What if your success has nothing to do with you? That is the worldview of Bing Chen. And it has shaped two massive revolutions: the YouTube creator economy and the rise of Asian representation in Hollywood.

Bing and I go all the way back to Wharton. We were in the same senior society. After college we’d grab coffee in New York and he’d casually say things like, “I think millions of people will make their full-time living on YouTube.” He was right. He helped build it.

Today he is the CEO and Co-Founder of Gold House. Under his leadership the collective has supported over 600 projects, helped 100 films reach number one at the box office, and driven billions in revenue.

But none of that is why this conversation blew me away. The real story is Bing’s philosophy.

This is a conversation about generosity, legacy, culture, and what leadership actually looks like when you center it on others.

⏱️ Timestamps

00:00 – Why Bing and I still feel like caffeinated college kids

03:00 – The early YouTube years and the birth of the creator economy

07:00 – Bing’s definition of success and how losing his father changed everything

10:00 – Why real givers never count who owes them

11:30 – Naming the “creator.” The internal battles inside YouTube

15:00 – How Gold House accidentally came to life

16:00 – The strategy behind rallying a global diaspora

17:00 – The three universal human desires (health, love, meaning)

20:00 – The truth behind #GoldOpen and engineering cultural wins

23:00 – Why 100 films reached number one at the box office

25:00 – How community movements are intentionally built

28:00 – The manifesto of Gold House and why it is built on giving

29:30 – Why they chose the color gold and how brand identity shapes culture

31:00 – Being “the first call” when people win or fall

33:00 – Building a Marvel-scale creative universe about death

36:00 – Why contemplating mortality makes you more generous

41:00 – How to design community experiences that spark real impact

44:30 – Ethics, character checks, and the courage to excommunicate the wrong people

47:00 – The leadership principle Bing wishes he learned earlier

50:00 – How to be “the only one,” not the best one

55:00 – Final reflections on kindness, ambition, and legacy

This episode is a masterclass in impact, community, and leadership.

If you’ve ever wondered how to build something bigger than yourself, Bing is the blueprint.

🎧 Listen to the full episode of “Don’t Be a Jerk” now on Spotify, Apple, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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