One of the things Dustin has done right is build community around his content from the beginning. Every platform he’s on, he figures out how to get others involved and engaged and talking to each other, with his content as the staple. By building community, Dustin has created a movement to be a part of, rather than just a fad to follow.
https://vimeo.com/1108153334/2218696e90?share=copy1. People Line Up to Meet Him
The amount of people who want to meet and speak to Dustin is the reason we go to events.
- Oftentimes there are long lines of people waiting to shake his hand, and sometimes are shaking and nervous meeting him because they feel they’re meeting a celebrity they’ve known for years.
- At major distribution centers (like Home Depots and supply houses around the country), electricians regularly approach Dustin with tools in hand to introduce themselves and ask for selfies.
- Dustin was asked by NASA to speak to an astronaut while aboard the International Space Station because she’s a fan and wanted him to be a point of contact throughout the mission. His impact even extends off-planet.
2. Followers Say They Became Electricians Because of Him
An innumerable amount of people have commented, emailed, and DM’d thanking Dustin for getting them into the trade, and even years later update him when getting their licenses and starting businesses.
Apprentices and journeymen often comment things like: “I’m an electrician today because I watched your video on feeders” or “breakers explained” - memorable YouTube and Facebook replies confirm this pattern repeatedly.
3. Institutional Trust & Peer Respect
The reason Dustin has the depth of followership that he does is because people respect his knowledge, and his work.
https://vimeo.com/1107798604/a0f5777496- Teachers follow Dustin, so students inherently trust him.
- Influencers look up to Dustin and often cite he’s the reason they began creating content. (Dustin didn’t jump on board, he created the niche - others followed).
- Many electricians say they can tell he’s one of them.
- Manufacturers often use Dustin’s videos to teach their people about electrical work and the industry they serve.
- Industry publications, such as Electrical Contractor Magazine, ask him to write expert articles monthly.
- Large industry events such as NECA and IEC Spark ask Dustin to give talks or record podcasts during the event(s).
Podcast hosts and trade media echo this sentiment. One modern electrician podcast host said: “It’s fair to say that most electricians that spend time on the internet … have heard of and been educated by Dustin Stelzer.” and later mentions "at events you’re always surrounded by 100 people wanting to meet you” Modern Electrician Podcast
On Reddit, one electrician summarized it plainly:
- “Electrician U (This guy, Dustin Stelzer, also has a YouTube series. Super knowledgeable, he loves the trade, makes me excited to learn electrical)”
Another Reddit thread candidly asked, “Who’s the Bob Ross of electrical?” and community members responded:
- “Closest I could nominate is Dustin Stelzer from Electrician U.”
4. Brutally Authentic
What you see with Dustin is what you get. When followers meet him and talk about their favorite bands being Tool, or that they both skateboarded as high-schoolers, or the way they raise their kids - they realize Dustin is exactly who he is in his videos. Dustin allows viewers into the dark moments, and shares who he is (often through story) - which is why they love HIM vs just watching electrical videos. Here are some samples on his first YouTube Channel, which was the building blocks of where Electrician U started.
https://vimeo.com/1107780300/eed932a282https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFcQR8RA3GM&utm_source=chatgpt.comhttps://youtu.be/kBjvr0zxrg4?si=hWPhdlSwr73b5cKSDustin is also completely unscripted - whether on the Today Show, on stage, or in the recording studio - Dustin speaks from within, from the top of his head. So his knowledge is even further respected, because it’s real.
