22 Inspirational YouTube Success Stories & Case Studies [2023]
For anyone looking to start a successful YouTube channel, there are plenty of YouTube channel success stories that can be used as inspiration and encouragement. In addition, YouTube has an established monetization system and boasts incredible popularity, making it a potential platform for revenue generation.
In this article, we'll look at different approaches you can use to help promote your channel and grow your viewers. While there's no quick and easy way to success, you can take these tips to build your own YouTube Channel Success story. If you love content creation, you can capitalize on YouTube's popularity to earn extra income.
If you want to join the Youtube partner program to monetize your channel, you will need to reach a minimum of 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours in the previous 12 months.
Here are some real life success stories of starting a youtube channel:
1. Pete & Pedro ($7.2M/year)
Aaron Marino (from Marietta, GA, USA) started Pete & Pedro about 10 years ago.
Hi - I'm Aaron Marino, the founder of Pete & Pedro - a premium men's grooming brand. I have one of the biggest men's lifestyle channels on YouTube with 6M+ fans and also have a few other businesses as well including Tiege Hanley, Enemy, Menfluential Advertising Agency.
I've actually been on Shark Tank two times... one of the few! Pete & Pedro is focused on the men's grooming market and our core products are our hairstyling/haircare/fragrance products led by Putty, Salt, and REBEL.
2. The Kavalier ($72K/year)
Jon Shanahan (from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA) started The Kavalier about 8 years ago.
Recognizing the need for my own presence I put up my blog in early 2018 but still focused on putting out a video every weekday. I’ve grown steadily each year, doubling my subscriber count every six months to 57k currently. Revenue is increasing at a similar pace, today about $7,000 per month.
Learn more about starting a youtube channel:
Where to start?
-> How much does it cost to start a youtube channel?
-> Pros and cons of a youtube channel
Need inspiration?
-> Examples of established youtube channel
-> Marketing ideas for a youtube channel
-> Youtube channel slogans
-> Youtube channel names
Other resources
-> Youtube channel tips
-> Blog post ideas for a youtube channel
-> Youtube channel quotes
-> Youtube channel hashtags
4. MTN SIDE BUILDERS ($480K/year)
Andrew Stokes - Cameron Vilcsak (from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada) started MTN SIDE BUILDERS almost 5 years ago.
With a little luck, and a lot of gaming the YouTube algorithm, I was able to experience the viral effects of the internet. It has now been seen by over 25m people through my channel and other media networks.
5. Cinquanta Cox-Smith ($120K/year)
Cinquanta Cox-Smith (from Killeen, TX, USA) started *Cinquanta Cox-Smith * over 13 years ago.
Hey, y’all I’m Cinquanta Cox-Smith I hate putting myself in a box, but If I had to explain what I do: I’m a Multipreneur. (Author, Podcaster, and Entrepreneur) I’ve been helping entrepreneurs start an EASY Print On Demand side hustle from anywhere for about 3 years now. I’m originally from a small town in South Carolina called Georgetown. It’s historic in many ways, especially for the Geechee Gullah culture. I’m an Army Veteran and my Husband (Shawn) is an active-duty soldier. We have 2 kids Kyree (15) and Sharye (12). Let’s not forget about our dog ChuChu. He's most definitely the star of this show.
I’ve always felt like this was just a hobby, or I was just making shirts but Print On Demand is so much more than that. It’s helped me create $7,000 in one month selling POD journals on Amazon KDP, it’s helped me land a Magazine Cover with my T-Shirts for Stars & Stripes (American Military Newspaper). It’s helped me teach over 10,000 people how to create passive & residual income from home with just a computer and some wi-fi. Most importantly it’s allowed me the gift of TIME. Time to spend and travel with my family. Once we get further along into this interview. I’ll tell you about how I accidentally started in the Print On Demand industry 12 years ago.
6. Ask Holly Hall ($72K/year)
Holly (from Toronto, ON, Canada) started Ask Holly Hall almost 4 years ago.
I am an Author, LifeCoach Astropsychologist, Clairvoyant, Spiritual Therapist, Astrologer, and Teacher at Ask Holly Hall. At a young age, I recognized my relationship with The Universe.
Understand the importance of your presence as a fundamental part of this continuous existence, called life. One reading will do just that! Co-Create your future with a higher vibration.
7. Biteplay ($72K/year)
Henrique Chappuis (from Florianópolis, SC, Brasil) started Biteplay about 3 years ago.
