How Youtube Car Reviews Became A $37,000,000 Business

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Doug DeMuro is a KZbin creator and entrepreneur who reviews cars on KZbin. His company Cars & Bids received a $37 Million investment from the Chernin Group.
Doug's Channel: @DougDeMuro
Cars & Bids: carsandbids.com/
00:00 Who is Doug DeMuro
02:30 The Story Behind Doug's $1,250,000 Porsche
05:18 The Genius of Cars and Bids
10:50 How a first date turned into a KZbin empire
15:56 The secret to Dougs success on KZbin
18:48 Reactive Ideation
20:28 What makes a great review video?
24:30 Why KZbin is harder now
27:50 Why Doug shoots with an iphone
31:50 Authenticity in brand building
35:05 Why Doug Creates Alone
37:00 When Doug DeMuro's went full time KZbin
40:05 Obsession with views and subscribers
41:50 How to stand out in a crowded field
44:50 The TikTok Invasion
46:30 Doug's Secret to Lo-Fi Thumbnails
48:55 How many views equals $1
52:35 Transitioning to TiKTok
53:48 The $37 Million Dollar Email
57:30 Doug's advice for career creators
1:00:33 Why Doug turned down thousands for brand deals
1:02:58 Doug's role with Cars & Bids
1:04:43 Doug's guide to launching anything
1:07:38 Selling Cars & Bids for $37 Million to Chernin Group
1:10:15 The Major Drawback to Investing in Creator-Led Businesses
1:14:14 What is Doug using the money for?
1:17:50 The moment Doug's life changed forever
1:24:07 Doug DeMuro's next move
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ABOUT US
We’re Colin and Samir, creators based out of Los Angeles California. We make videos about the creator economy, and the lessons we’ve learned over 10 years of being on KZbin. We also interview creators and try to get to the bottom of what’s working on KZbin and where the creator economy is headed.

[@BoomTharis]

Seeing Doug in 24 fps is so surreal to me 😂

[@oceanlnr9414]

Oh god now that you’ve said it all I can see is the choppiness

[@andrewhurstcars]

How many fps does Doug normally use?

[@Dragginnn]

@@andrewhurstcarsEssentially 60

[@TheModerateAdvocate]

​@@andrewhurstcars 30 fps. He primary shoots on an iphone which defaults to 30fps. There's not a huge difference between 24 and 30. It's usually a personal choice. 24 is generally seen as more "cinematic" and 30 simulates real life a little more which most vlogs are shot in.

[@earl1394]

😂😂😂

[@milesfisher1]

Doug is an absolute hero. Passion and consistency with an ingredient no one else can emulate. Such an inspiration...

[@NBTJacklyn]

Love this take

[@Jed_Herne]

Loved your interview on the show last week!

[@darrylmac6150]

THIS! Is why we love Doug. There is just something so comforting about his content, yno? Its just so uniform. Dont watch a video for 2 years, come back and its like nothing is different

[@lgnaeternum5072]

Doug is the only person in the world that make me watch an 20+ m video on a Fiat Multipla, in this age of tik tok and short attention span

[@lclc01]

This interview is JUST what I've always wanted!

[@K1llSw1TCH97]

My nephew watches all your videos. 😅 lol this is kind of funny hope you have a great day man.

[@lclc01]

I gotta add now that I have finished the entire interview, I have 3 ideas for new video's and totally content with continuing to produce videos alone despite the trend to outsource EVERYTHING. Doug is a true legend, I hope his method and quirky style can continue to survive and flourish vs the highly polished factory channels out there.

[@K1llSw1TCH97]

@@lclc01 Thats SO FUNNY I JUST FINISHED THE INTERVIEW AS WELL! 🤣 Well my nephew will definitely be enjoying every single one of them.

[@crunchy_wrap]

no shot my fav pet sim x youtuber also watches colin and samir 😂. what a small world

[@GreenvilleCarReviewer]

Hi!

[@IILORIMERII]

Doug's personality is the sole reason for his success... he's so genuine

[@AlarisOficial]

Agree... And he's also such a smart guy, not to forget...

[@JohnStockton7459]

"Sole" reason is a bit of an exaggeration

[@miguelosterroht]

Consistency is up there with his personality. He’s being doing this for 10 years straight. He’s the MKHB of cars.

[@kevindimauro9689]

I think it’s his attire when he does the car reviews that’s made him a success. The T~shirt and shorts say Dork, but his knowledge of a vehicle are something else. Humorous and informative.

[@danwilson5912]

No kidding, what a charming man.

[@nelsonedwards6184]

THIS… is my most anticipated Colin and Samir interview of all time. First, I’m going to thoroughly enjoy this interview in its entirety, and then I’m going to give it a Doug score.

[@sailorjerry3720]

And the Doug Score is...

[@TheModerateAdvocate]

The weekend score is...

