Linus Sebastian Linus Tech TipsBy any measure, Linus Tech Tips is one of the most successful YouTube channels in the world with more than 16 million subscribers and 8 billion views. But what Linus Sebastian has built goes far beyond a channel. Its a diversified, vertically integrated media companyone that continues to grow in scale, influence, and sustainability.In a detailed (and very on-brand) video posted to the Linus Tech Tips channel this week, Linus and his team broke down exactly how their business made money in 2024. While they no longer disclose exact revenue figures, the percentage split reveals how the business has evolved over the last 8 years.MerchThe single largest source of revenue in 2024 was LTTStore.com, which accounted for 55% of total revenueup from just 15% in 2020. That growth has been driven by product innovation, fulfillment efficiency, and sheer scale.Back then, two of our biggest product families didnt exist yethand tools and bagswhich now make up about half the revenue, the team explained in the video.LMG even flipped the modelgoing from being sponsored to becoming a sponsor themselves. We recently flipped the script and went from sponsor to sponsorer, choosing some of our favorite creators to show off all of our products, said COO Nick Light.AdSense: Share Shrinking, Revenue GrowingAdSense made up a smaller percentage of revenue in 2024 than in previous yearsdown from 26% in 2020. But thats not a decline in performance; its a reflection of how fast other areas of the business are growing.Just because its a smaller percentage does not mean that its less money, said another team member. It means that LMG is far less reliant on our Google overlords than we used to be.61.5% of YouTube revenue came from traditional ads, while 37.3% came from YouTube Premiumdespite Premium users only making up 29% of views. Shorts, by comparison, underperformed: one 13-million-view short earned just $1,300.LMGs top channels for AdSense were the main Linus Tech Tips channel (76%), ShortCircuit, and TechLinked.SponsorsSponsorships made up 21% of total revenue in 2024, broken down into:9% from in-video ad reads12% from fully sponsored videosLMG now works with over 150 sponsors across 13 categories. PC parts made up 34.6% of sponsor revenue, followed by SaaS (25.5%) and lifestyle brands (13.6%).A sponsor can buy airtime on our channel, but they can never buy our opinion, Linus said. And if a sponsor doesnt like it, well just drop themlike weve dropped so many others.FloatplaneFloatplane, LMGs proprietary paid video platform, contributed 7% of revenueup 1% from the year before. Despite subscriber losses after the August 2023 great reset, the platform bounced back thanks to stronger exclusive content and new offerings like 4K video and event access.You are the boss when you choose to directly support us on Floatplane, Linus told viewers.Affiliate LinksAffiliate marketing brought in 3% of revenue. These are links typically found in video descriptions or on LMGs websites that generate a commission when users make a purchase.From Scrappy Creator to Scaled OperatorWhat makes Linuss story so compelling is how deliberately hes built LMG from the start.Unlike most creators that I meet, I was never a one-man shownot even for one day, Linus told Colin and Samir in a December 2024 interview. I always had someone operating a camera, operating a timelineusually both.In the early years, money was tight: We almost ran out of money If I didnt nail things, we just wouldnt have had money to pay paychecks. I had what I called the one-take policy.Today, the company employs over 100 people. Linus has stepped back from daily operations (he hired a CEO in 2023), but remains deeply involved in scripting, creative direction, and writing.If there's anything that I am as a creative, I would say its that Im a writer My canvas is a blank sheet of paper.Even as the business has matured, its core philosophy hasnt changed. The audience is the boss, Linus said. And its the hardest boss in the world.A great case study for the Creator EconomyWhat Linus has built is far beyond the solo creator + AdSense model. Its an independent media company with:Owned IPA direct-to-consumer merch lineA proprietary subscription platformMulti-channel ad revenueProduction-for-hire capabilitiesAnd a highly engaged communityAs an investor in creator-led businesses, Ive seen firsthand how this model of vertical integration and audience alignment can scale and is exactly the kind of structure we aim to build with the creators we partner with. I believe the next great media brand wont come from Hollywooditll be built by creators who follow this playbook.