Who is Mr. Beast and Why You Should Worry and Do Something Now That He wants To Do More Than Entertain and Sell Chocolate to your Children and Grandchildren

As a grandmother, I will do anything to make my grandchildren happy. I knew about MrBeast on YouTube because my then seven-year-old and 13 year-old grandchildren kept showing me all the contests where he was giving away ridiculously large amounts of cash. They were hooked on MrBeast, who has been on YouTube for thirteen years, longer than the ages of my grandchildren when they introduced me to him. When MrBeast announced that he was selling chocolate, of course they wanted that chocolate. I drove from convenience store to convenience store to gas station store to gas station store to find MrBeast chocolate bars. There must have been a lot of people looking for MrBeast chocolate because it was often sold out. When my grandsons finally shared pieces of different chocolate bars, I thought the chocolate was just fair.

Now MrBeast ostensibly wants to be a financial advisor to our young people, and by purchasing Step, a financial services app for teenagers and young adults that claims to have over 7 million users, according to the New York Times article, March 8, 2026, “Attention Parents, MrBeast Enters Financial Services,” by Tara Siegel Bernard and Ron Lieber, he wants all of his 469 million subscribers, which outnumber the US population, and a significant number haven’t yet graduated from high school, to do as he says and invest with him.

Parents may have let their children binge MrBeast on YouTube, but parts of that article stand out to me about MrBeast, who is really Jimmy Donaldson:

“ Nobody taught me about investing, building credit, or managing money when I was growing up. . . . (says MrBeast) Like many founders, Mr. Donaldson has most of net worth tied up with his company . . . . So much so that Mr. Donaldson recently said he was going to need to borrow from his mother to pay for his wedding.”

Here are what you should be aware of and beware of:

First, it is important to understand who is watching him. The audience of Jimmy Donaldson, better known as MrBeast, skews extremely young. Analysts estimate that a large portion of his viewers are between roughly 13 and 34 years old, with millions of middle-school and high-school viewers as well. Nearly half of his audience is part of Gen Z (14 to 29 years old), and even younger Gen Alpha children, up to roughly 16 years old, like mym eight year old grandson, are now watching regularly.

When a personality with hundreds of millions of followers speaks, many young viewers treat it as trusted advice rather than advertising. YouTube has essentially allowed one entertainer to build the kind of influence that once belonged only to major television networks.

Second, MrBeast is no longer just a YouTuber. He now runs a growing business empire through his company Beast Industries. Many of these businesses are aimed directly at the same young audience that watches his YouTube videos.

One of the most visible is Feastables, the chocolate company that sent grandparents like me on scavenger hunts through convenience stores. The brand has become one of his most profitable ventures. He has also been involved in MrBeast Burger, a virtual fast-food chain launched through delivery-only “ghost kitchens,” though that business has faced lawsuits and quality complaints. Another product aimed at children and teens is Lunchly, a packaged lunch product created with other online influencers.

His ambitions do not stop with snacks and fast food. His company has also launched or explored toys, mobile phone service plans, television-style competitions, and data platforms for creators. In other words, the same young fans who watch the videos are being encouraged to buy the food, wear the merchandise, play the games—and now potentially use the financial products.

That brings us to the newest development: the purchase of Step (financial app). The app markets itself as a banking and financial platform for teenagers and young adults. It offers debit cards, savings tools, and features meant to help young people build credit and manage money. It already claims more than seven million users, many of them teenagers.

There have also been discussions about expanding into investments and even cryptocurrency trading in the future.

The concern is not that young people should not learn about money. They absolutely should. The concern is influence. Financial services require careful regulation, transparency, and responsible guidance. Yet this newfinancial platform is tied directly to the same entertainment brand that encourages viral challenges, giveaways, and consumer products.

Executives involved in the company have even said they know how to “gamify” experiences to make them go viral among Gen Z. When money management becomes entertainment, the line between education and promotion can become blurry.

Parents and grandparents should also remember that social-media influence creates what psychologists call a “parasocial relationship.” Children, teenagers, and young adults feel they know the creator personally. When that creator recommends a product—whether it is

chocolate, a burger, or a banking app—it may not feel like advertising at all. It feels like advice from a friend. So what should parents and grandparents do? Worry, not panic—but

pay attention.

Talk to young people about the difference between entertainment and financial advice. Explain that influencers are entrepreneurs whose job is to promote products and to influence others for profit for themselves. Encourage them to learn about money from multiple sources—you, teachers, reputable financial institutions, and independent

financial education programs—not just from someone whose main success

came from viral videos.

Most importantly, keep the conversation simple and respectful so they will listen. You might say something like this:

“MrBeast is great at making videos and building businesses. But when it comes to your money, you should always learn from several experts, not just believe and follow one internet personality.”

That small reminder may help young people enjoy the videos—without letting entertainment make their financial decisions. I will have this discussion with my now fourteen year old grandson at dinner tonight with

Joy,

Mema