
The Karat Podcast
Ever wondered what your favorite creators are like behind the scenes? Karat Financial co-founders Eric Wei and Will Kim talk with today’s biggest creators to get to know the humans behind the content. Tune in to go deep, with topics covering hopes, dreams, philosophy, and insecurities.
Latest episodes

9 snips
Feb 28, 2024 • 42min
EP. 68 - I quit my job in consulting for YouTube: Taylor Bell's story [VIDEO]
Sign up for free access to Karat Insights: https://link.trykarat.com/yt-insights
@TaylorBell just quit her prestigious six figure corporate job to do YouTube full time - because passion is more important than money and prestige. Today she shares when she knew she had to quit - how to make smart bets on yourself that payoff - and how to build a YouTube empire part-time.
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Follow Karat at
https://www.instagram.com/trykarat/
Follow Eric at
https://www.instagram.com/erictway/
Follow Taylor Bell at
@TaylorBell
https://www.instagram.com/taykbell/
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Timestamps:
00:00 - intro
01:37 - Taylor quits her job
01:57 - how did your boss take it?
02:56 - why Eric left Instagram
06:18 - Taylor's dream
07:23 - Taylor has crazy Ivy League credentials
10:19 - what Taylor's mom did and how her parents met
12:09 - Taylor's first youtube video
12:42 - Taylor was a model
14:38 - Taylor did a music video
16:15 - Was Taylor cool in high school?
17:45 - Taylor's college application essay
19:40 - Taylor spills tea on consulting
21:30 - How Taylor made a risky decision not risky
25:49 - Taylor's changing her content
27:43 - is Taylor more of a creative or a businesswoman?
29:00 - who are Taylor's friends?
31:00 - Why Eric's friend group changes every few years
33:36 - Taylor opens up on her romantic relationships and being single
35:14 - how being single pushes you to develop friendships
37:12 - Taylor feels lonely sometimes
40:53 - Does Taylor take big risks?
41:32 - Taylor & Eric talk about therapy

Feb 21, 2024 • 42min
EP. 67 - I sacrificed everything to become a rap legend: Dumbfoundead's story [VIDEO]
Sign up for free access to Karat Insights: https://link.trykarat.com/yt-insights
Jonnie Park grew up alone on the streets - so he hardened himself - becoming Dumbfoundead a battle rapper who'd *make* you respect him.
In a life of machismo, partying, and clout - he got millions of fans, praised by Drake, featured in movies - but now he shares why he's going sober, reconnecting with family, and looking for his feminine energy.
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Follow Karat at
https://www.instagram.com/trykarat/
Follow Eric at
https://www.instagram.com/erictway/
Follow Jonnie Park aka dumbfoundead at
https://www.instagram.com/dumbfoundead/
https://www.instagram.com/funwithdumb/
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Timestamps:
00:00 - Intro
01:43 - Touring colleges when I was just a teen
02:46 - Balancing masculinity and femininity in my life
03:40 - Phone calls with my dad only last 1 min
06:02 - Family gatherings make me uncomfortable
06:53 - Unconditional love is complicated
08:30 - Trying not to forget childhood memories
09:43 - Why waste your time with stubborn relatives
10:25 - After everything, I just want my dad to be happy
12:23 - Why I'll pay my mom's rent until the day she dies
14:40 - I'll always keep my "shitty" friends around
16:18 - Don't just ghost your toxic friends - try to fix the friendship
17:14 - Seeking validation is worthless
20:30 - Death is my deadline for accomplishing my goals
21:47 - Why Eminem is WRONG
24:06 - Dumb's podcast is not his only project in the works
25:29 - Why I move in silence
26:30 - Defending the Asian community in my first rap battle
27:36 - T.V. raised me when my parents didn't
29:09 - I wanna be the Scorsese of my craft
31:47 - Why I'm going sober after drinking since I was 15
35:08 - What still gets me insecure
39:04 - Dumb's advice to young artists
41:06 - Outro

