Logan Paul encourages Gen Z that any passion can be turned into a career—he’s transformed Pokémon, YouTube, and wrestling into a multi-million dollar empire

Gen Z is entering adulthood in a job market marked by uncertainty. AI is , feel unstable, and more young people are finding themselves on the sidelines—classified as , not in employment, education, or training.

Self-made millionaire and social media personality Logan Paul has minimal empathy for individuals who fail to take initiative for their own success.

“We’re living in a curious era where everyone likes to criticize, but few want to create,” Paul shared with during an interview. “They’re all just armchair critics shouting from the sidelines while there are action-takers out there who are inventing, producing, constructing, founding—and I’m one of those people.”

First gaining popularity as a teen on , Paul has transformed his online fame into a vast business empire, in part by consistently turning his personal hobbies into profitable enterprises.

He grew his initial fanbase with his brother Jake, then branched out from content creation via collaborations with other creators such as KSI and . Later, he leveraged his audience to launch consumer brands like and . Most recently, Paul has moved deeper into the mainstream by becoming a full-time WWE performer. His channel now has over 23 million subscribers, plus almost 27 million followers.

But Paul emphasizes that his success owes less to algorithms or viral chance and more to his intentional team-building efforts over time.

“The individuals you trust to help you build your ventures are likely the most critical decision you’ll ever make,” he stated. “Both my wins and losses have stemmed from those choices.”

Paul aims to earn millions from his rare Pokémon card—an asset category that’s booming among young investors

has enchanted fans for almost three decades. Yet in recent years, the franchise’s trading cards have evolved .

Over the last two decades, Pokémon cards have seen the biggest long-term growth of any major trading card category—jumping 3,261%—per data Card Ladder provided to last year. This performance beats out even many of the market’s top-performing stocks.

Paul has observed this shift firsthand. A dedicated Pokémon card collector, he turned his childhood love into a well-publicized investment in 2022 when he bought a rare Pikachu Illustrator card for $5.3 million—often wearing it as a necklace, both to show off and as a brand symbol.

Now, working with auctioneer Ken Goldin, Paul has listed the , wagering that nostalgia, fan loyalty, and shrewd deal-making can generate exceptional returns. At the time of writing, bids had already surpassed $6.3 million—the highest price ever paid for a card at auction. Paul expects it to eventually sell for $7 million to $12 million.

Paul urged young people to think about investing more in “fun” nontraditional assets like art, trading cards, and even fossils instead of traditional stocks, to merge their passions with earning money.

“Any investment carries some level of risk, but young people have plenty of energy and time to assess that risk and then reduce it,” Paul noted.

Even if his card doesn’t sell for his target price range, Paul says the result still validates his main message: opportunities are all around if you’re willing to take a chance.

“If you’re interested in something and passionate about it, there’s a market for it,” Paul explained. “And you can build a business around it as long as you commit to it.”

This mindset, he contended, is particularly important for Gen Z as they navigate a fast-changing economy.

“If you don’t adapt, you stagnate,” he said. “You need to be able to evolve with the times and use the technology available to you. And there are plenty of resources now to achieve what you want.”

Goldin shared that view, stating that career success is less about financial gain and more about personal involvement.

“It’s not about the salary you’ll earn in a career,” Goldin told . “It’s about: will I enjoy it? Will I be challenged? Will I look forward to it?”

Business leaders such as Warren Buffett have long shared Paul’s advice: the people you work with are important

From auctioning with Goldin to creating brands with MrBeast and working closely with his brother Jake, Paul’s career demonstrates the belief that lasting businesses are built sustainably with the right team members.

This concept is one that many business leaders have advocated for. For instance, cofounder has given similar guidance to young professionals.

“Surround yourself with people who challenge you, teach you, and motivate you to be your best,” he .

founder has repeated this idea throughout his career.

“Don’t stress too much about starting salaries, and be very selective about who you work for—because you’ll adopt the habits of the people around you,” Buffett said at his last Berkshire Hathaway annual shareholder meeting in 2023. “There are some jobs you should avoid.”

For Buffett, the value of strong partnerships was personified by Charlie Munger, who was vice chairman of Berkshire Hathaway from 1978 until his death in 2023. Buffett frequently called Munger a “mix of older brother and caring father,” attributing to him the sharpening of his thinking and the challenging of his assumptions.

“Every time I’m with Charlie, I get at least a fresh perspective on an idea that makes me reconsider certain things,” Buffett .