We’re an early-stage startup with a 1-year old business that generates 5-10k each month and is growing by 30% a month in revenue because we’re in the hot spot of the video era. Moreover, Biteplay is used in 56 countries around the world and we got to be featured in Product Hung as a top 2 product of the day and week competing with the most innovative product and tech in the world.
8. Delray Watch Supply ($3.84M/year)
John Pietrasz (from Miami, Florida, USA) started Delray Watch Supply over 5 years ago.
Hi! My name is John Pietrasz, and I am co-founder of Delray Watch Supply, DelrayWatch.com - informally known as Delray Watch. We are a tech-driven luxury watch dealer with a focus on the true watch collectors, casually known as “watch geeks”. By aid of a proprietary algorithm, we, my business partner Federico Iossa and I, are able to offer collectors the most for their pieces on trade, while still remaining competitive in our listing prices.
I started this business with my partner, Federico Iossa (popular from the YouTube series ‘Federico Talks Watches’) 20 months ago with $4,000 in a kitchen, and now see sales of over $3.3 MM annually, at the age of 28.
9. Annmarie ($12M/year)
Kevin Gianni (from Berkeley, California, USA) started Annmarie over 13 years ago.
I’m Kevin Gianni the CEO and founder of Annmarie Skin Care. Our business started ten years ago and I couldn’t imagine doing anything else. Annmarie Skin Care is a natural, organic skin care and beauty company that is dedicated to helping people make better decisions about their skin, beauty and overall health. Each product is made with hand-selected ingredients that are then crafted using additional plant extracts to make them effective as possible.
I experimented with many diets and medical protocols to differentiate myth from reality. I traveled around the world with my wife Annmarie searching for the best foods, medicines, and clinics to introduce them to the viewers of our popular YouTube videocast, The Renegade Health Show. We created over 900 videos, over 105k subscribers and a seven-figure business.
10. Chicken Armor® ($9.6K/year)
Jill Bong (from Oregon, USA) started Chicken Armor® about 12 years ago.
I’m Jill Bong, co-founder of Chicken Armor®. We designed a different chicken saddle that makes it not only affordable but low-maintenance as well.
Since its inception, Chicken Armor® has sold over 50,000 saddles. Our saddles have protected chickens in all 50 states and on 4 continents.
11. Mrs Daaku Studio ($60K/year)
Chhavi Agarwal (from New Delhi, Delhi, India) started Mrs Daaku Studio over 4 years ago.
I am Chhavi, the founder and owner of the blog and YouTube channel Mrs Daaku Studio along with my husband Amit.
Our blog, YouTube channel, and products are designed to help you achieve what we have (...and, more).
12. Rhett & Link YouTube Channel ($30M/year)
Rhett and Link run a comedy-style YouTube channel with 17M subscribers.
Rhett McLaughlin and Charles Lincoln (from Macon, Georgia, U.S.) started Rhett & Link YouTube Channel about 22 years ago.
- Rhett and Link ranked fourth on Forbes' list of the top 10 highest-earning YouTubers of 2021
- They previously hosted an R-rated live stream, which was viewed by 70,000 fans who paid as much as $50 a ticket
- They plan to invest $5 million in other YouTubers
Read the full story on ibtimes.com ➜
13. MrBeast YouTube Channel ($54M/year)
MrBeast runs YouTube channels with over 100M combined subscribers. MrBeast is also called the "Santa of YouTube". Here's the case study on how he gained 90 million subscribers.
MrBeast (from Wichita, KS, USA) started MrBeast YouTube Channel about 11 years ago.
Some of the BIGGEST accomplishments of MrBeast:
- Raised $20 million to plant 20 million trees
- Donated over 100 cars including Lamborghini
- Gave away a private island
- Gave away 1 million dollars in one video and did many more of such crazy stuff
Read the full story on bloggerspassion.com ➜
14. Kashvi Adlakha YouTube Channel ($16M/year)
Kashvi Adlakha is a YouTuber with 4.1M subscribers.
Kashvi Adlakha (from New Delhi, Delhi, India) started Kashvi Adlakha YouTube Channel about 6 years ago.
- On average, Kashvi Adlakha's YouTube channel attracts 331.82 million views a month, and around 11.06 million views a day.
- We can estimate that Kashvi Adlakha earns $1.33 million a month, reaching $19.91 million a year.
