The Story
Charlie Chang is a 31-year-old entrepreneur in Southern California who runs 6+ YouTube channels generating $200-300K per month. His main channel has 1.1 million subscribers. Despite being an introvert, he's built a media empire through strategic content creation and smart monetization.
Charlie grew up in a non-entrepreneurial household - his parents wanted him to be a doctor. After graduating college, he couldn't find a job and started doing every side hustle imaginable: photography, video, print modeling, acting, a clothing brand, marketing agency, real estate, mortgages.
In 2020, his YouTube channel started taking off. He made $750 in a single day from AdSense and knew "this could be something big." He started learning everything about YouTube, making videos almost every day. Growth was fast: 500-1,000 subscribers per day, $10-20K/month in AdSense.
Key Insights
Revenue Breakdown (Across All Channels)
- •Affiliate marketing: 50-55%
- •Brand sponsorships: 20-25%
- •AdSense: 20-25%
- •Best month ever: Close to $300K
The YouTube Channels
- •Charlie Chang (main): 1.1M subscribers
- •Sarwise: ~50K subscribers
- •Charlie Chang Show, The Penthouse, My First Website, and others
Content Strategy
- •Focus on searchable evergreen SEO content, not just virality
- •Example: "How to invest in stocks" - something people actively search for
- •Pivot content to match trends: crypto when crypto boomed, stocks when stocks boomed, side hustles when side hustles boomed
- •Titles that work: Age people relate to + big number + dollar amount = curiosity
Viral Video Formula
- •Perfect blend of: exclusive experience + good thumbnail + trending topic + storytelling
- •Example: "Asking Coachella VIPs what they do for a living"
Team & Operations
- •26 people on the media business team
- •Structure: Charlie → COO → 2-3 Project Managers → Video editors, thumbnail people, graphics, website
- •Team cost: ~$20-25K/month (heavily using overseas talent)
- •Hiring sources: Upwork, Fiverr, OnlineJobs, and Paired (his own staffing company)
Tools & Software
- •ClickUp: Content planning
- •Frame.io: Footage uploads and editor drafts
- •One of 10 & Creator Hooks Pro: Thumbnail and title ideas
- •Slack: Team communication
- •HubStaff: Time tracking
- •AI tools: Submagic, Descript, Opus for short-form content
The Staffing Business (Paired)
- •Started to build something with equity that could be acquired
- •Helps find overseas talent (Philippines)
- •One-time placement fee model
- •Full-time positions: $600-1,000/month
Key Advice
"Don't overanalyze. Pick something. If it's wrong, you'll learn and won't make that mistake. If it's right, you made a fast decision. Speed is a universal trait for successful people. If you're in a rut, completely change your environment or routine. If you're stuck in a city where you're not growing, move to a different city."