The year was 2008, and while most of his friends were decorating their college dorm rooms, Graham Stephan chose to venture into real estate. Little did this naive 18-year-old realize how this decision would set him on a path to unfathomable success.
Now, after selling over $130,000,000 of residential real estate to the rich and famous and starting a grounding-breaking YouTube channel with millions of subscribers, Graham's financial path is paved with gold.
And he wants to help others achieve the same financial freedom.
Did Graham Stephan Go to College?
With his high school diploma in hand, Graham realized college wasn't in the cards for him. He had other visions for his life, and although he was barely an adult, he made the life-changing decision to obtain his real estate license.
This choice would eventually lead him to the Oppenheim Group, one of the premier real estate brokerages in Los Angeles. During his tenure as a real estate agent, he's sold luxury properties to countless celebrities, including Orlando Bloom and Chloe Moretz.
What Does Graham Stephan Do, Exactly?
Although Graham earns enough from real estate to live a silver-spoon life, his entrepreneurial endeavors don't stop there. He also owns and manages six rental properties in Los Angeles and San Bernardino County.
In 2016, Graham decided to add another title to his growing resume—YouTube personality. For years, he watched YouTube videos religiously instead of television. And one day, he decided to test the waters for himself.
Graham shot his fist video using just his iPhone. In that video, he shared his tips and tricks for becoming a successful real estate agent.
"I remember that video getting nine or ten views and thinking, oh my God, nine people somewhere have seen this video!" Graham said.
His first video brought in only a handful of subscribers, but that didn't stop Graham. He began to upload new content twice a week. And once he did, his channel exploded. After just one year, his channel earned $26,000.
Giving Financial Advice Pays Off Big Time
Graham's YouTube channel posts a variety of videos. But the majority focus on seeking financial independence and learning investment strategies. He has over 2 million loyal subscribers, and each video gets between 200K to 1 million views.
He still makes quite a bit in real estate commissions and from his rental properties. But most of Graham Stephan's income now comes from YouTube.
A Millionaire Before the Age of 30
Graham always had a propensity for making money. Early on, he set a goal to become a millionaire by the time he turned 30. However, he ended up reaching this milestone when he was only 26.
But even with YouTube bringing in an estimated $90,684 a month, Graham is still a penny pincher. Those wanting to know how a 29-year-old YouTube millionaire making up to $220,000 a month spends his money find it hard to believe he saves nearly every cent. He lives on a modest $5,000 monthly budget.
Credit: CNBC
How Much Is Graham Stephan Worth?
Stephan has an estimated net worth of $6 million. And unlike other celebrities who throw away their money on expensive purchases and luxury goods, he prefers to reinvest and save his earnings.
What do Graham Stephan, coffee, and clothes have in common? They can all be cheap.
A 29-year-old millionaire who saves 99% of his income shares the two things he refuses to spend money on—coffee and designer clothes. He once told an interviewer, "I've always enjoyed the aspect of not spending money, even as a kid." On the weekend, you won't see Graham Stephan browsing Gucci or Prada. Instead, you may find him stocking up on cheap coffee and looking for bargains at Trader Joe's or H&M.
How Did Graham Stephan Get Rich?
Even before starting his YouTube channel, Graham was well on his way to becoming a millionaire. He currently earns a living from six different revenue sources. Here are his approximate monthly figures:
1. Primary YouTube channel - $81,428
2. Online courses on Teachable - $28,837
3. Rental income - $15,105
4. Secondary YouTube channel - $9,256
5. Real estate commissions - $8,572
6. Affiliates and sponsorships - $7,222
These totals fluctuate throughout the year, but on average, he makes between $61,200-$221,300 each month. And because of his frugal personality and commitment to investing, we can only expect Graham Stephan's net worth to continue growing exponentially.
Graham offers two different courses. The Real Estate Agent Academy teaches budding real estate moguls how to climb to the top. In his classes, he discusses the importance of a great brokerage, tips to get seller leads, and even how to create the perfect listing presentation.
In his YouTube Creator Academy, Graham discusses how to grow a channel and build it into a 6-figure business. He bases his strategies on his successes and failures as a content creator over the years.
How Much Does Google Pay for 1 Million Views? Good Question!
The majority of YouTube content creators rely on Google AdSense to fund their channels. Those advertisements that play before, during, and after videos actually pay creators a small fee to run. The more times viewers watch an ad, the more money they can generate. (Check out this article, How Much Money Do YouTubers Make. And if you want to break into the YouTube game yourself, here’s How to Make Money on YouTube in 2020.)
