Planning
The Ankerstar Wealth YouTube Story: Six Years of Showing Up
The short answer
Ankerstar Wealth's YouTube channel began about six years ago with daily morning videos that often drew three to ten views. Steve kept publishing anyway, and the team grew the channel over time with new voices and formats. Views are a measure of attention only, not of investment quality or results.
Key Takeaways
• The channel started with daily morning videos from Steve Ankerstar that often drew three to ten views each, and he kept making them regardless of the audience size.
• Allison Ankerstar and Mike Younkman joined the videos, and viewership grew a little over time.
• After Corey Hinkle joined as Lead Financial Advisor, the channel added evergreen education on retirement and options income, along with coverage of technology-sector developments and IPO news.
• Allison Ankerstar added short reels, and typical videos now draw roughly 100 to 400 views, with our most-watched video reaching about 25,000.
• View counts show attention, not suitability or results, and every investment topic discussed on the channel carries risk.
How Did the Channel Start?
About six years ago, Steve Ankerstar began recording a video every morning. The early videos drew very little attention, often three to ten views. There was no audience strategy behind them. The habit itself was the point: show up, explain what matters, and keep going.
The limitation of that approach is that consistency alone does not guarantee an audience. For a long stretch, the numbers did not change much. Steve kept publishing anyway, and that steady record of work is what the rest of the channel was built on.
What Changed When More Team Members Joined?
The next step was widening the cast. Allison Ankerstar and Mike Younkman began appearing in the videos alongside Steve. Different voices brought different angles, and over time the videos began to draw a little more attention.
Growth at this stage was gradual. More faces on camera did not change the channel overnight, and the numbers were still modest. It did give the channel a broader set of perspectives to draw from.
What Did Corey Hinkle Add to the Channel?
The channel took a meaningful step forward when Corey Hinkle joined as our Lead Financial Advisor. His videos covered evergreen topics such as retirement planning and options income, along with technology-sector developments and IPO news. As his videos accumulated, the channel began to gain attention steadily.
A few reminders belong alongside that coverage. Options strategies involve risk, can result in losses, and are not suitable for everyone. Technology stocks and newly public companies can be volatile. The videos are educational discussions of ideas and opinions, not personalized recommendations.
How Did Short Reels Change the Channel?
Allison Ankerstar began producing short reels for the channel. These cover news related to the themes behind our Autopilot portfolios, including humanoid robotics, quantum computing, and digital assets. Short vertical video reaches viewers who may never open a longer market update, which gave the channel a second way to be found.
Thematic portfolios can be concentrated and may be more volatile than diversified approaches, and they can lose value. A reel is a short summary and cannot cover everything a person would need to weigh. You can read more about how these portfolios work, and the risks that come with them, on our Autopilot page.
Where Does the Channel Stand Today?
Based on our own YouTube figures as of November 2026, videos that once averaged about three views now typically draw roughly 100 to 400 views, and our most-watched video has reached about 25,000. Those figures come from the channel's own analytics and will change over time.
It is worth being plain about what those numbers mean. They measure how many times people pressed play. They say nothing about the quality of any investment idea, they are not a measure of investment performance, and they should not be used to judge whether any strategy is appropriate for you.
We are grateful to everyone who has contributed along the way, including the team members who appear on camera and the people who watch, comment, and share. If you would like to follow along, you can find the channel at youtube.com/@AnkerstarWealth, and our latest recaps are on the market update page.
Next Steps and Related Planning Resources
Videos are a starting point for learning, not a substitute for a plan built around your own goals, time horizon, and tolerance for risk. If you would like to talk through how that might apply to you, see our investment planning page or reach out through the contact page.
The opinions in this article are those of Ankerstar Wealth and are not personal financial, tax, or legal advice. The article is educational, does not recommend any security or strategy, and does not promise any outcome.
This article is general information, not personalized investment, tax, or legal advice. Your situation is specific to you — talk to a qualified professional before acting on anything here.
Frequently asked questions
When did the Ankerstar Wealth YouTube channel start?
The channel began about six years ago, when Steve Ankerstar started recording a video every morning. Early videos often drew three to ten views, and he continued publishing regardless of how many people watched.
Who appears in the Ankerstar Wealth videos?
Steve Ankerstar started the channel, and Allison Ankerstar and Mike Younkman joined him in later videos. Corey Hinkle, our Lead Financial Advisor, hosts many of the market updates and educational videos, and Allison Ankerstar also produces short reels.
What topics does the channel cover?
The channel covers evergreen planning topics such as retirement and options income, technology-sector developments, IPO news, and short reels on the themes behind our Autopilot portfolios. Every investment carries risk, including the potential loss of principal, and the videos are educational rather than personalized advice.
Do view counts show that a strategy or portfolio is a good fit?
No. View counts measure attention, not investment quality, suitability, or results. Whether any idea fits depends on your goals, time horizon, liquidity needs, and capacity for loss, and it is best reviewed with a qualified professional who knows your situation.
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