How YouTube Success & Money Failed to Buy Happiness for Presenter Ali

Content creator Presenter Ali has revealed his intense struggle with depression, which began even as his YouTube career rapidly succeeded.

Speaking during an interview with Hot96 FM on Thursday morning, Ali explained that reaching major financial and subscriber milestones did not bring him lasting happiness.

He admitted he initially believed that money would solve most of his problems.

The Rapid Rise and Unexpected Fall

Presenter Ali, whose full name is Muslim Ali, started his YouTube journey after losing his job at a television station.

Despite studying Urban and Regional Planning at Nairobi University, he pursued his passion for media, beginning his channel with just a phone and a microphone.

His work ethic was intense; he sometimes uploaded up to five videos a day, interviewing people on the streets. This hustle paid off quickly: he hit 100,000 subscribers in approximately three months.

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At his peak success around 2020 and 2021, the money flowed in. He shared that there were days he could make half a million shillings in a month, sometimes making close to a million.

"I was living the life I might have dreamed of at that age. At that time, around 2021, I could make even half a million shillings in a month. YouTube is like a rollercoaster; you will have good days and bad days.”

“I thought the life that I was living, the money I was getting, I thought it was going to make me really happy,” he asserted.

Hitting a Wall at 100K

Ali recalled that the day he hit the 100,000 subscriber milestone, he actually fell into depression. He realised that despite the hard work—shooting, editing, and uploading everything alone—the achievement left him empty.

His physical exhaustion was extreme; days were spent editing until his back was too sore to allow him to roll out of bed.

He felt pressure to constantly chase higher numbers and make more money. Ali found he lacked a "concrete reason" for his work, leading to a profound sense of emptiness.

"I was actually empty because I didn't get a concrete reason as to why I was doing this."

Finding Purpose in Value

The breakthrough came when Ali realised he needed to change his approach. He stopped creating content based on "gossip nonsense" that he felt was wasting people’s time.

Instead, he shifted to producing content that offered genuine value, often sharing people’s personal stories.

He started receiving feedback from viewers saying his interviews had changed their lives, such as helping them find a job.

This positive impact gave him a crucial "sense of direction". This feeling of "changing people’s lives" provided a sense of purpose that kept him going, acting as an alternative to expensive therapy.

Today, Ali's channel focuses primarily on the financial niche, specifically forex trading content. He recently crossed half a million subscribers and currently runs what he states is the biggest trading podcast in Africa.

Advocating for Mental Health

Having overcome his personal struggle, partially through costly therapy sessions (up to 15,000 shillings an hour), Ali is now dedicated to mental health awareness.

The focus now, Ali notes, is being "of service to others," which provides a necessary sense of purpose.