Feb 14, 2024 • 60min
EP. 66 - Why Graham Stephan is Quiet Quitting (interview) [VIDEO]
Sign up for free access to Karat Insights: https://link.trykarat.com/yt-insights
Graham Stephan is quiet quitting his main channel - and he's focused now on the podcast he started with Jack Selby - a former bus boy who cold emailed Graham in 2019 to work for him.
Why is Graham quitting? How did Jack convince Graham to partner with him? How have they tripled the podcast's audience in the past year?
Find out today on the Karat podcast 😉
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Follow Karat at
https://www.instagram.com/trykarat/
Follow Eric at
https://www.instagram.com/erictway/
Follow Graham & Jack's podcast at
@TheIcedCoffeeHour
Follow Graham at
@GrahamStephan
https://www.instagram.com/gpstephan/
Follow Jack at
@jlsselby
https://www.instagram.com/jlsselby/
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Timestamps:
0:00 - Intro
1:35- Competing with @CalebHammer
2:10 - How we went from 300k to 1M subs in 1 year
4:18 - Why Graham is quiet quitting his main channel with 4.5 million subs
7:30 - Why @TheIcedCoffeeHour is Jack's BABY
8:33 - Why bring on such CONTROVERSIAL guests?
9:48 - Who WON'T they have on the podcast?
10:51 - Jack and Graham's Bromance
13:33 - How Graham took a chance on Jack
16:16 - Does Graham consider Jack a friend?
17:59 - What Jack and Graham WONT agree on
21:02 - Why @TheIcedCoffeeHour guests need to mediate Jack & Graham
24:36 - Why Graham is willing to loose money for this...
28:52 - Why we started a podcast in the first place?
29:51 - Jack's cringe content he doesn't want you to see
30:59 - Graham's skateboard/jackass phase
33:15 - Why Jack & Graham DON'T want their kids to be YouTubers
35:40 - Jack dropped out of college to make $6k a month
39:41 - How our content is maturing with each guest we bring on
41:19 - What guests made us change the way we think
42:43 - If it doesn't bring me value, it doesn't matter
45:15 - Graham's dating advice for Jack
45:52 - Eric does his Graham Stephan impersonation
47:07 - The secret to @TheIcedCoffeeHour's success
49:00 - Jack's feedback to Graham
51:13 - Graham's feedback to Jack
52:39 - We resolve everything with a coin flip
59:02 - Outro

Feb 14, 2024 • 1h 26min
EP. 65 - I nearly died but the theater saved me: Stanzi Potenza interview [VIDEO]
As a kid, @Stanzipotenza nearly died. She suffered PTSD but couldn't afford therapy - so she found escape in theater & comedy.
Today - she's a top creator & comic with sold out shows, millions on TikTok, and a feature in the NY Times. She helped Biden win the Senate and successfully fooled Dr. Phil on national television.
On the podcast today - she shares why you need therapy, how to channel emotional pain into creative work, and how to be funny!
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Learn more about Karat at
https://www.trykarat.com
Follow Karat at
https://www.instagram.com/trykarat/
Follow Eric at
https://www.instagram.com/erictway/
Follow Stanzi at
@Stanzipotenza
https://www.instagram.com/stanzipotenza/
https://www.tiktok.com/@stanzipotenza
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00:00 - Introduction
01:54 - My parent's divorce got me into theater
03:14 - Theater helped me escape my trauma
04:37 - Reliving a traumatic childhood experience
04:55 - I couldn’t afford therapy after my near-death experience
05:29 - How I almost DIED at 11
06:25 - A stranger sacrificed his life for me
07:56 - My world was falling apart
08:52 - Seeing my mom struggle
10:16 - No one wanted to be my friend
10:57 - Theater was my lifeline
11:58 - The Pacific changed my acting career
13:20 - The turning point in my acting career
14:08 - What are people saying about me on Reddit?
16:19 - My first viral video
17:49 - My parents are my biggest cheerleaders
18:41 - Giving people confidence and validation
21:41 - My teacher humiliated me
22:30 - Receiving male validation
27:32 - Acting is more than playing pretend
28:23 - I was emotionally unavailable to protect myself
29:53 - The moment I changed
35:16 - Being vulnerable is scary
36:37 - Therapy invited Scumbag Dad into my life
38:17 - I’m telling you the truth because I care
42:25 - I prioritized my relationship and not my career
43:29 - Therapy gave me the confidence to post online
46:42 - The best advice for posting on social media
48:40 - The New York Times called me cringe
52:14 - Dr. Phil was wrong about me
56:51 - How becoming an artist changed my life forever
1:00:04 - Why people don’t become artists
1:04:38 - I want to be a household name
1:07:19 - I sold out my first stand-up comedy show
1:11:42 - Rejection is redirection
1:16:01 - How I view my content
1:19:03 - I helped Joe Biden win the election
1:24:10 - I want my art to have an impact on people

