MrBeast | Lex Fridman Podcast
Tubopedia Mission
Lex Fridman interviews Geniuses in Mathmatics, Physics, Psychology, and Politics, and MrBeast, while not working in any of those fields, is nothing short of Genius. He is pioneering what ultra success on youtube looks like and Lex does an incredible job of taking a tour of his brain and the genius behind what it takes to make a 100 million view youtube video. [MrBeast | Future of YouTube, Twitter, TikTok, and Instagram | Lex Fridman Podcast](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3_PwvvfxIU) ## 1 billion views and 1 billion subscribers - MrBeast believes some of his videos may eventually reach 1 billion views, with the "Squid Game" video being a likely contender. - He thinks it's easier to get 10 million views on one exceptional video than 100,000 views on 100 mediocre ones, as great videos are evergreen and consistently recommended by YouTube. - MrBeast expects to hit 1 billion subscribers eventually, but he focuses on making good videos rather than obsessing over metrics. - [Lex Fridman](/posts/Lex-Fridman) asks MrBeast about a Twitter poll where he asked if people would take $10,000 if it meant a random person on Earth died. Surprisingly, 45% of respondents said yes, which disturbed MrBeast. - They discuss the attraction of humans to watching the suffering of others, as revealed in the poll responses and historical examples. - MrBeast doesn't anticipate his death to be during a video, but he is open to taking calculated risks in some videos, with a strong focus on safety and preparation. - He emphasizes that his risky videos are well-planned, and safety experts are consulted for each project. ## Mortality - MrBeast ensures safety and preparation in risky videos, such as the buried alive challenge, by conducting numerous tests and consultations. - He has recorded videos to be released in the future, including one to be released after his death, where he predicts his subscriber count. - The idea of creating videos to be released after death is seen as a kind of immortality and a way to celebrate life with loved ones. - MrBeast and [Lex](/posts/Lex-Fridman) discuss the fear of death and the possibility of extending human life through scientific advancements. - They ponder the concept of immortality in the digital realm, where AI models like ChatGPT could potentially continue a person's legacy, but it raises questions about authenticity and the value of finite art. ## Improving YouTube: - MrBeast is generally satisfied with YouTube's current recommendation system as it shows videos he wants to watch. - He dislikes the comment section on YouTube and wishes it could be more like Reddit, where high-quality comments are rewarded. - MrBeast values Twitter and Reddit for feedback after video uploads and suggests that Twitter should be more like Reddit in terms of comment quality. - Twitter's high-paced, ephemeral nature works well, but there could be potential for integration with YouTube videos to keep users on the platform. ## Twitter: - [Elon Musk](/posts/Elon-Musk-SpaceX-Mars-Tesla-Autopilot-SelfDriving-Robotics-and-AI-Lex-Fridman-Podcast) recently bought Twitter, and MrBeast jokes about becoming the CEO. - MrBeast finds Twitter's high-speed, off-the-cuff nature more personal, but he acknowledges the potential for improvement and new features under [Elon's](/posts/Elon-Musk) leadership. - The discussion revolves around integrating YouTube videos on Twitter and how the two companies could benefit from such an arrangement. - Twitter's future is uncertain, and the platform's success depends on how it navigates the dynamic landscape of social media. ## Comparison with YouTube - MrBeast believes YouTube will continue to grow due to its ownership by Google and its established advertising platform. - Twitter may struggle to outpace YouTube in paying creators due to Google's strong position in the ad industry and the high CPMs some creators experience on YouTube. ## Brand Deals - MrBeast believes integrating brand deals well into videos is essential to keep viewers engaged and prevent accusations of selling out. - He suggests using the money from brand deals to make content better, which makes the audience more supportive. - Smaller creators may not have as much leverage to negotiate artistic freedom in brand deals, and brands often provide strict guidelines for ad content. - Lex Fridman discusses his approach to ads on his podcast, where he integrates them into the content and believes quality matters more than strict parameters. ## Audience Retention - MrBeast mentions that he couldn't stop thinking about the percentage of viewers who might not understand the technical aspects they were discussing. - Lex Fridman asks about strategies for high audience retention in videos, and MrBeast explains that it involves both an overarching narrative and entertaining content every second. - They discuss the importance of getting viewers immersed in the content to keep them engaged. - Lex Fridman reveals that he flew to the wrong location due to a city with a similar name to their destination. - Despite the travel mishap, Lex had positive interactions with kind people in the area. ## Hiring: - MrBeast emphasizes the need for team members who are coachable and see the value in his specific way of content creation. - He prefers hiring hardworking individuals who are open to being trained in content creation rather than pulling talent from traditional media. - The focus is on finding