How Mr. Beast Turned a Content Studio into a Multi-Billion Dollar Empire

From YouTuber to Multibillionaire: Impressive Numbers

MrBeast’s net worth is estimated at $500 million—and that number is growing. Donaldson, known on YouTube as MrBeast, has been the top earner among YouTubers worldwide for the second consecutive year. In 2021, he earned approximately $54 million solely from video content, with forecasts for 2022 predicting growth to $110 million. Notably: last year, the blogger was seeking a buyer for a stake in his content studio, which could be valued at $1.5 billion.

Donaldson himself explains his success simply: “The chances of becoming a billionaire increase if you don’t set that as a goal. You just need to focus on making your company awesome.” His success was even recognized by Harvard Business School—they invited him to give lectures.

Multichannel Strategy: How the Content Studio Works

MrBeast realized: one channel is limiting. He now has a portfolio of six main YouTube projects, each with its own audience:

• MrBeast — flagship with 142 million subscribers
• MrBeast Gaming — 32 million subscribers
• Beast Reacts — 22.5 million
• MrBeast Shorts and MrBeast 2 — each with 21.5 million
• Beast Philanthropy — 12.6 million subscribers

All these projects are produced in Greenville—the city where Donaldson grew up. There is also a studio there, which is currently expanding to three major centers. Today, 50 people work there: scriptwriters, editors, assistants. Many are longtime friends and family members who believed in the idea from early on.

Donaldson sees potential: if the studio becomes a hub for other content creators, it will strengthen its position and make Greenville a place where hits are born.

Business Beyond YouTube: Restaurants and Snacks

MrBeast’s wealth is growing not only from video content. In 2020, he launched MrBeast Burger—and immediately demonstrated scale-minded thinking. The first location in Greenville offered free food; at the opening, a car queue stretched over 30 km.

But the main trick is a virtual restaurant model. Orders are accepted only through an app, and dishes are prepared by independent cafe partners. Within three months of launch, over a million burgers were sold. Now, the network has over 300 locations in the US and is present in other countries. In August 2022, they opened the first full offline restaurant.

Simultaneously, the snack line Feastables is developing. MrBeast Bar chocolate and MrBeast Cookies are sold online and in Walmart stores. The launch in January 2022 was accompanied by a marketing stunt: prize draws, a contest with golden tickets inside packages, and a finale featuring famous British chef Gordon Ramsay. The winner received a chocolate factory inspired by “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.” According to Business Insider, the first months brought Feastables over $10 million in revenue.

The Logic of the Empire: Why It Works

MrBeast’s capital grows according to a clear scheme: content generates an audience, the audience trusts the brand, the brand transitions into offline business, where the same success is reproduced. This is no coincidence—it’s a system.