Why YouTube's Biggest Channel Sold for $0 (Smosh Interview)

Created with Jon Youshaei

I interviewed Anthony Padilla and Ian Hecox, the co-founders of Smosh who recently bought back their historic YouTube channel after 12 years.

In 2011, Anthony Padilla and Ian Hecox were one of the first to sell a YouTube channel long before the likes of MrBeast started on YouTube. 12 years later, they’ve become the first to buy a channel back. We discussed Smosh’s evolution from sketch comedy to a production power house with over 35 employees, 5 channels, and 45 million combined subscribers. We also covered the duo’s 2017 split, their solo journeys as creators, and their ultimate reunion to buy back Smosh from Rhett and Link (Mythical Entertainment).

Chapters

00:00 - 00:57 Who Is Smosh?

00:57 - 01:42 Presented By HubSpot

01:42 - 02:20 The Untold Story of Smosh

02:20 - 10:55 Why Smosh Sold Its Channel...And What They Got

10:55 - 19:07 Growing A Creator Business

19:07 - 28:31 Creative Frustration & Breakthrough

28:31 - 35:47 Why Anthony Left Smosh...But Ian Stayed

35:47 - 39:40 Rules for Working With Best Friends

39:40 - 48:53 Anthony's Solo Creator Career

48:53 - 52:18 Ian Re-defines Smosh

52:18 - 52:52 HubSpot Presents: Finding Founders

52:52 - 56:35 How Smosh Nearly Ended

56:35 - 1:05:55 Finding Smosh A New Home

1:05:55 - 1:08:34 Ian & Anthony's Secret Meetings

1:08:34 - 1:22:09 Buying Back Smosh

1:22:09 - 1:32:38 How Big Is Smosh Today?

1:32:38 - 1:41:34 Economics Of Smosh & Memberships

1:41:34 - 1:45:11 Creating Sustainable Content

1:45:11 - 1:49:56 Smosh’s Production Process

1:49:56 - 1:55:35 Sketch Writing Process

1:55:35 - 2:02:19 Adapting To The Algorithm

2:02:19 - 2:09:17 What’s Next For Smosh?

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