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YouTube has provided a way for millennial entrepreneurs, influencers, newscasters, podcasters, and entertainers, in general, to accrue a significant amount of wealth outside of the traditional parameters of the industry. Production is provided by the individual, and starting budgets become entirely unnecessary. With a web camera, some basic editing skills, and a penchant for popularity, any individual can turn their bedroom into a full-fledged production studio capable of producing content for millions of viewers. Such was the case for millennial YouTube star Graham Stephan, who not only captured millions of audience members but turned them into millions of dollars worth of income.
Originally frugal and conservative with his spending, Stephan has stepped up his studio, budget, and home as he begins exemplifying the life of a millionaire. He spent over $45,000 building out a massive 310-gallon aquarium, purchased a 3,900-square-foot home just outside of Las Vegas, Nevada, and has filled that home with over $100,000 worth of furniture, artwork, pianos, and even a neon sign that radiates his catchy catchphrase “Smash The Like Button.” But all of these are new lifestyle aspects for Stephan. While finance has been a part of his success (much of his YouTube videos cover topics like the housing market, cryptocurrency, and meme stocks), his decision to dive into the millionaire lifestyle is a relatively recent trend.
YouTube: A Full Time Job For Millennials
Stephan started his career within real estate, working as an agent for the Oppenheim Group. But quickly, Stephan started to prioritize his time. He noticed he was spending just 20% of his time and energy on real estate, while the other 80% was consumed by YouTube. He would stay up late editing videos, researching new topics, and discovering the latest finance trends and quirks to share with his followers. Quickly, he realized he could make more money off of YouTube than as a full-time agent. When Stephan earned roughly 1.5 million subscribers on his channel, he left his job and started pursuing YouTube as a full-time occupation. By the end of the year, he had earned roughly $1 million off YouTube ad sales alone.
Stephan started to go even more viral shortly after due to his consistent posting (roughly 3-4 times per week). By 2019, Stephan was receiving over 7 million views on certain videos, more than America’s Got Talent finale received in 2021. He was then featured on the CNBC series Millennial Money, which earned him even more followers, views, and subscribers. By the time Stephan turned 26, he was a millionaire. By 2021, he reported that he was making $1.42 million in ad revenue alone off of his various channels.
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Behind The Operation
The consistent content creation and necessity to stay on schedule required Stephan to step up his enterprise. Stephan reported he was working nearly ten hours a day on the computer, researching the markets, planning out ideas, and editing video content. While it started as a one-man operation, it was quickly brought to Stephan’s attention that he would need a team to keep the business afloat. Graham hired a video editor who lives with him full time, as well as another editor who has an office set up in Stephan’s Las Vegas home. The three of them run all of Stephan’s YouTube channels and social media accounts. While Stephan still dedicates his life to the YouTube hustle, he has found ways to enjoy his income, like purchasing the massive fish tank featured in his foyer. But despite his new notable net worth of nearly $15.5 million, Stephan still presents his life as a frugal financial figure.
Millionaire Money Management
In an interview with CNBC, Stephan made a list outlining his expenses which helped him maintain his multi-million-dollar net worth. The bulk of his income every month goes to his mortgage payment for his Las Vegas home. The $1.4 million, 3,900-square-foot property costs him on average $6,448 per month, which includes the mortgage, property taxes, and Homeowners Association fees. This doesn’t include Stephan’s utility fees, which require an additional $570 per month for gas, electricity, and internet. The next highest expenditure for Stephan is food, listed at $820 a month. This covers restaurant spending along with team dinners. Stephan still has his girlfriend handle their monthly grocery bill.
An estimated $632 is spent on Stephan’s Tesla payment. The cost is high when compared to Stephan’s past. His most popular video on YouTube to date outlines Stephan’s first Tesla purchase, a decision that only cost him a surprising $78 per month. Another $446 goes toward his entertainment endeavors which include a pool tech, house cleaners, and any additional credit card fees. Insurance is also a high monthly expenditure for Stephan, as $437 is set aside for both health and car insurance. His phone bill remains low at just $50 a month, and his subscription services are even less, at just $20 per month for both Spotify and Amazon Prime. With all of these expenses added up, Stephan estimates that he saves about $400,000 per month, with 60% of it allocated towards investments and the other 40% being carefully nestled away in a high-interest savings account.
While Stephan continues to save his money, his content and virality on YouTube show no signs of slowing down. His videos receive an average of several hundred thousand views a day, and his subscriber count is now up to 3.41 million on YouTube. That doesn’t include his additional 400 thousand followers on Instagram. Stephan has now started his own coffee company as well, known as Bank Roll Coffee, which is promoted across all of his social media accounts.
With a consistent plan to save money and ever-increasing popularity, it would be no surprise if Stephan is able to leverage his growth on YouTube into a full-fledged young entrepreneur. He maintains both excitement and enthusiasm when it comes to the future of his just-emerging career. “I have no idea how long it’s going to last,” Stephan told CNBC. “I have no idea where this might pivot to. I’m really optimistic that it’s going to continue for quite some time, but I have no idea how it’s going to continue to adapt and evolve.”
Source: CNBC, Forbes, JustJared, Briefly, WeGotThisCovered, YouTube, TVSeriesFinale, Instagram, BankRollCoffee