• Jimmy Donaldson, who goes by MrBeast online, has become a household name.
• Donaldson started his YouTube channel in 2012 and now has over 338 million subscribers.
• Beyond YouTube, Donaldson owns a sprawling business including products and a show on Amazon.

If you've been online, then it's nearly impossible you've avoided the internet's biggest star: MrBeast.

MrBeast, whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson, has an enormous audience online, including over 338 million YouTube subscribers. That makes him the top creator on the platform.

Read: What it's like to work for MrBeast, according to former employees

He posted his first video in 2012 and has dozens of viral videos, including his recreation of Netflix's "Squid Games," which has over 670 million views. He runs several YouTube channels, from MrBeast Gaming to channels dubbed in other languages like Spanish, French, Russian, and Arabic.

Read: MrBeast quietly tested the ability to add multiple audio tracks in different languages to his YouTube videos

Donaldson earns money through brand sponsorships, YouTube ad revenue, merchandise, content licensing, syndication, and more. Documents filed in court in October revealed 163 slides of MrBeast's pitches for brands, including Ford, CarMax, and Walmart.

Read: Court documents reveal how MrBeast pitches brands on sponsoring his YouTube empire

Donaldson's massive business also includes a chocolate and snack brand called Feastables and a charity organization.

Read: YouTube star MrBeast expects to earn 700 million in revenue this year

Instead of packing up and moving to Hollywood when he made it big, Donaldson decided to grow his business from his hometown in Greenville, North Carolina.

Read: In Greenville, North Carolina, everyone has a MrBeast story

Amazon Prime Video took a chance on the YouTuber with a 10-episode show

Donaldson's latest venture is a 10-episode physical competition show on Amazon Prime Video in which contestants compete for a $5 million prize. Earlier this year, discourse and controversy arose around production for the show, which is called "Beast Games."

Read: The Internet's love affair with YouTube's biggest star is showing cracks

Business Insider previously spoke with two Amazon insiders who said that the show faced risks from the start and that Amazon agreed to give Donaldson creative control and approval over ad sponsors.

Read: How Amazon's massive TV deal with YouTube's top star turned sour

BI also viewed documents that contestants of the show's preliminary round were asked to agree to. The terms prohibit contestants from disclosing information about the show, and those who break the agreement before the last episode airs must pay the producer and network $500,000 for each breach, the documents said.

Read: Leaked MrBeast docs reveal "Beast Games" contestant terms

Read more about Donaldson's success, controversies, and business:

• MrBeast acquired a startup that aims to be the LinkedIn for the creator economy
• MrBeast shares his thumbnail strategy and advice to creators
• MrBeast cut ties with his talent management firm Night Media

• I struggled to make friends with other adults when I became a mother.
• I met a woman at a workout class, and we became close, so I opened up to her.
• She decided to end our friendship, and I'm struggling to let anyone else in.

I moved to a small Florida town after growing up in Miami and have been here for over 10 years. I still find it difficult to make friends in the area — whether it's because of cultural differences or just because it's more difficult to connect to others as an adult.

But a few years ago, I met another mom after a workout class. She approached me and initiated a conversation. We immediately found that we had a lot in common. We were the same age and each had a child the same age.

I was initially skeptical of her motives. As an adult, I had never become friendly with other people my age outside work. I hadn't realized until then how much I had shut myself off from the possibility of making new friends.

Since my son was about 3 at the time, and I hadn't successfully made any other mom friends even though I had tried and wanted to when he was younger, it felt like I should let myself open up to her. I had to allow myself to trust that she was simply interested in becoming friends. When I put myself in her position, I thought it was brave of her to approach me without knowing how I would react. I admired her for that.

She became the first adult friend I ever made, but it wasn't a happy ending.

I opened up to my new friend

We became friends quickly. She wasn't shy about calling me just to talk or inviting my son and me over for visits. She was so candid that it made me feel like I could be the same as her. Soon, we weren't just acquaintances but friends who were more like family.

After living away from home for so many years, I had forgotten how nice it was to have a friend like her nearby. She listened to me when I opened up — something I rarely do.

Since all of my best friends live three hours away, I became increasingly grateful to have her in my life and so close by. I don't think long-distance friends are less true friends than the ones you can see every day, but it's definitely different. In times of need, we could literally be there for each other right away.

She wanted to end our friendship

One day, with what felt like no warning, she told me that she didn't want to talk anymore. I could tell by her tone that she had given this decision a lot of thought. She didn't give me a clear reason. Out of respect for her and maybe my own pride, I didn't try to talk her out of it. I said OK, accepting that she no longer wanted to be friends.

I was devastated.

