Jimmy Donaldson, better known as MrBeast, operates the most-subscribed YouTube channel in the world, with over 400 million followers. The 27-year-old content creator turned his obsession with viral videos into a multibillion-dollar empire through high-budget stunts, massive giveaways, and strategic business ventures that redefined what’s possible for independent creators.
Early Life and YouTube Beginnings
James Stephen Donaldson was born on May 7, 1998, in Wichita, Kansas. His family moved to Greenville, North Carolina, where he spent most of his childhood. His parents, both military veterans, worked long hours and eventually divorced in 2007. Donaldson grew up under the care of au pairs and moved houses frequently during his early years.
At 13, Donaldson launched his YouTube channel in 2012. He posted gaming videos featuring Minecraft and Call of Duty while commenting on other creators’ content. The early videos gained little attention. He spent years creating content with minimal success while studying YouTube’s algorithm obsessively.
His path took a sharp turn at 15 when doctors diagnosed him with Crohn’s disease. The autoimmune condition caused severe inflammation in his digestive tract. He lost 50 pounds and had to quit baseball, which had been his second passion after YouTube. The experience pushed him to commit fully to content creation.
After graduating from Greenville Christian Academy in 2016, Donaldson enrolled at East Carolina University. He dropped out after two weeks. His mother kicked him out of their house for abandoning his education. Donaldson moved out and dedicated himself completely to YouTube.
The Viral Breakthrough
Donaldson’s first major hit came in January 2017. He posted a video of himself counting to 100,000, which took 40 hours to complete. The absurd endurance challenge went viral and pushed him past one million subscribers.
Six months later, he executed his first major giveaway. A sponsor offered him $5,000 for a brand deal. He negotiated for $10,000 and gave the entire amount to a homeless person. The video exploded in views and established his signature formula: use sponsor money to fund giveaways, which generate views, which attract more sponsors.
This reinvestment strategy became the foundation of his success. Every dollar earned went back into content. He bought better equipment, hired editors, and increased production budgets. The cycle compounded as his videos grew more elaborate and his audience expanded.
By 2018, Donaldson had perfected his understanding of YouTube’s algorithm. He focused obsessively on watch time and retention. He knew that boring content kills channels, so he engineered every second of his videos to maintain attention. First impressions matter most. His openings deliver context, introduce characters, and promise payoff within 40 seconds.
Building the MrBeast Empire
Today, Donaldson operates multiple YouTube channels that collectively reach hundreds of millions of people. His main channel crossed the 400 million subscriber mark in June 2025, making it the most subscribed channel on the platform. He surpassed India-based music label T-Series in June 2024 to claim the top spot.
His channel network includes Beast Reacts for reaction content, MrBeast Gaming for gaming videos, and Beast Philanthropy for charitable work. He also launched channels in 10 languages, dubbing his content with professional voice actors. His Spanish-language channel alone has grown to tens of millions of subscribers.
The production team has expanded to over 250 employees. Many are friends and family members who joined during the early years. His mother, Susan Parisher, now serves as chief compliance officer for MrBeast LLC. His older brother, CJ Donaldson, runs his own successful YouTube channel called MrBro.
Donaldson’s videos regularly cost between one million and five million dollars to produce. His November 2021 recreation of Netflix’s Squid Game cost $3.5 million and featured 456 contestants competing for $456,000. The video has generated over 785 million views as of May 2025.
Business Ventures Beyond YouTube
Donaldson has built several businesses that extend his brand beyond digital content. MrBeast Burger launched in December 2020 as a virtual restaurant chain. The concept partners with existing restaurants to prepare MrBeast-branded food for delivery. The chain operates from 1,600 locations and has generated over $100 million in sales. The first physical restaurant opened at the American Dream mall in New Jersey in September 2022.
Feastables, his chocolate and snack brand, launched in January 2022. The company makes chocolate bars from ethically sourced cocoa. The bars are sold at major retailers, including Walmart, Target, and Kroger. Feastables generated $250 million in revenue in 2024 and produced over $20 million in profit.
In October 2024, Donaldson partnered with influencers Logan Paul and KSI to create Lunchly. The packaged lunch kits compete directly with Kraft’s Lunchables brand. The products include a MrBeast chocolate bar and Paul’s Prime Hydration drink. The launch drew criticism after some customers found mold in products before their expiration dates.
Beast Games premiered on Amazon Prime Video in December 2024. The reality competition show featured 1,000 contestants competing for a $5 million prize. Donaldson doubled the final prize during the season and gave away more than $20 million total. The show became Prime Video’s most-viewed unscripted series. Amazon renewed it for two more seasons in May 2025.
