Business
Want to learn how to make viral reaction reels that get more views, watch time, and engagement?
In this powerful episode, we hear an emotional story from a content creator who shares his journey from a blue collar job to building a personal brand. He discusses how creating content changed my life, detailing his struggles with homelessness and his path to becoming a successful content creator. This candid conversation offers a glimpse into the realities behind the scenes and the dedication required to transition from a 9 to 5 to online success.
Devin Schubert sits down with Leonard Firestone to break down how viral reels actually work, why reaction content can be so powerful, and what creators need to understand if they want to make content people genuinely want to watch, rewatch, share, and talk about.
Leonard Firestone is a content creator, storyteller, and podcast host from Muskogee, Oklahoma. What started as a personal outlet during some of the hardest seasons of his life turned into a massive digital platform. In this conversation, Leonard shares how he went from working as a plumber and climbing out of dark seasons of life to building a large audience through reaction content, storytelling, authenticity, and consistency.
This episode goes way deeper than “how to go viral.”
Leonard breaks down why some reaction reels work and others fall flat, how to know if a clip is actually worth reacting to, how to improve your hook, how to create reactions that feel real instead of forced, and why watch time, replay value, and engagement matter so much if you want your content to spread.
He also shares how he finds viral clips, what he avoids because of copyright risk, how he thinks about platform differences, how he handles hate comments, how monetization really works, and why many creators stay stuck because they are too focused on what they want to post instead of what actually serves the viewer.
If you are a creator, coach, speaker, entrepreneur, or leader who wants to understand how to make stronger short form content, this episode is packed with practical strategy, honest insight, and real behind the scenes perspective from someone who has built massive reach through humor, relatability, and authentic reactions.
In this episode, we cover:
How Leonard got started in content creation
Why reaction videos can create more watch time
How to find clips worth reacting to
What makes people watch a reel more than once
How to create stronger hooks
Why authenticity beats forcing trends
How to use comments to improve your content
What to avoid with copyrights and reposting
How to respond to hate comments without losing your mind
Why engagement matters more than just views
What newer creators should focus on first
How to keep going when content feels hard
Connect with Leonard:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/1LFirestone
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/1lfirestone/
Connect with Devin:
Website: https://www.devinschubert.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/schubertdevin
Influence Academy: https://influenceacademyonline.com/
Stories to Stages: https://www.storiestostages.com