How Aussie creators Nick and Carrie made couple videos a global game

Nick Sharma and Carrie Ou Yeung, an Indian-Hong Kong couple based in Australia, have built a new digital universe through a mix of couple videos that are a mix of comedy, cuteness, and everyday multicultural relatability.

The couple’s journey started with casual videos during the COVID-19 lockdowns, and has evolved into something far larger.

“Initially, we just wanted to quit our jobs and be with each other 24/7 while travelling the world. Technically, we have done that,” Nick told e4m. “I can’t complain much. Growing together is how someone becomes such an inseparable part of your life.”

Currently, the duo has more than 21 million Instagram followers and over a million YouTube subscribers.

The first hit was a short TikTok video in 2021 that struck a chord with viewers during the pandemic. “It was midnight, she kept calling me because she couldn’t sleep. I picked up the phone and yelled, ‘Who the hell is this?’ Then I realised it was her. I hugged her, helped her sleep,” Nick recalled. 

“We posted two or three videos like that, and they just blew up. We weren’t trying to go viral. We were just having fun. But in August 2021, when we hit our first million, it was unreal. I remember we celebrated with Indian food at AJ’s in Eastwood, Sydney. That night stays with us.”

Behind the camera: A balanced partnership

Their workflow, much like their content, is collaborative. While Carrie handles creative and post-production tasks, Nick leans into strategy and external partnerships. “We split roles based on our strengths. Carrie manages complex edits and scripting, while I focus on brand relationships and growth planning,” said Nick. “But it’s never rigid. We switch hats when needed. It’s important for any creator to know a bit of everything—from editing to pitching—to survive and grow.”

Carrie echoed the sentiment. “We wear 10 to 15 hats between the two of us. Creators today can’t afford to stick to just one thing. I believe every influencer should start with what they love, but they should also be open to learning new skills. Growth only happens when you step out of your comfort zone.”

When brands slide into DMs

Today, Nick and Carrie work with global brands such as appliance brand Roborock Australia, carsales.com.au, and beauty brand Florasis Official, particularly in the travel, lifestyle, and wellness spaces.

But they’re selective for brands. “The first filter is value alignment. If a brand doesn’t match our ethos or vibe, we don’t move forward,” said Nick. “The second is transparency—what the campaign wants to communicate should be very clear. And the third is relatability. If our audience can’t connect with it, it’s a no.”

Carrie added that audience responsibility plays a big role in their brand decisions. “Our followers range from children to older adults. That brings responsibility. We avoid content or collaborations that might not sit well with families. Anything adult-themed or misleading is a no. For us, the goal is to bring laughter, lighten someone’s day. That’s non-negotiable.”

From self-funded travels to tourism board deals

Carrie explained that travel content was never initially intended to be commercial. It simply reflected their shared passion. “Even before COVID, we had dreams of starting a travel company. We just loved going places, taking photos, and posting them. Everything was self-funded at first. After COVID restrictions eased, we visited Hong Kong and decided to reach out to tourism boards. That became our first ever travel brand deal,” she said.

Once that door opened, more followed. “After your first collaboration, the second and third come easier. Now we get opportunities from across the world. But even today, we still fund a lot of trips ourselves because travel is something we truly enjoy.”

The couple content formula

While their content often leans into humorous couple skits and light-hearted everyday scenarios, what sets Nick and Carrie apart is their ability to reflect a multicultural, real-life partnership without forcing a narrative. Whether it's an Indian-style home-cooked meal, a cultural mix-up, or simply a sweet banter over morning coffee, their audience finds comfort in their consistency.

For brands looking to tap into creator-led marketing, Nick and Carrie offer an important lesson: authenticity matters. Their sponsored content doesn’t feel like traditional ads – it flows naturally into their storytelling.

“An ad should never look like an ad, otherwise it wouldn’t work,” said Nick. “It needs to integrate smoothly into the storyline. For example, I got sunburned recently – if a sunscreen brand comes in, we could naturally create something fun around that.”

