From Basketball Dreams to Viral Content

Justin Hoe didn’t plan on becoming a viral content creator. Growing up, his dream was to play Division 1 basketball. At 5 '11, he knew the odds were stacked against him, but he worked hard and even considered moving to Taiwan, where his father lived, to pursue opportunities on smaller teams.

Then the pandemic hit. With gyms closed and routines disrupted, Justin turned to something completely different. Inspired by a basketball trainer who posted motivational clips, he picked up his phone one day and started recording short pep talks on Snapchat. What started as a joke among friends quickly spread. By his senior year, hundreds of students were following his “mindset” content, and many told him it genuinely made their days better.

That encouragement was the spark that turned him into “The Mindset Guy.”

Turning Motivation Into a Movement

In high school, Justin tried to create a “Mindset Club” to spread positivity. At first, he was rejected. But he persisted, eventually launching the club that became one of the most popular groups on campus. Even star athletes showed up, proof that his message was resonating far beyond what he expected.

When he graduated, Justin kept creating. Snapchat evolved into TikTok, then Instagram. His simple videos about motivation and mindset started going viral. The lesson was clear: storytelling, positivity, and consistency can change everything.

Cracking the Code to Going Viral

College brought new challenges. Justin had millions of views, but very little income, around $10,000 in a year. He tried clothing brands and e-commerce, but nothing worked. The breakthrough came when he connected with entrepreneurs like Daniel Walton and Joe Shi.

Joe asked him a simple question: “Can you help me grow my social media?” Justin agreed, charging $3,000 per month. Within six months, he helped Joe go from 5,000 followers to over a million.

That success led to a flood of referrals and the launch of his second Instagram page, The Viral Genius, where he shares strategies and case studies.

His approach isn’t about luck. It’s about clarity:

1. Find your passion and build content around it

2. Understand your goal, is it growth, leads, or personal brand

3. Master storytelling and keep it simple

4. Focus on top of funnel attention grabbing, mid funnel educational, and bottom funnel conversion content

5. Remember, it only takes one video to change your life

Lessons in Business and Branding

Justin learned fast that not every client is a fit. Some complained even when he delivered massive results. Others struggled because they lacked passion for their own content. Those experiences taught him two critical lessons.

Work with the right clients. Passion shows up on camera, and audiences can tell when it’s missing.

Charge what you’re worth. Higher prices attract clients who take the process seriously.

Alongside content strategy, Justin emphasizes consistency, storytelling, and understanding your audience. He believes Instagram is the most powerful platform for personal brands in 2025, especially with TikTok’s uncertain future.

The Power of Personal Brand

Today, Justin helps entrepreneurs and business owners grow not just their follower counts, but their opportunities. He has collaborated with big names like Barbara Corcoran and Sabri Suby, proving that a strong personal brand can open doors that money cannot buy.

As he says:

“The one thing you can’t buy is a personal brand. It takes time, consistency, and commitment. But once you have it, everything you touch becomes more valuable.”

Final Thoughts

Justin’s story is proof that you don’t need a perfect plan to succeed. What matters most is starting, experimenting, and staying consistent. He went from being a high schooler posting motivational clips to building a business helping others do the same, all before turning 22.

His advice is simple:

Start now, not later. One video could change your life.

Watch the Full Story

Want to hear Justin share exactly how he cracked the code to 1M+ followers in just three months Watch the full interview below.

This is more than a story about going viral. It’s a reminder that when you mix passion with persistence, you can create influence, opportunity, and growth beyond what you thought possible.