As one of the very first official YouTube partners, the word pioneer is an understatement when describing the impact that Ian Hecox of Smosh has had on creators everywhere. With almost 25M subscribers to date, Smosh has consistently been one of the top performing channels on YouTube since it launched over 15 years ago. For obvious reasons, I was very much looking forward to interviewing Ian: he’s a part of YouTube history. But also, because so many of my friends have worked with him over the years and had nothing but stellar things to say about him as a creator and a person. What you’ll get from this interview: the backstory of Smosh and how it became the #1 most subscribed to channel on Youtube (with stories of hurdles along the way), Ian’s take on why Smosh has had staying power on YouTube, why he chose to continue on with the channel after his partner Anthony decided to depart, where the behemoth of a brand stands today, and of course, some advice for all you creators out there.

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