Donut

Company Background and Founding

Donut Media stands as one of YouTube's most prominent automotive content creators, operating under the handle @donut with a mission to make car culture accessible and exciting for everyone. The company was founded in 2015 by three entrepreneurs: Matt Levin, a former product head at AwesomenessTV, Ben Conrad, and Nick Moceri.^[1] Initially, Donut Media functioned more like a boutique advertising agency, creating content for major automotive brands including Snap-on Tools and Nissan, though the founders discovered that the margins on this work weren't particularly strong.^[2]

The channel's first video focused on the 24 Hours of Lemons, but it was their 2016 production "Two Grannies, One Lamborghini" that achieved early viral success and remained the channel's most-viewed video for many years.^[1] This early success demonstrated the potential for automotive content that prioritized entertainment and accessibility over traditional technical reviews.

Content Strategy and Breakthrough Series

Donut Media's content philosophy centers on making automotive culture approachable for both enthusiasts and newcomers. Their breakthrough came with the "Up to Speed" series, which debuted in February 2016 with a video about the Nissan 240SX, though the official series launch occurred in July 2017 with content about the Nissan Skyline.^[1] The series featured host James Pumphrey explaining the origins of automotive models, brands, and car-related items with cult followings, covering everything from the Nissan GT-R to the Plymouth Barracuda and Suzuki Samurai.^[1]

According to company leadership, "Up To Speed" marked the crucial moment when Donut Media transitioned from dependence on viral one-off videos to establishing a sustainable content model.^[1] The series' success demonstrated that audiences would return consistently for automotive education and entertainment, regardless of the specific car being discussed.

Growth Metrics and Digital Success

As of June 2025, Donut Media has achieved remarkable scale on YouTube, boasting 9.08 million subscribers and accumulating 2.9 billion total video views.^[3] The channel maintains a consistent upload schedule of approximately two videos per week, with an average video length of nearly 22 minutes, which exceeds the average for similar automotive channels.^[3] Current estimated monthly earnings range from $15,600 to $46,700, though this represents less than similar channels in their category.^[3]

The channel's growth trajectory was particularly strong during the COVID-19 pandemic, when increased at-home viewing time benefited many YouTube creators. At the time of their corporate acquisition in late 2021, Donut Media was generating approximately 60 million views per month.^[4]

Key Personalities and Host Lineup

Donut Media became closely associated with a core group of five main hosts who served as the faces of the brand: James Pumphrey, Nolan Sykes, Zach Jobe, Jeremiah Burton, and Justin Freeman.^[5] These personalities were central to Donut's image and marketing appeal, often appearing in merchandise photography and becoming aspirational figures for their audience. James Pumphrey served as the primary host of the popular "Up to Speed" series and held the position of Editor-in-Chief.^[4]

The hosts were not only content creators but also became integral to the company's business strategy, playing a critical role in Donut's merchandise partnerships and brand collaborations.^[5] Their personalities and expertise helped establish Donut's reputation as knowledgeable yet approachable automotive content creators.

Corporate Acquisition and Business Evolution

In November 2021, Donut Media was acquired by Recurrent Ventures, a media company that owns publications including Popular Science, The Drive, Field & Stream, and Outdoor Life.^[4] The acquisition was structured to retain Donut's entire existing staff, with all hosts and crew members joining Recurrent while maintaining their current roles.^[4] As part of the deal, founder Matt Levin became Recurrent Ventures' Senior Vice President of Video, overseeing video strategy across the company's portfolio.^[4]

Prior to the acquisition, Donut Media had raised less than $1 million in funding from investors including Techstars Ventures, Fontinalis Partners, and several angel investors.^[4] The company had also secured an $800,000 seed funding round in May 2018, led by Techstars Ventures.^[1] Recurrent Ventures emphasized their commitment to supporting Donut's growth while expanding their focus on sustainability-related automotive content.^[4]

Recent Developments and Leadership Changes

The beginning of 2024 brought significant changes to Donut Media's leadership structure, with several key figures departing the company. Notable departures included hosts Jeremiah Burton and Zach Jobe, as well as former Editor-in-Chief James Pumphrey.^[2] Current Editor-in-Chief Nolan Sykes acknowledged that these changes were "pretty emotionally and mentally challenging" and that the team was "caught a little off guard" by the audience response to these departures.^[2]

Burton and Jobe went on to establish their own YouTube channel called "BigTime," which has attracted significant attention from former Donut viewers.^[5] Rather than allowing these departures to derail their momentum, current leadership has used the opportunity to reevaluate their content strategy and approach.^[2]

Current Content and Future Direction

Despite the personnel changes, Donut Media continues to produce automotive content across multiple series and formats. Recent content includes their "UNCLAPPED" series, featuring hands-on automotive projects, and they maintain several podcast offerings including "Past Gas," described as "the #1 automotive podcast in the world."^[6] The channel also operates additional properties such as "Real Mechanic Stuff" and maintains an active merchandise operation.^[6]

The company has expanded beyond YouTube into live events and physical retail products, successfully bridging the gap between digital content creation and traditional retail business models.^[2] This diversification represents part of Donut Media's strategy to build a comprehensive automotive lifestyle brand rather than remaining solely dependent on YouTube advertising revenue.