MrBeast has had grand ambitions to build a media empire for years — but they have changed considerably.
New court docs filed as part of an ongoing lawsuit between MrBeast founder Jimmy Donaldson and his burger business partner reveal that he once explored avenues like podcasts and NFTs before pivoting to other areas, including fintech and creator services.
The docs demonstrate how YouTube’s top creator pivoted as he sought to capitalize on his social clout.
It’s common for startups, and especially creator-led ones, to begin with one idea and then shift gears, said Megan Lightcap, a partner at the VC firm Slow Ventures, where she leads its Creator Fund. Unlike consumer brands launching with a specific product, it’s easier for creators to move into entirely new categories.
“Because their popularity is centered on their personal brand, they have even more opportunities,” she said.
A 2021 investor fundraising deck included in the court documents labels “Beast Games, Netflix Beast Studios, Beast NFT, Beast Podcasting” as coming in 2023. His company has not launched significant businesses focused on games, Netflix, NFTs, or podcasts.
The 2021 deck also talks about launching a “subscription fan platform” called “Beast World” in 2022. At the time, MrBeast envisioned a $9.95 a month platform featuring “exclusive content, merchandise, community, and experiences.”
By 2024, the company was talking about opportunities in theme parks, theatrical releases, and a vast array of consumer products, according to a July 2024 board meeting presentation.
The company was also mindful of the need to diversify away from having Donaldson on camera. The presentation called for animated series and associated toys and consumer products, which manifested in the MrBeast Lab YouTube channel and products.
By 2025, with new CEO Jeffrey Housenbold at the helm, MrBeast’s ambitions had changed further.
In a February investor deck that year, MrBeast presented the company as built on three pillars: media, consumer packaged goods, and software, with a “comprehensive” video game portfolio and a loyalty program earmarked for 2026. A creator platform, fintech, and pro sports were being explored. The company also hinted at a mobile phone service.
Here’s how MrBeast is currently moving forward on some of those fronts:
Fintech: This year, the company acquired Step, a digital banking platform offering savings accounts, a credit-building Visa card that functions similarly to a debit card, and a cash-advance program. Step, which is geared toward young people, hasn’t posted any new videos on its YouTube channel since the deal closed.
Creator platform: MrBeast recently hired a team from the Andreessen Horowitz-backed startup Pietra, including its CEO and cofounder Ronak Trivedi, who’s playing a key role in developing the platform.
Membership: At a breakfast for advertisers in May, MrBeast revealed plans for the “largest membership service in the world,” with a philanthropic element, early access to content, exclusive content, and member challenges.
CPG: Feastables, a “better for you snack brand,” launched in 2022 with a chocolate bar. The MrBeast Burger business continues, even if Donaldson stopped promoting it after getting embroiled in a legal dispute with his partner.
Media: MrBeast has expanded his spectacle-style video offerings and launched the “Beast Games” competition show on Amazon’s Prime Video. His company is planning new verticals centered on food, entertainment, fitness, and gaming that aren’t meant to rely on Donaldson’s on-screen presence.
Mobile phone: The company plans to launch a phone business called “Beast Mobile,” Housenbold said at The New York Times’ DealBook Summit in December. According to the 2025 investor deck, it’s likely to take the form of an MVNO, which uses a major carrier’s infrastructure and is a model other celebrities have adopted.
Experiential: MrBeast tested the theme park concept in November with a 45-day pop-up in Saudi Arabia, where visitors could participate in challenges inspired by his videos.
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