[@almadmoreno1489]

Leave it to this Samir guy and we’re back at the non connected Audience- “ if it’s a sofa say soda not fountain drink “- George Lopez

[@stilley78]

What's the acceleration? What about cool factor?

[@marinogrivonlaverde6963]

And the Doug score is...37 freaking million!

[@AsianFoodNerd]

🚗 Doug is the only used car salesman I trust 😊

[@oneviwatara9384]

He knows nothing about cars 😂hence he can’t drive

[@blitz4387]

​@oneviwatara9384 This gotta be a troll comment.

[@oneviwatara9384]

@@blitz4387 He can't drive on the race track like the professor drivers all he does is drive car around in the traffic just like your grandma @35 MPH 😂🤣

[@Real_Jcan]

​@@oneviwatara9384 which is ok, 95% of car buyers enthusiast will never drive on a race n have no interest in doing so. Practical real world use of a car is what they interest in

[@oneviwatara9384]

@@Real_Jcan 😄😂

[@MikeShake]

What a great interview!!

[@marvelmolly6598]

Hey! It’s Mike! 😮

[@UndoingRuin08]

@@marvelmolly6598 we bow in his aura

[@IT10T]

@@UndoingRuin08 stop being such a simp its freaking pathetic

[@BakerWild]

Doug gets his passion and energy across on camera every time, I respect that

[@kjm0677]

THIS IS a great guest! love doug!

[@matthewjswider]

Doug is an absolute treasure. He deserves every single success he gets. And I’m super happy to see you guys talking to him.

[@robbvaules]

I enjoyed the quirks and features of this interview.

[@sanyalifts]

🤣

[@jpminetos]

So glad you guys brought Doug on! I think he’s often overlooked since he doesn’t fit the “KZbinr archetype” but one of the smartest minds in the space.

[@eduardopuente206]

Let’s appreciate the fact that this is the only KZbin channel that does podcasts intros correctly! Never seen any other channel truly capture what the episode is going to be about like Colin and Samir do!

[@AndreiJikh]

Great interview! Really resonated with doing youtube ... "you need to have a long period of time with nothing to lose, and nothing to gain." It's a very unique circumstance that's not very realistic for most, but almost a requirement doing something for years without monetary gain

[@SoraMTeichman]

It's like a side hustle but it doesn't make money for a while

[@dallassteven]

The 🐐 love your vids

[@thatllwork_official]

Well I know what I’m gonna be listening to on my way to work today 😁

[@TheThomasBros]

fax

[@PushingPistons]

Ayye that was me that came up to Doug 😂 I was the tiktoker. This was such an amazing video that I resonate with so much! 45:04

[@goldringphotography]

I’m totally one of those early readers who just followed him to KZbin. There was such a sense of genuine happiness I felt when he bought his Carrera GT. This was an interesting interview to see his insight into how things got started and where he thinks things are going.

[@Shadow31999]

Same here. I feel like it's surreal watching what he accomplished from his Jalopnik days. I do wish he did more personalized content like his Viper, Skyline, Ferrari, etc, days, but i understand why he doesn't do that as much. I'm hoping he has success for years to come.

[@maximilianoluera6679]

I knew the man was smart, but this interview proves that Doug is a whole genius

[@SalemTechsperts]

THISSSSSS is the collab I needed in my life

[@kigas24]

Been subbed to Doug for more than 5 years now, happy to see this interview!

[@brickupdate]

So excited to see Doug featured on your channel! His story is amazing. Can't wait to listen to the full interview.

[@koolaidknickers8831]

Colin and Samir! You two will never fail to deliver collaborations I WOULDVE NEVER EXPECTED! You guys literally have tapped into every niche ive been apart of on youtube and its shocking how much effort and quality you pour into your content. Keep it up great work.

[@anakLA]

THIS...is something I'm glad I spent my Monday afternoon on. great job Colin & Samir! Doug is a vibe

[@shanemiles252]

I’ve been waiting for you guys to talk with Doug!!! Thank you so much! So excited to watch this through!

[@kodywillnauer9422]

Doug’s comment on the sale of cars and bids gives him money to be free is probably the most low key head nod comment I’ve ever heard on an interview like this. Doug’s earned it. Great interview.

[@coscorrodrift]

What a legend, doug doesn't do too many of these so i've watched all of them probably, and even though there is some overlap there are some new bits. I really like his way of giving context, and writing both literally and as a component of youtube videos are some things i've been thinking about lately and they're really so important and shape the way you communicate in huge ways. I always appreciate when doug tells his story with caution and acknowledges the parts that were work, the parts that felt like play, the parts that were smart, and the parts that were luck.

[@Pierre_Patrick]

This is a great collab have been following both of these channels for years. Feel like it’s come full circle since Colin and Samir bought a car from cars and bids.

