Overview

Simon Ruane, the mind behind the “Open Mind” YouTube channel, disclosed on a recent Helium 10 podcast how he turned his half‑million‑subscriber audience into a thriving Amazon storefront. After recognizing that ad revenue from his videos was plateauing, he leveraged his personal brand to launch a private‑label supplement line on Amazon. Sellers should pay attention because his roadmap demonstrates how a well‑nurtured community can be transformed into a repeat‑purchase customer base and a diversified income stream.

Key Points

• Subscriber pool — With more than 500 000 loyal viewers, Simon already owned a sizable, pre‑qualified market that could be tapped for product promotion.
• Monetization ceiling — Despite strong view counts, the “Open Mind” niche yielded only modest CPM‑based earnings, prompting him to explore a higher‑margin channel.
• First product rollout — He debuted a vegan‑friendly omega‑3 supplement, using his audience’s feedback to confirm demand before committing to inventory.
• Helium 10 integration – Tools such as Magnet, Cerebro, and Scribbles became the backbone of his keyword discovery, competition scouting, and listing optimization.
• Revenue pivot — Within a six‑month window, Amazon sales surpassed his YouTube ad income, making e‑commerce the dominant source of profit.
• Community loop — Ongoing live Q&A sessions let viewers suggest improvements, which Simon captured through Helium 10’s Follow‑Up surveys to refine the product.

How Simon Transitioned to Amazon Selling Works

1. Audience Insight Gathering — Simon posted an interactive poll on his channel asking fans which product categories they wanted to see. The poll highlighted a strong appetite for health‑and‑wellness items, steering him toward the supplement market.
2. Product Validation via Helium 10 — He ran Magnet and Cerebro to surface high‑search‑volume keywords with limited competition, confirming that “vegan omega‑3” could rank quickly and attract organic traffic.
3. — After contacting three Alibaba manufacturers, he requested samples that matched the exact formulation his audience demanded; the chosen partner offered a private‑label package with a 30‑day production lead time.