YouTuber David Dobrik Has Transformed From Prank Creator to Entrepreneur. From Doughbrik's Pizza to Brand Deals, Here's a Look at All His Businesses After facing controversy for crude and unsafe content in 2021, Dobrik took a step back from vlogging. But now, the creator is back and working on several business endeavors.
By Sam Silverman •
Key Takeaways
- YouTuber David Dobrik was once a top earning creator on YouTube making $15 million in 2020.
- Now he's pivoting to entrepreneurship with a pizza restaurant and more slices of business equity.
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
After nearly a decade as a digital creator, David Dobrik has set his sights on entrepreneurship.
Dobrik has over 20 million subscribers combined on his two YouTube channels – David Dobrik and David Dobrik Too, and was one of the highest-earning YouTubers in 2020, making $15 million from his content back in 2020.
The creator, who turns 27 on July 23, makes content with his friends, known as the Vlog Squad, doing various stunts and feel-good giveaways. He also gifted his friends Teslas, and in turn, continued to rack up the views.
In 2018, he garnered 60 million views on a "breakup video" with his former girlfriend of three years and content creator Liza Koshy. The two frequently filmed videos together and had fans invested in their relationship. But things then came to a halt.
In 2021, Dobrik was hit with a slew of allegations and claims around foul play in his videos with few safety precautions. One subject claimed she was assaulted during filming. One of his pals claimed to be badly injured while filming one of his videos and hit the creator with a $10 million lawsuit that has yet to be resolved. Dobrik then took a break from the public eye.
Now, Dobrik is revamping his brand from happy-go-lucky creator to businessman — he opened a pizza shop and signed on for several equity brand deals — and now requires his subjects to sign consent forms, he told Rolling Stone.
Here's more about Dobrik's businesses and latest projects.
Where Did David Dobrik Grow Up?
Dobrik grew up in Košice, Slovakia, before his family relocated to Illinois when he was five years old, per Rolling Stone. In the U.S., his father started a real-estate photography business while his mother took care of the family. He played tennis and worked as a waiter in high school.
"His family and my family, we're not the richest. We survive by our means," Dobrik's longtime friend Ilya Fedorovich told the outlet. "I think that one of the reasons that he's supersuccessful now is that he didn't have much when he was growing up, but he wanted a lot."
He started posting videos on Vine when he was 16. He then continued his education at the College of Lake County in Illinois before dropping out of his first year to move to LA and be a creator full-time. Although Vine shut down in 2017, his star was already growing on YouTube.
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What Controversies Have Surrounded David Dobrik?
In 2021, former friends claimed they were bullied into uncomfortable situations while filming. Content creator Trisha Paytas, who was often filmed while she was dating his friend, Jason Nash, told Vulture: "I have more PTSD from David and Jason than I do hooking on Santa Monica Boulevard."
Additionally, allegations rose against former Vlog Squader Dom Zeglaitis after a woman claimed he sexually assaulted her for a video encouraged by Dobrik, per Insider Business.
Zeglaitis denied the claims and noted in 2022 that he and Dobrik hadn't spoken since the allegations. Entrepreneur was unable to find legal documents in relation to the claims.
He apologized for his involvement in a video titled "Let's Talk" in March 2021, claiming that consent is pertinent to his content. Following the allegations, Dobrik lost thousands of followers and brand deals from partners including EA Sports and Dollar Shave Club, per Vulture.
Dobrik was brought under scrutiny again following the release of a documentary titled "Don't Try This At Home" by former Vlog Squad member Jeff Wittek in April 2021. He claimed he was badly injured and broke part of his face and skull in a wakeboarding accident that was being filmed for a video. Dobrik claimed on his podcast that he paid thousands for Wittek's medical bills, but he denied Dobrik's claims.
In June 2022, Wittek sued Dobrik for $10 million for negligence. The suit has yet to be settled.
What Businesses Is David Dobrik Involved in?
At the height of his YouTube days, Dobrik was getting paid thousands to post on behalf of brands, like SeatGeek, Fan Joy, Dollar Shave Club, EA Sports, Chipotle, and more.
But after doing hundreds of brand deals, he never had a stake in the companies he promoted, he told Forbes.
"There are so many things that I could have done to set myself up for the future. One thing is with equity. With SeatGeek, there was a company that I was part of a lot. But never, ever did it cross my mind to ask for equity. So that's what I wish that I would have been a lot better at," Dobrik told the outlet in August 2022.
"I was never good at putting myself in positions where I was getting equity and I was also getting the cash to promote," Dobrik continued. "Now, when I do things, especially when it's a longer relationship that I have with a company; then there will definitely be cash options and then equity."
With his hiatus from the limelight (he hasn't posted on YouTube in over a year), Dobrik has been focused on growing his business portfolio.
Dobrik told Forbes he partnered with Happy Hour Tequila Seltzer in a cash deal and said he also partnered with a supplement company founded by his childhood friend called Xeela Fitness. The brand currently sells just pre-workout and protein supplements.
Then there's Doughbriks, a Chicago-style pizza restaurant located in Los Angeles that Dobrik worked on for two years before the restaurant's grand opening in November.
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"Doughbricks came about because I'm from Chicago and I love pizza," Dobrik said. "This is something that is really new to me. A physical object for a digital person. That's why I think it's crazy because everything is online. Any product is always online."
Dobrik's restaurant brought in huge crowds on opening day, with one family driving 200 miles for a bite, according to NBC News.
@daviddobrikTHIS IS ABSOLUTELY INSANE. THANK YOU OH MY GOODNESS THANK YOU
♬ original sound - DAVID DOBRIK
Dobrik hasn't posted a new episode of his Views Podcast since April 2022. Despite transitioning away from YouTube, he's active on TikTok with 26.3 million followers.
What Is David Dobrik's Net Worth?
Dobrik was crowned one of the highest-paid YouTube stars of 2020, racking in $15 million for his content.
During an episode of the Views podcast in 2019, Dobrik said he was making about $275,000 a month from YouTube.
He gave fans a tour of his $9.5 million mansion in Los Angeles that has its own Hawaiian Punch fountain. He also collects various memorabilia, including a $10,000 fully functioning Iron Man suit.
Dobrik's net worth is estimated to be $25 million.
If you or anyone you know has been sexually abused, call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). A trained staff member will provide confidential, judgment-free support as well as local resources to assist in healing, recovering and more.
