Cody Ko Is The Most Interesting YouTuber In The World - Forbes

Cody Kolodziejzyk, better known as Cody Ko, is a good example of someone who took a different route. He graduated from Duke University with a ... 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CodyKolodziejzyk,betterknownasCodyKo,isagoodexampleofsomeonewhotookadifferentroute.HegraduatedfromDukeUniversitywithacomputersciencedegree.Aftercollege,hespentsometimebackpackingaroundAsia,hefoundedastartup,heworkedasaprogrammerandgrewahugefollowingonVineandYouTube. Hehaslivedanunconventionallife,whichwaspartiallyinspiredbyhisparents.Hesaid,“Bothmyparentsarecrazy.MyMomsoldasoftwarebusinesswhenshewasyoung.MyDadalsosoldasoftwarebusiness.So,theywerebothveryentrepreneurial.Andthentheybothstartedrunningmarathons.MyDadbroketheworldrecordforthelongestdistancetravelledin24hoursbyhumanpower.Heengineeredabikeandrodeitaroundatrackfor24hoursandbroketheworldrecord.AndthenmyMomandDadstarteddoingIronmans.Nowtheyrunultramarathons,whichare100miles.They’reinsane.So,Iwasinspiredmywholelife.Itledmetowanttododifferentthingsandmasterdifferentthings.” Oneofthefirstthingshemasteredwasswimming.Astrongswimmerinhighschool,Codylookedtocontinuehiscareerincollege.HejoinedtheswimteamatDukeUniversityandworkedonacomputersciencedegree. Aftergraduatingfromcollege,hetookajobasacomputerengineeratastartupinSiliconValley.Afterworkingforacoupleyears,hewasboredwithhisjobsohedecidedtoquitandbackpackaroundSoutheastAsiawithhisfriend.Theyalsostartedabusiness,agreetingcardapp,sotheycouldkeepwritingcodeandmakesomemoneywhiletheytravelled. Whenhecamebackhome,hetookaprogrammingjobinL.A.Thisiswherehemethisfuturecollaborator,NoelMiller.Codysaid,“It’saprettyfunnystoryactually.WewerebothmakingYouTubevideosandwefollowedeachotheronVine.So,we’dspokenalittlebitonline.Butmynewboss,onthefirstdayofwork,tookmetomydeskandNoelwassittingatthedeskacrossfromme.Bothofuslookedateachotherandwerelike,‘Areyoustalkingme?Thisissoweird!’” Atthistime,CodywasfocusedonhisYouTubechannelandalsohispodcast,wherehehadNoelonasaguest.Codysaid,“Withmeandhimitwasjustaneasyflow,whichissuperrare.Aboutayearlater,IquitmyjobtofocusonYouTube,andthepodcast,fulltime.Whenhegotlaidofflater,Isaid,‘Don’tgetanotherjobrightnow.WecangetaPatreonandtrytomakesomemoneyrightoutofthegate.So,wedon’thavetowaitonadvertisers.It’sbeenayearandahalfandwe’re(TheTinyMeatGangPodcast)the24th biggestPatreononthesite.” Inanagewherealmosteveryoneunder30yearsoldwantstoquitschool,ortheirjobandbecomeaYouTuber;Cody’sstoryisinspirational.Hecontinuedtowork,whilepursuinghisdreamontheside,untilitmadefinancialsenseforhimtoquit.Heremembered,“Itwasablessing,inthebeginning,becauseIdidn’tcarewhatanyonesaidbecauseIwaslike,‘I’manengineerandI’mjustgoingtodothisbecauseI’mgoodatit.’So,IneverworriedaboutwhatpeoplethoughtofmeonlinebecauseIwasjustdoingitforfun.” MostYouTuberswithasuccessfulYouTubechannelandpodcast,wouldstoppursuingotherventuresbutCodycontinuestopushhimselftoexplorenewtalents. CodyandNoeltooktheirpodcasttothestagelastyear,touringaroundthecountry.AndthisAugusttheywilllaunchanothertour. Theyalsolaunchedamixtape,inDecemberof2018,whichwasstreamedover10milliontimes.MusicisanotherpassionofCody’sthatheispursuing.Hesaid,“IwasmakingfunofJakePaul’ssonginavideotwoyearsago.AndIwaslike,‘IthinkIcanmakeabettersongthanthis.’Itwaskindoflikeachallenge.So,ImadethisawfulbeatandIbroughtNoelovertorapoverit.So,wemadethisreallystupidsong.Anditwasn’tbetterthanJake’ssong.ButitwasthefirstbeatImadeanditwasreallycool.Ialwayswantedtomakemusicfromscratch.AndIjustgotmoreandmoreintoit.It’ssomethingthatI’vebeenpursuing,inthebackground,forawhile.” So,let’srecap.CodyKoisacomputerengineer,acomedian,apodcasthost,asuccessfulYouTuber,anentrepreneurandahiphopproducer. What’snextforCodyKo?Maybehe’llsetaworldrecordlikehisDad. Followmeon Twitter. Checkout my website. TomWardPrintReprints&Permissions