As more creators build big companies, the issue isn't just finding talent to hire.
It's knowing who to trust.
Just ask Charlie Houpert, co-founder of the popular YouTube channel Charisma on Command.
He recently opened up about a former employee who stole $120,000 from him.
What Happened
Houpert was checking his bank accounts to finance a deal to buy his co-founder out of their channel.
During that time, he found his old crypto wallet which had been managed by his former employee Ivan Hoggo.
When Houpert opened the wallet, he expected to find around $120,000.
Instead, it only had $45.
It Gets Worse
Houpert confronted Hoggo and got his money back. But the rabbit hole went deeper.
Houpert discovered that Hoggo faked tax documents, fabricated stories, and more.
“I didn’t want to believe someone close to me could do something like this,” Houpert said after Hoggo spent holidays with his family and had full access to bank accounts.
Our Take
I hate to say it but...I've heard too many stories like this from creators behind closed doors.
Houpert is one of the few vulnerable enough to say it publicly.
I mean, this isn't just a creator problem. It's an age-old Hollywood problem.
Remember when Dane Cook's very own brother stole $12M from him?
Or Billy Joel's manager who stole $30M.
Or Sting's accountant who secretly funneled over $6M into a Ponzi scheme.
The examples are all too common. Especially when it comes to artists and creatives.
But Why?
Unlike traditional CEOs, research shows that artists and creatives thrive on emotion, chaos, and risk.
They index way worse on analysis and risk management, which typically makes you better at...you guessed it...finance.
Just ask comedian Bobby Lee who gave all his bank information to his "money guy" 15 years ago so he can focus on writing jokes.
“I don't want to know how much money I have," he said on the Iced Coffee Hour podcast. "I don't know what I pay for my mortgage, what I pay for my car, what my utilities cost."
Sure, that hands-off approach helps you focus on your content in the short-term. But it's also why many creatives get screwed in the long-term.
The Rise of Creator Spouses?
As Johnny & Iz Harris explained in our interview, trust may be why many more YouTubers now work with their spouses instead of hiring externally.
Especially if their skills complement on another.
This includes Mat & Steph Patrick (40M subscribers), Michelle Khare & Garrett Kennell (5M), Cassey Ho & Sam Livits (10M), and more.