About
Hey, I'm Maverick. Here's my story.
I teach everyday people how to actually use AI, and everything I make is free. Here's how it started.
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May 2025
The Beginning
My first year of college had just ended, and all my friends were heading off to internships. I didn't really want to go down that path.
What I'd been doing instead was teaching everyone around me how to use AI. Friends would ask me how to get ChatGPT to not sound like a robot. Family would ask about AI and I'd end up giving them a whole tutorial. I'd been obsessed with ChatGPT since the day it came out. My dad showed it to me the night it launched, and the next morning I pulled all my friends into a room at school to show them.
And I kept noticing the same thing. Almost all the AI content online was made for tech people. Automations, agents, advanced workflows. Cool stuff, but over the heads of 99% of people. Nobody was making it for the person who just wants to use ChatGPT and doesn't know where to start.
So I thought... I'm already teaching my friends and family. Why not teach the whole world?
May 2025
The Beginning
My first year of college had just ended, and all my friends were heading off to internships. I didn't really want to go down that path.
What I'd been doing instead was teaching everyone around me how to use AI. Friends would ask me how to get ChatGPT to not sound like a robot. Family would ask about AI and I'd end up giving them a whole tutorial. I'd been obsessed with ChatGPT since the day it came out. My dad showed it to me the night it launched, and the next morning I pulled all my friends into a room at school to show them.
And I kept noticing the same thing. Almost all the AI content online was made for tech people. Automations, agents, advanced workflows. Cool stuff, but over the heads of 99% of people. Nobody was making it for the person who just wants to use ChatGPT and doesn't know where to start.
So I thought... I'm already teaching my friends and family. Why not teach the whole world?
May 16, 2025
First Video
I posted my first video on TikTok: a ChatGPT prompting hack called metaprompting, where you get ChatGPT to write the perfect prompt for you. It got about 250 views, and it was terrible. My friends were like, "What are you doing, dude? This video sucks."
But I kept posting. (They all follow me now.)
The other thing I'll be honest about is that I didn't know that much about AI when I started. I knew more than most people around me, but I wasn't an engineer or a researcher. I learned alongside my audience. As they learned, I learned. And I think that made the content better, because I was explaining things in a way that made sense to me, which meant it made sense to them too.
May 16, 2025
First Video
I posted my first video on TikTok: a ChatGPT prompting hack called metaprompting, where you get ChatGPT to write the perfect prompt for you. It got about 250 views, and it was terrible. My friends were like, "What are you doing, dude? This video sucks."
But I kept posting. (They all follow me now.)
The other thing I'll be honest about is that I didn't know that much about AI when I started. I knew more than most people around me, but I wasn't an engineer or a researcher. I learned alongside my audience. As they learned, I learned. And I think that made the content better, because I was explaining things in a way that made sense to me, which meant it made sense to them too.
June 2025
First Viral Video
I didn't try to reinvent the wheel. I didn't obsess over analytics and retention rates and all the data people get caught up in when they're first starting out.
Instead I spent my days scrolling TikTok, finding AI content that was already going viral, and figuring out why it worked. What made people stop scrolling? Why did this video get 5 million views and that one got 500? Then I'd make my own version in my own voice. Not copying. Studying what works and putting my spin on it.
My fourth video ever went viral. A million views. I wasn't guessing. I was using formats that were already proven to work and making them mine.
June 2025
First Viral Video
I didn't try to reinvent the wheel. I didn't obsess over analytics and retention rates and all the data people get caught up in when they're first starting out.
Instead I spent my days scrolling TikTok, finding AI content that was already going viral, and figuring out why it worked. What made people stop scrolling? Why did this video get 5 million views and that one got 500? Then I'd make my own version in my own voice. Not copying. Studying what works and putting my spin on it.
My fourth video ever went viral. A million views. I wasn't guessing. I was using formats that were already proven to work and making them mine.
August 2025
100K in 60 Days
After that, video after video started getting hundreds of thousands of views. Some got millions. Within about 60 days I hit 100,000 followers on TikTok.
At the time, I had no idea how I was going to make money from this. I didn't know being an AI creator was something you could get paid for. I was just posting because I enjoyed it. I liked making the videos, replying to comments, and seeing people actually learn something.
When you're doing something because you enjoy it, people can tell.
August 2025
100K in 60 Days
After that, video after video started getting hundreds of thousands of views. Some got millions. Within about 60 days I hit 100,000 followers on TikTok.
At the time, I had no idea how I was going to make money from this. I didn't know being an AI creator was something you could get paid for. I was just posting because I enjoyed it. I liked making the videos, replying to comments, and seeing people actually learn something.
When you're doing something because you enjoy it, people can tell.
Summer 2025
First Brand Deal
About two months in, brands started emailing me. And my first reaction was no. I was totally against the whole brand deal thing. I thought it would ruin my audience.
