Linus Tech Tips (Linus Sebastian)

Early Life and Career Beginnings

Linus Gabriel Sebastian was born on August 20, 1986, and grew up in Maple Ridge, British Columbia, Canada, where he spent his childhood on a farm with his siblings.^[1] Diagnosed with ADHD as a child, Sebastian would later channel his energy and curiosity into what would become one of the most influential technology channels on YouTube.^[1]

Sebastian's journey into technology content creation began in 2007 when he started working for NCIX, a Canadian online computer retailer that has since ceased operations.^[1] Initially hired as a category manager, Sebastian was responsible for overseeing various product lines including SSD drives, computer cases, motherboards, video cards, power supplies, and cooling products.^[5] His role involved making strategic decisions about product placements, collaborating with product management teams, and negotiating with major vendors including OCZ, Intel, NVIDIA, AMD, Antec, Corsair, ASUS, MSI, and EVGA.^[5]

The transition from retail management to video content happened when NCIX asked Sebastian to host technology demonstration videos for the company's channel. Using a camera borrowed from the son of the company's president, Sebastian began creating content designed to help customers understand products better.^[1] This experience would prove instrumental in developing the presentation style and technical expertise that would later make him a household name in the tech community.

YouTube Success and Channel Growth

On November 24, 2008, Sebastian launched what would become his flagship channel, Linus Tech Tips, initially as a cost-effective offshoot of NCIX's main channel.^[1] The channel was created to allow for lower production values without affecting the NCIX brand, positioning itself as a competitor to established tech retailers like TigerDirect and Newegg.^[1]

The growth of Linus Tech Tips has been remarkable by any measure. As of December 2024, the main channel boasts over 16 million subscribers and has accumulated more than 8.27 billion views.^[1] When combined with Sebastian's other channels, including TechQuickie, TechLinked, ShortCircuit, and ChannelSuperFun, the total subscriber base exceeds 32 million with over 11 billion combined views.^[1]

The channel's success can be attributed to Sebastian's unique approach to technology content, blending technical expertise with an informal, entertaining presentation style. Current analytics show the channel maintains an impressive upload frequency of approximately 5.25 videos per week, with an average engagement rate of 4.09%.^[4] The channel consistently ranks among the top technology content creators globally, holding the 10th position in the technology category and 11th in Canada as of recent rankings.^[4]

Content Evolution and Recognition

Sebastian's influence in the technology space has earned him significant recognition within the industry. In 2015, Inc. magazine ranked him 4th on their list of "Top 30 Power Players in Tech," highlighting his growing influence beyond just YouTube content creation.^[1] By 2014, Tubefilter had identified Linus Tech Tips as being within the "top 1% of Google's preferred advertising channels" on YouTube for the technology category.^[3]

Business Evolution and Revenue Streams

Sebastian's departure from NCIX in 2013 marked a pivotal moment in his career trajectory. Following a dispute regarding company management, he negotiated an agreement that allowed him to retain ownership of the Linus Tech Tips channel under his newly founded company, Linus Media Group (LMG), in exchange for signing a non-compete clause.^[1]

The business model of LMG has evolved significantly over the years, with a dramatic shift in revenue sources. In a detailed breakdown released in March 2025, the company revealed that their merchandise store, LTTStore.com, had become their largest revenue source, accounting for 55% of total revenue in 2024, a substantial increase from just 15% in 2020.^[2] This growth has been driven primarily by product innovation, particularly in hand tools and bags, which now represent approximately half of the store's revenue.^[2]

The company's diversification strategy has proven successful, with LMG becoming less dependent on traditional YouTube AdSense revenue, which now represents a smaller percentage of overall income despite continued growth in absolute terms.^[2] The team has even transitioned from being sponsored to becoming sponsors themselves, choosing favorite creators to showcase their products.^[2] Recent performance metrics show strong growth, with Black Friday 2024 sales increasing 45% year-over-year while order fulfillment improved by 60% compared to 2023.^[6]

Leadership Transition and Current Role

A significant milestone in Sebastian's career occurred in July 2023 when he stepped down as Chief Executive Officer of Linus Media Group, transitioning into a new role as Chief Vision Officer.^[1] This change allowed him to focus more on creative aspects of the business while maintaining involvement in writing and production processes.^[1]

The transition period was marked by challenges, including a significant controversy in August 2023 when YouTube creator Gamers Nexus published an investigative video highlighting issues with both Sebastian individually and LMG as a company.^[1] The report detailed problems including the mishandling of a prototype water block from Billet Labs and systemic issues related to rushed and inaccurate content production.^[1] In response, the company temporarily paused video production to investigate and address these concerns.^[1]

Personal Life and Investments

Sebastian married Yvonne Ho on May 20, 2011, and the couple has three children together.^[1] Beyond his media company, Sebastian has made strategic personal investments in the technology sector, including a notable investment of nearly $225,000 in Framework Computer, a manufacturer of modular laptops, which he disclosed in September 2021.^[1]

Current Performance and Recent Developments

As of 2025, Linus Tech Tips continues to maintain its position as one of the most influential technology channels on YouTube. Recent analytics show the channel generating between $82,900 and $248,600 in estimated monthly earnings, with daily view counts consistently exceeding 1.5 million.^[4] The channel's content strategy includes maintaining an average video length of approximately 22 minutes, focusing on comprehensive technology coverage rather than short-form content.^[4]

Sebastian's mainstream recognition reached a new milestone in January 2025 when he made a guest appearance on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," demonstrating the crossover appeal of technology content creators into traditional entertainment media.^[1]

The channel has also faced challenges with platform policies, as evidenced in September 2024 when YouTube removed a video titled "De-Google Your Life – Part 2: Ad-Free YouTube!" for violating Community Guidelines.^[7] The incident sparked controversy and discussion about content creator freedom and platform policies, with copies of the video appearing across various platforms as users expressed support for the content.^[7]