I had endured painful friendship breakups when I was younger, but I had never been through one as an adult. Beyond college friendships and romantic relationships, I had never opened myself up to anyone as much as I had with her.

The end of our friendship felt different from the end of one with a significant other because I viewed dating with the realism that it may not last forever. When it came to friendship, I saw it as something more enduring.

I'm even more closed off than I was before

I don't regret allowing myself to be vulnerable with her. I'm glad we each opened ourselves up to each other. When I look back at everything that was going on in my life at the time, I am so thankful to have had a friend like her to count on.

But since I was already so closed off to the possibility of making any more true friends past my college years when I met her, the way our friendship ended was traumatic for me.

Since then, I have found myself talking to new people less and being much more closed off in social situations. While it's been almost five years since we stopped talking, I still miss her. I'm glad I was able to experience an adult friendship to the degree of closeness that we shared. But the way it ended has made it even more difficult for me to believe in making any more new friends as an adult.

These days, I'm working on not closing myself off completely.

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Medicare's $2,000 prescription drug cap will take effect at the start of the new year.

Why it matters: The yearly limit on out-of-pocket payments, under the Inflation Reduction Act, is expected to lower millions of seniors' medical costs. It will have a particularly significant impact for patients taking expensive drugs to treat cancer and other serious conditions.

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By the numbers: Overall, 3.2 million Americans are expected to save money on prescription medications in 2025, increasing to 4.1 million by 2029, per AARP projections.

• Those figures vary by state. In Texas, 9% of beneficiaries are expected to hit the cap in 2025. That figure is as high as 18% in Alaska, per AARP.
• Nearly half of the Medicare enrollees expected to benefit from the spending limit are between 75 and 84 years old.
• About 1.5 million Medicare beneficiaries spent more than $2,000 on prescriptions in 2021, per KFF. Around 5 million exceeded $2,000 during at least one year between 2012-2021.

How it works: The cap doesn't apply to monthly insurance premiums or drugs administered at the doctor's office or other health care settings.

• Part D plans have historically not had a limit on out-of-pocket spending, according to AARP.
• Certain payments made on an enrollee's behalf, like through the Extra Help program, will count toward the $2,000.

Zoom out: The Inflation Reduction Act will bring other changes to Medicare Part D, too.

• It will make insulin available at $35 per month per covered prescription.
• Enrollees will also have the option to pay out-of-pocket costs in the form of capped monthly installment payments instead of all at once at the pharmacy.
• The Manufacturer Discount Program will replace the existing Coverage Gap Discount Program. It will require manufacturers to provide discounts on their applicable drugs.

Go deeper:

• Medicare drug coverage gets a facelift for 2025
• Scoop: Medicare pilot aims for $2 generic drugs

• Tan Hong Kai, 24, from Singapore, is a senior butler at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore.
• Kai looks after guests in the hotel's most luxurious suites, some of which are invite-only.
• He said he enjoys interacting with famous guests, but last-minute requests can be stressful.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Tan Hong Kai, senior butler for Marina Bay Sands Hotel. It has been edited for length and clarity

My first memory of Marina Bay Sands is standing with the crowds around Marina Bay and watching the New Year's Eve fireworks. Now, I'm proud to say I work in this iconic Singaporean hotel.

I left school at 18 and got a job with the Singapore Tourism Board. After the pandemic, they had a scheme called the SingapoRediscovers Vouchers to promote local tourism. I taught Singaporeans how to use the vouchers and suggest places they might visit. When my contract was coming to an end, I saw a position for a butler at Marina Bay Sands on a local job site.

I read through the job description and was hooked. I loved the idea that the job could change from day to day, so I decided to apply. I passed the interview, and I joined the hotel as a butler in October 2021. The starting wage for a junior butler is SGD3,000 a month, around $2,237.

My training period lasted for three months. I learned basic butler skills, trained with other departments such as housekeeping, and shadowed my mentor, a senior butler.

What surprised me most during my training was how much a butler is encouraged to go that extra mile for a guest, like getting a cake for their birthday or arranging a light meal if they have an early flight.

What I do in Marina Bay Sands

The hotel has 160 butlers, 10 of which look after the VVIP suites, which are called the Paiza Royal Collection. The VVIP suites are located on the highest floors of the hotel and frequented by celebrity guests.

This is where I started working in February 2022. I'm assigned to specific guests rather than the suite, so I work across the VIP and VVIP suites depending upon which room they choose.

My mentor had a lot of experience working with celebrities and taught me tips like if they're going to the restaurant, I need to try to get a private room or a corner table and I should highlight a discreet path they can use to get there.

Two of the suites in the Paiza Royal Collection are invite-only suites. The 630 square meter Chairman Suite has four bedrooms, a private gym, a grand piano, a karaoke room, and a spa.

