Most Innovative Companies How Smosh stayed funny—and relevant—for 20 years
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Dec 4, 2025 
Anthony Padilla and Ian Hecox, co-founders of Smosh, share their journey from the early YouTube days to a well-established comedy brand. They discuss the challenges of selling and repurchasing Smosh, emphasizing their focus on 'comedy rooted in friendship' to stay relevant. Ale Catanese, the current CEO, outlines the company's efforts in creating a sustainable work culture and a new talent-first studio space. Pavithra Mohan dives into the hustle culture in Silicon Valley, contrasting it with companies like Linear that prioritize work-life balance.
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Humble Origin: A Webcam And A Joke
- Anthony Padilla and Ian Hecox started Smosh by making a Power Rangers lip-sync video for fun with a borrowed webcam.
- They had no business plan and only realized the opportunity after viewership and early deals made it sustainable.
First Deals Funded Full-Time Work
- Early monetization came from an exclusivity deal with LiveVideo and later YouTube's partnership program.
- That initial revenue let them leave parents' homes and produce content more consistently from a shared house.
Sell, Leave, Return: The Smosh Rollercoaster
- Smosh sold to Defy Media, left, then returned after Defy collapsed and were later supported by Rhett and Link before buying Smosh back.
- That rollercoaster influenced their emphasis on ownership, stability, and creative control.