MrBeast makes more money selling chocolate than publishing on YouTube

Author

Victor Genova
April 08, 2025

Media People Newsletter
Written and curated by Victor Genova · April 8, 2025 · Issue #24

Welcome to the twenty-fourth issue of the Media People Newsletter. In this edition:

PEOPLE

MrBeast Isn’t Building a Brand, He’s Building a HoldCo

Jimmy Donaldson, aka MrBeast, is redefining what it means to be a creator. With a reported $5 billion valuation on the horizon, he’s not just making videos, he’s raising capital to unify his growing empire under a single holding company. It’s like a P&G for the YouTube generation. For example Feastables, his snack line, pulled in $100M+ last year, and he’s already beta-testing his next venture, Lunchables-style brand Lunchly.

But this isn’t just about snacks and stunts—it’s a signal. Creators with loyal audiences and sharp business instincts are building revenue machines that rival legacy CPG giants. MrBeast reflects a larger trend: the most successful media entrepreneurs aren’t just monetizing their content—they’re productizing their influence. Aaron Miller and Yash Gupta provide more detail on the Will Ventures’ Substack.

GROWTH

Doomscrolling is Killing Your Performance

It turns out doomscrolling isn’t just killing your ability to socialize. Research shows that mindless scrolling can tank your performance across sports like volleyball, swimming, soccer, and even weight lifting.

In soccer players, it led to impaired passing decisions. In the weight room, mental fatigue kicked in early and total load dropped.

Excess screen time before training can hijack cognitive energy before you even break a sweat.

So if you’re trying to perform at your best on the field, in the gym, or even the boardroom (*cough* presentations *cough*), maybe give your brain a break from the screen. H/T to Steve Magness for the insight.

MEDIA PEOPLE PODCAST

Obsessed Media’s Launch with Co-Founder, Danny Weisman

The birth of a media agency? Obsessed Media is fresh to market! Co-Founder Danny Weisman stops by Episode 116 to chat all about it and more! We cover…

🎯 Obsessed Media’s origin story
🎯 Advising clients on buying expensive Super Bowl spots
🎯 What exactly is “The Most Index”?
🎯 Saving the NBA All-Star Weekend
🎯 How different media brands are leaning into different genres

Full episode on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

HUMOUR