You can book The Presidential Suite online which costs SGD$35,000, around $26,101, a night. It comes in various configurations, and can include a state-of-the-art golf simulator or karaoke room.

Day-to-day of a luxury hotel butler

I was promoted to a senior butler in September 2023. I plan to stay on the frontline meeting guests and making their stays memorable. I'm uniquely trained to manage celebrities and I'd like to mentor our junior butlers.

We offer a 24-hour butler service, so we are split into three shifts. If I'm working the morning shift, I will start at 7:35 a.m. We will serve the guests breakfast if they've requested it in their suite, collect the laundry, and make sure their mini-bar is replenished.

We create a preference sheet for all our guests, which we leave in our pantry so that all butlers are aware of the guests' likes and dislikes. We will ask the guests if they enjoy nature, adventure, or food and create an itinerary for them.

During the afternoon, the butlers are sometimes invited to the restaurants and the Marina Bay Sands Mall to find out what the latest menus or events are so we can share this with our guests.

If I'm working in the evening, I'll do the turndown service. We will prepare a tea and draw the guest a bath. There are times when our guests want to hold a party so we help them organize drinks, food and decor.

My favorite part of being a butler is the guests' compliment my work

My favorite part of my job is when the guest compliments my work. I had the privilege of taking care of the two Ferrari Formula 1 drivers. They were staying at the hotel during the Singapore Grand Prix in 2023 and 2024. We are usually assigned the same guests when they stay with us again as rapport has already been built.

They were following European time, so they'd wake up late. I'd try to make everything seamless for them, such as keeping the buffet open. During an interview, the drivers said they enjoyed their stay in Singapore because of me. I was really pleased to hear that.

I get a lot of last-minute requests. I've had a guest text me to say they're in the adjacent mall and have shopping they'd like us to collect. I've also had a guest say they've got lost in the mall and ask me to come and find them.

One of my most challenging moments as a butler was when a guest messaged me at 9 p.m. to say their family wanted to go for a bike ride that night. The rental shops had closed, so I managed to find a sports store that was still open where I could buy five bikes. We now have them in storage if another family wants to use them.

Some requests are more challenging than others

We try not to say no to any of our guests' requests. If we can't fulfil a particular request, we always offer alternatives. There are requests that are easy to manage and others that are more challenging, but at the end of the day the butler's role is to ensure our guests have the best experience possible.

The only time I have to say no is when someone wants to purchase medication. That's for safety reasons, but I will arrange for a car to take them to the pharmacy.

I work five days a week. During my downtime I like to just chill out. I may also enjoy a meal with friends, watch Korean dramas or play with my nephews.

I feel really privileged to be working at Marina Bay Sands. Watching the fireworks on New Year's Eve is still one of my favorite times of the year. As the butlers have access to all the floors, we can watch the fireworks from floor 54, the highest floor in the hotel. It's a big perk.

• Business Insider spoke to two professional organizers about what to get rid of before the new year.
• The end of the year is a good time to go through your holiday decor and outdated clothing.
• Expired food and beauty products shouldn't make their way into the new year.

The end of the year is a great time to do some decluttering. However, it can be difficult to decide what should stay and what should go.

To make things easier, Business Insider asked professional organizers about the best things to get rid of before the new year. Here's what they said.

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• Marlo Lyons is a career coach focusing on professional transitions and executive training.
• She told Business Insider the holiday season is the perfect time to reassess your career path.
• Lyons says reflecting now on your goals and boundaries and celebrating your wins can start 2025 on the right foot.

After a year of crushing layoffs and a cool labor market, career coach Marlo Lyons knows job seekers are downright exhausted.

Lyons said the tech and automotive industries have slowed hiring, and there are fewer entry-level jobs available due to advances in automation. However, she sees the end of 2024 as an opportunity for people to reassess their career paths to start 2025 on the right foot.

Here are her top tips for jumpstarting your career in 2025 with a few easy steps before the end of the year.

Reset your mindset

The holiday period is an ideal time to reflect on the past year, Lyons said. Consider — and write down — what went well, what challenges you faced, what you learned, and identify any limiting beliefs that you may have about what you can and can't achieve in the next year.

Do the things that work for you to take stock, she said. Some people like to journal, some meditate, and others choose self-development activities like attending workshops or seminars. Still, Lyons said it's important to take the time to mindfully set your goals and write them down "because people don't write them down, then they wonder why they didn't achieve them."

She recommended identifying what you hope to accomplish each quarter and setting an action plan to help you achieve your goals, breaking your goals into small steps, and celebrating your progress as you go.