Then my dad said, "Why don't you just reply and give them some crazy number?" So I asked one company for $2,000 a video. They came back with $1,200 a video for two videos. $2,400 to post two 60-second videos. I read that email like four times to make sure it wasn't a scam.
That's when it clicked. This could be a real career. When the fall semester started, I didn't go back. I wanted to see how far this could go.
I set one rule that day, and I still follow it: I only promote tools I'd actually want you to use.
Summer 2025
First Brand Deal
About two months in, brands started emailing me. And my first reaction was no. I was totally against the whole brand deal thing. I thought it would ruin my audience.
Then my dad said, "Why don't you just reply and give them some crazy number?" So I asked one company for $2,000 a video. They came back with $1,200 a video for two videos. $2,400 to post two 60-second videos. I read that email like four times to make sure it wasn't a scam.
That's when it clicked. This could be a real career. When the fall semester started, I didn't go back. I wanted to see how far this could go.
I set one rule that day, and I still follow it: I only promote tools I'd actually want you to use.
Late August 2025
Instagram Takes Off
If it was working on TikTok, why not everywhere else? I'd been reposting my TikToks on Instagram for months, and every one got about 200 views.
Then a friend gave me some advice: delete that account, start five brand new ones, and post my best TikToks on all five. So I did. One of them took off right away, with video after video passing a million views. That's the account I kept.
From there I added YouTube Shorts and Facebook. Same approach every time. Take what's already working and put it everywhere.
Late August 2025
Instagram Takes Off
If it was working on TikTok, why not everywhere else? I'd been reposting my TikToks on Instagram for months, and every one got about 200 views.
Then a friend gave me some advice: delete that account, start five brand new ones, and post my best TikToks on all five. So I did. One of them took off right away, with video after video passing a million views. That's the account I kept.
From there I added YouTube Shorts and Facebook. Same approach every time. Take what's already working and put it everywhere.
October 2025
OpenAI Partnership
In October I got an intro to OpenAI through a group of AI creators I'm friends with. I made a video with them on setting up ChatGPT Projects, and they posted it on their own accounts. Then in February 2026, they let me take over ChatGPT's TikTok for a few weeks.
I'm not going to lie, I was nervous. The company that built the tool that started all of this wanted to work with me.
They've treated me with nothing but respect, and it showed me the companies I use every day actually wanted to work with me.
October 2025
OpenAI Partnership
In October I got an intro to OpenAI through a group of AI creators I'm friends with. I made a video with them on setting up ChatGPT Projects, and they posted it on their own accounts. Then in February 2026, they let me take over ChatGPT's TikTok for a few weeks.
I'm not going to lie, I was nervous. The company that built the tool that started all of this wanted to work with me.
They've treated me with nothing but respect, and it showed me the companies I use every day actually wanted to work with me.
December 5, 2025
34 Million Views
On December 5th, one of my TikToks hit over 34 million views.
You post a 60 second video from your phone and 34 million people watch it. That's more people than live in most countries. Still kind of surreal to think about.
December 5, 2025
34 Million Views
On December 5th, one of my TikToks hit over 34 million views.
You post a 60 second video from your phone and 34 million people watch it. That's more people than live in most countries. Still kind of surreal to think about.
Ongoing
Big Brand Partnerships
Since then I've partnered with some massive brands. Not just AI startups, but companies like Starbucks, Canva, and OpenAI. Big national brands. On top of that I've worked with Replit, Lovable, Hostinger, and honestly too many others to list here. Over 100 brand collaborations at this point.
Here's how I approach brand deals though. I only promote stuff I actually use or believe in. I don't care how much a company offers. If I don't think the product is good or helpful to my audience, I'm not promoting it. Your trust is the only thing that matters. No brand deal is worth losing that.
OpenAI
Starbucks
Canva
Perplexity
Replit
Picsart
Manus
Gamma
HostingerOpenAIStarbucksCanvaPerplexityReplitPicsartManusGammaHostinger...and 100+ more
Ongoing
Big Brand Partnerships
Since then I've partnered with some massive brands. Not just AI startups, but companies like Starbucks, Canva, and OpenAI. Big national brands. On top of that I've worked with Replit, Lovable, Hostinger, and honestly too many others to list here. Over 100 brand collaborations at this point.
OpenAIStarbucksCanvaPerplexityReplitPicsartManusGammaHostingerOpenAIStarbucksCanvaPerplexityReplitPicsartManusGammaHostinger...and 100+ more
Here's how I approach brand deals though. I only promote stuff I actually use or believe in. I don't care how much a company offers. If I don't think the product is good or helpful to my audience, I'm not promoting it. Your trust is the only thing that matters. No brand deal is worth losing that.
