How to Become a DIY Influencer

Ever wondered how to become a DIY influencer without compromising? Woodworking super star, April Wilkerson, kept it real her whole career and her authentic approach to is finally paying off. See how she did it this exclusive sit-down interview.

YouTuber April Wilkerson Turned Her Passion for Building with Natural Materials into a Career 

Authentic. That’s the word often used to describe April Wilkerson. After watching one of her how-to videos, you can see why. She’s not a ham. There’s no schtick, no hard sells, no slick production, just really straightforward easy-to-follow building instructions. And she’s always true to herself. The totally self-taught Wood Whisperer only works with top-performing, environmentally sound building products. That’s why she’s often building her outdoor projects with Real Cedar. 

This quality-driven authenticity clearly resonates with DIYers. She is widely considered a master maker with more than 200 million views on YouTube, more than 200,000 followers on Instagram and co-hosts a home improvement TV show with none other than Richard Karn and Tim Allen. 

She recently attended the 2022 Cedar Summit in Kelowna, BC and sat down for a full-length interview to discuss the secret to her success, her goals and of course her love of nature’s most versatile material. If you have aspirations to be a full-time creator or want greater insight into influencer marketing, then you definitely want to watch this no holds barred interview. 

Texan “wood whisperer” April Wilkerson on how to build with integrity.

Advice for DIYers and Aspiring Influencers 

Determined to make a living at what she does, Wilkerson quit her day job in 2013 to pursue her dream of becoming a master maker. By 2019, she hit the magic number: one million subscribers on YouTube. She then leveraged her success by branching out into several related businesses. So now, with almost a decade of experience under her tool belt, what advice does she have for aspiring influencers? 

“I think becoming a YouTuber for the sake of chasing money or notoriety is a mistake anyways because it’s such a hard job,” Wilkerson explains. “It’s fun – don’t get me wrong. But if you don’t have a natural enthusiasm for it, I don’t know how you’d be able to sustain it.” 

She’s also in a fortunate position to only work with products and building materials she full heartedly believes in like Real Cedar. For her, working with a sustainable product that has a net carbon sink and just looks great is win/win for everyone. 

“I love using cedar,” she says. “So, I get to tell the viewers, if you’re going to be building this porch swing, for example, consider cedar for these reasons. And then I get to talk about the good characteristics that are only known to cedar like its coloring, its rot resistance qualities. Then the user is not only getting something they can build at the end of the video but then they also understand why I’m using cedar.”

No time to watch the complete interview? Watch April’s Rapid Fire Round for quick insights into how to build better.