💸 Mr. Beast leads the earnings on YouTube as he expands his business empire

25 Sept 2024

For the second consecutive year, Mr. Beast is crowned as the highest-paid YouTuber in the world. In 2021, Donaldson pocketed around 54 million dollars, and Forbes projects that his earnings could reach 110 million in 2022.

Experts estimate his total net worth at around 500 million dollars. Furthermore, during 2022, he was seeking investors for his content studio, an operation that could value his main asset at 1.5 billion. “Ironically, it's more likely to become a billionaire without setting that goal,” comments Donaldson. “You just have to focus on making your company extraordinary.”

The success of this digital entrepreneur is so remarkable that he has even given lectures at Harvard Business School. His empire spans multiple fronts:

His channel network includes the main one with 142 million subscribers, as well as several secondary ones like Beast Reacts (22.5 million), MrBeast Gaming (32 million) and others that add up to tens of millions more.

The production of his videos takes place in Greenville, his hometown, where he is expanding his facilities to three main centers. He hopes that this growth will attract other creators. He currently employs around 50 professionals, including screenwriters, editors, and assistants, including friends and family who have been with him since the beginning.

In December 2020, MrBeast Burger was launched, temporarily opening a location in Greenville that offered free food, generating lines over 30 kilometers long. Today, it has over 300 locations in the United States and international presence, primarily operating as a virtual restaurant through agreements with existing cafes. The brand sold more than a million burgers in its first three months, establishing itself as one of the fastest-growing in the industry.

It also sells MrBeast Bar chocolates and MrBeast Cookies online and at Walmart. For its launch in 2022, it held a sweepstakes with cash prizes and a contest inspired by Willy Wonka with ten golden tickets hidden in chocolates. According to Business Insider, in its first few months, Feastables sold snacks worth over 10 million dollars.

I am surprised at how this young man has turned simple videos into such a diversified business conglomerate. Will this model be sustainable in the long term, or are we facing another media bubble?