Ever sat at your desk wondering if there's more to life than climbing the corporate ladder?

Host Nate Flake gets it. He spent 11 years in tech, earned an MBA, and worked his way up to positions at companies like Intuit - only to realize the golden handcuffs weren't worth it.

Nate pulls back the curtain on his entire UGC journey. From that awkward first video to crossing $140,000 on Fiverr alone, he walks you through the messy middle that most coaches skip over.

Chapters:
04:55 – Feeling Invisible in Big Tech
06:28 – Side Projects as Survival
08:35 – The Corporate Breaking Point
09:43 – The Bed That Changed Everything
11:30 – First Steps Into UGC
13:23 – Landing the First Brand Deal
15:12 – Getting Comfortable on Camera
17:21 – Why Fiverr Was the Entry Point
20:30 – Raising Rates and Scaling Fast
24:28 – Why Followers Don’t Matter
31:30 – Buying Back Time With a Course
34:56 – Choosing Freedom Over Stability

He talks about the moment his friend Tammy convinced him to try UGC, the nine days of radio silence before his first client, and how he juggled a demanding corporate job while building a side hustle that eventually replaced his income.

If you're stuck in a job that pays well but drains your soul, this episode gives you a practical roadmap. Nate breaks down how he validated UGC could work before quitting, why he started on Fiverr instead of pitching brands, and how he manages being a present dad while running a full-time creator business.

He also challenges the myth that you need to match your corporate salary dollar-for-dollar - because freedom, flexibility, and unlimited PTO have real value too.

The biggest shift happens when Nate explains what finally pushed him to quit. It wasn't just about money. It was about looking around at other UGC creators and realizing they had something he didn't: time with their families, control over their schedules, and genuine happiness.

Press play if you've been waiting for a sign to start UGC or take it seriously, this is it.

Download FREE GUIDE: 10 Steps to Becoming a UGC Creator from Scratch

Join UGC Creator Connect — March 14, Park City UT → https://ugccreatorconnectevent.com

MORE FROM NATE FLAKE

Nate’s UGC Fiverr Pro Course + Community — use code PODCAST for 15% off: . https://stan.store/nateflakeugc/p/master-ugc-on-fiverr

Connect with Nate
Instagram: @nateflakecreates
YouTube: UGC 101 Podcast

Contact / Collabs
For guest pitches, partnerships, or sponsorship inquiries.
https://ugcbynate.com/

Can you really build a UGC business from your couch while your kids are screaming in the next room?

Nate sits down with Salha to talk about what it's really like to balance chaos, creativity, and client work.

She's been creating UGC content since 2022, back when most people thought it was a scam, and she did it all as a stay-at-home mom with young kids running around. No fancy equipment. No quiet house. Just her phone, a window for light, and the willingness to figure it out one messy video at a time.

Chapters:
00:07:00 - When UGC Was Barely a Hashtag
00:10:00 - The Honest Video That Changed Everything
00:14:30 - Prep With Chaos, Film In Silence
00:18:00 - The Backwards Workflow That Works
00:25:00 - Avoiding Burnout With Real Numbers
00:29:00 - The One-Breath Voiceover Mistake
00:34:10 - UGC Is Mostly Admin
00:38:30 - Best and Worst Brand Experiences
00:42:00 - Finding Your Real Rhythm
00:46:00 - Why Community Changes Everything

Salha shares how she built a portfolio without a tripod, landed her first deals while documenting the whole thing on TikTok, and eventually charged over $1,000 per video, all while keeping her sanity intact.

If you're a parent who thinks you don't have time, space, or energy to start UGC, this episode breaks down how to work within your constraints instead of fighting them.

Salha talks about setting boundaries, avoiding overwhelm, and building a business that fits your life, not the other way around. She didn't do it the "right" way. She did it her way. And it worked.

Listen and learn how Salha realized she could stop chasing low paid gigs and start focusing on premium brands.

Join Salha’s Skool Community: HERE

Download FREE GUIDE: 10 Steps to Becoming a UGC Creator from Scratch

Join UGC Creator Connect — March 14, Park City UT → https://ugccreatorconnectevent.com

MORE FROM NATE FLAKE

Nate’s UGC Fiverr Pro Course + Community — use code PODCAST for 15% off: . https://stan.store/nateflakeugc/p/master-ugc-on-fiverr

Connect with Nate
Instagram: @nateflakecreates
YouTube: UGC 101 Podcast

Contact / Collabs
For guest pitches, partnerships, or sponsorship inquiries.
https://ugcbynate.com/

What if you could go from losing your job to replacing your income with UGC in under 30 days?

Nate sits down with Jake Winters, a creator who went from zero UGC experience to booking consistent gigs in his first month. Jake lost his real estate job in January, binged Nate's course in 24 hours, made a scrappy 4-video portfolio in one day, and landed his first $300 deal within a week.

No prior video experience. No following. Just action. What makes Jake's story even better? He's a master negotiator who's not afraid to play hardball with brands even as a total beginner.

Chapters:
04:30 - The First Real Doubt About UGC
06:10 - Losing a Job and Needing Cash Fast
07:29 - Why Being New Was an Advantage
08:16 - Building a Portfolio in One Afternoon
09:50 - Making Money With an “Ugly” Portfolio
12:25 - The Real Reason Creators Get Stuck
17:14 - Why UGC Is a Pure Numbers Game
19:37 - How Jake Learned to Negotiate Hard
23:12 - Discovering Creators Charging $1,000+
31:00 - When to Walk Away From Low Budgets
40:03 - How TikTok Live Changed Everything

If you've ever felt stuck because your portfolio isn't perfect, or you're too nervous to charge what you're worth, Jake’s story will shift how you think. Jake breaks down how he built confidence on camera fast, why TikTok Live became a secret weapon for landing deals, and how he consistently negotiates rates 2-3x higher than what brands initially offer.

Nate picks Jake's brain on how to walk away from low-ball offers, fake it till you make it, and treat UGC like a real business from day one.

By the end, you'll understand that success in UGC doesn’t require perfection, but being bold, consistent, and willing to stand up for yourself. Jake proves that if you're willing to take messy action and negotiate like you mean it, you can turn UGC into real income faster than you think.

Listen and learn how to make it work no matter where you're starting from.

Connect with guest: Jake Winters

Download FREE GUIDE: 10 Steps to Becoming a UGC Creator from Scratch

Join UGC Creator Connect — March 14, Park City UT → https://ugccreatorconnectevent.com

MORE FROM NATE FLAKE

Nate’s UGC Fiverr Pro Course + Community — use code PODCAST for 15% off: . https://stan.store/nateflakeugc/p/master-ugc-on-fiverr

Connect with Nate
Instagram: @nateflakecreates
YouTube: UGC 101 Podcast

Contact / Collabs
For guest pitches, partnerships, or sponsorship inquiries.
https://ugcbynate.com/