Alumni Spotlight: Greg Salazar '17 '18

Life is all about taking chances and dreaming big. Alumnus Greg Salazar took a chance on one of his big dreams and is now an Internet sensation. Salazar ’17 ’18 is currently an entrepreneur in Orlando, Florida. One of his main businesses is running a YouTube channel with over 600,000 subscribers. Salazar’s YouTube videos focus on everything related to technology, and they’ve led to him having some remarkable opportunities. The YouTube channel took him on a path that he never thought was imaginable, and it all started when he made his first video as a student at UL Lafayette.

Throughout Salazar’s media career, he’s been able to partner with large tech companies, such as LG Electronics and Intel. He’s also been able to travel the world, attend conventions, and meet the love of his life.

Originally from Panama City, Salazar was initially appointed to the United States Air Force Academy after high school. However, he quickly realized this was not the right path for him. So instead, he started school at Troy University studying business. Soon after that, his younger brother got accepted to UL Lafayette to study petroleum engineering. After some thought, Salazar decided to take a leap, switch his major to petroleum engineering, and move to Lafayette with his brother.

Salazar was very focused on his studies while at the University. He was involved with some organizations and professional societies in the Department of Petroleum Engineering. Still, his primary focus was school—until he started his YouTube channel. One summer, Salazar decided to put his free time to use. As a kid, he was always interested in computers, technology, and figuring out how things worked. He thought it would be fun to make some YouTube videos exploring his interests, so he decided to give it a try. “I just made the conscious decision to start making videos about random science topics I was studying, and it turned into a full-blown technology channel,” said Salazar.

Once he got started, any free time outside of school went into building his YouTube channel. As his channel grew, Salazar realized that this could turn into something more than a hobby. By the time he graduated, his channel was large enough that he felt like he could pursue it as a career. So, after his undergraduate degree, Salazar decided to pursue an online MBA from UL Lafayette while starting his career as a full-time content creator.

Although he spends a lot of time in front of the camera, Salazar spends just as much time behind the scenes building his business. “There is a lot of administrative work, including accounting and taxes. I’m really glad I have my MBA,” said Salazar. As his career advances, Salazar plans to start diversifying his work. He still wants to maintain his YouTube channel but also start exploring other opportunities. “You don’t want to put all of your eggs in one basket,” said Salazar. Now, as a husband and father, he hopes to be an example to his family that big dreams can come true with hard work and perseverance.

Photo Caption: Greg Salazar '17 '18 shows off some of his equipment for his YouTube channel.