The incredible journey of Jimmy Donaldson from an ordinary teenager to the king of YouTube
At 13 years old, Jimmy creates his first YouTube channel called "MrBeast6000". During this time, his videos were mainly Minecraft and Call of Duty gameplay, with barely 1,000 views per video.
He begins experimenting with different types of content: estimating YouTubers' net worth, reaction videos, and trend analysis. His vision starts to take shape.
He enrolls at East Carolina University but quickly realizes his true passion is in YouTube. According to Newsweek, he would drop out of university to dedicate himself full-time to his career as a YouTuber.
In January 2017, Jimmy publishes the video "Counting to 100,000" which he recorded for 40 hours and sped up to watch in 24 hours. This video went viral getting tens of thousands of views in just a few days!
The "Counting to 100,000" video marks the turning point in his career. It demonstrates his ability to create unique content and his extreme dedication.
He begins his characteristic style of giving away money. In December 2018, he donates $100,000 worth of items to homeless shelters.
He organizes a battle royale video game competition in Los Angeles with a $200,000 prize in collaboration with Apex Legends.
He becomes a member of the Dallas-based talent management company Night Media, professionalizing his career.
During his youth, Jimmy developed the philosophy that would make him famous: "Think big, act big, impact big". While other YouTubers focused on casual entertainment, he envisioned how he could create content that not only entertained, but also changed lives. His youth was the laboratory where he perfected the art of creating viral videos with purpose.