[@danwilson5912]

Doug getting into a 2million dollar car with shorts and a t-shirt on keeps it real. Doug deserves all the fame and fortune he's got. Straight up guy who I enjoy watching. Loved the shout out to Chris Harris. Congrats on the success. I'll watch your car reviews as long as you keep making them.

[@gingersmedia]

been one of my favorite set of creators and podcasts to watch since I found you guys a while back. Glad to see you guys doing so well, highly deserved

[@HappyPlants123]

I met Doug in person at Cars n Coffee in Rancho Sante Fe, he was just hanging out by himself photographing some esoteric old British car. He was super nice, spoke with me for about 30 min. He's the real deal, an absolute car enthusiast and genuine dude!

[@FZMStudio]

One of the best things about Doug's channel is simply Doug himself. You always felt like it's a just a buddy of yours who's super excited to show you something cool about their car. This is his best trait in my opinion. Also the simplicity and everything that was mentioned. He's brilliant. Congratulations on the Porsche Carrera GT. What a beast of a car 💯

[@taylorshold7955]

Doug is such a great interview, this was fantastic - one of your best yet!

[@Rob3825TV]

YESSS!!! I have been waiting for this interview for so long! So pumped to watch!

[@cobnelson]

Absolutely hyped for this episode, my favorite crossover to date. I hope this video gets great traction!

[@llamalampy]

Maybe the best podcast/interview I've ever listened to. Cool to see Doug so invested and passionate about every topic throughout the full hour and a half. Amazing energy. Great job guys ❤

[@craigc6933]

Doug is a national treasure, and we're lucky to have someone that real/genuine feeding us content. Great interview!

[@ZevMeth_originaljewishmusic]

OMG, I've been waiting for this interview forever!!! Perfect!

[@MaxHBass]

Such a great interview. I have never been a huge fan of Doug Demuro, but I never realized it's because I'm a huge car nerd and his videos are necessarily for car nerds. I now have profound appreciation for what he's done.

[@OGMikeGyver]

Thank you gents for having Doug on your channel. His story never gets old.

[@jricedrums]

I’m one of those fans that’s been following Doug for over 10 years since he started writing for Jalopnik. His articles there were hilarious and I followed him onto KZbin when he started making videos. It’s amazing to see how far he’s coming over the years, and I still watch every single one of his videos!

[@edwardleefilms]

This podcast honestly got so deep towards the end (in a good way). I completely forgot for a couple minutes that Doug reviews cars. This podcast episode is so golden for us creators looking to see what the process brings A-Z

[@LauraTryUK]

I think this is my favourite C&S interview to date. Reason: someone older (no offence Doug), someone who films on an iPhone and works solo. The Colin vibe was rocking in this one! Great energy and down to earth. Thanks guys! Loved it!

[@therealjimmysworld]

Great interview! Loved hearing about Doug's journey and the business behind it.

[@Jraphix6611]

**Using Doug's intro voice tone** THIS, is one of the best podcast yet for KZbinrs of the 2023 era with all it's twists AND conversations. Love Doug and love Solin & Samir! What a great mix!!!

[@flyyhighhr]

Doug is literally a walking legend

[@mikebussey7118]

Holy crap! This is exactly what we were waiting for. The cross over I never expected

[@danamay7842]

One of the best things I've ever watched on YT. The honesty and passion is absolutely authentic just like your car reviews which is why I love them. Keep it up, I'll be watching.

[@mselph544]

I know this episode is only 3 days old, but it is highly under viewed. Love Doug, this conversation is great! Colin and Samir, you both have a great way of interviewing the legends!

[@jwoz9]

Guys this was phenomenal. The crossover I never expected!!!!

[@Firestorm637]

His personality makes it. Just a normal guy that loves cars. Very enthusiastic, very knowledgeable, and seems to be a nice guy

[@xxxy9928]

and no typical car presenter that show only the good things

[@lucasfirmin3181]

WOW. One of the best videos I've seen on KZbin. Such an honest interview. Thanks guys!

[@TheoPhilpot]

Such a good interview. Doug is so down to earth and his take on life is so refreshing. Would love to meet him one day.

[@BradsAdventures613]

Honestly, when I watch your interviews, I am thinking: ask him XXXXX... then Colin or Samir asks that very question. That's why I love your interviews. You're asking the questions we all want to ask ourselves!!!

[@costafilh0]

Doug collabs will be amazing! Can't wait!

[@TheRideStartsNow]

"Did you enjoy the process of making videos when you first started?"...Dougs response was spot on. Great conversation!

[@ZayFai]

i've been waiting for this for a LONG time.

[@ThomasReggi]

Great interview! Love all the energy from everybody. Been going down a Colin and Samir rabbit hole and loving it. Keep up the good work. 👍💯

[@jackham2549]

I like Doug DeMuro and it is really cool to see him have such a clear view of himself and his situation. Happy someone like him was so successful

[@EricCKeys]

Great interview and I'm genuinely happy for Doug's success.