Jan 31, 2024 • 1h 18min
EP. 64 - This TikToker Joined the Ukraine War & Nearly Died: Phillip Vu interview [VIDEO]
@PhillipVu filmed TikToks on the frontlines of the Ukraine war to raise money for refugees. He nearly died when a bomb exploded 30 meters away-
and suffered through PTSD to begin therapy and confront his demons & family trauma.
Today he shares how to heal when you’re hurting, how he raised thousands of dollars for refugees thru TikTok, and why he wants to settle down to do laundry & taxes.
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Learn more about Karat at
https://www.trykarat.com
Follow Karat at
https://www.instagram.com/trykarat/
Follow Eric at
https://www.instagram.com/erictway/
Follow Phillip at
@PhillipVu
https://www.instagram.com/phillipqvu/
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0:00 - Intro
3:00 - Why would a TikToker go into an active warzone?
5:34 - Phillip on growing up in OC, moving to Newport, and drug use
7:17 - Why Vietnamese people are the most TOXIC Asians
7:58 - His parents ESCAPED Vietnam
10:46 - Phillip's short-lived corporate career
12:11 - Phillip's dad died
13:56 - Nearly dying in Ukraine
19:15 - Why people hate Phillip for not giving enough
26:14 - Helping a friend w/ cancer
30:53 - Why is Phillip poor
37:34 - Why Phillip can't have a relationship
40:18 - Why Phillip posts unfiltered content
41:24 - Phillip's assistant is also his bodyguard
45:04 - Settling down and doing laundry and taxes
46:50 - How Phillip picks up girls
49:11 - His goal in life is to do mundane tasks with someone else
51:12 - How do his friends grapple with his near-death experiences
51:53 - Phillip NEEDS therapy
52:52 - His dad is in the UCI hall of fame
54:00 - Why Phillip's mom beat him as a child
56:07 - Why Phillip let his abusive mother back into his life
58:08 - Eric shares the abuse he faced as a 5-year-old
1:00:24 - Why Phillip's mom doesn't remember beating him
1:03:29 - Root reason as to why Phillip is afraid of commitment
1:05:48 - Eric made his therapist cry
1:08:36 - Phillip HATES animals, why did he save them?
1:10:06 - The Racism he faces traveling the world
1:11:31 - Why a masked man followed him through LA
1:13:14 - What is Phillip most excited for?
1:14:56 - Why Phillip is happy living in poverty
1:16:38 - Phillip can't afford to eat out
1:17:27 - Outro

