- Bart Dziedzic left JPMorgan in 2024, taking a 50% pay cut to join MrBeast's team
- He cited long workweeks and high stress at JPMorgan as reasons for his career shift
- Dziedzic relocated to Greenville, NC, to work in the creator economy despite challenges
Bart Dziedzic, a 27-year-old former JPMorgan investment banker, quit his high-paying job in early 2024 and took a 50% pay cut to work with YouTuber MrBeast. Dziedzic said the move from Wall Street to the creator economy has been among the most rewarding choices he's made, citing the high-stress, long workweeks at JPMorgan as a key factor in his decision. Talking to Business Insider, Dziedzic said he was attracted to the opportunity to learn, add value, and have autonomy at MrBeast's company. He said that the demanding work hours at JPMorgan took a toll on him and that the new role offered a better work-life balance.
After graduating from Fordham University, Dziedzic joined JPMorgan Chase and worked in investment banking. However, he found the finance world wasn't a long-term fit, citing the demanding 80-to-100-hour workweeks and the fast-paced New York lifestyle as major factors. "If you break it down to the hourly rate, it's not a ton of money. And the noise of the city was starting to wear on me," he said.
He stumbled upon MrBeast's job opening through a VC partner who was recruiting for the YouTuber. The catch was he'd have to relocate to Greenville, North Carolina, take a significant pay cut, and leave behind friends and family. Despite the challenges, Dziedzic saw it as an opportunity to learn, grow, and be part of a rapidly expanding brand. "In the worst-case scenario, I can come back. If nothing else, it'd be an experience in itself," he added.
He was involved in a multimillion-dollar video production and later led the planning and execution of a pop-up MrBeast theme park in Riyadh. He has since moved back to New York and now works as the manager of strategy and operations for MrBeast's holdco team.
Based on his experience, Dziedzic advises young professionals to prioritise learning and responsibility over high salaries, as it becomes more difficult to pivot careers later on.
"I've learned you shouldn't optimize for salary in your 20s. You should build skills and experiences so you can make more money when you're older or start your own thing. I would tell people out of college, take as much ownership as you can in something. Do something that's exciting, risky, with a good leadership team behind you, where you can learn something. Because the further you get along in your career, the harder it will be to pivot," he said.
