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September 27, 2024 • 44min
#366 Mr. Beast Leaked Memo
Founders
This episode analyzes a leaked internal memo from MrBeast (Jimmy Donaldson) to his production team. The memo provides insights into MrBeast's philosophy, management approach, and advice for creating successful YouTube content. The host draws connections between MrBeast's ideas and those of other successful entrepreneurs and business leaders throughout history.
#366 Mr. Beast Leaked Memo
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Key Takeaways
- Obsession with learning and mastery is critical - Jimmy emphasizes the importance of deeply understanding YouTube, watching tons of videos, and mastering every aspect of content creation
- Only do what only you can do - Focus on creating content and experiences that are unique and that only MrBeast can deliver
- Results matter more than hours worked - The company values outcomes and impact over time spent
- Accountability and ownership are essential - Take full responsibility for projects and outcomes, don't make excuses
- Consultants are "cheat codes" - Leverage experts to accelerate learning and avoid reinventing the wheel
- Push through "no" - Be persistent and creative in overcoming obstacles and rejections
- Honesty over niceness - Direct feedback and critique of the work is valued over politeness
- Obsess over every detail - Small improvements compound to make a big difference at scale
- Pay for top talent - Reward and retain the best people generously
- Growth mindset - There is infinite room for growth and development for ambitious team members
Introduction
This episode analyzes a leaked internal memo from MrBeast (Jimmy Donaldson) to his production team. The memo provides insights into MrBeast's philosophy, management approach, and advice for creating successful YouTube content. The host draws connections between MrBeast's ideas and those of other successful entrepreneurs and business leaders throughout history.
Topics Discussed
Obsession with Learning and Mastery (14:01)
MrBeast emphasizes the critical importance of deeply understanding YouTube and mastering content creation:
- Encourages team to watch tons of YouTube, especially MrBeast videos
- Spent 20,000-30,000 hours studying YouTube in early years
- Wants team members to be "obsessed with YouTube"
- Recommends watching last 50 MrBeast videos to get up to speed
The host draws parallels to other successful entrepreneurs who demonstrated similar obsession with learning:
- Bill Gates had encyclopedic knowledge of the software industry
- Edwin Land read every book on optics at Harvard and NY Public Library
- John D. Rockefeller studied years of accounting books from previous employers
"The good ones know more" - David Ogilvy quote on the importance of deep knowledge
Only Do What Only You Can Do (16:01)
MrBeast emphasizes creating content that only his team can produce:
- "Another way to look at this is it's a segment that only MrBeast can do"
- Example: Bringing in a house by crane instead of starting with it there
- Doing things no other creator can do separates MrBeast in viewers' minds
The host connects this to similar ideas from other entrepreneurs:
- Edwin Land's motto: "Don't do anything that someone else can do"
- Larry Ellison on building a hard wing sail: "If we can do something really hard, we won't have any competition"
Results Over Hours Worked (12:01)
MrBeast emphasizes valuing outcomes over time spent:
- "The amount of hours you work is irrelevant"
- Example of team member solving problem in 30 minutes that stumped others for a week
- "We are a results based company. Get s**t done and move the goalpost."
Accountability and Ownership (28:03)
MrBeast stresses taking full responsibility for projects and outcomes:
- "Own your mistakes"
- Hates excuses and people trying to save face
- Mistakes are okay and expected, but learn from them
- Take ownership to prevent project failures
The host connects this to other business leaders' perspectives:
- Jeff Bezos: "If you're not making mistakes, you're not taking enough risks"
- Sears executive: "I fire people who don't make mistakes"
Consultants as "Cheat Codes" (30:03)
MrBeast strongly advocates leveraging expert consultants:
- "Consultants are literally cheat codes"
- Can save weeks of work by tapping into existing expertise
- Demands team always check for consultants when assigned tasks
Pushing Through "No" (30:03)
MrBeast encourages persistence and creativity in overcoming obstacles:
- "Never take no at face value"
- Try multiple avenues and levels of an organization
- Only stop when all conceivable options are exhausted
The host connects this to James Cameron's persistence in self-educating on filmmaking when rejected from film school.
Honesty Over Niceness (32:04)
MrBeast values direct feedback over politeness:
- "I'd rather you be honest with each other than nice to each other"
- Holds the work as most important, not people's feelings
The host connects this to Jony Ive's story about Steve Jobs critiquing his concern for team morale:
"No, Johnny, you're just really vain. You just want people to like you...I thought you held the work up as the most important, not how you believed you were being perceived by other people." - Steve Jobs to Jony Ive
Obsessing Over Details (36:05)
MrBeast emphasizes the importance of optimizing every aspect of videos:
- Obsesses over every second of video performance
- Small improvements compound to huge differences at scale
- Example: 90 second difference in average view duration led to 80 million more views
The host connects this to Walt Disney's philosophy:
"If we lose the details, we lose everything" - Walt Disney
Paying for Top Talent (40:06)
MrBeast believes in generously rewarding and retaining the best people:
- "I deeply believe in rewarding the people that help this business get to where it needs to be"
- Pays top dollar for the best talent in each role
The host connects this to other entrepreneurs' perspectives:
- Steve Jobs: "It really pays to go after the best people in the world"
- Brad Jacobs: "It's nearly impossible to overpay for talent"
Growth Mindset (42:06)
MrBeast emphasizes room for growth and development:
- "There is infinite room for you to grow here"
- Encourages team to seek feedback on how to improve
- Promises opportunities to those who master needed skills
Conclusion
The leaked MrBeast memo provides a fascinating window into the philosophy and management approach behind one of the most successful YouTube channels. Many of MrBeast's core principles - obsession with learning, focus on unique value, results-orientation, accountability, leveraging expertise, persistence, honest feedback, attention to detail, investing in talent, and emphasis on growth - echo ideas from other highly successful entrepreneurs throughout history. This demonstrates how timeless business wisdom applies even to cutting-edge digital media. The memo offers valuable insights for anyone seeking to build a high-performing team or organization, regardless of industry.