I respect him.
He and I started into triathlon at about the same time. I think a lot of people at the advanced end of the sport are looking more to advanced coaches, and that's super valid.
That said, I remember that when I started (before he was even making videos) it was really, really tough to find good triathlon content on YouTube. When you're brand new and literally can't swim three strokes, hearing a Kona contender or former Olympian is useful, but it's also sort of like... "I want someone a little closer to where I'm at." I think he does a good job in that void.
Recently, I started making my own videos after getting off my butt. I'm certainly no super-FOP, decade in athlete, but I've been biking a long time, I feel like I'm a pretty 'normal' person, and my goal is to just help convince those other 'normal' people that yeah, you can get into the sport without spending 25 hours/week at it. I don't know what Taren's goals are, but I have no desire to quit my day job (which I love.) I just like getting on forums and helping out from the perspective of being a couple years down the road from a beginner and sharing my experiences.
It's tough making videos, it can be awkward and shitty to read the comments (I've had people just comment 'Go fuck yourself' randomly,) and it adds time to an already full schedule. Even if I don't agree with everything he says, I appreciate the time he puts out there.
As I see it, ultimately, the more people making content for beginners, the more beginners will feel comfortable getting into the sport. That's good for them and good for the future of our events.
JustinDoesTriathlon Owner, FuelRodz Endurance.