Is focusing on Shorts worth it for a small channel right now?

I’ve seen creators double their subs in a month from Shorts, but I’ve also seen others burn out after getting views that never convert. Shorts can be an incredible top-of-funnel tool if you treat them that way, fast visibility, quick experiments, audience testing. But if you expect them to drive long-term watch time or deep engagement, you’ll probably be disappointed.

What’s your experience been? Have Shorts actually helped you grow your core audience, or just your view count?