Finding Direction
MrBeast’s videos became more judgmental and less concerned with general YouTube drama in 2016. He started a YouTube series called “worst intros,” in which he critiques the opening minutes of other creators’ channels. By the middle of 2016, Donaldson had amassed a subscriber base of around 30,000, thanks in large part to this series.

As his channel grew, MrBeast enlisted the help of some old friends from back home. Jake Franklin, Chandler Hallow, Garrett Ronalds, and Chris Tyson had joined the crew. Their primary tactic consisted of reaching out to popular YouTube creators in order to gain insight into the platform’s algorithm.