Early 2026
Everything Goes Free
Early on, I sold a few paid guides. Then I got some angry DMs about one of them, and it made me stop and think. If my whole goal is education, why am I hiding these guides behind a paywall?
So I made everything free. Every guide, every prompt, every workflow. Brands support the work, so you never have to pay for it. That's how this website started.
If my whole goal is education, why am I hiding these guides behind a paywall?
Early 2026
Everything Goes Free
Early on, I sold a few paid guides. Then I got some angry DMs about one of them, and it made me stop and think. If my whole goal is education, why am I hiding these guides behind a paywall?
So I made everything free. Every guide, every prompt, every workflow. Brands support the work, so you never have to pay for it. That's how this website started.
If my whole goal is education, why am I hiding these guides behind a paywall?
March 2026
My Biggest Video
In March I posted my biggest video ever, "5 secret codes for ChatGPT." I made it in maybe 45 minutes, and it brought in close to 200,000 followers on its own.
In two months, my Instagram went from about 200,000 followers to 650,000. Once it started working, I didn't ease off. I doubled down.
When it gets easy, go hard.
March 2026
My Biggest Video
In March I posted my biggest video ever, "5 secret codes for ChatGPT." I made it in maybe 45 minutes, and it brought in close to 200,000 followers on its own.
In two months, my Instagram went from about 200,000 followers to 650,000. Once it started working, I didn't ease off. I doubled down.
When it gets easy, go hard.
July 6, 2026
One Million on Instagram
On July 6th, my Instagram crossed one million followers. And I know that's supposed to be the moment you celebrate, but honestly I just sat there staring at the number for a while, because a year earlier I was posting videos that got 250 views and hoping someone besides my mom would watch them. A million people decided that a kid explaining AI was worth following, and I genuinely don't think that will ever feel normal to me.
The pace of it is the part I still can't wrap my head around. I hit 100K on January 1st, half a million by early April, and a million by July. Same videos, same approach, just more people finding them every week. Thank you to every single one of you who's part of that number.
July 6, 2026
One Million on Instagram
On July 6th, my Instagram crossed one million followers. And I know that's supposed to be the moment you celebrate, but honestly I just sat there staring at the number for a while, because a year earlier I was posting videos that got 250 views and hoping someone besides my mom would watch them. A million people decided that a kid explaining AI was worth following, and I genuinely don't think that will ever feel normal to me.
The pace of it is the part I still can't wrap my head around. I hit 100K on January 1st, half a million by early April, and a million by July. Same videos, same approach, just more people finding them every week. Thank you to every single one of you who's part of that number.
July 2026
Business Insider
In July, Business Insider told the story of how this whole thing started, and I'm not going to pretend that was a normal week for me. Growing up I scrolled these sites all the time without once imagining my name would be in one.
Now there's a whole article about betting on AI content instead of the normal path, and building it into a multi-million dollar business by giving everything away for free. The story got picked up by MSN and AOL too, which still feels a little unreal to type.
July 2026
Business Insider
In July, Business Insider told the story of how this whole thing started, and I'm not going to pretend that was a normal week for me. Growing up I scrolled these sites all the time without once imagining my name would be in one.
Now there's a whole article about betting on AI content instead of the normal path, and building it into a multi-million dollar business by giving everything away for free. The story got picked up by MSN and AOL too, which still feels a little unreal to type.
Read by people at
September 2026
250,000 Newsletter Readers
The newsletter started in July 2025 as one email to about 4,000 people. It passed 100,000 readers in April, 200,000 in July, and 250,000 in September. Every Wednesday and Sunday, it's the best AI stuff I found that week, explained simply.
Fun fact: two of those readers have FBI email addresses. So yes, the FBI reads my emails. Twice a week. On purpose.
September 2026
250,000 Newsletter Readers
The newsletter started in July 2025 as one email to about 4,000 people. It passed 100,000 readers in April, 200,000 in July, and 250,000 in September. Every Wednesday and Sunday, it's the best AI stuff I found that week, explained simply.
Read by people at
Fun fact: two of those readers have FBI email addresses. So yes, the FBI reads my emails. Twice a week. On purpose.
Now
The Free Resource Hub
I built this resource hub because I believe this information should be free.
I see creators charging $497 or $997 for AI courses that teach the same stuff I put on this website for free. And there's nothing wrong with selling courses. But personally, I think the basics of AI should be accessible to everyone. You shouldn't have to pay hundreds of dollars to learn how to write a better prompt or find the right tools for your business.
So I built this site. Every prompt, every workflow, every guide, every tool recommendation. It's all free. No paywall. No catch.
Now
The Free Resource Hub
I built this resource hub because I believe this information should be free.
I see creators charging $497 or $997 for AI courses that teach the same stuff I put on this website for free. And there's nothing wrong with selling courses. But personally, I think the basics of AI should be accessible to everyone. You shouldn't have to pay hundreds of dollars to learn how to write a better prompt or find the right tools for your business.
