Rich Dudes│The YouTube Success Story That Made MrBeast a Millionaire

MrBeast AKA Jimmy Donaldson is an American icon and YouTube sensation, known for his wild, entertaining videos, generous giving, and oodles of charisma. MrBeast has managed to get a jaw-dropping 129 million subscribers and earn an impressive estimated net worth of over $55 million.

As if that weren't enough, MrBeast is now looking to leverage his foothold in the industry to reach a $1 billion value with his business ventures and investment portfolio.

But what makes MrBeast truly special is his tactics for building a YouTube empire. His core principles of hard work, innovative thinking, calculated risk-taking, and dedication enabled him to reach an unprecedented level of success.

MrBeast net worth at a glance:

Growing up in Greenville, North Carolina and attending Greenville Christian Academy, Jimmy Donaldson did not have the typical Youtube star’s lifestyle. However, he managed to master the YouTube algorithm and developed a passion for video game commentary, reaction videos, and funny compilations that soared.

His earliest viral videos were of him playing video games like Pokemon Online, Minecraft, Black Ops 2, and Battle Pirates. His "worst intros" video went viral in 2017, kickstarting his Youtube career and rise to fame.

After becoming, the most popular American YouTube channel, MrBeast started expanding into other ventures like his Feastables chocolate bar brand. In time, Donaldson had become one of the highest-paid YouTubers in the world. He also won "Creator of the Year" at the 11th annual Streamy Awards and the "Favorite Male Social Star" at the 2019 Kids Choice Awards.

Hard work and determination made MrBeast go from a small-town kid from North Carolina to an international internet phenomenon. With over 21 billion video views on his main channel, it's no wonder he's one of the richest YouTubers ever.

MrBeast net worth by the ripe age of 22 was estimated to be a mind-boggling $25 million. And in 2021 alone, his main channel generated $54 million. He made his fortune doing outrageous YouTube challenges, from giving away $5,000 and used cars to strangers to recreating a version of the Squid Game.

MrBeast’s net worth doesn’t rely solely on the challenges though. High-paying sponsorships have added to his already-swelling coffers. Mr. Beast set out to use his millions for good—and there's no sign of him slowing down.

From humble beginnings to international recognition, it’s no doubt that MrBeast has come a long way. With 45% of his 2021 earnings going back into his YouTube, MrBeast compounds his wealth by reinvesting his capital.

Whether it's making viral YouTube videos on MrBeast gaming, re-mastering the iconic show Naruto, or starting his own snack brand, he's always taking his talents even further. With a reported $150 million funding round, MrBeast seeks a $1.5 billion valuation of his YouTube channels and businesses.

It's not just the big investments that have set him apart. He's got a knack for getting involved in new and upcoming projects.

MrBeast is expanding his multi-million dollar YouTube empire into the food and beverage sector. One of his most recent projects includes MrBeast Burger, a ghost kitchen brand that opened its first physical location in 2022.

With over a million burgers sold, MrBeast made a ton of money without even uploading a video. Not one to miss out on any opportunity, he's also launched smartphone apps, started video game tournaments, and landed a deal with Walmart to sell his health-conscious chocolate bar brand.

Not to mention, he's an early investor in the NFT movement, has collaborated with other celebrity influencers like Logan Paul, and has recently partnered up with The Chernin Group to launch Night Capital—boosting other creators by promoting retail products.

Clearly, MrBeast knows what it takes to survive and thrive in today's digital world.

With all of this, MrBeast's success is undeniable. And it’s not just the big investments that have made a difference. The American YouTube star has splurged on his snack brand Feastables and is looking to produce his own Netflix show.

It's also hard to forget his philanthropic work, such as his #TeamTrees campaign to plant a million trees and his charity that's helping support orphans in South Africa.

So it's clear that MrBeast is expanding his portfolio and breaking ground for online content creators. Only time will tell if he keeps making the right moves, investing in the right places, and cementing his status as an internet mogul. And who knows, maybe he'll soon become the richest YouTuber ever.

Startups

His YouTube career can be traced back to when he began making philanthropic YouTube stunt videos like curing people’s blindness, spending hours in solitary confinement as well as saying "Logan Paul" 100,000 times on a live stream and other shenanigans.

Since gaining popularity, Jimmy has expanded beyond his YouTube career by investing big bucks into two main startups: Feastables and MrBeast Burger. Feastables is a chocolate bar that's sold through a subscription-based food delivery service and at retail stores. MrBeast Burger is a delivery-only burger franchise that currently has one brick-and-mortar location.

MrBeast is also building his wealth through other ventures, like his free MrBeast Burger app. With over a million burgers delivered through the app and tens of millions of downloads, the burger venture has had great success.

He recently partnered with Creative Juice to launch a two-million dollar fund called Juice Funds, offering creators up to $250,000 in exchange for a stake in their YouTube channels and videos. MrBeast also launched the Beast Philanthropy YouTube channel where he posts videos highlighting some of the good deeds he's done with his YouTube wealth.

Investing in startups is often a risky business. According to Failory, 90% of startups are estimated to fail and 10% fail in the first year. Despite that, the U.S. Census Bureau reports that founders of a previously successful business have a 30% chance of success with their next venture. In other words, successful startup investing mostly comes down to betting on the right horse—like the aptly-named MrBeast.

Crypto and NFTs

MrBeast is no stranger to the wild world of web3. In 2020, he made a large crypto investment, reportedly putting $1.5 million into Bitcoin and NFTs. He purchased 8 CryptoPunks NFTs and sold them soon after for an impressive 20 to 30x profit. 

His partnership with XCAD, a company that enables content creators to monetize their content through NFTs, has contributed to the overall MrBeast net worth. With his involvement in Refinable and Coinbase, MrBeast is quite the savvy internet investor.

While the latter has caused some controversy, it hasn't stopped MrBeast from continuing to invest in hot digital assets. 

Cryptocurrency and NFTs have seen unprecedented growth in the last few years, but are also extremely volatile—with the crypto market losing $1 trillion between November 2021 and January 2022.

Despite these risks, The NFT market is projected to hit $8 billion by 2027. So investing in crypto and NFTs can be a lucrative venture, but it's important to have a strategyin place forand exiting when the time is right.

Real estate

MrBeast's YouTube success has enabled him to become an innovative real estate mogul, continually investing money into properties that help run his businesses. He has invested roughly $1.2 million in a private island in the Bahamas.

In his own hometown of Greenville, North Carolina, he owns warehouses, office spaces, and studios that provide jobs to the local community in his hometown. He has also collaborated with local businesses and teamed up with elected officials to ensure security and grow the local economy.

Donaldson also purchase a 12,000 square-foot mansion in his hometown for $2.1 million in 2019. In total, MrBeast's real estate portfolio of commercial and residential properties is worth over $30 million.

Real estate investing is one of the best ways to grow your wealth. According to S&P Global, the annual appreciation of U.S. homes is 9.2%.

As the housing market continues to grow, real estate investment becomes more and more lucrative. From January 2020 to February 2022, the average home price index grew 35.1%, and the average single-family home rentals have a net ROI of $10,637.

With the numbers pointing to consistent and reliable returns, real estate investing is undoubtedly a great way to make money.

With nearly 130 million subscribers on his MrBeast youtube channel, the retail presence of his Feastibles chocolate bar, and the expansion of his MrBeast Burgers franchise, Jimmy Donaldson could very well become the first YouTube billionaire. Here are a couple bits of advice for how to get rich like MrBeast.

1. Reinvest your gains

2. Invest in your passions

3. Make sacrifices