From Linus Tech Tips to independent creators: Where former employees went after leaving the channel for YouTube channel

Several former Linus Tech Tips employees have recently stepped away from Linus Media Group and started their own YouTube channels. As the company grew into a large tech content network, many on-camera hosts and writers built loyal followings.

After leaving, some shared personal stories about contracts, creative freedom, or career direction, while others quietly moved into independent content creation. Here’s a clear look at four former team members who are now building their own paths online.

Alex Clark moves from Linus Tech Tips to Zip Tie Tuning

Alex Clark left Linus Tech Tips in June 2025 after a disagreement linked to a non-compete clause. During his time at the company, he worked mainly in writing and pre-production, helping with technical builds while occasionally appearing on camera. Later, in a video titled “Why Linus Tech Tips FIRED Us,” Clark explained that management gave him three options after his automotive channel launched. He said, “Shortly after we launched the channel, I was pulled into a meeting with management in HR… and had three options.” According to him, those options included shutting down the channel, handing it to Linus Media Group, or leaving with severance. He chose to move on and now runs Zip Tie Tuning along with a tech-focused companion channel called Zip Tie Tech.

Jake Tivy explains why he felt it was time to leave

Jake Tivy joined Linus Media Group straight out of high school and later became writing team supervisor. Over time, he said the work environment changed and projects no longer felt complete from his perspective. After leaving the YouTube channel in August 2025, he launched his independent channel by the name jakkuh. In his video “Why I left Linus Tech Tips,” he explained that handing projects off made it harder to feel proud of the final results. He said, “It just made it hard to feel proud of the work I was doing.” Tivy also spoke about company growth and changing structures, which he felt affected his experience. He has since focused on building content at his own pace.

Jonathan Horst returns with a new channel after Mac Address

Jonathan Horst became familiar to viewers as the face of Mac Address, the Apple-focused channel under Linus Media Group. Around late 2024, the channel was paused and Horst confirmed he was leaving. In a post on X, he wrote, “It was an enormous privilege to work on Mac Address.” After taking a long break, he returned in February 2026 with a new independent YouTube channel named Thinking Different. He said this new project would explore technology topics beyond just Apple products, giving him more creative room.

Emily Young restarts her YouTube journey independently

Emily Young also left Linus Media Group and later restarted her own channel. While at LMG, she worked mainly as a writer and appeared on camera at times. In her video “I Left Linus Media Group, What do I do now?” she reflected on her experience and shared that being on camera was never her main goal. She said, “I was still making the content… being on camera was never the point.” Since leaving, she has focused on creating videos independently and shaping her own direction.