Full Name: James Stephen Donaldson

Known As: MrBeast

Born: May 7, 1998

Birthplace: Wichita, Kansas, USA

Raised In: Greenville, North Carolina, USA

Profession: YouTuber, entrepreneur, philanthropist, producer

Nationality: American

Early Life

Began making YouTube videos at age 13 in 2012 under the name MrBeast6000.

Attended Greenville Christian Academy.

Briefly enrolled in college before leaving to pursue YouTube full time.

Has spoken publicly about living with Crohn’s disease, which was diagnosed during his teenage years.

YouTube Career

Jimmy Donaldson spent years studying the YouTube algorithm and experimenting with different video styles before achieving viral success.

Breakthrough

His major breakthrough came in 2017 with a video in which he counted from 1 to 100,000, a challenge that took more than 40 hours to complete. The video quickly went viral and launched his career.

Content Style

MrBeast is known for producing high-budget videos featuring:

Extreme challenges

Last-to-leave competitions

Massive cash giveaways

Luxury prizes

Charity projects

Survival challenges

Large-scale social experiments

Many of his productions cost hundreds of thousands—or even millions—of dollars.

YouTube Channels

He operates several channels, including:

MrBeast

Beast Reacts

MrBeast Gaming

Beast Philanthropy

MrBeast 2

Multiple international-language channels

His flagship channel is the most-subscribed YouTube channel in the world, with more than 479 million subscribers as of 2026.

Beast Games

In partnership with Prime Video, MrBeast launched Beast Games, a large-scale reality competition featuring hundreds of contestants competing for multi-million-dollar prizes.

The series became one of the platform’s biggest unscripted releases and was renewed for additional seasons.

Business Ventures

Feastables

Launched in 2022, Feastables is a snack company known for chocolate bars and other confectionery products. It has become one of the largest creator-led consumer brands.

Other Ventures

MrBeast Burger (virtual restaurant brand)

Beast Industries (parent company for his media and consumer businesses)

Merchandise and licensing partnerships

Philanthropy

A defining part of MrBeast’s brand is charitable giving.

His projects have included:

Giving away millions of dollars

Donating homes and cars

Funding cataract surgeries

Building wells in underserved communities

Supporting food banks

Disaster relief

Scholarships

He also operates Beast Philanthropy, a channel dedicated to charitable work.

Environmental Campaigns

Team Trees

Co-created with YouTuber Mark Rober.

Goal: Plant 20 million trees

Raised over $20 million

Team Seas

Also with Mark Rober.

Goal: Remove millions of pounds of trash from oceans and waterways

These campaigns attracted support from creators, businesses, and celebrities worldwide.

Awards & Recognition

MrBeast has received numerous honors, including:

Multiple Streamy Awards

Kids’ Choice Awards

Creator of the Year awards

Recognition as one of the world’s most influential digital creators

Business Philosophy

Jimmy Donaldson has often said he:

Reinvests most of his earnings into making bigger videos.

Treats YouTube like a science, focusing on thumbnails, titles, retention, and audience behavior.

Prioritizes long-term growth over short-term profits.

Public Image

He is widely known for:

Ambitious, high-budget productions

Large-scale philanthropy

Constant experimentation with content

Data-driven approach to YouTube

Supporters praise his generosity and innovation, while critics have raised questions about workplace culture and some production practices. These issues have led to lawsuits and public scrutiny, though many allegations remain disputed or unresolved.

Quick Facts

Category Details

Full Name James Stephen Donaldson

Popular Name MrBeast

Date of Birth May 7, 1998

Nationality American

Occupation YouTuber, Entrepreneur, Philanthropist

First YouTube Channel MrBeast6000

Breakthrough Video Counting to 100,000

Main Businesses Beast Industries, Feastables, MrBeast Burger

Major TV Project Beast Games

Known For Viral challenges, philanthropy, large cash giveaways

Interesting Facts

Started uploading videos at 13 years old.

Spent years studying the YouTube algorithm before becoming successful.

Is open about living with Crohn’s disease.

Runs one of the largest creator-led businesses in the world.

Has said that coming up with video ideas often occupied his thoughts “all night,” reflecting the intense focus he placed on building his channel.