5 Critical Lessons I learned at Smosh

Happy 20th Anniversary to Smosh!

This November, Smosh turns 20 years old! If you don’t know what a Smosh is (or as auto-correct would say: “Amish”) - Here’s a news story from 2005:

Smosh is a legendary brand in the Youtube world. It was the first to reach 100,000 Youtube subscribers ever in 2007. And then the first to reach 10 million in 2013.

Pretty epic.

Over the years, Smosh has gone through many evolutions as the social media industry grew to what it is today and there were many times, where Smosh’s future was unknown. The cast expanded, programming changed, one of the original founders (Anthony Padilla) left, Defy Media (Smosh’s parent company) shut down overnight, Rhett and Link saved the brand (thanks to Ian Hecox), Anthony came back and then original duo bought the brand back - Smosh’s roller coaster of a history is truly a unique (and hilarious) one.

Hilarious in retrospect because, I really believe that they’re in their ✨ golden era ✨ right now.

Who am I to say that? I worked there for a big chunk of my career, about 6 years on and off. I wore many hats over the years and was a part of thousands of pieces of content, massive growth and billions of views.

I started as a Production Coordinator then Associate Producer, then ran all Socials, then became Director of Unscripted, directed scripted and live content and occasionally hopped in front of the camera as talent. I have a million stories of all the weird and special things I did for my job.

I did anything from purchasing a realistic avatar baby from Etsy, to cleaning up talent’s v*mit, to figuring out how to make 100lbs of oobleck in a Beverly Hills office building, to making a box out of post-it’s to show the Art Dept how I wanted special “privacy boxes” for my gameshow idea called “Spelling Bee-kini Wax.”

And I wouldn’t have traded my time at Smosh for the world.

I credit a lot of my skills I have today to my work and the people at Smosh.

Here’s 5 of those critical lessons I learned:

Every (and I mean, every) brand MUST evolve. Social Media and culture is like a river. It’s never the same twice in one spot. A brand cannot remain the same year over year. Much like a person, a brand must find new ways to heighten, expand and deepen itself.

But how do you evolve? It sounds so intense. So huge. So intimidating. I say: Experiment passionately.

What does the team want to do? What ideas make the whole room react? What’s something that feels missing from the current projects? Even if the room doesn’t see the same vision, how can we get to a place of “yes and” to get excited?

Ideas that come out of passion will always yield the best results. It’s that simple.

Evolution doesn’t need to be a full overhaul. In fact, evolution can start small. Evolution starts when you combine what the data says and chase something in your bones that feels new and exciting. Passion is the fuel to move the brand forward. So shoot your shot.

Working in social media is hard. It’s a type of job that is equal brain and heart, science and art, business and personal. After all, your ideas you’re pitching come from what you think will do well (based on data 🧠) and what you believe is fun (based on your creative gut 💗). That’s a really vulnerable place to be in.

In pitch rooms, it’s vital to create a safe space. Value camaraderie over competition. Openness over perfection. Don’t say “no” in a brainstorm, inquire instead. Find the chemistry and electricity where all ideas are good, and none are dumb. Actually dumb might be good. I like dumb.

When I pitched “Spelling Bee-kini Wax,” the room erupted and instantly the team rallied behind me with a “IDK WTF you’re saying, but whatever you need, LET’S GO! And you should host it!!”

How nice.

This sense of comfortability in my early days allowed me to observe, stay curious, learn and have the courage to pitch things like “Viva Smosh Vegas: Character Darts,” “Don’t Wake Daddy Ian” and “eat a fart.”

Hey. I didn’t say they were all winners.

It’s funny… I initially pivoted from producing TV to digital because I didn’t want to have to create a TV segment every day. “I can post whenever I want on social,” I said… LMAO LOOK AT US NOW.

With ideas, layoffs, shifts in priorities, algorithm changes, platform shutdowns and updates - working in digital is not for the weak. It’s for the stubborn.

It takes someone with resilience to keep going. Keep pitching. Keep creating. Keep trying. Then trying again.

Are you in a flop era? Keep going.

Are you in a golden era? Keep going.

Need a break? TAKE A BREAK BEFORE YOU “NEED” IT.

The internet will still be here.

Smosh started as 2 people lip syncing in a bedroom. Over the years, the brand has employed so many people. Everything you see on screen is a choice made by someone. From the color of the walls, to the aperture setting on the camera, to the zoom in, to the sound effect, to the performance, to the props, to the script, to the video length, to the time it’s posted, to the words in the caption, EVERY SINGLE THING is a specific choice made by talented people. It’s a group project. I wouldn’t have been able to do anything at Smosh without the guidance, talent, support and collaboration of anywhere from 3 - 30 people.

It ain’t easy. But the final product is an orchestra of so many talents put together.

Smosh reaching 20 years old is incredibly special. There are countless brands that started in 2005 that don’t exist today.

Much like going “viral” - it takes some luck. Some stars in the sky have to align for special, lucky moments that change the trajectory of what’s next.

As unsatisfactory as it can be, luck is an uncontrollable factor in the universe. But the one piece of advice I give anyone when I’m asked about my own career, I say: “be smart with your luck.”

If you win the lucky lottery (which I feel I have hit a few times in my career), it’s then on you to take that luck and strategize what the most advantageous next step is.

Then take that step. And see what happens.

My time at Smosh was a very unique one but Smosh really did change my life. Smosh changed my career. Smosh also gave me some really hard moments and also some of the best memories of my life. Smosh gave me mentors and co-workers that turned into best friends and chosen family. I will always have so much love for what Ian and Anthony created and I will always be a fan cheering the cast and crew on. I am so amazed with what they’ve continued to build and evolve. BRAVI!

So from my full heart I say: Thank you Smosh!! Happy 20th! OK now I’ll SHUT UP!

XOXO Lady Socialdown aka @rudeunicorns aka EGG aka SADAH WEEDLE