@HokageChess: Governance Structure (Minimal)

📋 DAILY CHECKLIST (5 min)

BEFORE UPLOADING A VIDEO
☐ Thumbnail: face + emotion visible?
☐ Title: under 60 characters?
☐ Hook: first 30 sec establish stakes?
☐ Description: affiliate links included?

POSTING
☐ Upload to YouTube
☐ Share in Discord #announcements
☐ Share in Reddit r/chess
☐ Share in Twitter/TikTok

AFTER POSTING
☐ Reply to comments within 1 hour
☐ Pin best comment
☐ Check CTR at 1 hour mark

Time Investment: 5 min pre-upload + 10 min post-upload = 15 min/day

📊 WEEKLY CHECKLIST (Sunday, 20 min)

METRICS REVIEW (5 min)

What was our BEST video this week?
Title: _________________________________
CTR: ______% | Views: ______ | Retention: _____%

What was our WORST video this week?
Title: _________________________________
CTR: ______% | Views: ______ | Retention: _____%

Total new subscribers: _______
Total views this week: _______

CONTENT AUDIT (5 min)

☐ Did we upload 3 long-form videos?
☐ Did we upload 3 Shorts?
☐ Did all videos use updated thumbnail?
☐ Did all videos use new title format?

NEXT WEEK PREP (10 min)

☐ Pick 3 long-form video concepts (locked titles)
☐ Pick 3 Short moment candidates (from existing footage)
☐ Reserve 1 time slot for opponent/challenger
☐ Batch-film confessional reactions
☐ Update Discord with "This Week's Best" poll

Every Sunday, 6 PM. 20 minutes max.

📅 MONTHLY CHECKLIST (First Sunday, 60 min)

KPI REVIEW (15 min)

Month: ____________

ACTUAL vs TARGET:

                 TARGET    ACTUAL   ✅/❌
Subscribers      ______    ______   ____
Monthly Views    ______    ______   ____
Avg CTR          5-8%      ____%    ____
Avg Retention    50%+      ____%    ____
Revenue          ______    ______   ____

TREND (vs last month):
Subs growth: ↑ / ↓ / →
Views growth: ↑ / ↓ / →
Engagement: ↑ / ↓ / →

CONTENT THEME ANALYSIS (15 min)

TOP 3 VIDEOS THIS MONTH:
1. _________________________ (views, CTR)
2. _________________________ (views, CTR)
3. _________________________ (views, CTR)

What theme do they share?
_____________________________________

BOTTOM 3 VIDEOS THIS MONTH:
1. _________________________ (views, CTR)
2. _________________________ (views, CTR)
3. _________________________ (views, CTR)

What theme do they share?
_____________________________________

DECISION: Double down on ____________
          or abandon ________________?

STRATEGIC DECISION (30 min)

What worked this month?
_____________________________________

What didn't work?
_____________________________________

What should we start doing?
_____________________________________

What should we stop doing?
_____________________________________

NEXT MONTH'S FOCUS (pick 1 primary goal):
☐ Grow subscribers by X%
☐ Improve CTR to X%
☐ Launch sponsorship
☐ Start coaching sign-ups
☐ Other: _____________________________

Action steps:
1. _____________________________________
2. _____________________________________
3. _____________________________________

🎯 PHASE GATES (Critical Decision Points)

GATE 1: End of Week 1

QUESTION: Is CTR above 3%?

YES ✅ → Continue current path
NO ❌  → ACTION: Fix thumbnail template
         Test 5 new designs this week

GATE 2: End of Month 1 (Week 4)

QUESTIONS:

1. CTR average 5%+ ? YES ☐ NO ☐
2. Retention @ 30s: 50%+ ? YES ☐ NO ☐
3. Subscribers gained: 20+ ? YES ☐ NO ☐

VERDICT:
2-3 YES → Continue Q1 plan
1 or 0 YES → PAUSE & AUDIT
            (Redo thumbnails/titles, test 10 videos)

GATE 3: End of Q1 (Week 12)

QUESTIONS:

1. Subscribers: 33 → 250+ ? YES ☐ NO ☐
2. Avg CTR: 5%+ ? YES ☐ NO ☐
3. Avg retention: 50%+ ? YES ☐ NO ☐
4. Best video: 1,000+ views ? YES ☐ NO ☐

VERDICT:
3-4 YES → Launch Q2 (introduce rivals)
2 or less YES → Reassess format/frequency
              (Add collaborations, change niche)

GATE 4: End of Q2 (Week 24)

QUESTIONS:

1. Subscribers: 250 → 1,000+ ? YES ☐ NO ☐
2. Monthly views: 3,000+ ? YES ☐ NO ☐
3. YPP eligibility: 3,000 watch hrs? YES ☐ NO ☐

VERDICT:
3/3 YES → Proceed to monetization
2/3 YES → Continue, add 1 collab/mo
1 or 0 YES → Major pivot needed (new content type)

🎬 SIMPLE VIDEO CHECKLIST (Before Upload)

Print this. Use for every video.

VIDEO TITLE: _________________________________

THUMBNAIL
☐ Is creator's face visible?
☐ Is emotion clear (shock/happy/angry)?
☐ Is text readable at 1" size?
☐ High contrast (dark background, bright text)?
PASS ☐  FAIL ☐

TITLE & DESCRIPTION
☐ Title < 60 characters?
☐ Title format: [EMOTION] + [STAKES]?
☐ Description: first 150 chars grab attention?
☐ Keywords in description (chess, rating, etc)?
☐ Timestamps for chapters?
☐ Affiliate links included?
PASS ☐  FAIL ☐

VIDEO CONTENT
☐ Hook: first 30 sec establish stakes?
☐ Length: 8-12 minutes?
☐ Audio quality: clean, no background noise?
☐ Chapters added every 2-3 minutes?
☐ Confessional reactions included?
PASS ☐  FAIL ☐

READY TO PUBLISH? ☐ YES | ☐ NO (fix what?)

👤 ROLE DEFINITIONS

NOW (Solo Creator, Months 1-6)

Your job: Everything

Concept, film, edit, publish
Community management (Discord, comments)
Analysis (track CTR, adjust strategy)

Time: 20-25 hours/week

Governance: You + optional accountability partner (bi-weekly 15-min call)

AT 500 SUBS (Month 6+)

Add 1 person: Community Manager (5 hrs/week, $100-150/week)

Discord moderation
Comment replies
Poll creation

Your focus: Strategy + content creation

AT 2,000 SUBS (Month 9+)

Add 1 person: Editor (10-15 hrs/week, revenue-share or $200-300/week)

Video editing
Thumbnail design
Shorts creation

Your focus: Strategy + filming + sponsorship deals

⚡ DECISION TREE: Should I Upload This Video?

DECISION: Make this video or skip it?

START HERE:
  │
  ├─ Will I actually struggle or lose?
  │  NO  → Skip (too predictable)
  │  YES → Next question
  │
  ├─ Does it have a clear twist?
  │  NO  → Rework concept
  │  YES → Next question
  │
  ├─ Is this DIFFERENT from last 5 videos?
  │  NO  → Different angle first
  │  YES → Next question
  │
  ├─ Will people react/comment on this?
  │  NO  → Add hook/stakes
  │  YES → ✅ MAKE IT

SCORE: Add 1 point per YES. 
  4/4 = MUST MAKE
  3/4 = MAKE IT
  2/4 = REWORK FIRST
  <2  = SKIP

🚨 RED FLAGS (When to Pause & Reassess)

RED FLAG #1: CTR below 3% for 2+ weeks
ACTION: Stop uploading. Test 5 new thumbnail designs.
        Revert to best old video design until fixed.

RED FLAG #2: Retention drops below 40% at 30 seconds
ACTION: Hook is broken. Rewrite first 30 seconds.
        Test on 1 video. Compare CTR.

RED FLAG #3: Zero subscriber growth for 4+ weeks
ACTION: Major visibility problem. Do 1 collaboration.
        Change upload frequency or niche.