people who believe in the vision of YouTube and are not looking to transition to traditional media. ## Training and Developing Style: - MrBeast's taste in content has developed through consuming viral videos and recognizing patterns that work well. - He believes in giving his team creative freedom and avoiding strict constraints to encourage innovation and fresh content. - MrBeast prefers making suggestions rather than imposing specific rules on his team to maintain a diverse and creative approach to content creation. ## Cloning MrBeast's Style: - MrBeast has shown how multiple team members can talk to the camera and adopt his style in content creation. - He clarifies that cloning in this context refers to training others to adopt the habits and mannerisms of his on-camera persona. ## Talking to the Camera: - MrBeast is comfortable talking to the camera and often imagines the viewer when filming. - He can visualize the content in real-time while recording, allowing him to make adjustments on the fly. - He finds it easier to talk to the camera than to people in person. ## Cloning: - MrBeast has team members who can think and make decisions similar to him through a process he calls "cloning." - He spent extensive time with his team members, discussing ideas, and training their thinking to align with his own. - His right-hand man, James, lived with him for two years, absorbing MrBeast's thought process and decision-making style. ## Common Vision: - Cloning allows the team to converge towards a common vision, making brainstorming and decision-making more productive. - MrBeast trusts his cloned team members to handle tasks without constant oversight, allowing him to focus on higher-level tasks. ## Brainstorming and Content Ideas - MrBeast relies on inspiration to come up with original and creative content ideas. - To achieve 100 million views on a video, he needs something unique and never done before. - The title of a video is critical and should be short, intriguing, and represent the content accurately. - Extreme opinions in titles often lead to higher click-through rates. - Thumbnails should be visually compelling, clear, and convey the essence of the content. - Iteration and attention to detail are crucial in creating impactful thumbnails. - MrBeast advises other creators to be unique and find their own lane rather than trying to copy existing successful creators. ## Giving Away Money and Click-Through Rates - Giving away money can lead to high click-through rates, but there is a point of diminishing returns past a certain dollar amount. - Titles and thumbnails play a significant role in generating clicks and views. - Extreme titles can attract attention, but the content must deliver on the promise made in the title. ## Collaboration and Sharing Knowledge - MrBeast sees other creators as collaborators, not competitors, and is open to sharing advice and knowledge to help them succeed. - He believes that helping other creators does not harm his own success and can bring more value to his life. ## TikTok and Content Innovation: - MrBeast transitioned from YouTube to TikTok, which required adapting to a new algorithm and shorter video format. - Initially, he experimented with TikTok to figure out what type of content works best. - Eventually, they found success with original concepts like playing The Rock in Rock, Paper, Scissors for charity and sending a person to Paris for a baguette. - MrBeast's content on TikTok and YouTube Shorts goes viral on multiple platforms, a new phenomenon enabled by social media platform features. ## Teaching Content Creation and Generating Ideas: - MrBeast believes that virality is not solely luck and can be a trained skill. - He emphasizes that consistently generating good content ideas is crucial for creators. - The brainstorming and idea generation process plays a significant role in MrBeast's success. - He encourages constant learning, collaboration, and being open to learning from others. ## Business Growth and Firing: - MrBeast is focused on scaling his content company to realize his ambitious ideas. - He talks about studying the business side to build and hire for his content production. - MrBeast doesn't have trouble firing people if it's not working out, but he ensures a smooth transition and support for the person leaving. - He values passion in his team and looks for individuals who can envision themselves being part of the company for the long term. ## Advice for Beginners - For new YouTubers, the most important advice is to start creating content instead of overthinking and planning endlessly. - Expect that the first 100 videos will not get many views, but use them as opportunities to improve and learn from each video. - Focus on making incremental improvements with each video, such as scripting, editing, voice inflections, thumbnails, titles, etc. ## Generating Ideas and Doability - Brainstorm viral ideas and then assess their doability. Don't be cynical about the feasibility of ideas, as there are often different ways to achieve them. - Persistence, resilience to failure, and a dominant personality are essential traits to push through obstacles and achieve creative goals. ## Advice for Established Channels - For established channels with several million subscribers, it's crucial to continue innovating and finding new ways to engage the audience. - Keep pushing boundaries and testing new content ideas to prevent stagnation and maintain growth. - Don't be afraid to take risks