https://vimeo.com/1107821908?share=copy5. Explains Things Really Well / Makes Learning Fun
Dustin is most-noted for the way he breaks down really complex ideas into easy-to-understand concepts. Helping instructors and students know more, and be better. Our videos are riddled with hundreds of thousands of “lightbulb-moments” - Check out the comments under some of these videos:
https://youtu.be/5tD5XEVI2Gc?si=Ly-NaCRQ2IMD0SPGComments:
- "This is by far the best 3-way switch explanation on YouTube. Great video" - @showbizwisconsin8350
- Holy smokes! Why I am 60 years old and just now learned how to tell the two travelers! This is the first explanation I've seen in English about all the pieces of this puzzle! Virtual beer for you sir! - @LouJustlou
- This is the best electrical video that I have ever watched. The electrician should be working as an instructor in an electric school. Thank you for your great video. - @meandyoutube1990
- Best explanation I've seen yet on the wiring. Most vids make assumptions that people know the little stuff so they skip over it. You hit on everything. - @AlrightThen15
Comments:
- That has to be the best trouble shooting explanation of 3 way switch on the internet. Your teaching ability is superior. Thank you for sharing your knowledge. - @FSAUDIOGUY
- I was going CRAZY! And didn’t understand anything you said until you explained both travelers are coming out of the same spot…. NOW MY 3way works! Thank you so much - @evantyler11
- Omg!! THANK YOU! You made me totally understand how ibwired it incorrectly. Especially since the 3way was installed 20 years ago and the new one was configured differently. - @Wyogirl63
- Thank you very much ... I was lost for an hour... I think I flipped wires for about 40 mins... Got it now thanks alot - @briansmith7036
Comments:
- This channel easily deserves 1 million subscribers. I have been in the electrical field for 15+ years but I still learn something new after watching one of Dustin's videos. - @DominickRuocco
- You don’t know how many times I’ve seen so many contractors or even guys who been doing this for years who don’t use the right type of insulation for the right applications. Love this video! - @InphazeC8
- Nice work on the code book video, I really like seeing the layout and the zooming capabilities in action. No one else has this (apparently) and it makes a world of difference. Thanks for the commitment to continued improvement of teaching methods, Dustin! We see you bro... - @nicholasmoore8424
- I appreciate you for bringing this content I’m in hvac but I thank you for this!! - @jhill.7216
Comments:
- Most gangster shit ever when I pull this trick out on the field and leave the rest with their jaws on the floor amazed how smart I will look. - @jesusdelgado8487
- This is why i love hanging with the elders..... they got experience, knowledge, and the wisdom to know when to apply that knowledge... - @chicofromph33nix64
- You’re the only dude that actually read the manual. Great advice - @carlosz7208
- Valuable info. 2-ohms per 1000ft & finding with a device's value to determine the length in a remaining reel made it simple. Thx - @matteagles2363
6. Respectable Messaging
Most agree that Dustin’s humility, constant pushing of people to be good humans and treat each other right, and community-forming around ethics like respect, honor, and trust are why people flock to him. They feel safe in his communities, and he’s a good person to emulate.
https://youtu.be/whUv-ka4nyA?si=ydaueuw3amLuGN3Dhttps://youtu.be/x4iwK9sPkQg?si=2YP5sXiFfFDOIm8zhttps://youtu.be/hvFIJwYHLTQ?si=Uua6K3rLr8-Xl1wESummary:
Dustin's growing follower-base was built on the foundation of Journey 2 Master, a brutally authentic and empathetic exploration of real life: working as an apprentice, raising a family, overcoming financial hardship, even spending time in jail. That raw honesty forged a deep bond of trust. When Electrician U was launched, Dustin didn’t need to prove himself - his audience already believed in his trajectory, so they leaned in even harder.By sharing adversity through episodes like “Real Talk,” viewers underwent a transformation: fans who identified with Dustin’s struggles; single‑dad life, divorce, paycheck-to-paycheck living - became lifelong loyalists. They came for the life lessons and stayed for the trade knowledge.
Meanwhile, trade-school educators regularly assign Dustin’s videos as supplemental material, especially when students struggle with theory. Instructors call his content a “jump start”; an accessible translation of theory into practice.
This isn’t fan followership - its devotion earned from authenticity, emotional relatability, and real technical mastery. Dustin Stelzer isn’t just the face of a brand. He is the movement: trusted, followed, and revered as a real educator, mentor, and industry leader.