Justin Leusner started making YouTube videos at age 10, built a 100-person student media company at Penn State, and recently pulled off visiting all 30 NBA arenas in 30 days — raising over $100,000 for Make-A-Wish along the way.

In this episode, Justin opens up about the mental health lows that almost ended his creator career, the faith journey that brought him back, and the meticulous behind-the-scenes logistics that made his most ambitious project possible. Whether you're a creator chasing your next big swing or someone trying to build something that actually matters, this one's packed with hard-earned insight.

⏱️ Timestamps

0:00 — Intro

0:33 — Justin's origin story: NBA Live Mobile & the early YouTube grind

3:15 — The real motivation: wanting to be rich, famous, and move to LA

8:21 — The $1 million deal with his parents & why he ended up going to college

11:19 — Channel death, depression, and the COVID turning point

13:36 — Faith, a Bible ordered on Amazon, and a total life reset

15:31 — The inspiration behind 30 arenas in 30 days

17:56 — How the Make-A-Wish fundraiser mechanics actually worked

20:16 — Building Today Sports: Gen Z's ESPN with 100+ Penn State employees

24:44 — Why he walked away from being a CEO

27:16 — The full production breakdown: Editors, iPhones, 300GB uploads & no sleep

32:23 — Navigating the NBA partnership and arena access

45:00 — Thinking long-term: sustainability, monetization, and content strategy

54:58 — The right-sizing of expectations for creators

57:14 — Outro