and try out unconventional concepts to stand out in the crowded digital space. ## How to grow on Youtube - 10X-ing the growth of a channel is highly specific to each channel and cannot be given as general advice. - Data and numbers can be helpful in understanding what content resonates with the audience, but one should be cautious not to let it interfere with the creative process. - Knowing the typical viewer of the channel is essential in creating content that appeals to them. - Advice for educational channels or channels in specific niches would require a deep analysis of the channel and its audience. - Brainstorming and generating a lot of ideas is crucial to finding innovative and engaging content concepts. - The pace of idea generation is a critical factor in creating successful videos. Good ideas set the foundation for successful content. ## Elon Musk and Twitter - The hardest number to optimize for in content creation is surveys, as they provide direct feedback on viewer satisfaction. - Surveys are reliable indicators of whether a video is transformative, heartwarming, or inspiring to the audience. - Minimizing non-regrettable time is a metric Elon Musk mentioned for Twitter, indicating how happy users are with their time spent on the platform. - YouTube's survey system and feedback loop are essential in understanding viewer satisfaction and creating successful content. - Taking on YouTube and trying to compete with its platform would be extremely challenging, as YouTube has a strong hold on the market and its functionalities. ## 10 Million Dollars vs 10 Million Subscribers - Mr. Beast prefers $10 million over 10 million subscribers if he had nothing because he could use the money to build a channel and gain subscribers. - The value of a subscriber varies depending on their engagement and activity on the platform. - The conversation shifts to discussing centralized control, shadow banning, and censorship on platforms like YouTube and Twitter. - Both Lex and Mr. Beast agree that transparency is crucial when it comes to shadow banning or any form of censorship. - Mr. Beast prefers to focus on creating fun videos and is less involved in discussions around platform issues. ## Going to Antarctica - Going to Antarctica was a challenging but breathtaking experience. The remoteness and beauty of the place were remarkable. - The technical aspects of shooting in Antarctica were challenging, especially dealing with extreme temperatures and keeping the cameras functional. - Mr. Beast and his team lucked out with the weather, as it was warmer than expected during their visit. - They prepared for worse conditions and learned to adapt to challenges during the shooting process. - The conversation shifts to discussing the process of going from an idea to executing it in a video, which will be covered in the next part of the conversation. ## Process of Making a Video - Mr. Beast explains the process of making the "in a circle" video where he stayed in a circle for 100 days. They had to build a specialized crew and set up multiple cameras to capture the entire experience. - For the "100 vs. 100" video, they used the success of a previous video as a basis for the new concept. They settled on 100 kids vs. 100 adults and made improvements like filming outside with cubes instead of circles. - The challenging aspects of these videos included technical issues, camera operation, and dealing with audio problems. - Lex asks about creators getting depressed and the mental health challenges they face, but the conversation seems to be cut off at this point. ## Overcoming Depression - Mr. Beast talks about how he used to get stressed and depressed when videos didn't perform well, but he learned to detach himself from the emotions and approach it objectively to improve future videos. - He emphasizes the importance of finding one's own unique voice and creating original content rather than chasing views or subscribers. - Mr. Beast discusses his girlfriend's love for learning and how it complements his own desire to constantly be improving and learning. - He emphasizes the need for entrepreneurs to find a balance between working hard and taking time to recharge and do activities that decompress and relax the mind. - Mr. Beast admits to struggling with the idea of downtime in the past but eventually realized the importance of recharging to maintain sustainable success. - The conversation touches on the topic of what constitutes a perfect day in the life, but the answer is not fully explored before moving on to the next topic. ## Building a Business - Mr. Beast's perfect day in terms of productivity involves filming a main channel video that gets 100 million views. - He runs multiple businesses, including Feastables (snack brand) and Beast Burger (restaurant chain), among others. - His approach to managing his time is to prioritize tasks based on their importance and impact for each of his companies. - Mr. Beast acknowledges the challenge of being a young entrepreneur with a large team and wishes he had more experience in running businesses to handle the scale better. - He emphasizes the importance of experimentation and learning from mistakes to scale effectively and stay ahead in the industry. - Mr. Beast aims to avoid getting stuck in a bubble of success and constantly seeks to improve and try new things to avoid stagnation and decline. ## MrBeast Burger and Feastables - MrBeast Burger started as a popup partnership with a restaurant chain and