Also important is to find your why: Why are you motivated to accomplish this goal? Because without your "why," you have nothing to anchor your goals to, she said.

Set boundaries to reach your goals

Once you know your goals and your reasons for achieving them, Lyons said the best way to accomplish them is to set boundaries and a daily schedule ahead of time.

"Because if you don't set boundaries, your goal becomes the last thing on the priority list," Lyons said.

Write down your ideal daily schedule, and then do your best to stick to it — even if your plans get derailed, practicing adhering to your dream routine gets you in the habit of doing it all the time.

Block off your calendar now for important events. If you want to take a walk every day at lunch, take a moment now to block your calendar so meetings don't creep in. If you want to save time for career coaching or other self-development, prioritize it by blocking it off.

"And get rid of the negative thoughts if you don't achieve it all in one day, or you don't do it the whole week, because boundaries are also mental boundaries with yourself," Lyons said.

Reconnect with your network

The holiday season is the perfect excuse to refresh your connections with your network, Lyons said.

"Whether you're looking to advance your career, grow your business, or just maintain meaningful relationships, you need to have a strong network," Lyons said. "You can deepen those bonds with people through casual conversation, but also in the new year, it's a great time to wish somebody a happy new year you haven't spoken to a while and ask to reconnect."

Your network is where you get job offers, develop partnerships, and start collaborations, Lyons said. And since the beginning of the year begins slow for many companies, the holiday season is a great opportunity to catch up with people you may have lost touch with over the years.

With a tight job market and HR professionals increasingly relying on artificial intelligence to weed out candidates, Lyons said there's an increasing advantage in having a personal referral when you're looking for a new job.

"With those relationships, candidates are going to really stand out and bring unique value," Lyons said.

• Netflix's hit drama "Virgin River" released its latest batch of episodes in December 2024.
• The streamer announced in October that a seventh season had been greenlit.
• Here's what we know about season seven of the show.

Warning: Spoilers ahead for the season six finale of "Virgin River."

The latest season of Netflix's romantic drama "Virgin River" saw nurse practitioner Melinda Monroe (Alexandra Breckenridge) and restaurateur Jack Sheridan (Martin Henderson) finally walk down the aisle together.

It was a long time coming for the couple, who have faced no end of ups and downs since their meet-cute in the show's first season.

Elsewhere, Lizzie (Sarah Dugdale) and Denny (Kai Bradbury) prepared for the arrival of their baby, while Hope (Annette O'Toole) and Doc (Tim Matheson) faced a new threat.

The new episodes also used flashbacks to introduce viewers to younger versions of Mel's parents, Sarah (Jessica Rothe) and Everett (Callum Kerr), giving a glimpse at how their own love story unfolded. The characters are set to be the focus of an upcoming spinoff series.

As for what's next for Mel, Jack, and the rest of the residents of the fictional Northern Californian town, keep reading for everything we know so far about season seven.

'Virgin River' was renewed for season 7 before season 6 aired

The cast of "Virgin River" announced the show's renewal on the series' official Instagram in October.

"Good news, Virgin River is confirmed to come back for Season 7! More love, drama, and small-town charm coming your way. You're very welcome," the caption read.

The series is now Netflix's longest-running original scripted series. The comedy dramas "Orange Is the New Black" and "Grace and Frankie," both ran for seven seasons before ending in 2019 and 2022, respectively.

'Virgin River' season 7 will explore Jack and Mel's 'honeymoon phase'

Speaking to Netflix fan site Tudum, showrunner Patrick Sean Smith teased what fans could expect from the coming season.

"I think we've only just begun to see Mel and Jack function as a married couple, which is exciting," he said, adding that season seven would likely "explore the honeymoon phase for them as they're building their lives on the farm, which can come with its own obstacles."

For those wondering whether those obstacles may include splitting the couple up again, Smith said that wasn't on the cards.

"I can't imagine creating a scenario where you think Mel and Jack are going to break up," he said. "It forces you to dig a little bit deeper into, well, what other issues can they have in their relationship? Especially when you want to keep it through the romance lens. I think Alex and Martin play all of those [moments so well], it's just resting on emotional stakes as opposed to will they, won't they."

There is no release date for season 7 just yet

With season six released earlier this month, it's unlikely that fans will see season seven drop on Netflix any time soon.

In fact, season seven hasn't even begun filming yet. The cast and crew are scheduled to return to set in British Columbia in the Spring of 2025, Smith said, per Deadline.

The show may go on

Netflix hasn't officially confirmed an eighth season, but Smith said that there were "no plans" for the show to end anytime soon.

"No plans to wrap up the series anytime soon, and as long as people keep coming back for it, we're proud and happy to keep telling these stories," he told Deadline in December.

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