The show cost over $100 million to produce. Donaldson has admitted he lost tens of millions of dollars on the project. Despite the financial loss, the show expanded its reach beyond YouTube.
Philanthropy and Fundraising
Donaldson has organized several major fundraising campaigns. Team Trees launched in October 2019 to plant 20 million trees. The campaign raised over $24 million from donors including Elon Musk, Mark Benioff, and Susan Wojcicki. More than 1,000 creators participated by promoting the fundraiser on their channels.
Team Seas followed in 2021, raising over $30 million for Ocean Conservancy and The Ocean Cleanup. The campaign focused on removing plastic and trash from oceans and rivers.
Team Water launched in 2025 and raised over $40 million for WaterAid. Donaldson partnered with the Rockefeller Foundation to provide clean water access to communities in need.
Beast Philanthropy operates as a separate YouTube channel where all revenue from ads, sponsorships, and merchandise goes directly to charitable causes. The channel claims to have provided millions of meals to people in need.
Critics have questioned whether filming charitable acts for content crosses ethical lines. Donaldson maintains that using his platform to inspire giving justifies the approach. He argues that the scale of impact possible through viral content outweighs concerns about motives.
Net Worth and Financial Strategy
Fortune magazine estimated Donaldson’s net worth at $2.6 billion in 2026. Forbes ranked him first among the highest-paid YouTube creators in 2025. He earns between $600 million and $700 million annually from advertising, sponsorships, merchandise, and business ventures.
Despite his billionaire status on paper, Donaldson claims he has minimal liquid cash. His wealth comes primarily from equity in Beast Industries, his holding company. In a January 2026 interview with the Wall Street Journal, he stated he has “negative money” in his bank account.
He reinvests nearly all his earnings into content production and business expansion. He estimates spending around $250 million per year on video production alone. This strategy leaves him cash-poor despite massive paper wealth.
In an X post, Donaldson revealed he’s borrowing money from his mother to pay for his upcoming wedding. The disclosure highlighted the gap between his net worth and available cash. He compared his situation to other entrepreneurs who are rich on paper but maintain limited liquid assets.
His monthly salary is estimated at $50 million. Individual videos can cost up to five million dollars to produce. The scale of spending reflects his commitment to creating increasingly ambitious content.
Personal Life
Donaldson got engaged to Thea Booysen on Christmas Day 2024. Booysen is a South African author, YouTuber, and Twitch streamer who goes by TheaBeasty online. The couple met through mutual friends in South Africa in 2022. They plan to hold a private island wedding with close family and friends.
Donaldson lives in a gated community in Greenville, North Carolina. He moved there around 2022 due to safety concerns as his fame grew. In a March 2024 interview, he revealed he primarily lives in a room at his studio complex to avoid commuting. He employs a personal bodyguard who accompanies him in public.
His work schedule is intense. In a March 2025 podcast appearance, he stated that he has been more unhappy than happy in 2025. The demanding schedule of managing multiple businesses while producing weekly content takes a toll. He describes feeling like a “zoo animal” with limited free will.
Despite the pressure, Donaldson maintains his focus on long-term goals. He has expressed interest in running for president of the United States once he turns 35. He believes younger leaders are needed in American politics.
Controversies and Challenges
Donaldson’s rapid success has not come without criticism. In September 2024, five unnamed contestants sued him and Amazon over Beast Games production conditions. The lawsuit alleged chronic mistreatment, sexual harassment, and inadequate safety measures. Contestants reported significant injuries and several hospitalizations during filming.
Donaldson responded on X, stating the claims were “blown out of proportion.” An internal investigation commissioned by MrBeast concluded in November 2024 that allegations of sexual misconduct between company employees and minors were “without basis.”
In July 2024, allegations emerged that Ava Kris Tyson, one of his longtime co-hosts, had groomed a minor through online messages years earlier. Tyson denied the claims and apologized for past behavior. Donaldson removed her from the channel and hired a third party to investigate. The inquiry found no evidence supporting the allegations.
MrBeast Burger has faced quality control issues. Customers have complained about inconsistent food quality across locations. Donaldson sued Virtual Dining Concepts in 2023 over quality concerns, though the case is ongoing.
His 2018 use of anti-gay slurs in social media posts resurfaced in media reports. He attributed the comments to his religious upbringing in North Carolina’s Bible Belt. He stated that growing up in that environment shaped early beliefs he has since rejected.
The November 2023 video where he built 100 wells across Africa, drew mixed reactions. While many praised the effort to provide clean water to 500,000 people, critics argued he was exploiting vulnerable populations for content. Donaldson defended the video, stating he would continue using his channel to help people regardless of criticism.
Learn more about MrBeast:
- Visit his Wikipedia page for detailed information
- Follow him on Instagram for behind-the-scenes content
