$100M YouTube Lawyer Reveals How to Protect Your Channel in 2026 | Tyler Chou | 145

What does it take to turn a YouTube channel into a valuable, sellable business? That's what I wanted to explore with this week’s guest, Tyler Chou (aka The Creators' Attorney). Having spent 20 years as an entertainment attorney at giants like Disney and BuzzFeed, Tyler now represents some of YouTube's biggest channels, helping them navigate exits and build sustainable enterprises.In this episode, Tyler pulls back the curtain on the legal mistakes creators often make, the crucial steps to take to protect your assets, and why sometimes, a creator doesn't need to sell at all - they just need a sabbatical. Tyler shares insights on how to build a business that can eventually sell for 8 or 9 figures, and what investors are really looking for beyond just views.Timestamps:00:00 Introduction01:09 Private equity looks to buy YouTube channels03:52 Creator burnout04:52 Protecting your IP and avoiding mistakes08:20 Diversifying revenue beyond AdSense and brand deals10:43 Avoiding misclassification lawsuits12:46 The problem with reaction channels17:45 Why buyers love recurring revenue and technical products23:11 The power of artificial scarcity28:20 How to make your brand less dependent on the creator37:48 Should creators sell their business?43:49 You might need a sabbatical, not an exit45:00 How to protect yourself from predatory buyers51:08 Hiring operators to run products54:19 The power of angel investors on your cap table56:29 The value of books for creators1:11:08 Building a network of channels1:14:10 Where to find TylerIf you enjoyed this episode, please like and subscribe, share it with your friends, and leave a review. I read every single one.Learn more about the podcast: https://nathanbarry.com/showFollow Nathan:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nathanbarryLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanbarryX: https://twitter.com/nathanbarryYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thenathanbarryshowWebsite: https://nathanbarry.comKit: https://kit.comFollow Tyler:YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheCreatorsAttorneyLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thecreatorsattorneyInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecreatorsattorneyFeatured in this episode:Kit: https://www.kit.comHighlights:01:38 - Why private equity is buying YouTube channels07:50 - The power of building independent revenue streams12:58 - Why reaction channels are worthless to buyers38:00 - The surprising downsides of taking an exit59:20 - The power of books for creator credibility