I recently noticed how people discuss the earnings of YouTube stars, and here’s an interesting fact: MrBeast has been the highest-paid content creator on the platform for several years in a row. Jimmy Donaldson isn’t just making videos — he’s built an entire empire.

According to estimates from 2021-2022, how much does MrBeast earn just from his videos? It’s about $54-110 million a year. Journalists at the time estimated his net worth at around $500 million, and if he found an investor for his studio, the project’s value could reach $1.5 billion. Donaldson simply says about this: you’ll become a billionaire if you don’t obsess over the goal and just make your company awesome. The guy even gave lectures at Harvard — that’s how.

What’s in his portfolio? First, a content studio. MrBeast isn’t limited to just one channel. He has his main channel with 142 million subscribers, then Beast Reacts, MrBeast Gaming with 32 million, and several other projects with tens of millions of viewers. All videos are produced in Greenville, where Donaldson grew up. They’re expanding the studio to three large centers, with plans to move other creators there as well. About 50 people work there: scriptwriters, editors, assistants. Many are his friends and family, who’ve been with him since the very first days of the channel.

Then there’s the MrBeast Burger restaurant. In 2020, he opened the first location in Greenville with free food, and on opening day, the car line stretched for 30 km. Now, the chain has over 300 locations across the US and abroad. The trick is that these are virtual restaurants — you order through an app, and the food is prepared at partner cafes. In three months, they sold over a million burgers. In 2022, he opened a full offline restaurant.

And there’s Feastables — a snack line. MrBeast Bar chocolate and MrBeast Cookies are sold online and at Walmart. When launched in early 2022, he held a giveaway, hiding golden tickets in the chocolates, with Gordon Ramsay judging the finale. The winner received a chocolate factory. In the first few months, they sold over $10 million worth.

How much does MrBeast earn overall? Considering all these projects, the numbers are impressive. But the main thing he’s doing isn’t just monetizing videos — it’s building a business ecosystem. Studio, food, snacks, and all of it working together. That’s why his story is interesting not only to the YouTube community but also to investors.