Timothy “SoupTimmy” Huynh never expected to become a social media star. Working as a personal trainer during COVID-19, his initial goal was simply marketing his services. Today, he’s built a platform with millions of viewers, creating mesmerizing Rubik’s Cube art and lifestyle content that resonates with audiences worldwide.

Early Steps into Content Creation

Timothy’s first venture into content creation began with an uncertain attempt at filming workout videos. 

“I had no interest ever doing Internet things like being a face of something,” Timothy recalls. “I was studying to get my personal trainer’s license during COVID. And I had to find a way to market myself because personal training is a competitive industry.”

The initial experience prompted a strategic shift. 

“I felt uncomfortable posting that because I was not a camera person. I did not like using social media,” Timothy shares. “So then I took the video down and was like, ‘If I want to market myself using social media, I need to be comfortable on camera.’”

His solution proved effective: using his Rubik’s Cube hobby as practice for camera presence. 

“I posted my first Rubik’s Cube video, and it got 2,000 views, more than any other video,” Timothy explains. “I was happy and [decided] to keep posting and become more comfortable on camera because I’m making a video about the Rubik’s Cube. I never stopped.”

Mastering Pixel Creation

Timothy’s distinctive Rubik’s Cube artwork stems from years of practicing pixel art. 

“I used to doodle in math class, using graph paper and making pixel art,” he explains. “When I got home from school, I would play pixel games like Minecraft and Growtopia. That’s probably where that passion came from.”

His connection to the Rubik’s Cube reveals persistence and inspiration. 

“I started when I was nine, but I gave up for five years because I couldn’t solve it,” Timothy shares. “Until one day, I saw a magician do a magic trick, doing it on America’s Got Talent, and he did those Rubik’s Cubes in one second. So, that inspired me to try and learn it. And I did learn it after five days.”

Currently, Timothy creates detailed portraits and designs using hundreds or thousands of Rubik’s Cubes, producing images of “cartoons, people, celebrities, animals, cars, anything you can think of.”

Building a Sustainable Business

The shift from hobby to profession came with a major brand collaboration. 

“A year and a half to two into my journey is when I got a brand deal,” Timothy recalls. “I was working a retail job then because I stopped the personal trainer gig because it would take too much time. So I just worked a minimum part-time job of 10 hours a week or something. But then I got a brand deal that was significantly more than my part-time jobs.”

Success required mastering multiple skills. 

“It was balancing many skills like video editing, finance, negotiating brands,” Timothy explains. “If you’re negotiating a brand, you must act quickly to keep them engaged. I was learning to balance many different skill sets. I made many mistakes in video editing, which are still on my channel, but I moved on.

Content Development Strategy

Timothy approaches content creation with both structure and flexibility. 

“I use a random word generator. I get words, and then I try to force myself if I can make it Rubik’s Cube related,” he explains. “I think creativity is a muscle that can be developed quicker. So I do that and other things; I look at other YouTube channels, see what they do, and see if I can make it Rubik’s Cube-related.”

His content now extends beyond Rubik’s Cube demonstrations. 

“Sometimes I don’t even need to do Rubik’s Cube because I like doing lifestyle content,” Timothy shares. “And some of my videos recently haven’t been Rubik’s Cube. They have just been random stuff like a plane, but they still perform as well as a Rubik’s Cube video because the audience is a personality.”

Timothy distributes content across multiple platforms strategically. 

“I usually repurpose. I used to be TikTok-focused, where the content is more raw and less edited,” he explains. “I’m more YouTube Shorts-focused now, and my views tend to do well under shorts rather than TikTok. 

His content also reaches across language barriers: “I do like other channels, too, like English, Spanish, Vietnamese, and Portuguese; they’re all repurposed with just dubbing. A human dubs them.”

Daily Operations and Creative Process

Timothy maintains a structured yet adaptable schedule from 10 am to 7:30 pm. 

“Today, I woke up earlier than usual at 8 am. I usually wake up at ten and start my day at 10,” Timothy shares. “I have many different routines because I travel a lot… I usually work from 10 to 7:30 pm daily and like brainstorming in the morning. First, I do the admin task, then I brainstorm, then I script, then I film, and then I check editor.”

His productivity approach emphasizes flexibility: “Today, I got to the studio. I usually work at a desk, but my back was hurting, so I just sat on the couch and was still as productive as I was on the chair. So, I think my routine depends on my feelings that day. The main thing that is the same every day is just putting music on, like brain music, and working until 7:30 [pm].”

Managing Brand Relationships

Timothy’s experience with brand partnerships emphasizes value alignment and professional boundaries. 

“I see if they align with my values,” he explains. “They’re mostly younger people. So, I will consider working with any brand that resonates with Gen Z or can help them improve their life. So whatever brand can give my audience value the most.”

He shares an important lesson about maintaining professional standards: “My editors had to work on vacation. My video got delayed. And there’s a brand in the video. So what did I do? I messaged the brand, ‘If you don’t respond in two hours, I’ll post this video during your integration.’ They didn’t respect me, or they didn’t respect my audience for getting this video on time. I posted the video, which went on the trending page.”

Guidance for New Creators

Timothy focuses on product innovation and marketing strategies. 

“I’ve been more into products now,” he shares. “I’ve been releasing my products, so I’m excited about finding interesting ways to market those products. I did a video recently that did well in advertising a product. Like, it was a Rubik’s cube Stan display… And it did well. It had about 20 million views from English and Spanish channels and got a lot of sales.”

His aspirations include expanding into new business sectors: “I would love to get into an airline. I travel so much. I would love an airline brand deal or a hotel brand deal. So, one of those brands or a sports brand like Nike or something. Because I love working out.”

Timothy offers practical advice about the meaning of consistency: “We all know that word consistency. I think we need to have a better definition of that. So I would say you can be consistent all you want, but you can like being consistent in the creator space. If you’re doing the same thing repeatedly, making the same mistakes, you won’t succeed.”