We recently connected with Hafu Go and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Hafu, thanks for joining us today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

Straight out of college, I had a comfortable marketing job—20 hours a week, living with my parents, no real expenses. But even though it didn’t take much time, it took up my mind. I was constantly checking emails, thinking about work, and I knew I wasn’t giving my content everything I had.

During COVID, I made the call: quit the job, go all-in on YouTube.

The problem? I wasn’t making enough to survive on content. No safety net, no guarantees. But one month after quitting, I landed a brand deal that paid exactly what I would’ve made at my job. That was my sign—I had made the right call.

Since then, I’ve built a business around creativity, instinct, and storytelling. But it all started with that one risk—choosing uncertainty over comfort.

Lesson learned? The biggest risk isn’t failing—it’s never taking the leap at all.

Hafu, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I’m Hafu Go, and I create content that explores gadgets, tech, innovation, and the hidden side of curiosity. I don’t just talk about futuristic ideas—I bring them to life by collaborating with the innovators building them.

For example, I recently worked with The Hacksmith to showcase their real-life lightsaber, turning what was once a sci-fi fantasy into something tangible. Moments like that—where entertainment meets real innovation—are what drive my content.

Right now, my channel is about testing the limits of technology, diving into niche hobbies, and pushing experimental ideas to their breaking point. But my goal is bigger: I want to evolve into a Modern-Day Tony Stark—not because I build the tech, but because I bring it to the world in a way no one else does.

I see myself as The Future’s Showman, bridging the gap between cutting-edge innovation and mass entertainment. Whether it’s testing world-first inventions or working with tech visionaries, my mission is to make the future feel real.

At the core of it all, my belief is simple: The real superpower isn’t technology—it’s curiosity. My goal is to inspire people to never stop learning after school ends and to see the world through the lens of discovery.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

I didn’t start out making the kind of content I do today. My journey has been a series of reinventions—from college vlogging to kung fu training, to where I am now, exploring gadgets, tech, and innovation.

The first time I went viral was in college—a simple “Day in the Life” video that hit 50,000 views in a week. It was the first time I felt the power of YouTube. But the moment I truly believed I could build something bigger was when I trained Kung Fu with a Shaolin monk for 30 days.

I saw it as the modern-day Karate Kid and structured it like a movie—a six-part series with story arcs planned out on a whiteboard. That series didn’t just do well—it eventually got more views than the BBC documentary that inspired it, racking up 30 million views across all episodes. That was the moment I realized: if you craft something worth watching, people will find it. It gave me the confidence to trust in my creative instincts.

But the biggest shift in my audience growth came from embracing change before everyone else.

I was one of the first creators to embrace YouTube Shorts when most long-form creators were against it. People said it would split my audience and ruin my channel. But I saw it differently—I saw white space. A blue ocean of opportunity. Shorts weren’t just a side format; they were a way to innovate and grow faster than ever.

That decision changed everything. In one year, I did 1.8 billion views and gained nearly 7 million subscribers—not just from Shorts, but also from long-form videos. Mastering multiple formats allowed me to grow a much bigger audience than if I had stayed in my lane.

Advice for New Creators:
Reinvention is your biggest asset. I’ve pivoted multiple times, and each time, my audience grew. Don’t be afraid to evolve.
Bet on emerging formats early. By the time everyone else figures it out, it’s too late.
Think beyond trends—tell a great story. My Kung Fu series proved that good storytelling always wins.
If you want to grow, stop chasing views and start crafting experiences. The audience follows when the content is worth watching.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

Resilience isn’t just about pushing through challenges—it’s about trusting yourself when no one else sees the vision.

I started making videos in my college dorm room when no one believed in me. While my friends were studying for finals, I was editing videos in library. People laughed at me, made jokes behind my back, and questioned what I was doing. At the time, I had no results to prove them wrong—I couldn’t say anything back. All I could do was put my head down and create.

Even my Asian parents doubted me. They didn’t understand why I was spending all my time on videos instead of focusing on getting a “real job.” To them, stability and success meant getting a good job, not chasing something as uncertain as YouTube. Every conversation felt like another reminder that I was making the wrong choice. I felt like I was letting them down.

There were so many nights when I was alone in my room, questioning everything. Was this worth it? Was I wasting my time? Why was I even doing this?

But deep down, I knew I couldn’t quit—not because I had something to prove to them, but because I had something to prove to myself. I had to stick to something. I had to see it through.

Then, everything changed.

The moment that shut everyone up wasn’t when I hit a million views—it was when I moved away and stopped having to ask my parents for money. That was when they started to see it differently. When they realized I could actually support myself doing this, the doubt turned into support.

Years later, the same people who doubted me—friends, strangers, even my parents—watched me turn this into a real career. I built an audience of millions, worked with some of the biggest brands, and proved that I wasn’t just playing around—I was building something bigger than anyone imagined.

What I’ve Learned About Resilience:
People will doubt you until they can’t. If you wait for approval, you’ll never start.
Discipline matters more than motivation. The nights I wanted to quit were the nights that mattered the most.
The real risk isn’t failure—it’s never trying. The only way to prove something works is to do it.
At the end of the day, resilience isn’t about never questioning yourself—it’s about pushing forward anyway.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://hafugo.com
• Instagram: @hafugo
• Twitter: @thehafugo
• Youtube: @hafu