Daily Inspiration: Meet Cuong “Ser Andy” Cao

Today we’d like to introduce you to Cuong “Ser Andy” Cao.

Hi Cuong “Ser Andy”, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My real name is Cao Cuong, with Cao being the family name. The name means Strong in Vietnamese. I was fortunate to come to this amazing country and start a new life as an international student. Eventually, I settled here in the US and made it a permanent home. I have always wanted to serve others and finally, I found my ways to do so, through Law and creating Creative Content.

However, I had to put off making travel and food videos during my law school years. Now, after graduating from Loyola Law School in Los Angeles, I decided to rekindle my passion for making travel and food videos. I am still an amateur video creator but I am a proud one. I put my heart and soul into every video and slowly, they are getting better and better.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Making travel and food videos have not been smooth at all. I had to save and raise money for proper equipment. One does not need fancy gear to start a YouTube channel in this day and age. An iPhone is more than enough, and that is exactly what I started with 4 years ago. I shot a few videos in Chicago with an iPhone 6 and zero skills. But the video gives me many lessons and many a laugh when I watch it. Recently, I decided to invest and get better gear. I did not lack of proper gear to hinder my process. With new gears came new skills and new lessons to learn. It took me a few months and a few videos in to know how to work the camera properly. I also had to learn video editing which was a completely new arena for me. It took me months and trust me, I am still a novice at it.

It is also the grind that comes with any work. A video takes me, on average 8 to 12 hours, to edit. I’m editing and learning new things on YouTube at the same time. Hence, why it takes so long to edit one video.

Besides those hours sitting in front of the computer, the time and effort spent in planning, flying to destinations, going out and capturing the shots are also extensive.

I blame myself sometimes for taking too long for putting up 1 video a week. I am a bit of a perfectionist. It’s a bit out of control. Ha!

The biggest struggle is Self-doubt. Will I make it? Will people enjoy this? Is this video enough? I don’t doubt often but sometimes it does creeps up on me.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I travel full time and document unique food experiences. Sometimes, I visit historical sites to give the viewers a more holistic view of the destinations. It makes me proud when I see the smiles and joy of the people whose restaurants and businesses I visit. I have yet to run into a bad experience with any place I tried to film at. I believe that if you approach others with a genuine smile, that is what you get in return.

It is because of them that I put my best into the videos. I do not want to let them down. I do not want to waste their time and their trust. I make the videos with those folks, and not me, in mind.

It is also important to note that I do not get paid to film at any location. I pick the places after a careful planning and selection process, based on historical value, local recommendations, and reviews.

The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you and any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
yes. If you think Covid-19 is tough to beat, try beating the will of the people. It is impossible. everywhere I went, people are resilient, they adapt, and overcome every day. They learn to live with Covid while fighting it with everything they can. With every struggle that casts a shadow over our future, our humanity and connectedness continue to shine through.

Contact Info:

• Email: yh.ser.andy@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yh_ser_andy/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRRSJxqa2y7ka08Ee_mx_iA
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@yh__ser_andy?lang=en