Inside Ryan Trahan’s $11M Series

July 31, 2025

Welcome to Created, the newsletter that does more heavy lifting than your 8TB drive. Here’s what we got today:

Inside the $11M Road Trip That Took Over YouTube

Ryan Trahan and Haley Pham just finished one of the biggest YouTube series of the year: 50 States in 50 Days.

A new state, new Airbnb, new video — every single day.

The goal? Raising $1M for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

50 days later, turns out $1M was just a warm up:

All filmed on an iPhone. Here’s how they did it and why it’s a masterclass for creators and brands alike.

On Repeat

Each episode built on repeatable segments like: House Rankings (rating each Airbnb), Wheel of Doom (challenge unlocked by $50K+ donations) or Jammy Time (yes, wearing pajamas).

They wore the same outfit every day. They read donor messages every night.

The daily rhythm turned YT into appointment viewing — where viewers anticipated each upload instead of being recommended videos by the algorithm.

That said, you could miss a few episodes and still jump back in without confusion. And the challenges added just enough chaos to make it unpredictable.

It Became A Movement

The series felt like anyone could participate:

People were emotionally invested: “50 days ago, it felt like just another YouTube series. Today, it feels like saying goodbye to family. Thanks for making our hearts bigger!”

Even YouTubers like Dr. Mike and Nick DiGiovanni joined in for surprise cameos.

Brands Took A Different Role

Instead of selling ad slots, brands were invited to donate.

$5K got you a shoutout. $50K+ triggered the “Wheel of Doom” that would send Ryan and Haley on a chaotic side quest.

Airbnb, Kia, Staple Games, and Lectric eBikes all joined in.

Dollar Shave Club even paid for Ryan keep his beard.

The New Creator Playbook

Trahan’s series made a case for a different kind of content:

For $5K, a brand got seen by millions and became part of something people actually cared about. For once, nobody skipped past a brand integration. Instead they cheered.

Even Ryan’s own candy brand, Joyride, showed up — not with a discount code, but as a challenge to find it in all 50 states.

As one fan put it: “I have bought from many of the stores that have donated, but I almost never buy from sponsored segments.”

That’s not just ROI. That’s earned trust.

TikTok Prankster Faces 9 Years In Jail

Ah yes, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows on the internet.

Heston James built a following of 1.6M by filming pranks inside stores…and now could be facing jail time because of it.

Taking It Too Far

In countless videos, the 21-year-old TikToker showed up to stores with friends dressed as fake employees.

In one, he stormed a Chipotle with a fake cleaning crew shouting orders while employees called 911.

In another, he rolled up to an auto shop, crawled under customer cars, and pretended to do inspections.

That one racked up 12M+ views.

See You In Jail?

Police in Tempe, Arizona arrested Heston (real name Heston Cobb) on July 23. He’s facing 13 criminal charges, including:

If convicted on all counts, he could face over 9 years in prison and $300K+ in fines.

His TikTok and videos have now been deleted. His last Instagram post? A mugshot t-shirt for sale with the caption: “Support ya boy for the lawyer fees 😭✌🏼”

Police say more arrests could follow as they ID other prank participants.

Our Take

Shock value might go viral, but if it crosses into impersonation, trespassing, or safety risks, it’s not just a prank anymore.

And this isn’t just a Heston problem. It’s part of a bigger pattern.

When you treat real people’s jobs like props, don’t be surprised when the consequences are real too.

More creators are learning that viral moments aren’t worth criminal records…but they’re learning it in courtrooms.

🎯 Weekly Roundup: Thumbnails

Why we love these YT thumbnails:

1. Single untouched house + “Survived Wildfire” text makes you wonder how it made it without damage (Stewart Hicks)
2. Sunlit balcony, plants, and cozy setup instantly sell the charm of small living (NEVER TOO SMALL)
3. Clean icon + real phone in hand makes this feel like your first look at iOS 26 (Marques Brownlee)
4. Popular cameras + ominous text make you want to know what the problem is (Afternoon Coffee House)

🚀 Weekly Outlier

This video by Unironically Curious has 224K views, which is 20 times higher than the channel’s average. Here’s why it took off:

Piggybacks on Viral Series: Capitalizes on the buzz around Ryan Trahan’s 50-state challenge with a smart, unexpected angle.
Reveals a Hidden Strategy: Breaks down how a simple outfit choice fuels editing, thumbnails, and production.
Deep Insights: Blends psychology, branding, and color theory into an entertaining narrative that rewards curiosity.

🏆 The Created Referral Program

Know someone who’d also love this newsletter? Refer them and get gifts.

Refer 1 friend: you’ll get my Infinite Ideas book. It’s my 8 best tips to find viral ideas for your next upload.

Refer 5 friends: you’ll get my Top 50 Thumbnails book. It includes a detailed breakdown of why they work so you improve your packaging.

Trust me, these books are packed with more tips than most paid courses.

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👋 See You Inside

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– Jon

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