Jan 26, 2024 • 1h 14min
EP. 63 - HasanAbi & Will Neff’s Secret Weapon: Marche the producer (interview) [VIDEO]
Marche quit community college to work at a gaming center for minimum wage so he could use the computers to stream a dying video game.
Those life choices led to today - where Marche is the secret boss of Twitch. He’s co-owner & producer of @FearAndPodcast with @HasanAbi @WillNeff @QTCinderella @AustinProductions - and shoots content for @Valkyrae.
Today Marche shares how to take massively risky bets on yourself that payoff, why partying can help your career, and how to find meaning if in life- even when you're down.
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Learn more about Karat at
https://www.trykarat.com
Follow Karat at
https://www.instagram.com/trykarat/?hl=en
Follow Eric at
https://www.instagram.com/erictway/?hl=en
Now available on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/5iL6RT6SOPFKXA4148hBPc
Follow Marche at
https://twitter.com/Marche
https://www.instagram.com/actuallymarche/?hl=en
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00:00 - Introduction
01:38 - Filming Talent to becoming one
04:03 - Creating content for the viewer and the streamer
05:26 - I deserve just as much pay as you do
06:43 - My boss likes to empower workers
07:57 - 100 Thieves discouraged me to interact with talent
08:59 - I view popular streamers as equals
09:46 - Having no experience producing The Courage & Nadeshot Show
11:44 - I've always been a Hasanabi head
13:09 - From being a fan to a terrified employee
14:33 - How I got to produce the Fear& podcast
15:18 - My first Fear& podcast is taking a downfall
17:17 - A Hasanabi head let us use their boathouse
17:45 - My adrenaline refused to let the first podcast fail
18:51 - Getting praised by my favorite streamer
20:11 - Building Fear& from the ground up
21:46 - Surrealism within the podcast
24:32 - I'd rather have a scuffed podcast
27:46 - I just wanted to be a pro gamer
28:47 - Gambling my future
30:10 - Working a minimum wage shift to make my dreams come true
32:44 - Making $8/hr to part owner of a successful company
34:56 - Why I skipped high school
37:22 - High risks always led me to high rewards
38:33 - Gambles that might’ve not worked out
39:46 - Ignoring the adverse outcomes
40:09 - Getting punched by life
40:37 - Turning my life around
41:21 - My life philosophy
42:23 - My best friend got me a job at 100 Thieves
45:12 - Experiencing self-doubt and imposter syndrome
47:07 - I spoiled Will Neff’s dog
49:08 - Controlling my different mindsets
50:35 - Partying escalated my career
52:43 - DO NOT gain confidence this way
54:15 - Partying as a teen taught me how to hang
57:21 - I don’t want to scale into a production company
59:01 -Say yes to every opportunity
1:00:00 - Working with Valkyrae and MGK
1:01:09 - Saying yes to jobs I don’t know how to do
1:02:45 - I’m my boss’s secret weapon
1:03:32 - What I had to unlearn
1:04:46 - Professionalism isn’t everything
1:09:23 - Would I change anything?
1:10:38 - This is what I want in 10 years
1:11:28 - A more fulfilling life

Jan 26, 2024 • 1h 17min
EP. 62 - I got answers from the CEO of Twitch (interview) [VIDEO]
Dan Clancy is the CEO of Twitch. He plays dodgeball with Ludwig, met streamers 1:1 while living in his van during a cross country roadtrip, and went viral singing Country Roads on Twitch. He cares about streamers.
He’s also is trying to make Twitch profitable and making hard decisions around layoffs, exiting Korea, and streamer payout changes. Today- Dan shares his plan to save Twitch, why Twitch is so culturally important, and his personal story on *why* he started streaming.
Recorded 12/29/2023
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Learn more about Karat at
https://www.trykarat.com
Follow Karat at
https://www.instagram.com/trykarat/
Follow Eric at
https://www.instagram.com/erictway/
Follow Dan Clancy at
https://www.twitch.tv/djclancy
https://twitter.com/djclancy999
https://www.youtube.com/user/djclancy997
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0:00 - Intro
1:17 - Who is the coolest CEO in the world?
4:29 - Why Dan was REJECTED as CEO of Twitch
6:03 - Why Dan streams to such a small audience
7:37 - Susan Wojcicki doesn't watch Youtube
10:34 - Twitch's CEO lives in a van
11:53 - Does Dan want to be CEO?
15:40 - Do Twitch streamers even like the CEO?
16:25 - Will Twitch last the next 20 years
21:05 - Twitch's BIGGEST competitors
28:07 - Is Dan confident in the changes he has made?
31:33 - Why Dan stayed at NextDoor
36:32 - How Twitch keeps its creators happy
38:09 - Measuring trust at Twitch
40:44 - Metrics can be dangerous
43:22 - Improving Partner Plus
41:44 - Should Twitch 'gamify' the creator experience?
44:11 - Small creators are crucial to streaming
47:01 - The best way to grow on Twitch is....
50:42 - Is Al taking over the world
52:58 - Why AI doomers are WRONG
56:09 - AI is not the worst thing going on in the world right now
57:04 - How Dan thinks and lives linearly
59:47 - Can AI be used as a tool to create?
1:03:08 - Producing an online stream or a television show
1:06:37 - Telling Nick Cannon to lower his production value
1:07:49 - Amazon would NEVER do this
1:10:22 - Why creators will continue to stream to a small audience
1:13:35 - Twitch CEO is a theater kid

Jan 26, 2024 • 50min
EP. 61 - He’s saving YouTube from MrBeast & the algorithm: Max Reisinger interview [VIDEO]
Max Reisinger, the guest of this podcast, is saving YouTube from the algorithm. He talks about what's wrong with YouTube, the need for change, and how to create good art. Max also shares his experience as an entrepreneur and his dream of being a stay-at-home dad. He discusses the impact of loneliness and personal growth, as well as the power of narratives in shaping our identity. The podcast also explores themes like anxiety, transformation, memory, therapy, and the impact of breakups.

