We know a lot of people consume digital content daily so it is not a big surprise to know that MrBeast is the most recognizable Internet celebrity on the face of the Earth.
Who would have thought that a then-unknown content creator would build a valuable brand from the ground up, literally and figuratively? Now, he’s the most followed personality on social media with over 385 million followers combined (about the same as the population of Indonesia and the Philippines combined). Not only that, he gives away a million dollars on any given YouTube video he posts. He’s seen as someone who unlocked the viral algorithm. Yet, we ask ourselves - how does he do that?
And business and brand owners would wonder - how can we translate his success into our success? Is there a blueprint for growing our brand by learning lessons from him?
Of course, there is!
But before we get started, let’s deep dive into his illustrious career.
We all know his name is synonymous with jaw-dropping generosity, outlandish challenges, and mind-boggling YouTube success. Yet there is a man behind the most successful YouTube channel there is, with over 243 million subscribers (and counting) in just the main channel alone.
His name? Jimmy Donaldson. He is the young and unassuming man behind the moniker that has captivated audiences worldwide with his unique blend of creativity and philanthropy.
He’s so unassuming that he only highlighted obscure personal accomplishments, like reading a dictionary from start to finish and counting from one to 100,000, and meaningful milestones like planting 20 million trees and removing 30 million pounds of trash from the ocean, on his YouTube profile.
Born and raised in Greenville, North Carolina, Donaldson's ascent to global stardom is nothing short of remarkable. What sets him apart from other digital influencers isn't just his massive subscriber count or his billion-view videos, it's his unyielding commitment to self-improvement and his unconventional approach to content creation.
Donaldson’s early years were far from glamorous as he grew up in a lower-class neighborhood with a single mother. However, it was this modest upbringing that instilled in him a sense of resilience and determination that would later define his success. Armed with nothing more than a passion for video creation and a thirst for knowledge, Donaldson, together with close friends, embarked on a self-taught journey into the world of YouTube.
Eschewing the conventional wisdom of formal education, Donaldson opted instead for a hands-on approach to learning. He tinkered with cameras, experimented with editing software, and honed his craft through trial and error. His journey was anything but conventional, but it was precisely this unconventional path that laid the foundation for his meteoric rise to fame.
From filming videos on borrowed equipment to building an empire of channels and retail products, Donaldson’s story is real proof of the power of perseverance and self-belief. It serves as a reminder that success isn’t reserved for those with privilege or pedigree, it’s attainable for anyone willing to put in the work and dare to dream big.
It feels like a fairy tale story of a dream coming true, MrBeast’s journey from a small-town kid with a camera to the most successful YouTuber in the world is pretty remarkable. It’s a masterclass in personal and professional growth. Along the way, he’s amassed a wealth of knowledge and experience that holds valuable lessons for anyone looking to build their brand.
Here are the core values you may want to take into heart:
“I would say since I was eleven years old, almost every waking hour of the day I’m thinking about YouTube in some form or capacity.”
It may not be everyone’s cup of tea but having that extreme obsession with learning can lead to extreme results. It’s at the heart of his success - the insatiable hunger for knowledge. From the moment he discovered YouTube, he immersed himself in the intricacies of content creation, devouring information and experimenting relentlessly. When you own a brand, you need to have that passion and drive to achieve mastery of skills and knowledge to propel your brand forward.
We embraced a culture of growth hacking mindset by cultivating a culture of innovation and experimentation because we believe that there are things not taught in school. Sometimes, thinking outside the box is not enough. You have to think way beyond it. The only way to get your brand moving towards success is to discover new things.
“I had no idea what worked. I had to teach myself everything.”
When you constantly yearn to learn new things, you’re also building up self-reliance. That’s how MrBeast got started. Despite lacking formal training or access to state-of-the-art equipment, he refused to let his humble beginning hold him back. Armed with little more than a camera and a dream, he embraced the challenge of teaching himself the ropes of video production. With enough self-belief, dedication, and perseverance, anything is possible.
No matter what you do, there are times when external factors can hold you back when you depend too much on certain things. That is why, it is important to rely on yourself to do things you want to do at times. That way, your brand is insulated when things go wrong around you. Another thing to remember, it's ok to fail as long as you learn from it and find ways that it won't happen again.
“It’s like, if you envision a world where you’re trying to be great at something … and it’s just you learning and [messing] up and learning from your mistakes, in two years you might have learned from twenty mistakes. Where if you have four other people who are also messing up, and when they learn from their mistakes and they teach you what they learned, hypothetically two years down the road you’ve learned five times the amount of stuff. It helps you grow exponentially way quicker.”
While MrBeast’s success may be a solo endeavor on the surface, he has his childhood friends forming the core team working for him from the beginning. It’s all thanks to collaboration and shared learning experiences behind the scenes. Aside from his friends, he surrounded himself with like-minded individuals and a tight-knit production team who shared his passion and goals.
Brands should form a support team that also thinks the same way as you do. That means every single individual you collaborate with should be willing to put in the work to push your brand towards success.
“Like, the entire room is a huge LEGO fort. He was intense, and he was passionate about what it was that he was working on at the time.”
Oftentimes, it's not about what you say or preach, it’s really about what you do in the end. Right? It may sound cheesy but ‘actions do speak louder than words.’
One of the things that often slow us down is when we get stuck with too much procrastination and analysis paralysis. Rather than getting bogged down in planning and preparation, MrBeast is a firm believer in taking consistent, decisive action to move closer to his goals. His willingness to embrace experimentation and learn from failure has allowed him to iterate quickly and refine his approach over time, ultimately leading to his unprecedented success.
