Then: Jimmy Donaldson gained popularity on YouTube for his grandiose video ideas and high production value that often featured a monetary/philanthropic component. He first went viral with his video “I Counted To 100,000.”

Now: Donaldson has the most subscribed to channel on YouTube and, as of 2025, has a net worth of $1 billion. Alongside his YouTube channel, Donaldson is also the founder of MrBeast Burger (a fast food ghost kitchen), Feastables (a chocolate/snack brand), and Lunchly (a Lunchable competitor co-owned by Donaldson, Logan Paul, and  Olajide “KSI” Olatunji), as well as several other philanthropic foundations and ventures. He’s also the creator and host of Beast Games, a Squid Game-like game show on Prime Video.