#288: He gained 190K Instagram followers in 508 days…but wouldn’t do it again | Yoni Smolyar
Author: Jay Clouse
January 6, 2026
Duration: 45:10
A few weeks ago, I came across a post on X from a user named Yoni Smolyar. It said, "Posting a video on Instagram every day for 508 days in a row taught me that I never want to do that again." I realized that I had seen and followed Yoni on Instagram, where he has over 190,000 followers.
In the process, Yoni built an iPhone app called Brainrot, which had a $10,000 launch that he credits to his social media presence that he built during this daily Instagram posting challenge.
In this conversation, you'll hear Yoni's approach to Instagram, what worked for him, why he ultimately says he wouldn't do it again, and why he believes his ex-audience of 20,000 may be more valuable.
Full transcript and show notes
Yoni's Website / Instagram / Twitter / Brainrot App / YouTube / TikTok
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TIMESTAMPS
(00:00) 508 Days of Daily Videos
(05:08) Building Habits: A Month In
(08:55) From Hesitant Posts to Viral Storytelling
(12:35) Documenting My Entrepreneurial Journey
(14:07) Speak Your Mind, Hit Record
(19:38) Entrepreneurial Journey: Transparency & Growth
(21:19) Brainrot: Tackling Phone Overuse
(24:42) Overcoming Cringe Through Posting
(30:37) Seasons of Steak and Sizzle
(32:12) Origins of Social Media Sharing
(34:58) Trapped by Public Perception
(38:48) Short Form Video's Negative Impact
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RECOMMENDED NEXT EPISODE
→ #275: From ignoring short-form video to 3.5 billion views | Pat Flynn’s Pokémon juggernaut (Part 1)
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