Read the full story on networthspot.com ➜
15. Rosanna Pansino YouTube Channel ($5M/year)
Rosanna Pansino is an American YouTube personality, baker, actress, and producer who has a net worth of $9 million.
Rosanna Pansino (from Seattle, WA, USA) started Rosanna Pansino YouTube Channel almost 13 years ago.
- Rosanna Pansino is one of the highest-paid personalities on YouTube.
- She has 13.7 million subscribers on her YouTube channel.
- She creates cooking videos which are typically 15-20 minutes long.
- Every year, she earns over $5 million from her various entertainment endeavors.
Read the full story on forbes.com ➜
16. Zoella YouTube Channel ($4.57M/year)
Zoella is a well-known English beauty and fashion vlogger, who is also a YouTuber and author.
Zoe Elizabeth Sugg (from Lacock, Chippenham, Wiltshire, UK) started Zoella YouTube Channel about 14 years ago.
- Zoella has a total net worth of more than $5 million as of January 2021.
- She earned this fortune by uploading her YouTube videos and has almost a billion views.
- She has 10.8 millions of subscribers on YouTube.
- Her popularity made her appear in several advertisements and has also appeared on television.
Read the full story on influencermatchmaker.co.uk ➜
17. YourAverageTechBro ($30K/year)
Dohyun Kim (from ) started YourAverageTechBro over 2 years ago.
Hi! My name is Dohyun Kim, and I am the individual behind the social media account YourAverageTechBro. My largest platform is TikTok with 155,000 followers, and I am also on Youtube with around 11,000 subscribers, and I am also on Instagram with a much more humble follower count of 850, and on Twitter @DohyunKim.
Currently, I am averaging around $3000/month across ad money, sponsored content, and a few course sales (this is a much newer product category that I am breaking into.
18. Part-Time YouTuber Academy ($4.5M/year)
Ali Abdaal (from ) started Part-Time YouTuber Academy about 6 years ago.
- Ali Abdaal is a junior doctor who also runs the Part-Time YouTuber Academy, a website with tutorials for aspiring YouTubers.
- Ali has a YouTube channel with over 3M subscribers and over 218,836,000 total views, he generates around $4.5M+ income from 15 sources.
- He has uploaded more than 400 high-quality videos on YouTube, where he talks about leading a happier, healthier, and more fruitful life.
- Ali has been producing content online for more than ten years and YouTube has become a source of steady income for him. Now he helps other aspiring YouTubers turn this into a full-time career.

Read the full story on entrepreneurshandbook.co ➜
19. Kirsty Partridge Art ($36.7K/year)
Kirsty Partridge (from United Downs, Redruth, England, UK) started Kirsty Partridge Art about 8 years ago.
On Jan 9, 2015, Kirsty Partridge started an art youtube channel. Since then, she's gained over 1.3M subscribers and 81,296,486 views so far.
After she realized the growth potential of her Youtube channel, she launched her website, Kirsty Partridge Art, where she provides art tutorials, drawing guides, online art courses, and more.
Kirtsy also offers a personalized art course through her course Coloured Pencil Academy and to date, she has taught more than 21K+ students who have a deep love for art & drawing.

Read the full article on artismycareer.com ➜
20. Humphrey ($240K/year)
Humphrey Yang (from San Francisco, CA, USA) started Humphrey about 4 years ago.
Humphrey Yang is a personal finance expert and content creator who primarily uses TikTok and YouTube to reach out to his audience.
Yang began his professional career in 2011 as a player experience assistant lead for Facebook games at Kabam.
In late 2019, on a whim after Thanksgiving, he began publishing his content on the rapidly growing platform.
- Currently, Humphrey has around 3.3 million followers on TikTok and his YouTube channel has 860K subscribers.
- His videos have been watched around 120,006,741 times.
As of 2022, his estimated net worth is $2 million, and he generates $20,000 per month from nine passive sources of income.
He makes money from his Patreon page, real estate, digital products, cryptocurrency staking, content writing, Turo car rentals, stocks, and his YouTube channel.

Watch the full video on youtube.com ➜
22. Pursuit of Passive Income ($264K/year)
Michael Morris (from Richmond, VA, USA) started Pursuit of Passive Income about 2 years ago.
Hey there, I’m Michael Morris, Founder & CEO of Pursuit of Passive Income. We exist to help guide aspiring entrepreneurs in their quest to create passive income streams, achieve financial freedom and create a life they love.
Hey! 👋 I'm Pat Walls, the founder of Starter Story.
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