Kyle Forgeard Net Worth Revealed: From YouTube Prankster to Millionaire

Kyle Forgeard’s net worth has reached an impressive $25 million in 2024. The YouTube star left Ryerson University and co-founded a channel that now boasts 8 million subscribers. His entrepreneurial success became evident when his Full Send merchandise line generated $50 million in revenue during 2020.

Kyle Forgeard’s Current Net Worth: Breaking Down the Numbers

Let’s take a closer look at Kyle Forgeard’s financial status in 2024. The numbers paint an interesting story of entrepreneurial success and smart business development. His experience from YouTube prankster to wealthy businessman deserves a detailed analysis of the actual figures.

Comparing different net worth estimates

Kyle Forgeard’s reported net worth varies by a lot depending on the source. Some less reliable sources estimate his wealth at just $3 million or $5 million. But most credible financial analysts place his net worth around $25 million. These big differences come from various methods used to calculate his wealth and limited access to his private financial information.

The reason behind these differences is simple. Sources with limited insight only look at his visible assets and miss his equity stakes in businesses like Happy Dad Seltzer. A complete analysis includes:

• Direct income from NELK Boys content creation
• His ownership stake in Full Send merchandise
• Equity in Happy Dad Seltzer (potentially worth $25 million alone if he owns 10% of the $250 million company)
• Real estate investments and other business ventures

Assets vs. liabilities analysis

Kyle’s balance sheet shows a strong financial position through the accounting equation (Assets = Liabilities + Equity). His asset column stands out with impressive holdings.

His biggest assets include his estimated 10% stake in Happy Dad Seltzer, worth about $25 million. He also owns substantial real estate, including a $9 million Newport Beach property bought in April 2021. This property brings in $27,000 monthly in lease income. It provides steady revenue while serving as a business expense write-off.

Public information suggests Kyle has minimal debt compared to his assets. This shows a healthy debt-to-asset ratio – a key metric that shows how much of a company’s operations are funded by debt. Kyle managed to keep low debt levels and grew his businesses by reinvesting revenue instead of taking on big loans.

Net worth growth trajectory since 2015

Kyle’s wealth has grown impressively, especially after 2020. The Full Send merchandise line launch marked his biggest jump, set to bring in $70 million in annual revenue by 2021. This marked a key change in his business approach.

His growth continued despite YouTube demonetization challenges. Kyle showed great business sense by finding other revenue sources after the NELK channel lost advertising money. He said in an interview, “We’d look at the map of the Shopify… we weren’t getting paid off YouTube at all… we had to get smart and build a business around our audience”.

The merchandise business turned highly profitable. Kyle noted their biggest sales day brought in “$30 million gross in about 30 minutes” with “350,000 people waiting on the site at the time of the drop”. But he smartly points out the difference between revenue and profit, saying “Revenue is vanity, profit is sanity… that number sounds amazing but in terms of what me and Jesse were [taking home]…”.

This growth shows Kyle’s evolution from content creator to diverse entrepreneur. His parents’ original $100,000 investment (mortgaging their house for the first merchandise drop) has multiplied through smart business moves and various revenue streams that pushed the NELK empire forward.

The NELK Boys Revenue Machine: Content That Sells

Kyle Forgeard’s impressive fortune comes from a unique content empire that thrives without YouTube ad revenue. The NELK Boys show how to monetize their brand through different channels, turning content creation into a multi-million-dollar business.

YouTube monetization challenges

NELK’s relationship with YouTube’s monetization system shows how creators can adapt when platforms restrict them. YouTube officially demonetized the NELK channel in September 2020. This happened after they promoted an in-person college party at Illinois State University during peak COVID restrictions. The platform cited violations of their “Creator Responsibility Policy”.

The financial hit barely slowed their growth. Kyle Forgeard put it simply: “YouTube money is pennies compared to building businesses like a seltzer”. The team chose authentic content over platform-friendly videos. Kyle explained their stance: “We’re not going to sacrifice our content or change to make $500,000 a month from YouTube”.

This business move proved Kyle’s sharp instincts. NELK stayed true to their brand identity instead of chasing algorithm-friendly content. Their videos often include content YouTube considers advertiser-unfriendly – questionable activities, swearing, sexual references, and drug content.

Social media reach across platforms

NELK’s YouTube channel keeps growing with over seven million loyal subscribers, even without monetization. Their engagement numbers explain why they’ve turned their audience into profit despite platform restrictions.

Instagram typically sees a 4% reach rate and 3.5% engagement rate by reach in 2024. NELK’s strong social media presence creates huge value through what marketers call a “cult-like following”. Their community actively participates in the NELK ecosystem rather than just watching content.

This strong fan connection comes from consistency. New videos drop every Monday, creating excitement and anticipation. The team has created their own language that spreads through their content: “Birds,” “Rona season,” “Kill,” “Barrel season,” and “Send it”. These phrases help fans feel like part of an exclusive community.