quickly became successful, leading to its expansion. - Feastables, Mr. Beast's snack brand, was built from scratch with a focus on healthier and more innovative American snacks. - The challenge of scaling Feastables involved keeping the shelves in retail locations stocked to meet the high demand. - Mr. Beast mentions upcoming expansions of Feastables into more retail locations and the launch of new products. - Mr. Beast briefly discusses the idea of developing mobile games but does not provide detailed information on this venture. ## Creating Video Games - Mr. Beast is considering creating mobile games or computer games in the future as a way to reach his international audience more effectively. - Software-based products like games allow him to quickly reach his audience worldwide compared to physical goods like Feastables and Beast Burger. - Mr. Beast is excited about the social element of gaming and is in the planning phase of hiring a team to work on the games. - He acknowledges that he may not have coding skills, but he believes his understanding of what makes a good game, coupled with obsessing over creating a great product, will lead to success. - Lex Fridman asks about the path to being worth 100 billion, but this part of the conversation is left unaddressed. ## On Making Billions of Dollars - Mr. Beast's focus is on making the best videos possible, as he believes that success in other areas will naturally follow. - The path to potentially being worth $100 billion involves continuously getting 100 million views per video and scaling his businesses like Feastables and Beast Burger. - Mr. Beast's content consistently attracts massive viewership, and he envisions building a future where he can give away a billion dollars in a video. - Lex Fridman jokingly asks a ridiculous question, which is not specified in the provided text. ## Money vs Happiness - Mr. Beast believes that money can buy happiness to some extent, especially when it helps fulfill basic needs and takes care of family. - He finds happiness in building companies, achieving success, and making a positive impact rather than just accumulating wealth. - Mr. Beast has learned to identify genuine people who care about him as a person, not just his money, and he tends to trust friends he knew before becoming famous. - Scaling his YouTube channel and businesses have made him feel lonely as there are few individuals as driven and committed to their craft as he is. - Mr. Beast feels that his passion for business is ingrained in him, and it's not just about discipline; it's a part of his nature. - He acknowledges that not everyone can adopt a kamikaze approach to business or other endeavors, as it may not be innate to everyone's nature. - There is a discussion about the capacity of individuals to be deeply committed and passionate in some domain, but it might require time, effort, and surrounding oneself with like-minded people. - Mr. Beast acknowledges that worrying about mental health is essential, especially considering the pressures and intensity of his approach to building businesses and creating content. ## Mental Health - Mr. Beast's mental health is positively affected when he follows his innate nature to work and doesn't restrict himself. He works when he feels like it and takes breaks when needed. - He believes that surrounding himself with like-minded and passionate individuals who encourage his passion is crucial for success and mental well-being. - Mr. Beast advises young people to be selective about the people they surround themselves with as it greatly influences their outcomes. - He emphasizes the importance of finding people who share similar interests and passion, especially for content creators and entrepreneurs. - Mr. Beast recognizes that people who once criticized him for being obsessed with his work now see him as a genius after his success. - He prefers to have a team that challenges and provides constructive feedback rather than being surrounded by yes-men. - The discussion moves on to being in a relationship, but the summary provided does not include specific points related to this topic. ## Love - Love plays a significant role in the human condition, and finding the right partner can be crucial for personal growth and happiness. - Mr. Beast believes that true love should involve someone who makes you a better person and complements your life, someone who enhances your strengths and supports your ambitions. - He advises not to settle for less and to keep searching for the right person who genuinely brings happiness and positivity to your life. - Lex Fridman likens it to surrounding yourself with people who make you a better person, emphasizing the importance of having that special person who contributes positively to your life. - The conversation shifts to discussing death as it was a topic introduced earlier. ## Legacy - Mr. Beast hopes that his legacy will be a net positive on the world and that his impact will reach billions of people in a positive and lasting way. - He admires individuals like Steve Jobs and Elon Musk for creating products and innovations that have a profound and joyful impact on people's lives. - Lex Fridman expresses excitement for Mr. Beast's future, believing that the sky is the limit for him, both in terms of his videos and his other business ventures. - Lex also praises Mr. Beast's kind heart and ability to use it to help many people. - They joke about playing board games together, showing their camaraderie.