RED FLAG #4: Creator burnout (dreading filming)
ACTION: Reduce frequency immediately (2x/week vs 6x/week).
        Rest > content always.

RED FLAG #5: Community toxicity or disengagement
ACTION: Review moderation. Disable comments if needed.
        Focus on quality over growth temporarily.

📈 SIMPLE METRICS SHEET (Track Weekly)

Print or Google Sheet.

WEEK OF: ___________

Day     Subs   Views   CTR    Retention   Revenue
                             @ 30 sec
Mon     ___    ____    __%    ____%       $_____
Tue     ___    ____    __%    ____%       $_____
Wed     ___    ____    __%    ____%       $_____
Thu     ___    ____    __%    ____%       $_____
Fri     ___    ____    __%    ____%       $_____
Sat     ___    ____    __%    ____%       $_____
Sun     ___    ____    __%    ____%       $_____

WEEKLY AVG:
Subs gained:     _____ (target: +5-10)
Avg CTR:         ___%  (target: 5-8%)
Avg retention:   ___%  (target: 50%+)
Revenue:         $____ (target: $0-50/week in Q1)

STATUS: ✅ ON TRACK | ⚠️ WATCH | 🔴 NEEDS FIX

📅 QUARTERLY MILESTONE CHECKLIST

Q1 END (Week 12)

SUBSCRIBER GROWTH
☐ Started: 33 subscribers
☐ Target: 250 subscribers
☐ Actual: _____ subscribers
☐ Status: ✅ MET | ⚠️ CLOSE | ❌ MISS

CONTENT PRODUCTION
☐ Uploaded 36+ videos (3/week x 12 weeks)
☐ Created 36+ Shorts
☐ All used updated thumbnail template
☐ All used new title format

ENGAGEMENT
☐ Avg CTR: 5%+ (✅ MET | ❌ MISS)
☐ Avg retention: 50%+ (✅ MET | ❌ MISS)
☐ Comment engagement: 3%+ (✅ MET | ❌ MISS)

INFRASTRUCTURE
☐ Ko-fi account live
☐ Discord server with 20+ members
☐ Chess.com Streamer Program approved
☐ Publishing checklist standardized

GO / NO-GO DECISION:
  3-4 boxes checked = GO TO Q2
  0-2 boxes checked = MAJOR AUDIT BEFORE Q2

Q2 END (Week 24)

SUBSCRIBER GROWTH
☐ Target: 1,000 subscribers
☐ Actual: _____ subscribers
☐ Status: ✅ MET | ⚠️ CLOSE | ❌ MISS

MONETIZATION
☐ YPP application: 3,000 watch hours reached
☐ First paid sponsorship: acquired (yes/no)
☐ Ko-fi earnings: $_____ total (target: $50+)

CONTENT QUALITY
☐ Introduced rival dynamics (yes/no)
☐ Best video: 5,000+ views (yes/no)
☐ Community building: 50+ Discord members (yes/no)

GO / NO-GO DECISION:
  2-3 boxes checked = GO TO Q3
  1 or 0 boxes checked = REASSESS STRATEGY

Q3 END (Week 36)

SUBSCRIBER GROWTH
☐ Target: 3,500 subscribers
☐ Actual: _____ subscribers
☐ Status: ✅ MET | ⚠️ CLOSE | ❌ MISS

MONETIZATION (Monthly)
☐ Ad revenue: $50-150
☐ Ko-fi/memberships: $100-200
☐ Coaching: $300-500 (if applicable)
☐ Total: $_____ (target: $450+)

CONTENT STRATEGY
☐ Major narrative arc completed (yes/no)
☐ Collaborations: 2-3 mid-tier creators (yes/no)
☐ Sponsorship: 1-2 deals acquired (yes/no)

GO / NO-GO DECISION:
  All boxes checked = GO TO Q4 (SCALE MODE)
  2 boxes checked = CONTINUE with adjustments
  <2 boxes checked = PIVOT OR REASSESS

Q4 END (Week 52)