The Full Send Podcast revenue model

The Full Send Podcast adds another revenue stream with guests like:

• Athletes like Mike Tyson and OJ Simpson
• Business figures like Elon Musk and Billy McFarlane
• Political figures including former President Donald Trump

Monthly earnings from the podcast vary substantially since its July 2021 launch. Numbers range from about $1,550 in January 2025 to $23,100 in April 2023.

The podcast’s YouTube channel brings in between $153,000 and $919,000 total, earning about $1.21 per 1,000 views. With 2.18 million subscribers and over 408 million video views, the podcast has become another successful part of their content empire.

NELK’s business model works so well because each platform drives merchandise and product sales. John Shahidi, NELK’s business president, told Kyle and team to “lean harder into marketing their lifestyle through products”. This advice clearly boosted Kyle Forgeard’s net worth.

Merchandise Millions: How Full Send Became a Gold Mine

Full Send merchandise is the life-blood of Kyle Forgeard’s wealth-building strategy. YouTube pulled monetization from NELK’s channel, which led them to change their content-based business into a retail powerhouse. Their brand now performs better than most influencer merchandise brands.

The psychology behind limited-edition drops

Full Send’s success comes from its smart scarcity model. Most influencer merchandise stays available all the time, but NELK runs Full Send through exclusive “drops” – limited releases that create huge demand. Each collection has only 2,000 items and they never restock once sold.

This strategy works because it uses core consumer psychology:

1. Urgency: Limited time forces quick buying decisions
2. Exclusivity: Full Send items show you belong to a special group
3. FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out): Fans know they can’t get items after they’re gone

300,000 fans rush to the website when drops happen. Marketing experts say this created scarcity builds a “cult-like community” where followers are happy to join every release.

Production and distribution strategy

Full Send stands out from typical influencer products through quality investments. They don’t just put logos on basic items. The brand creates unique designs with premium materials that focus on comfort and durability.

Kyle’s parents took a mortgage on their house to fund the first merchandise drop – a risk that paid off big time. John Shahidi became president of the Nelk business in winter 2020. He pushed Forgeard and Deleonardis to “lean harder into marketing their lifestyle through products”.

Their distribution model copies high-fashion brand Supreme:

• One-time limited releases
• Fresh designs monthly without restocks
• Set monthly launches build anticipation
• Premium branding shows the “Full Send” lifestyle

Full Send sells more than clothes – it lets people live the fun, carefree NELK lifestyle. One analysis puts it well: “They’re selling the idea, the mindset, the feeling of Full Send”.

Annual revenue figures and profit margins

The numbers prove this strategy works. Full Send merchandise made about $50 million in 2020 and grew to nearly $70 million annually by 2021.

Their biggest sales day brought in $30 million gross in just 30 minutes. This amazing performance makes merchandise NELK’s biggest money maker, far bigger than any YouTube ad revenue they gave up.

These numbers are gross revenue before costs like production, shipping, and marketing. In spite of that, the profit margins add substantially to Kyle Forgeard’s net worth.

Full Send’s merchandise success gave NELK the money to grow into other ventures like Happy Dad seltzer. Kyle said it best: “With our audience, we can build pretty much anything”. This shows how much trust they have in their audience’s willingness to buy their products.

The Full Send merchandise strategy shows perfect execution of limited-drop culture. They create urgency and scarcity that turns regular products into must-have items while making huge profits for Kyle Forgeard and the NELK empire.

From Content to Commerce: The Happy Dad Success Story

Happy Dad Hard Seltzer stands as Kyle Forgeard’s boldest move beyond creating content. The brand launched in June 2021 and revolutionized the NELK founder’s path from digital entertainer to business mogul. This strategic expansion into beverages strengthened his position among successful entrepreneur-influencers.

Market entry strategy in the competitive seltzer industry

Kyle Forgeard spotted a smart opportunity in the crowded seltzer market. He teamed up with co-founders Sam and John Shahidi to target an overlooked segment: male consumers. Their task was clear – “to convert beer drinkers to hard seltzer while occupying a vacancy in a market that predominantly catered to female consumers”.

The team took a focused approach to product development. They felt frustrated by the “strange aftertaste and high carbonation from other hard seltzers,” which led them to create a unique product with:

• Low carbonation design specifically for male drinkers
• Regular cans instead of industry-standard “skinny cans”
• Simple, refreshing flavors without artificial ingredients
• 5% ABV with only 100 calories and 1g sugar

The NELK boys turned their “yearlong process from concept to finished product on Youtube” into engaging content that resonated with their audience.