In his video How Much I Make With 1 Million Subscribers, Graham breaks down the facts on making money on YouTube. He explains how every creator earns a different amount, depending on a complex algorithm.
Google pays out 68% of its AdSense revenues to content creators. If a video received 1 million views, it could generate as much as $17,000 in revenue.
So, How Much Money Does Graham Get from 1 Million YouTube Views?
As Graham tells all his subscribers, the most successful YouTube content creators treat their channel like a business. They regularly upload videos, engage with their audience, and seek out other opportunities. Google Adsense money is just the tip of the iceberg.
Hitting one-million YouTube views can earn you a lot more cash if you seek out other revenue outlets. Sponsorships, merchandise, affiliates, and membership websites are some common ways creators make additional money.
Graham relies on affiliate links in his YouTube descriptions to pad his bank account. Graham Stephan merch is another way he brings in money. He sells "Do Epic Shit" shirts, caps, mugs, and hoodies.
How Much Money Do You Get for 1 Billion Views on YouTube?
Once again, reaching one-billion views on YouTube won't make you enough money to retire, but it will give you a nice amount of cash to feather your nest. These high-reaching videos can earn between $20,000-$2,000,000. For reference, the 2012 viral sensation "Gangnam Style" only brought in $870,000 from AdSense for over 900 million views.
While that was nearly a decade ago, payouts haven't really changed. Because of this, Stephan continually emphasizes finding other ways to monetize your YouTube channel. From The Graham Stephan podcast to offering financial courses, he is the king of creating cash flow.
Who Is the Richest YouTuber?
When you learn how much money Graham Stephan's book, courses, and YouTube generate, you may think he's the wealthiest creator on the platform. However, his revenues don't compare to those of the wealthiest YouTubers.
Take Ryan's World, for instance. Even though Ryan is only 8, his channel has over 23.3 million subscribers. He earns over $26 million per year.
Credit: CNBC
The Private Life of a Rich YouTuber
If you try searching to learn the details about Graham's home, what you find could be a disappointment. Your search results will most likely pull up Graham Stephan Webull stock tips before you find details about his personal life.
He's not the type of guy to flaunt his wealth. Instead, he prefers to keep his private life, well, private. Sometimes, he'll provide a glimpse of how he thinks. We do know he's very smart with his money. He's frugal and estimates he saves about 99% of what he makes.
"I'm probably extreme in terms of saving and frugality, and I think a lot of people probably find it pretty intense."
There's a reason why this 29-year-old millionaire who hates spending money explains why he bought a $19,700 watch. Although a luxury watch may seem extravagant, it was meaningful to Graham. It reminded him of his grandpa. Besides, as he states, "The thing with watches is that a lot of them can make great investments, and most of them end up keeping their value."
An Expensive Admiration for Fast Cars
It surprises some of Graham's fans to learn how much he loves fast cars. He attends car meets with other enthusiasts, and it's common to see him driving his Tesla Model 3 throughout Malibu on the weekends.
Yes, he owns one of the most expensive cars on the market.
While this may seem to go against his brand image, Graham justifies the purchase in his video, “How I got a Tesla for Free.” After making the purchase, he claims the car turned out to be the best investments he ever made. A separate viral video explains how the vehicle's financing made him more money than the price of the car.
Who Is Graham Stephan's Girlfriend?
Although Graham keeps his personal life under lock and key, we do know he is in a relationship with YouTuber Savannah Smiles. According to her Instagram profile, she's Stephan's "#1 Stan." She often posts vlogs with her boyfriend, and she even appears on his YouTube channels.
The Bottom Line
Unlike some wealthy entrepreneurs who prefer to keep their secrets hidden from the public, Graham prefers to remain transparent. He's not shy to admit how much money he makes, and he's even more willing to share his secrets with his followers.
So, one reason so many people love reading articles like this - about people who've created massive, life-altering wealth - is curiosity. We want to know how'd they get so rich? What are they doing with all that money? What's their life like? It's almost as if there's this invisible wall we want to peer over, to see how "the other half" lives.
It's as if the ultra-rich have secrets most people don't know. They DO! And that's good news, actually, because we can all learn them. Once we begin learning what they know, we can do what they did, and create the kind of life most people only wish they had. If you've got that same curiosity about "the other half" you should check this out.
