Learn From MrBeast About Creating Online Content
Do you recognize the name MrBeast as the world’s most popular YouTuber? Do you think he can teach and inspire others to create online content, and would you be interested in taking his online courses to improve your skills? Here is what any chess player interested in being a content creator needs to know:
- Who Is MrBeast?
- Why Is MrBeast So Popular?
- What Online Courses Is MrBeast Developing?
- What Are the Benefits Of This Program?
- How Is MrBeast Connected To The Chess Community?
- How To Register For MrBeast’s Online Program
Who Is MrBeast?
Jimmy Donaldson, known as MrBeast on social media, is the world’s most popular YouTuber who became well-known to the chess community during PogChamps events. His online brand, the largest on YouTube, includes five YouTube channels — with a combined 20 billion views — and has 125 full-time and 125 contract employees. Forbes has valued it at $54 million a year.
Why Is MrBeast So Popular?
MrBeast films himself doing clever and amazing stunts. For example, he has filmed himself driving a car built out of Legos, riding 1,000 loops on a Ferris wheel, and eating a 6-foot slice of pizza. Perhaps his most famous stunt was counting to 100,000 out loud without leaving his chair — an act in self-torture that lasted 40 hours. Many of his YouTube videos have been viewed more than 100 million times.
MrBeast rides a Ferris wheel 1,000 times in a video viewed more than 74 million times.
What Online Courses Is MrBeast Developing?
MrBeast will be developing online courses that can help YouTube content creators with filming, editing, and analytical skills. The courses are in a program that will train and credential employees of creator companies that produce content. By offering a credentialed program, he will help the creator industry, valued at $104 billion annually by Fast Company, to develop more talent.
The program will be conducted by East Carolina University in an exclusive partnership with MrBeast. Enrolling at ECU as a traditional student is not required to take the courses. About the program in the recorded interview below, MrBeast told Dr. Philip Rogers, chancellor of East Carolina: “You’re not going to get a more aggregated source of knowledge.”
The university is known for delivering courses online and offering alternative pathways for adult learners to prepare for careers. MrBeast’s business is headquartered in Greenville, NC, where East Carolina is located. Read the ECU announcement here.
You're not going to get a more aggregated source of knowledge.
—MrBeast
What Are Benefits Of This Program?
Students will learn leading-edge techniques and gain exposure to insider knowledge to prepare them to be fully employed by a creator company. The creator industry, which consists of more than 50 million amateurs and 2 million professionals, is experiencing rapid growth. More than 1 million content creators earn a living on YouTube alone. However, as MrBeast explains, content companies face significant challenges in finding and retaining skilled talent that has the knowledge and competencies needed for their specific type of filming, editing, and strategy.
How Is MrBeast Connected To The Chess Community?
MrBeast participated in the PogChamps3 and PogChamps4 events. For PogChamps 3, MrBeast worked with GM Hikaru Nakamura to prepare for matches against other star content creators, streamers, and celebrities. The video below shows part of MrBeast's training, where he played a material-odds game against Nakamura.
In PogChamps4, Chess.com proclaimed that MrBeast is an “endgame genius.” Observe how he forces checkmate with two queens in a game played against fellow content creator, jakenbakeLIVE.
How To Register For MrBeast’s Online Program
To receive updates about the program, including registration information, visit the website of MrBeast/ECU Educational Partnership here.
Are you surprised to learn that MrBeast is leading the way to grow the creator industry?
Ray Linville’s high point as a chess player occurred when he swiped the queen of GM Hikaru Nakamura in a 60-second bullet game in 2021. This game was reported in a “My Best Move” column of the Chess Life magazine, published by the U.S. Chess Federation.
At Chess.com, he has been an editor (part-time) since 2019 and has edited news articles and tournament reports—including those of the Candidates and World Championship Tournaments and other major events—by titled players and noted chess writers as well as Game of the Day annotations by leading grandmasters. He has also been a contributing writer of chess terms, e-books, and general interest articles for ChessKid.com.
He enjoys “top blogger” status at Chess.com. His blog has won the award for Best Chess Blog from the Chess Journalists of America for several years. In addition, he has also been the recipient of first-place CJA awards for feature article, humorous contribution, online review, and educational lesson as well as honorable mention in the categories of personal narrative and historical article.