Aishwarya Patekar of Speak English with Aishwarya has a whooping 1.34 million subscribers on YouTube. She talks to Storyboard18 on the occassion of International Mother Language Day, celebrated on February 21. Speak English with Aishwarya was created to empower every Marathi speaker, no matter their background, to learn English with confidence. Patekar tells us how she imagined reaching even the remotest corners of Maharashtra, making English accessible to farmers and IT professionals alike.
Patekar’s journey
I started my YouTube journey with food reviews and vlogs, but it was my experience as a Marathi news anchor that sparked my passion for teaching English. Seeing the challenges people faced, especially my husband who struggled in the event industry, made me realize the need for accessible English learning resources in Marathi. That's how Speak English with Aishwarya was born. I knew that if I could explain concepts in Marathi, my own mother tongue, it would make learning easier and faster for Marathi speakers. And I was right!
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My dream for Speak English with Aishwarya was to empower every Marathi speaker, no matter their background, to learn English with confidence. I imagined reaching even the remotest corners of Maharashtra, making English accessible to farmers and IT professionals alike. Today, that dream is becoming a reality! My diverse audience, from rural communities to tech experts, inspires me to keep creating content that caters to every learning style and pace. It's incredibly rewarding to see my channel bridge the language gap and open doors for so many!
Challenges and triumphs:
It hasn’t been a smooth ride. As an educational channel, views tend to drop during festivals when people are more interested in entertainment. But I am determined to reach everyone, from farmers to IT professionals, so I keep my content diverse and engaging. Another challenge is keeping viewers hooked. Unlike vloggers who can leverage daily events, educational channels need different strategies. I focus on creating innovative lesson plans and constantly coming up with fresh ideas to keep my audience coming back for more.
The impact:
Speak English with Aishwarya is more than just an English learning channel. It’s about empowering Marathi speakers to unlock new opportunities and confidently navigate the world. Seeing my viewers gain the confidence to speak English fluently is the most rewarding part of my journey.
Tips for fellow creators:
Look for unmet needs in your region's language or cultural landscape. Infuse your content with your unique identity and regional flair. Authenticity resonates! Build genuine connections with your audience. Respond to comments, host live streams, and collaborate with other regional creators.
Earnings:
YouTube offers various ad formats, each with its own revenue sharing rate. For example, creators typically earn 55 percent of the revenue from ads displayed on their videos through the Watch Page Monetization Module, while they earn 70% of the revenue from features like Super Chat and Channel Memberships. The location of their viewers also matters. Advertisers may pay different rates depending on the viewer’s location.
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