Distribution partnerships and expansion

Happy Dad’s market strategy started with a careful regional rollout. The brand’s original California launch quickly spread to Nevada by July 2021. Happy Dad’s 2022 distribution achievements were impressive:

• Presence in 16 states with plans for 6 more markets
• Strategic collaborations with major distributors like Atlantic Beverage and Breakthru Beverage Group
• Products in major retailers like Total Wine & More, becoming a top 5 seltzer brand

The brand grew rapidly through smart partnerships, including a collaboration with Death Row Records and Snoop Dogg for a grape-flavored variant. Guest appearances by Elon Musk and Post Malone on the Full Send Podcast gave Happy Dad valuable exposure.

Revenue contribution to Kyle Forgeard’s net worth

Happy Dad’s success has given Forgeard’s wealth a significant boost. The company reached a value of approximately $250 million by 2023, as Kyle mentioned in an interview. His exact ownership stake remains private, but even a 10% share would add $25 million to his net worth.

Sales numbers tell an impressive story. The brand jumped from 698,000 twelve-packs in 2021 to over 2.6 million twelve-packs in 2022. Happy Dad’s merchandise line brought in $3 million in 2022 sales, with 2023 projections showing double that amount.

Kyle’s business wisdom shines through his quote: “YouTube money is pennies compared to building businesses like a seltzer”.

Investment Portfolio: Where Kyle Forgeard Puts His Money

Kyle Forgeard has built more than just his entertainment empire. His investment portfolio shows his business sense extends far beyond YouTube success to create lasting wealth.

The $9 million Newport Beach property

Real estate is the life-blood of Forgeard’s investment approach. He bought a stunning 9,713-square-foot property in Newport Beach, California for $9 million. The property serves two purposes for his finances. It brings in $27,000 monthly through smart lease agreements and qualifies as a business expense write-off.

The estate comes with luxury features. A high-end backyard, pool, and jacuzzi installation help it keep its value in California’s competitive real estate market. This property shows smart investing at its best – steady income flows in while equity builds up.

Cryptocurrency and NFT investments

Forgeard has put millions into digital assets, with Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies leading the way. His biggest digital move came in January 2022 when he launched the Full Send Metacard NFT collection.

The Metacard project took off with a bang:

• 10,000 NFTs sold out within minutes
• Each NFT priced at $2,300
• Total original sales hit $23 million

The project hit some bumps along the way. Current floor prices dropped to about 0.034 ETH (around $111), and a class-action lawsuit claimed broken business promises. Full Send stepped up by offering dissatisfied holders a 30-day refund plus interest.

Angel investments in startups

While details about Forgeard’s startup investments stay private, he follows the playbook of professional angel investors. This mix protects his wealth when content creation revenues swing and could lead to substantial returns.

Without doubt, Forgeard’s balanced portfolio shows smart financial planning. He spreads risk across physical and digital assets to stay stable whatever happens in any market sector.

Conclusion

Kyle Forgeard went from college dropout to successful entrepreneur, showing that traditional career paths don’t always lead to remarkable success. His $25 million net worth comes from smart business moves rather than just social media earnings.

The success of Full Send merchandise and Happy Dad Seltzer shows his sharp business sense. When YouTube demonetized NELK’s channel, Forgeard turned this setback into a new chance. He created multiple revenue streams that made potential ad earnings look tiny. His smart moves into Newport Beach property and cryptocurrency prove his mature approach to growing wealth.

Kyle’s story teaches new entrepreneurs crucial lessons about adapting and expanding. Instead of relying on platform income, he built lasting businesses around his audience. His move from content creator to business mogul reveals how staying genuine while making smart decisions creates real wealth.

FAQs

Q1. What is Kyle Forgeard’s estimated net worth?

Kyle Forgeard’s net worth is estimated to be around $25 million as of 2024. This wealth has been accumulated through various ventures, including YouTube content creation, merchandise sales, and business investments.

Q2. How did Kyle Forgeard make most of his money?

Kyle Forgeard made most of his money through the Full Send merchandise line, which generated approximately $50 million in revenue in 2020 and grew to nearly $70 million annually by 2021. Additionally, his stake in Happy Dad Hard Seltzer, valued at around $250 million, significantly contributes to his wealth.

Q3. What is Happy Dad Hard Seltzer and how successful is it?

Happy Dad Hard Seltzer is a beverage company co-founded by Kyle Forgeard in June 2021. It has become highly successful, selling over 2.6 million 12-packs in 2022 and ranking as a top-five seltzer brand at major retailers like Total Wine & More.

Q4. How does Kyle Forgeard earn money despite YouTube demonetization?

Despite YouTube demonetization, Kyle Forgeard earns money through alternative revenue streams. These include merchandise sales, the Happy Dad Seltzer business, real estate investments, and the Full Send Podcast, which features high-profile guests and generates substantial viewership.

Q5. What major investments has Kyle Forgeard made?

Kyle Forgeard has made several significant investments, including a $9 million property in Newport Beach, California, which generates monthly rental income. He has also invested in cryptocurrencies and launched an NFT collection called Full Send Metacard. Additionally, he is believed to have made angel investments in various startups.