How Does Mr. Beast Make Money?

Join us as we uncover the extraordinary journey of Mr. Beast, a small-town kid who became a global YouTube phenomenon with over 180 million subscribers. Mr. Beast's story is a masterclass in creativity, resilience, and relentless pursuit of dreams. We break down the multifaceted income streams that fuel his growth, from YouTube ad revenue to brand sponsorships and ventures like Feastables and merchandise sales. Discover how his strategic reinvestment into ever-more ambitious content has created a flywheel of success, captivating audiences worldwide.

What We Talk About In This Podcast

Mr. Beast YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@MrBeast

Feastables Cookies and Cream: https://amzn.to/4hUM0Us

Mr. Beast Deez Nutz Chocolate Bar: https://amzn.to/3Ogtubr (affilate link)

Episode Transcript

I Wonder Podcast Host: 0:02

Hey there, curious minds. Welcome to another episode of I Wonder, the show where we explore the questions you've been wondering about. Today's question comes from Noah, who is 14 years old and takes us into the world of YouTube, social media and brand building. Noah asks how does Mr. Beast make money? For those of you who don't know, Mr. Beast is one of the biggest YouTube creators out there. He's known for his crazy challenges, huge giveaways and his various brands, including chocolate and burgers. He's famous for giving away tons of money, cars and even houses. But how does he afford to do all of this? Let's dive into the world of Mr. Beast and uncover how he went from a small YouTuber to one of the biggest creators in the world.

I Wonder Podcast Host: 1:19

Mr. Beast, whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson, grew up in a small town in North Carolina. He started his YouTube journey when he was just 13 years old posting about video games, commentary and simple challenges. For the first few years, jimmy's videos didn't get a lot of attention and he didn't make much money at all. He had no formal training, but he kept at it, experimenting with different types of content and learning what his viewers enjoyed. By the time he was 18, so five years later, Jimmy jimmy realized that his viewers loved watching extreme challenges and crazy ideas, so he decided to focus his channel on over-the-top challenges that no one else was doing. His first major viral video was one where he counted to 100,000 on camera, a task that took him over 40 hours to complete. The video was exhausting, but it paid off. His viewers loved the effort and dedication and his channel started to grow. As his channel became more popular, Jimmy jimmy came up with new ideas that were even bigger. He started doing challenges, like giving away $10,000 to strangers and offering people life-changing prizes. These ideas became a huge hit and his channel exploded. Now Mr. MrBeast has over 180 million subscribers and is one of the most watched YouTubers in the world.

I Wonder Podcast Host: 2:50

Mr. Beast's income isn't exactly public, but, based on industry estimates, he likely makes between $3 million and $5 million a month from his YouTube channels, ads, sponsorships and businesses. In 2022, he reportedly made around $54 million, making him one of the highest paid creators on YouTube. This money doesn't just come from one source. Mr. Beast is more than just a YouTuber. He is an entrepreneur who has built an entire business empire around his content. Let's break down some of the ways he makes money to understand how his earnings add up.

I Wonder Podcast Host: 3:40

One of the biggest ways Mr. MrBeast makes money is through YouTube ads. YouTube pays creators based on how many views their videos get, with a certain amount earned per 1,000 views. On average, YouTube pays between $1 to $5 per 1,000 views, depending on factors like the type of content, the audience and the location of the viewers. Since Mr. MrBeast's videos often get tens of millions of views, his ad revenue alone can be huge. For example, if he posts a video that gets 50 million views, he could earn anywhere from $50,000 to $250,000 just from ad revenue. With his main channel alone getting hundreds of millions of views each month. Mr. B Mrbeast's ad revenue is a major part of his income. But YouTube ads are just the beginning, excuse me.

I Wonder Podcast Host: 4:38

Another big income stream for Mr. MrBeast is brand sponsorships. These are partnerships where companies pay him to promote their products or services within his videos. Because his videos reach such a massive audience, brands are willing to pay big money to be featured. Companies know that Mr. MrBeast's fans are loyal and engaged, which means that his promotions can be very effective. Mr. Beast likely earns hundreds of thousands of dollars per sponsored video. One of his newer ventures, is a chocolate and snack brand called Feastables, featuring chocolate bars with simple ingredients. Mr. Beast often promotes Feastables in his videos, encouraging fans to try his snacks while supporting his channel by building his own brands. Videos encouraging fans to try his snacks.

I Wonder Podcast Host: 5:23

While supporting his channel by building his own brands, Mt. Beast has created new ways to make money, allowing him to expand beyond YouTube. Every time someone buys a Feastables chocolate bar, he earns a profit. Like many YouTubers, he also makes money from merchandise sales. His online store sells t-shirts, hoodies, hats and other items featuring his logo and designs. This merchandise lets fans show their support and it also provides a steady stream of income. Merchandise can be very profitable, especially for creators with a strong fan base. For example, a hoodie that sells for $40 could bring in $20 to $30 in profit, depending on production costs. Multiply that by thousands of sales and it's easy to see how important merchandise is to Mr Beast's income. Oh my God.

I Wonder Podcast Host: 6:23

One thing that sets Mr Beast apart is his strategy of reinvesting most of his earnings back into his content. This creates what is known as the flywheel effect. His videos and brand generate income, and that income is then used to create even bigger events that generate more income. That is used to create more events. Oh, this allows him to keep his content fresh, exciting and larger than life. Fans know that every time they watch his videos or buy his products, they're helping fund even crazier and more impressive challenges. By using the flywheel effect, he was able to start small and get bigger and bigger over time. This is an important technique that has served many entrepreneurs well, including Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon.

I Wonder Podcast Host: 7:19

Mr Beast is also known for his commitment to philanthropy, or giving back to those in need. He's donated millions to charities, funded food banks and helped with environmental projects. In 2019, he co-founded Team Trees, a project that raised enough money to plant 20 million trees worldwide. More recently, he launched Team Seas, aiming to remove 30 million pounds of plastic and trash from the oceans. Through his philanthropy, mr Beast shows his fans that success can be used to make a difference. His charitable work not only helps people and the planet, but also strengthens his connection with fans, who admire his mission to give back.

I Wonder Podcast Host: 8:11

Mr. Beast's journey from a small town teenager to a global YouTube sensation is inspiring. He shows that success takes creativity, hard work and a willingness to believe in yourself, even when others might not believe in you. By overcoming objections, building his brand, connecting with fans and giving back, Mr. Beast has become one of the most successful creators on the internet. His story reminds us that if you're willing to work hard and overcome obstacles, anything is possible. Thanks again to Noah for such an inspiring question and remember, if you have a question you're curious about, send it our way to wwwiwonderpodcastcom and we might just feature it in our next episode of I Wonder. Until next time, stay curious and keep wondering.