YouTube has become the biggest platform out there, offering thousands of opportunities for creators to earn a living. In June, the company reported that its creative ecosystem added more than $55 billion to US GDP and created more than 490,000 full-time jobs.
However, many YouTubers have reduced their reliance on ad revenue and brand promotions. There are several reasons for this shift. First, advertising revenue can be unpredictable. With YouTube constantly updating its policies, some creators find it difficult to secure ads for their videos, which can negatively impact their earnings. They have also realized that income from these streams can disappear unexpectedly.
Recognizing the volatility of platform-dependent revenue, many YouTubers are no longer just creators. They are vertically integrated media companies with parallel businesses, including product lines, ventures and consumer brands that can withstand algorithm changes and policy changes.
In some cases, these side businesses grow faster and more sustainably than their YouTube channels.
MrBeast
Jimmy Donaldson, aka MrBeastwho has 442 million subscribers, isn’t just one of YouTube’s biggest stars — he’s its most aggressive entrepreneur.
What started with a convenience store in 2018 — ShopMrBeast — has exploded into a portfolio of businesses, including his three-year-old snack brand, Feastables.
Feastables’ original product was the “MrBeast Bar”, a re-created chocolate bar $10 million in sales within its first 72 hours, selling over 1 million bars upon release. As of today, Feastables is more profitable than its YouTube content, and even its “Beast Games” competition series on Prime Video. In 2024, Feastables was created approx $250 million in revenue and over $20 million in profits, while his media business lost about $80 million.
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Other ventures include his packaged food brand Lunchly (co-founded with YouTubers Logan Paul and KSI), MrBeast Lab toy line, MrBeast Burger and analytics platform Viewstats. He even tried to buy TikTok’s US operations by joining the US Investor Consortium, an investor group led by Employer.com founder Jesse Tinsley.
Now MrBeast is venturing into new areas. It plans to establish a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO), which could include a partnership with one of the major carriers, such as AT&T, T-Mobile or Verizon. Plus, the YouTuber was spotted filing a trademark application for a mobile application offering banking, financial advisory and cryptocurrency exchange services.
More recently, The Times reported that the YouTuber is set to open a theme park in Saudi Arabia, with rides inspired by his video content. For example, there is supposed to be a game where six players stand on trap doors and have to press a button when it lights up or falls down.
Emma Chamberlain
Emma Chamberlainwho rose to fame as a teenage vlogger in 2016, now has over 12 million subscribers and has found success in the drinks industry.
It is launching its own coffee brand, Chamberlain Coffee, in 2019, which offers a variety of products including cold brew, coffee pods, ground and whole bean options, as well as tea and matcha. Notably, their example was followed by other YouTubers, such as Jacksepticeye under the brand name Top of the Mornin’ Coffee and Philip DeFranco with Wake & Make Coffee.
In 2023, Chamberlain Coffee had a big year, introducing ready-to-drink canned lattes and reaching about $20 million in revenue, according to Forbes. The brand has recently experienced even more substantial growth, opening its first physical location in January. Previously, it only had an online and retail presence at places like Target, Sprouts and Walmart.
Although Chamberlain Coffee faced some challenges last year due to supplier issues, it is expected to rebound, with revenue projected to grow more than 50 percent by 2025 to more than $33 million, according to Business Insider. The brand is also targeting profitability by 2026.
Logan Paul
Logan Paul (23.6 million subscribers) is now known for his wrestling career, but was earlier known for many controversies, including an infamous 2017 video and an alleged scam NFT project, CryptoZoo.
He also gained attention through his energy drink brand, Prime, which went viral in 2022. The brand, co-founded by YouTuber KSI, surpassed Sales of $1.2 billion in 2023, a number that far exceeds what most content creators earn from views, ads, and brand endorsements. But it has since faced declining sales, regulatory scrutiny over its high caffeine content and lawsuits from business partners. Sales have fallen particularly in the UK, where Revenue fell by about 70% from 2023 to 2024.
Another venture of his, Maverick Apparel, took place in between $30 million and $40 million in 2020.
His brother, Jake Paul, is also involved in various ventures, including co-founding the Anti Fund, which has touted past investments in OpenAI, Anduril, Ramp, and Cognition, among others. The younger Paul also has a grooming line, called W, and a mobile betting platform called Betr.
Ryan’s world
Ryan’s worldhosted by 13-year-old Ryan Kaji, is another prominent YouTuber with an impressive following. Ryan rose to fame through his game reviews and unboxing videos, which have attracted nearly 40 million new viewers.
In addition to his YouTube success, Kaji has expanded his brand through a line of toys and apparel sold at major retail chains and reportedly created over $250 million in revenue in 2020. Kaji and his family have since diversified their businesses, including launching a TV show and an app that provides educational content tailored for children.
Rosanna Pansino
Rosanna Pansino is a popular YouTube baker known for her baking tutorials and themed treats. With 14.8 million subscribers, she gained fame for her recipes inspired by pop culture, games and movies.
Beyond YouTube, Pansino has released several well-received cookbooks, expanding the Nerdy Nummies brand. It also sells baking tools at many retailers, including Amazon.
Other YouTubers have ventured into cookware and food products as additional revenue streams. Notable examples include cook and author Andrew Rea, known by the pen name Babish, who launched his Babish cookware brand in 2021, as well as comedy duo Rhett & Link, who sell MishMash Cereal.
Michelle Phan
Michelle Phan rose to fame in 2007 with her makeup tutorials, becoming one of the first beauty influencers to effectively monetize her content. In addition to her successful YouTube career, she founded the beauty subscription service Ipsy, which has become very popular. Phan also has her own makeup line, EM Cosmetics.
Huda Kattan
Huda Kattan founded the globally recognized beauty brand Huda Beauty in 2013. She sold a minority stake to private equity firm TSG Consumer Partners in 2017, but bought it back in June after investor pressure to bring in senior leadership clashed with her vision for the fast-growing brand, which reportedly brings in hundreds of millions of dollars in sales each year.
Many influencers have created their own makeup brands. Other well-known makeup brands launched by YouTube influencers include Jeffree Star Cosmetics and Tati Beauty.