14 snips
Jan 3, 2024 • 1h 13min
EP. 60 - I quit YouTube & came out of the Christian closet: Kelly Stamps interview [VIDEO]
She's quitting her YouTube channel with 700K subscribers. She already deleted her Instagram. She blew up for sharing everything about her life - but then everyone began asking things of her or attacking her.
@KellyStamps is starting a new channel - @senpaistamps - more focused on her faith. Join us as she shares why she's doing this, how to move beyond toxic relationships, and how to start over when you have everything to lose.
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Learn more about Karat at
https://www.trykarat.com
Follow Karat at
https://www.instagram.com/trykarat/?hl=en
Follow Eric at
https://www.instagram.com/erictway/?hl=en
Follow Kelly Stamps at
@senpaistamps
@KellyStamps
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00:00 - Introduction
01:16 - Quiet quitting YouTube
07:50 - God told me in a DREAM to start over
10:47 - I wish I was normal
12:48 - I deleted my Instagram
14:24 - I'm DONE pleasing everyone
14:52 - My Zoom Meeting w Captain Marvel
17:15 - The cost of being relatable
18:10 - What's it like being stereotyped
20:45 - Be more unhinged on YouTube
24:58 - Being a Christian in today's world
30:30 - How Kelly Stamps described her old channel
31:40 - When I made $1300 a month on YouTube
33:03 - Faith over fear
34:48 - Growing up in a toxic home
40:40 - I'm not Christian enough
41:54 - Regaining confidence
46:32 - why I stopped sharing my life on Instagram
47:47 - Finding True Friends
49:38 - Life of a Christian Creator
56:10 - What's the end goal?
01:00:10 - Firing my PR team
01:02:42 - I'm NOT a millionaire anymore
01:06:32 - The new era of Senpai Stamps

Dec 26, 2023 • 1h 23min
EP. 59 - Scumbag Dad Takes on MrBeast, SSSniperWolf & xQc [VIDEO]
Hollywood rejected Scumbag Dad. TikTok censored him. But over 10M of you today support his critiques of fake social media content - enough to support him to become a full time creator.
Today he shares takes on MrBeast, SSSniperWolf, xQc, Hasan Minaj, & Barstool Sports - as well as why staged content is always bad, how to be a moral person in a fake world, and what he learned from his own relationships.
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Learn more about Karat at
https://www.trykarat.com
Follow Karat at
https://www.instagram.com/trykarat/
Follow Eric at
https://www.instagram.com/erictway/
Follow Scumbag Dad at
@scumbagdad
https://www.instagram.com/scumbagdadofficial/?hl=en
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00:00 - Intro
00:51 - Scumbag Dad's mission
01:20 - Why the MrBeast generation fakes content
03:01 - Are Hollywood actors making fake content?
05:06 - The Blind Side is a fake story
08:01 - Oh lying is okay if it "feels" emotionally okay
09:12 - How The Blind Side author justifies his work
09:28 - Hasan Minaj lied and told fake jokes
10:38 - Scumbag Dad disagrees with Hasan Minaj - don't make fake stories of oppression
11:50 - A planted story where a Trump car was beat up in a black neighborhood
15:58 - Is it authentic to film North Korean escapees?
20:03 - Does MrBeast fake his videos?
22:16 - Cancel culture isn't real - Bentellect is still around
23:55 - Why SSSniperWolf doesn't change
26:45 - xQc just watches TikToks...
28:06 - To get big on TikTok - fake content
37:56 - filming AI homeless peple
40:20 - Social media work is REAL work
42:14 - Can you exploit an AI homeless guy?
45:28 - Using his son with cancer for views
48:37 - Why I HATE staged podcasts
50:46 - Scumbag Dad's philosophy is based on Kant
56:37 - I started Scumbag Dad to be a good dad to the viewers
59:51 - Scumbag Dad & Dhar Mann - have the SAME mission?
01:03:44 - Why Scumbag Dad goes after Italian husbands
01:08:00 - How the law fails us
01:14:00 - Be controversial to get attention
01:18:37 - How much Scumbag Dad makes money