So I built this site. Every prompt, every workflow, every guide, every tool recommendation. It's all free. No paywall. No catch.
Looking Ahead
What's Next
My goal is simple: make AI dead simple for everyone, and give people the exact steps to use it in their life, their work and their family.
But honestly, the thing I care about most is you. The people who watch the videos, read these guides, and actually use this stuff to make their lives easier.
I want to keep testing every new AI tool that comes out so you don't have to, and keep giving away as much value as I possibly can. That's always been the mission and it's not changing.
We'll see where this all goes. But I'm excited for whatever's next.
Looking Ahead
What's Next
My goal is simple: make AI dead simple for everyone, and give people the exact steps to use it in their life, their work and their family.
But honestly, the thing I care about most is you. The people who watch the videos, read these guides, and actually use this stuff to make their lives easier.
I want to keep testing every new AI tool that comes out so you don't have to, and keep giving away as much value as I possibly can. That's always been the mission and it's not changing.
We'll see where this all goes. But I'm excited for whatever's next.
If you want to connect or have any questions you want answered, shoot me an email on my personal at maverick@maltin.com. I read every email and try to get back to everyone.
(I know a lot of you try to DM me on Instagram. I love you but there's just too many to keep up with. If you actually want a response… email is the move.)
Subscribe so you get these in your inbox every Wednesday & Sunday.
Free. Unsubscribe anytime.
On a More Personal Note
Outside of all the AI stuff...
I grew up in Laguna Beach, California, with my younger brother, Legend. My parents were both running businesses and working every day of the week. Then when I was ten, they had a realization: what are we doing with our lives? So they pulled us out of school, and we left to travel the world.
July 2017
Left California
We packed up and started traveling full time as a family of four. No home base. No permanent address. Legend and I did school online from wherever we were. We called it world schooling, and I still believe in it completely. Our classroom was visiting local schools and meeting kids from completely different cultures.
I know that sounds crazy. It kind of was. But it was also the most incredible experience I could have asked for growing up.
2017 to 2020
Around the World
Over the next few years we went everywhere. New Zealand, Bali, Thailand, Cambodia, India, Nepal, Vietnam, and a lot of places in between that I never in a million years thought I'd visit.
Every country taught me something different. And the biggest thing I learned is that people are a lot more similar than you think. When you grow up seeing that much of the world, you just become wired to want to understand how things work and why people do what they do.
2018
The School in India
In 2018, Legend and I visited a small school in the foothills of the Himalayas in northern India. One boy told us he took a long bus ride and then walked three miles home every single day, and he was the happiest, most kind-hearted kid. That stuck with me.
After that trip, I started a fundraiser for the school, and it raised $10,000. I think that's where wanting to teach really started for me.
October 2018
Everest Base Camp
In 2018 we did the trek to Everest Base Camp in Nepal. I was eleven.
That was one of the most eye-opening experiences I've ever had. You're hiking for days through the Himalayas, the air is getting thinner, your legs are destroyed, and you're surrounded by these mountains that make you feel incredibly small. And then you get to base camp and you're standing at the foot of the tallest mountain on Earth.
It's hard to put into words what that feels like. But it gave me this feeling that if I can do that, I can probably do a lot of things that seem impossible at first. I think about that trip a lot actually.
2016 to 2020
Gaming First
Before AI, there was Fortnite. I started posting gaming videos when I was about ten, and I was winning money in Fortnite cash cups. That's when I fell in love with making content.
I was never the artsy kid. My handwriting was bad and I couldn't draw. But content let me be creative in my own way, and it's also really strategic and analytical, which is exactly how my brain works.
2020
Stuck in Australia
We were in Byron Bay, a surf town on the east coast of Australia, when COVID hit in 2020. So we got stuck there.
But honestly? Getting stuck in Australia turned out to be one of the best things that happened to me. I went to a real school for the first time in years. I graduated high school there. I made some of my closest friends there. I still consider Byron Bay a second home.
Australia is where I really became who I am. The surfing, the laid-back lifestyle, the people. That place shaped me in ways I'm still figuring out.
End of 2023
Back to the States
At the end of 2023 I moved back to the US, and in 2024 I started at Arizona State. I loved it. Great people, great experience. But I always knew I wanted to build something, and after my first year, that's exactly what happened.
Now
Traveling Again
These days I'm traveling full time again. This year I've lived in Austin, spent the summer in Greece, surfed every day in Bali for a month and a half, and spent October in New York.
I like experiencing both extremes. A month of nonstop dinners and meetings in New York, then a month on a beach somewhere. That's how I find balance. Sitting still has never really been my thing. Once you grow up living out of a suitcase, you just can't stop moving.
If you want to know what country I'm in, hit me up.
Want to explore what's here?