MrBeast launched his channel in 2012 at the age of just 13 and has recently hit 100 million subscribers – the fifth account and second individual creator to make it past the mark. This OG creator's videos have developed a loyal following of fans thanks to his authentic and entertaining content, with themes ranging from gaming to reactions to challenges like counting to 100,000.

It’s a milestone that many content creators dream of, but few are likely to achieve – and that’s not a negative. Gaining just 10% of MrBeast’s subscribers can be celebrated as a huge win on YouTube. But it does give pause for reflection, and all creators of any genre can surely learn from MrBeast’s success.

So how did he manage to gain this level of popularity, what does he do differently, and how does he keep up the traction without his content feeling stale or systematic?  These are the top five lessons that other creators can learn from MrBeast.

1. He brings value to the community

When you read a creator’s Wikipedia bio, ‘YouTuber, Businessman’ aren’t uncommon accolades. But add ‘philanthropist’ to that list and you know their work really stands out. In 2020, MrBeast was named one of the ten highest earning creators on YouTube, and while that’s impressive in itself, what makes MrBeast’s wealth even more meaningful is that he gives it back to his community and to charities.

In 2018, MrBeast started creating videos where he doled out thousands of dollars to strangers in a genre known as ‘stunt philanthropy.’ He’s been known to give away up to 1 million per month, but some of his largest donations actually go towards other, smaller creators.

As well as helping out his own community, MrBeast also donates a large proportion of his earnings to charity, including partnerships with Ocean Conservancy and The Ocean Cleanup which raised over $30 million, and a Team Trees fundraiser which raised over $23 million for the Arbor Day Foundation.

2. He invests his money wisely

Though MrBeast’s generosity is indisputable, that’s not to say he isn’t financially astute, either. The creator invests a good proportion of his wealth back into his own business. As well as spending his money on increasingly high-quality video production and hiring a team, MrBeast’s content itself is an investment back into his future videos.

Understanding that his expanding wealth can be used to help other YouTubers that aim to one day be as successful as he is a perfect example of the adage that lifting others up does not impede your own success. In fact, the more MrBeast gives away, the more his own following increases.

In one video, where the creator gifts his mom $100,000 which she tries to refuse, he calmly admits: “If I don’t give it to you, I don’t have a viral video.” And he’s right.

MrBeast’s videos almost always gain more than 10 million views, lead to new brand partnerships and sponsorships, his own products like merch and the MrBeast Burger, and of course generate more money in ad revenue. So every time he gives away money, it’s really an investment back into what he does.

3. He hires a team

One example of investing cash back into his own business is hiring a team. MrBeast’s creative team was initially made up of his own childhood friends, who he started to employ as soon as his channel started to grow.

When your content creation starts to bring in the cash, it can be easy to see dollar signs and want to keep it all. But in reality, any business person will tell you that hiring a team is the best way to make that money grow. Investing in trusted people who can help your brand grow will only lead to more financial pay-off.

Now, MrBeast’s team is believed to be as large as 60 people, who help him with creative decisions, filming, and content strategy.

4. He capitalizes on his niche

A tip all creators will have heard is that the most important step to gaining success with their content is to truly understand their niche. MrBeast was one of the first to start creating viral videos, which does make it easier to carve out a niche that seems truly original  – and not everyone can jump on that wagon now.

But what MrBeast does better than almost anyone is to understand that it’s possible to have more than one niche, which is why he runs more than one channel. His main channel, MrBeast, is the most followed and largely consists of fun and laid-back videos that feel like an insight into the creator’s real life. But alongside this channel, MrBeast also runs MrBeastGaming, MrBeastShorts, and MrBeast Reacts.

It might sound like more work, but keeping each of his interests in their own specific channels means that subscribers who are only interested in one kind of video don’t have to see his other genres, and those who just love MrBeast and everything he does can just as easily follow all of them.

5. He sets trends

We’ve already mentioned that, unless you were there launching your channel right as YouTube was taking off, it can feel almost impossible to carve out a niche that’s totally unique to you. But when it comes to your specific content topics, there are infinite untapped trends and subjects that haven’t yet been thought up.

MrBeast was a pioneer of stunt content, and stunt philanthropy in particular. But that doesn’t mean there’s no room for other stunt channels – they just need to be unique in their themes and content. There are thousands of beauty and comedy and food channels, but that doesn’t mean you can’t start the next makeup trend, or most-shared joke video, or viral recipe.

So don’t feel dejected that you might not be the first on the bandwagon like MrBeast was. Instead, focus on all the original ideas that you can fit into your niche – after all, it’s a decade on and MrBeast is still coming up with unique ideas for his six channels.