunities like that. It worked, and I began making all my content travel-focused, showing on TV, my YouTube channel, and other social media accounts.

“I focused my content on travel for gay couples so I could bring my partner at the time along with me, and for a year, we were almost travelling as much as we were home.

“In the Influencer industry, there are primarily one-time offers when a brand wants to hire you for one post on your social media. The first time I got a big brand deal that was high pay and lasted over a few months was a definitive moment when I knew I could make this a sustainable career.

“Not too long after that, I ended up securing a one-year partnership with a major brand, and I knew I was absolutely on the right path to finally having some income stability in my business.

“During the pandemic, I was forced to start making content that wasn’t about travel, and I began to find myself with more paying opportunities from other types of brands in the broader scope of industries.

“The different genres of content I was making were attracting more businesses. As my local followers and engagement on posts grew, I continued to get noticed by more local and national companies.

“I also better figured out my pricing to stop struggling with undercharging, and I learned how to better sell myself to companies interested in working with me.

“It would be tough to be on an entrepreneurial journey without the support of family and friends. Especially with being an early adopter, though, in an industry that was brand new and just getting started, it was hard for them (and even myself) to stay optimistic at times.

“I spent years creating hundreds of videos on YouTube for very little income, so I’m sure it was challenging for them to see me struggle financially.

“My parents especially supported me even when they saw me working endless hours for not much compensation. They knew I had the passion and drive to turn this into a viable business that would eventually provide me with a good income and unique experiences – which it finally did!

“My best friend, Mary Sheridan (@maryinvancity), also had a successful blog while I was going through all this, so it was great to have someone to bounce ideas off of and learn from. Now, we do a lot of content creation together, so we can help each other out and have a lot of fun while we do it!

“I work with everyone from small local businesses to large national chains with a product or service they want me to experience and share with my followers.

“That can be anything from one post on one platform to multiple posts on multiple platforms. I have an exceptionally high local reach, so companies trying to target Vancouverites can benefit from having me share what they offer – to a following who have come to know, like and trust me. When a business works with me, I provide video production, marketing, and spokesperson all in one!

“As I move forward, I’m looking to get more long-term partnerships with brands that see the value in working on an ongoing basis. The more I can use a product or service and continually share about it with my followers, the more authentic and effective the partnership becomes.

“Like with any good marketing, it’s not just about hitting someone one time with your message, so while I do still like to randomly let my followers know about different types of things that they might enjoy, the best partnership for both myself and a brand is going to be in something that’s on a more recurring basis.

“Although I already have a lot planned for the rest of the year regarding travel content, I will continue to work with businesses interested in working with me. Everything is on a great trajectory!

“I want to continue bringing value to my followers, getting to know them as they get to know me, and bringing more of them along my journey. The more I can connect with them, share with them, and entertain them, the more I get back in return – so it becomes a win-win-win situation for them, me, and the brands I work with!”

Author Profile

Helen Siwak, Luxury Lifestyle Observer: Helen Siwak is the founder of EcoLuxLuv Marketing & Communications Inc and publisher of Folio.YVR Luxury Lifestyle Magazine, PORTFOLIOY.YVR Business & Entrepreneurs Magazine, and digital women's lifestyle magazine EcoLuxLifestyle.co. She is a prolific content creator, consultant, and marketing and media strategist within the ecoluxury lifestyle niche. Post-pandemic, she has worked with many small to mid-sized plant-based/vegan brands to build their digital foundations and strategize content creation and business development. Helen is the west coast correspondent to Canada’s top-read industry magazine Retail-Insider, holds a vast freelance portfolio, and consults with many of the world’s luxury heritage brands. Always seeking new opportunities and challenges, you can email her at helen@ecoluxluv.com.

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