Do you see dollar signs? YouTube star Shane Dawson (real name Shane Lee Yaw) previously opened up about his financial insecurities during his docuseries with fellow influencer Jeffree Star. Although he feels “poor” compared to the makeup guru, his personal net worth is nothing to scoff at. How much money does Shane make? Definitely enough to make you a bit jealous.
The 31-year-old started out on the video platform in 2008 and has accumulated an estimated net worth of $12 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth and Wealthy Gorilla. His YouTube channel currently sits at a hefty 23.2 million subscribers and he dabbles as an author, producer and actor.
While it seems like he’s killing it, Shane admitted in the first episode of “The Beautiful World of Jeffree Star” docuseries in 2018 that he feels less successful than many other YouTubers. “Here’s the thing — can I just say — people think, ‘Oh, we’re sick of Shane acting poor and, like, acting poor around Jeffree.’ I am poor around Jeffree!” he admitted to his fiancé, Ryland Adams, before taking off in a private jet with the celebrity MUA.
“I just have never been that smart with investing money or — I’ve never been a smart business person,” Shane continued. “Well, you’re not a money-driven person,” his supportive partner reminded him.
“I grew up poor and then I started YouTube and the money slowly kind of progressed, but, even now, it’s not like I’m getting, like, a million-dollar check,” he confessed. “I’m not Bhad Bhabie. I’m not signing, like, a million-dollar deal … that’s just not my life.” There are some mega-accomplished YouTube stars who don’t mind flaunting their success and that sometimes weighs heavily on Shane.
“Also, I feel stupid that that’s not my life because I look at the Forbes list and I see YouTubers like — it sounds like a rant but it’s not — but I see all these YouTubers who started after me. It is embarrassing,” he divulged. “Like, when I look at that Forbes list, and I look at Lilly Singh, Markiplier, all these people — I’m so not close to that it’s like crazy. If I was on that list I would be in like the bottom thousand.”
Just for the record, Shane did appear as the 25th most famous web celebrity in the world on Forbes list in 2010. The web personality added that he is going to attempt to expand his ventures and hopefully earn more cash.
“I do want to try … This year, I want to be smarter about this s—t and I want to know more about business,” he noted. “Like, making a product, learning about the business side … I just don’t know what that business is, I don’t know how to make money like that. I’ll figure it out.”
Later, in November 2019, Shane teamed up with Jeffree to release his very own collection with Jeffree Star Cosmetics. The Conspiracy Palette continues to be one of the brand’s top-selling items.