FINAL GOALS
☐ Subscribers: 10,000+ (target)
☐ Actual: _____ subscribers

MONTHLY REVENUE
☐ Target: $500-1,000
☐ Actual: $_____
  Breakdown:
    Ads: $_____
    Ko-fi: $_____
    Coaching: $_____
    Sponsorships: $_____

BRAND AUTHORITY
☐ Chess YouTube community recognizes channel (yes/no)
☐ Media mention or featured somewhere (yes/no)
☐ 1-2 sponsorship deals ongoing (yes/no)

INFRASTRUCTURE
☐ 50+ video backlog (for consistency)
☐ Established upload schedule (yes/no)
☐ Team in place: _____ (solo / + manager / + editor)

YEAR 1 VERDICT:
  Goal met? ✅ YES | ❌ NO
  Sustainability? ✅ YES | ❌ NO
  Season 2 plan? ✅ YES | ❌ NO

🎞️ CONTENT CALENDAR TEMPLATE

Print or Google Sheet. Lock 2 weeks ahead.

WEEK OF: ___________

DAY   UPLOAD   VIDEO TITLE                    RIVAL? FORMAT
      TIME

Mon   2 PM     ________________________        Y/N    Game/Puzzle
Tue   2 PM     ________________________        Y/N    Short #1
Wed   2 PM     ________________________        Y/N    Game/Puzzle
Thu   2 PM     ________________________        Y/N    Short #2
Fri   2 PM     ________________________        Y/N    Training
Sat   2 PM     ________________________        Y/N    Short #3
Sun   2 PM     ________________________        Y/N    Analysis/Lesson

NOTES:
- All times UTC
- All titles locked 3 days before upload
- All thumbnails prepared 2 days before
- All Shorts from existing footage

✅ YOUR FIRST 30 DAYS (Day-by-Day)

WEEK 1: SETUP

Day 1: Ko-fi account
Day 2: Discord server created
Day 3: Thumbnail template finalized (Canva)
Day 4: Chess.com Streamer Program application
Day 5: Title formula documented
Day 6: First batch upload: 3 videos (new packaging)
Day 7: Review week 1 metrics (CTR, retention)

WEEK 2: REOPTIMIZATION

Day 8-10: Re-title + re-thumbnail 3 old videos
Day 11-13: Create 3 YouTube Shorts from best moments
Day 14: Publish week 2 content
Review: CTR vs week 1? Retention vs week 1?

WEEK 3: SYSTEMS

Day 15-17: Batch film 2 weeks of content + confessionals
Day 18-20: Create 12 video titles + concepts locked
Day 21: Publish week 3 content
Review: Best performing video format?

WEEK 4: LOCK & SCALE

Day 22-23: Finalize publishing checklist
Day 24-25: Lock Discord moderation rules
Day 26-27: Set up weekly Sunday review (calendar reminder)
Day 28-30: Publish week 4 content + MONTHLY REVIEW

END OF MONTH ASSESSMENT:
☐ 12+ videos published
☐ 12+ Shorts published
☐ CTR trending up or stable?
☐ Retention trending up or stable?
☐ Subs gained: _____ (target: 10-20)

GO/NO-GO: Continue with same strategy or pivot?

🎯 GOVERNANCE RHYTHM (Put in Calendar)

EVERY SUNDAY at 6 PM (20 min)
  ☐ Metrics review
  ☐ Content audit
  ☐ Next week prep

FIRST SUNDAY OF MONTH (60 min)
  ☐ KPI analysis
  ☐ Theme analysis
  ☐ Strategic decision

FIRST DAY OF QUARTER (2 hours)
  ☐ Phase gate review
  ☐ Milestone audit
  ☐ Go/no-go decision

🎬 DONE. NOW WHAT?

Print this document and post above desk
Set calendar reminders:
- Every Sunday 6 PM: Weekly review
- First Sunday of month: Monthly review
- First day of quarter: Quarterly audit
Pick 1 accountability partner (another creator 500-2k subs)
Upload first video using checklist (today)
Start metrics sheet (track from day 1)
Review this document every 2 weeks

Success = Using these checklists consistently for 12 months.

No shortcuts. No hacks. Just boring execution.