[@ftlbaby]

So good. One of the best creator interviews I have seen despite a lot of Doug's answers already being said in other interviews.

[@leinad41]

All the collabs that Doug has been doing have been so fun to watch!

[@paladinsamuel]

Joyous and insightful! Great stuff as always

[@MickeyD100]

I love Doug so much and have followed him for years. I'm new to this channel but I've caught a few videos now and just want to say I really enjoy your interviews and lines of questioning!

[@StetsonDoggett]

Such a fantastic episode! Great advice from Doug.

[@threeer02]

I used to really be upset at Doug for spending 18 minutes reviewing and then 3 minutes driving…but after listening to this, I kinda get it. I like his down to earth reality on his success…and how fleeting it could be.

[@TUCARRO92]

DOUG, it all has succeeded because of you, you way, your passion! What a good interview!

[@Robert-sherman]

Never watched Doug before this interview but he is so honest and entertaining 😂

[@AdamG1983]

Doug seems like the real deal. He has a genuine warmth that shines through. I've been a viewer of him for years and I'm so happy for him that he gets to live the dream of owning a PGT

[@cameronlmassey]

This is probably the second interview I’ve been waiting for. The first is Good Good. I can’t wait for their podcast.

[@user-lq3tg4ov2u]

One of your best interviews. It was so good. I watched it multiple times. You guys have improved a lot as interviewers, and I like how different each of your styles is for asking questions. Such a good episode.

[@carquestionsanswered]

Thank you guys for your videos... I'm learning a lot from them to help me with my videos!

[@misterabi]

what a wonderful surprise!! I know I'm gonna enjoy this video! Thanks guys!

[@controlfreak1963]

A hell of a lot of hard work was also required. I've watched Doug for almost a decade and I am stunned by his work ethic.

[@LauraTryUK]

I'm one minute in... that intro gripped me! I _cannot_ wait for this interview!

[@cemsozkan]

Absolutely amazing episode from 3 of my creators! Also the wise words from Doug at the end! 🙏🏼

[@TheCHIEF092]

Absolute Magic!! Best 90 minutes I've spent in a long time! Doug is awesome!!!

[@ww3k]

That was very enjoyable! Very casual, good energy, and many nuggets of wisdom.

[@j.garcia4058]

Doug working at Saturn is hilarious 😂 R.I.P. SATURN

[@cobra1010]

Doug is just a very nice and relatable person who had a good idea. A very positive example for the youtube era. He fully deserves his succes.

[@GxAce]

Great video! Super interesting to hear Doug’s story. Rob Thomas was inside us the whole time.

[@fordham64]

This is why I love Doug just so honest and open! Well deserved $37 Million. Thanks/great video.

[@TheMetalGaia]

Doug is awesome. An inspiration, tbh. As an aspiring writer, seeing Doug's success warms my heart.

[@everythingl0ud]

Doug is super confident about his work. He knows he's the best in his lane, yet he's so humble at the same time.

[@bg22757]

Never seen this podcast before but this was a fantastic conversation, bravo!

[@DekiaryCarter]

Doug is the everyday man! Love his approach and mindset. Such a chill guy.

[@hoffinator88]

Great video. I love this guys enthusiasm about life in general. You can see how his authenticity shines through to the viewer.

[@daveSoupy]

What's up with the doubled audio on Doug's audio?

[@TomandSpace]

Sound engineer here.. It sounds like 'microphone spill'. Dougs voice is being heard by both his mic, but also the mic next to him, creating a doubling effect (phasing).

[@maanonthemoon]

This was great interview, love Doug.

[@Abeylius]

Colin and Samir, Thank you guys for amazing and insightful interviews. Loved This One!

[@cordellehrich426]

One of the best interviews! Awesome content.

[@davidsawyer10]

Absolutely top-notch interview.

[@SmplBuilds]

Thank you for covering an automotive creator!! Been waiting for an eppy like this for a long time 💯

[@Rheis.C.Setter]

Dude one of you best interviews ever Doug is a legend!

[@tugaygaribturkiye]

Now, this is a colab I was waiting for. Thank you Colin and Samir!

[@flyboiwy]

Incredible work as always

[@Al_i8]

LOVE this conversation!

[@bakhtawarkhan1641]

Can’t reslly explain how much I loved this video, hesring doug speak so openly about his life feels like I am talking to friend, feels like I have known him for a decade now, good times!

[@PhilipWatson1]

"Success is the opportunity to do more of you're doing". Love this!

[@dougsfan9984]

Man… the quality of the video and the color is just so amazing! And of course it’s Doug… 10/10

[@InterstateRaziTV]

The interview we all needed!