Sam Reich, the chief executive of comedic streaming service and production company Dropout, has a head for business and an eye for humor. The latter is evident not just in the shows he greenlights, but also when he steps in front of the camera, most notably as a host of Dropout’s long-running and innovative quiz show, Game Changer.Reich also helps with writing and ideation for Dropout’s programming, which tracks, as he began as director of original content for CollegeHumor, Dropout's initial iteration, in the aughts. He's also cultivated a commanding online presence, with over 1.3 million followers on TikTok and Instagram.Reich began his transition to new media business titan in 2020, when he ingeniously bought Dropout from its parent company, IAC.
Mashable Trend Report
You May Also Like
"So I went and I offered IAC zero dollars, which was the amount of money I had to buy it,” Reich told YouTuber Hank Green last year. "There was another offer for $3 million, but it would’ve gone to a competitor … I think that they liked the idea of gambling, so my offer was $0. They would end up as the minority stakeholder. So it was sort of like idiot insurance for them.”In the years since, Reich has helped turn Dropout into one of Hollywood’s rare success stories of the digital age. The network now has over 1 million subscribers, with paid subs rising 31 percent from 2024 to 2025. Die-hard fans of Dropout and its highly original roster of shows, from Dimension 20 to Very Important People, appear happy to pay for its content. Under Reich’s leadership, Dropout also successfully launched its “Superfan” membership, with viewers paying $130 annually for access to exclusive content and early access to live shows. Being vested in the product he's making seems to be a winning formula for Reich, and one that sets him apart from most of the C-suite bean counters of Hollywood and Silicon Valley.From YouTubers and TikTok stars to streamers and podcasters, Mashable talks to creators about how they built their platforms, the gear they swear by, and the trends they see coming next. Read more of our creator coverage or see more of this year’s Mashable 101 to discover the internet's most exciting voices.