The question is, are you ready to go gung ho guns blazing every time? You probably have to consider when you do that. Yes, you learn from mistakes and have to take a bit of risk once in a while. But painful mistakes can cost you a lot of money and resources. On the other hand, you will never know how things will turn out if you don’t try it at all. If you come to think of it, a lot of people have dreams and ideas but only a few act on them.
“Every night before bed, I’d just be like, it sucks. It’s a lot of work. And I feel like I’m not getting anywhere, but if I just do it long enough, eventually it will click. Eventually, I’ll figure it out.”
MrBeast has seen his share of setbacks and challenges from equipment failures and editing disasters to overcoming Crohn’s disease. Yet, through it all, he has remained resilient, refusing to let adversity derail his dreams. His ability to bounce back from setbacks serves as a reminder that success is often born out of adversity and that resilience is the way to overcoming obstacles.
Being resilient means you get yourself motivated by every milestone you achieve when you overcome every obstacle.
“Just fail. A lot of people get analysis paralysis and they’ll just sit there and they’ll plan their first video for three months … Your first video is not going to get views. Your first ten are not going to get views. So stop sitting there and thinking for months and months on end. Get to work and start uploading. All you need to do is make 100 videos and improve something every time. Then on your 101st video we’ll start talking about maybe you can get some views.”
We hate to admit it but we often think that once we fail hard, we think it's game over right? Well, as much as we hate failing at certain things, there is a silver lining to it.
For MrBeast, failure is not something to be feared or ashamed of, it’s something we all have to embrace. He understands that failure is an inevitable part of the learning process and that each setback brings with it valuable lessons and opportunities for growth. By reframing failure as a stepping stone rather than a stumbling block, he’s been able to push past his limitations and achieve success beyond his wildest dreams.
“If I’m not creating, then I don’t feel fulfilled, I don’t feel like I’m progressing, and I feel like I’m wasting my time.”
When asked about how he makes successful videos, MrBeast talked about the importance of being creative and innovative. Whether he's dreaming up outlandish challenges or crafting compelling video content, he's constantly pushing the boundaries of what's possible. His passion for creative expression serves as a reminder that true fulfillment comes from pursuing one's passions and embracing the creative impulse that lies within us all.
Apart from the life lessons from the man himself, there are things that we apply to our brands. These key insights are from the strategies he has perfected over the years:
Apart from his main channel, MrBeast has embraced localization by creating different subchannels by targeting different demographic segments and languages. As a brand, you can create content that is relevant to your target audience that way you form an emotional connection that goes beyond the cultural barriers. This lifelong bond would bring you brand loyalty.
When you localize your brand content, you have to establish clear goals on what you want to achieve. Then you identify the target audience and understand what they need. Uncover what makes your target market tick by researching their preferences and backgrounds. Now that you know more about them, it's time to set up the right processes and tools to make things happen.
Make sure you avoid some mistakes when you want to adapt content for local markets by steering away from controversial topics and cultural nuances.
MrBeast has always been known to reinvest his money to create even better content. He even ventured into different projects like unveiling his line of chocolates called Feastables. His giveaways and experience videos have become bigger and grander than ever before. As much as he earns money on YouTube and sponsorship deals, he also spends a lot more on every video and gives away a lot more to people.
Build your bottom line in the long term by investing in new technologies and programs that will help your brand grow. Whether it's in a new office space or the latest CRM platform. As they say, you spend money to make more money.
Let’s face it, every aspect of the digital landscape runs on an algorithm or automated process of some sort. This is one of the things that MrBeast has mastered through the years. You should know how different online platforms work by finding ways to leverage exploits and consumer trends.
MrBeast suggested that when you’re creating 100 videos, you have to improve one thing in each video. That means you have to be one step ahead of the competition by understanding how these platforms work and how consumers behave. When you have a clear idea of the inner workings of the digital landscape, you get advanced information on what to do next. Think about it as a secret backdoor.
As much as you want to focus on gaming the algorithm to grow your brand, there is something wrong with this approach. The recipient of the content, that worked hard for, is not a robot but people like you! The algorithm works in such a way that it connects people with the content they want to see. In short, it's all about getting them to click and keep them interested as the algorithm will reward all your efforts.
“Anytime you say the word algorithm, just replace it with audience,” MrBeast says. You may think that the algorithm didn’t like your content, but that’s not necessarily the case. It means that the audience didn’t like it. Find out why and make the necessary changes so that the next content you create resonates with them.
Everybody loves a good underdog story where one dreams big and eventually achieves it. Think about Rocky Balboa and the catchy theme song to go along with it. Just as growing any brand out there, you got to work your butt off to get what you want in the end. MrBeast succeeded because he never gave up on his dream even if he stumbled a lot on his way to the top.
As cliche as it may sound, ordinary people can do extraordinary. Let that sink in. You don't have to be like Jimmy so you can do MrBeast things for your brand. You just have to dig in deeper with blood, sweat, and tears to reach your ultimate goals. You don’t have to be perfect, you just have to press on.
MrBeast's journey serves as a beacon of inspiration for both brands and creators alike. His relentless pursuit of excellence, coupled with his unwavering commitment to creativity and collaboration, has reshaped the landscape of digital media. As someone managing a brand from the ground up, you have to embrace the lessons from MrBeast's playbook.
It's not just an option, it's a necessity. It's time to unleash your inner beast and chart a course towards unprecedented success in the digital realm.
Looking to unlock your brand’s growth potential with Swarna?
We have tailored strategies that harness the power of collaboration and action-oriented approaches that mirror MrBeast’s path to success.
It's time to turn on 'Beast Mode' and elevate your brand to new heights!
At Swarna, we'll help your brand fly high so your reach shines brighter like the stars!
We don't just break limits, we redefine them.
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