Their recent brand collaboration with a translator app is a perfect case in point. “It was a funny skit where Carrie could understand my Hindi conversation using the app. She then called the guy’s girlfriend – it put him in a spot. That video crossed 20 million views.”

The daily duo content revolves around videos like, “WHO IS SMARTER??” 811K views, “Surprising My Boyfriend With 100 Gifts On His Birthday!” hit 699K views in just two months. 

They keep their audience hooked with quirky challenges like “Will This Lie Detector Test End Our Relationship?!!” which earned 710K views, and immersive experiences such as “Living Like Royals for 24 Hours in India,” which clocked 63K views within 13 hours. Their culinary experiments—“Surviving On Healthy Fast Food For A Day” with 497K views and “My Indian Boyfriend Cooks Cantonese Food With Cantonese Instruction” reaching 541K views—highlight the duo’s love for blending cultures. 

Navigating agencies and the business of influence

As the influencer marketing space matures, more creators are turning to agencies for campaign management. But for Nick and Carrie, that decision is highly situational.

“We’ve worked with hundreds of agencies, and we’re not exclusive to any. But we’ve built relationships with a few who truly understand us as creators,” Nick explained. “They know what value we bring to a product and what matters to our audience. Those are the best kind of agencies.”

Carrie added, “Because Nick comes from a PR background, we can manage some things ourselves. But for creators with no industry experience, agencies have real value.”

Should influencers disclose earnings?

The topic of earnings transparency in the creator economy remains divisive. For Nick and Carrie, it boils down to personal comfort.

“It’s a very personal choice,” Nick said. “If you’re confident and want to share your earnings, go for it. But if you’re private, that’s equally valid. People often judge based on numbers – so it’s up to the individual.”

On social media people are often obsessed with numbers, Nick and Carrie keep their focus grounded.

“As creators, we never chase numbers,” Nick shared. “There are two things creators often chase—money and followers. But what you should really chase is how you can create better content, try new things, and set little goals. The rest will follow.”

“Followers matter, but not as much as engagement,” said Nick. “You can be a massive creator with no engagement—that’s meaningless. Community building is so important.”

They emphasize the two-way nature of content creation: give value, receive value. It’s this mutual connection that often draws brands in, more than just the follower count.

Podcasts and New Frontiers

Looking ahead, the couple is ready to diversify. They are soon going to launch a relationship podcast after being flooded with DMs about love, dating, and compatibility.

“Why not give back to the community with whatever we’ve learned so far in our relationship?” said Carrie. “It’ll just be our opinion—but it might help someone.”

They also see the rise of podcasts as a positive cultural shift. “There’s so much to learn—more than what you get from books or college,” Nick added. “And podcasts make those stories accessible.”

While their primary language is English, cultural quirks still make it into their everyday banter. “She doesn’t understand Hindi, so sometimes when I need to say something she shouldn’t understand, I switch to it,” joked Nick.

Carrie grinned and responded with the Hindi she’s picked up so far: “Namaste, mera naam Carrie hai. Kaise ho aap log?” She added, “I know all the food words—and some bad ones too. But we can’t say those!”

Carrie holds Indian creators in high regard. “They’re incredibly creative—even without many resources, they manage to put out such high-quality content,” she said. “Whenever I’m having a bad day, I just watch some Indian creators and it lifts my mood. Hats off to them.”

Before going viral, Nick worked in PR and Carrie was in finance. The leap to content creation was far from planned. Carrie, who once worked in finance inspired by her mother’s professional journey, found herself questioning if that path truly fulfilled her. The creative bug had always been there, she admitted.

“I used to be very interested in finance because of my mom,” she said. “But I always asked myself—is that something I’d enjoy doing for the rest of my life? Meeting Nick helped me shift 180 degrees. He said, ‘If this is something you want to do, just do it.’” 

“There’s always something new to try—acting, shows, podcasts,” Nick said.