Networth and Chill with Your Rich BFF

Episode: How Cole Walliser Turned a $100 Dollar Gig into the Red Carpet Glambot!

Host: Vivian Tu (Your Rich BFF)
Guest: Cole Walliser, Director & Creator of the Red Carpet Glambot
Date: November 26, 2025

Episode Overview

Vivian Tu sits down with acclaimed director Cole Walliser to explore his unconventional rise from small freelance gigs in Canada to becoming the creator of the iconic red carpet "Glambot." The conversation dives into Cole’s money mindset, creative journey, unique approach to financial decisions, and the glamorous (and not-so-glamorous) realities of making it in the entertainment industry.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Cole’s Humble Beginnings & Self-Taught Journey

• Moved from Vancouver to LA with just $4,000 CAD (~$2,500 USD at the time), facing immediate setbacks:

  “My car broke down like 300 miles out of LA. So like straight, like in the area in between San Francisco and LA. Just nothing, like just stranded in the middle there.” (05:59 - Cole)

• Began filming and editing as a sponsored skateboarder, then branched into low-budget dance videos:

  “I was like, I want to try to make a career out of this.” (03:48 - Cole)

• Lacked formal credentials; skills and owning equipment were his foot in the door in a pre-social media era.
• Persisted through visa challenges and uncertainty, leveraging advice from financially-savvy friends in the dance/arts world.

2. Navigating the Entertainment Industry & Breaking the Glambot

• Adapting to a Credentials-Obsessed Industry:
  • Cole explains he survived by being able to deliver when few could:

    “Back then it was like, if you say you can edit, like, you better be able to show up and like do the thing.” (05:05)

• Money Mindset Early On:
  • Despite struggles, Cole prioritized financial safety nets:

    “My mom has really instilled... the idea of being financially stable and responsible. So I always was trying to...put stuff aside.” (06:16)

• Turning Point:
  • “I bought a house off making videos, which was the craziest thing... I remember going to sleep in it and being like, this is crazy.” (07:40)

3. The Glambot: From Food Commercials to Red Carpet Icons

• Genesis & Evolution:
  • First “Glambot” at the Emmys 2016; initially used for food commercials, repurposed for red carpet slow-motion glamour.
  • Breakout moments: Stranger Things cast at the Emmys; Ariana Grande at the 2020 Grammys (“this one's, like, really good”—11:40).
• Behind-the-Scenes Content:
  • The turning point was NOT the main footage, but captivating off-the-cuff backstage moments:

    “I think that it's the candid conversation... you see celebrities kind of, like, disarmed and a little vulnerable... trying to figure out what to do.” (10:10)

• Industry Buy-In:
  • NBC/E! runs the technical logistics, freeing Cole to direct—his reputation was built through execution, not negotiation.

4. Financial Transparency: How Cole Gets Paid & Grows

• Breakdown of Income Streams:
  • Pre-pandemic: Strictly directing—commercials, music videos, promos.
  • Post-Glambot/social explosion: Major pivot to branded content, social media, on-camera talent gigs, and event slow-mo activations.

    “I'm monetizing three things... I'm directing the content, I'm also a talent in it, and I'm also selling my audience.” (14:08)

  • Directing now a smaller part; diversified across gigs and platforms (Glambot, brand deals, TV hosting).
• Pricing Evolution:
  • Raised rates as demand increased:

    “I just started, like, throwing out numbers and being like, okay, let me ask them for, like, twice as much as I normally charge.” (16:09)

  • Realizes his value is defined by client risk and importance, not self-perceived worth:

    “My rate should actually be what their value is for me, not what I think I should get paid.” (17:50)

• Financial Literacy Influences:
  • Credits early observation of peer habits and consciously self-educating.

5. Passion Projects vs. Paychecks

• Balance:
  • Cole attempts one pro-bono/passion project a year (e.g., music videos for indie artists or friends), acknowledging the low pay for high-effort music videos compared to commercials.

    “I do like one free music video a year. Last year I did one for a friend... they flew to LA, we ran around the city and just shot a music video.” (26:52)

• Decision Matrix:
  • Fun, creativity, and career position drive his choices, but never strictly money:

    “The thing I want to do is like, create cool, fun stuff. And if I can tick that box, then it's like the rest can kind of fall in line.” (24:09)

6. Renting vs. Owning: Cole’s Approach to Wealth

• Real Estate Journey:
  • Bought in 2009, sold in 2014 post-renovation (“I renovated it, I made some money on it. This was great.”—27:58).
  • Prefers renting in LA/Hollywood/Santa Monica for flexibility and lifestyle:

    “If I'm thinking about building wealth over time, like, what is better?... To me, building the equity in a home isn't worth it if I'm not living in a place that I really, really want.” (29:25)

• Investing the Difference:
  • Advocates for investing surplus (savings between rent and would-be mortgage) elsewhere.

7. Watches & Spending—the “Off Brand” Obsession

• Watches as Personal Milestones (Not Investments):

  “People do talk about them as investments. I don't like framing them that way. I frame them as stores of value.” (32:27)

• The Watch “Game”:
  • Explains scarcity, the process of “playing the game,” and the emotional payoff:

    “Being offered is like a deal, but then like, being in the position to pay for it is like another sign of success.” (35:03)

  • Favorite: White ceramic perpetual calendar from Audemars Piguet—a “grail” purchase celebrated with his mom and friends.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Vivian Tu:

  "If we're not negotiating, that's a bad sign." (16:33)

• Cole Walliser:

  "They're paying you not just for it to go right, they're also paying you for it to not go wrong." (18:40)
  “Having a positive attitude is free. It doesn't cost anything. Right. It doesn't cost anything to be nice to people.” (20:15)
  "The main like North Star dream of moving to LA is direct a feature. This has always been really. This has always been the goal." (42:24)
  "Just start making my own personal content... the more you do it, the better you get, and then that you can like, build a career off that." (39:24)
  "The best camera is the one in your hand." (02:41)

Timestamps of Important Segments

• Intro/Background and Move to LA: 00:00–04:28
• Early Career, Self-Taught Skills: 04:28–05:46
• High/low Financial Moments: 05:46–08:16
• Glambot—Origins and Rise: 08:34–11:41
• Behind-the-Scenes Content Success: 09:41–11:14
• Favorite Glambot Moment: 11:23–12:10
• Income Breakdown, Social Impact: 13:19–15:35
• Pricing, Value, and Negotiating Rates: 15:55–18:44
• Passion Projects vs. Commercial Work: 24:30–27:26
• Buying/Selling a Home, Renting Philosophy: 27:35–30:26
• Financial Literacy & Influences: 30:39–31:41
• Watch Collection ("Game" Explanation & Emotional Purchase): 31:49–35:03
• Rapid Fire (Best/worst financial decisions, hypothetical restart): 36:12–40:16
• Innovation, Future Career Goals: 40:16–43:30

Tone & Dynamics

Vivian and Cole maintain a friendly, candid, and energetic conversation marked by practical wisdom, relatable transparency, and a mutual respect for both financial savvy and creative risk-taking. Cole’s humility and Vivian’s humor keep the discussion approachable, even when tackling technical or big-money topics.

For Further Exploration:

• Follow Cole on all platforms: @colewalliser
• More on Vivian Tu: @YourRichBFF

This episode offers both nitty-gritty financial insights and a behind-the-curtain look at navigating creative industries in the age of digital media. Cole’s story is an inspiring case study in persistence, adaptability, and understanding both the art and business of your craft.