How Charlie Chang Turned Medical School Rejections into a $1.5M Finance YouTube Empire

From Med School Rejections to Finance Content

Charlie Chang planned to become a doctor until blood and needles turned him away. After 15 straight medical school rejections in 2014, he hustled through tutoring, modeling, dropshipping and real estate. Nothing stuck—until money education became his focus.

Finding the Right Niche in 2018

Charlie had tinkered with YouTube since 2006 but posted random clips. In early 2018 he committed to a theme: “talking about money.” By sharing earning, saving and investing tips on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok almost daily, he began to build a small but engaged following.

The Covid-19 Growth Spurt

In April 2020, stimulus questions surged. Charlie posted 20 videos on relief, one went viral—earning $10,078 in ad revenue and adding 30,300 subscribers in 30 days. May’s 19 videos generated $15,791. By June he landed a $250 TikTok sponsorship from Foundr.

Building Multiple Income Streams

By November 2020, Charlie hit 200K subscribers and launched his first YouTube course. In 2021, affiliate marketing brought in $86,000 in January and scaled to an average of $150,000 per month. Today, five main streams power his business:

• Affiliate Marketing (40%)
• Brand Sponsorships (25%)
• YouTube Ads (25%)
• Online Course Sales (<5%)
• One-on-One Coaching (<5%)

Current Scale and Schedule

In 2022, Charlie boasts over 650K subscribers, $197,700 average monthly revenue, and a 35-hour workweek that he fits around his own lifestyle. He films with Final Cut Pro, hosts courses on Kajabi, and meets clients via Zoom.

Looking Ahead

He’s now building StartupWise, a SaaS for entrepreneurs, plus Side Hustle Mastery and the Hustle Club newsletter—all anchoring back to smart money moves for Gen Z and Millennials.

Lessons Learned

Charlie’s journey shows that pivoting from a planned path, staying consistent on content, and experimenting with monetization can turn setbacks into a seven-figure brand.