The loop
With sky-high production values, crazy giveaways and extreme challenges, Donaldson and his friends have created a feedback loop that's been the underlying engine of the media empire's success — and it's very simple.
More viewers means more money for Donaldson... which means more resources to invest into even wilder videos. In the early days that might mean giving away a few hundred dollars here and there, but with a typical Beast video now racking up ~100m views, that means millions of dollars in prizes. Indeed, Insider estimates that the channel gave away more than $3.2m in cash in 2022 alone, and that's without mentioning the private jet or island that were also given to lucky winners or the money spent on the ideas themselves (the viral SquidGame recreation reportedly cost north of $3m alone).
Empire-building
It goes without saying that Donaldson's laser focus on his YouTube audience, which he then leverages for his other ventures, has made him a very rich 24 year old, even after all of the giveaways.
Last year, Forbes estimated he made $54m, and he was reportedly seeking to raise $150m in funding for his business at a whopping $1.5bn valuation. Presumably any prospective deal was tabled after the turn in the funding environment, but — billionaire or not — Donaldson represents a new breed of modern media mogul like no other. The internet means the media barons of the next generation won't be in their 50s or 60s at the height of their power, they might very well be in their 30s... or even 20s.
