There have been a lot of successful influencers in the past that started off by doing pranks. The influencer we’re going to meet today has a different philosophy in mind. He views pranks as harmless and a way for him to share good vibes around him. Some people might have called him “mischievous”, but he begs to differ. Let’s meet Baylen Levine, founder of Benitez.
Beginnings
Baylen Levine knew what he wanted to be even before he was eligible for a driver’s license. He described himself as an easy-going kid that just wants to have fun. He never wanted to become someone else just to be perceived cool.
Baylen never understood the purpose of spending four years in college. He never wanted to sit in classrooms for four years just to spend the next years in a desk job. The young visionary wanted to be where the adventures are. He envied the lives that popular YouTubers lived, wanting to become just like that.
As of time of writing, Baylen’s YouTube channel has more than 1.3 million subscribers. Check out below his most popular video.
Hardships
Being a successful YouTuber never promised rainbows every single day. Baylen has had his share of hardships on his way to building a name for himself. In a video published a few years back, Baylen revealed that he was released from his High School for allegedly harming the school’s image. The principal said that Benitez (their brand) is not helpful to the school and to its viewers.
Success
Baylen enrolled in online schooling after leaving high school. He knew he wanted to become famous from day one. It pushed him to work even harder. In an interview, Baylen was asked what the defining moment for his career was, he replied:
“The proudest moment of my career was the night I hit 10k followers on Instagram. Hitting 100k on Instagram and YouTube was amazing too, but the night I hit 10k, I literally cried. The emotions of leaving school, working so hard to make good videos, and the desire in my heart to make it one day had all surfaced at the same time. I kept refreshing my phone that night to see hundreds of people follow me every minute… it made me feel so amazing.”
Baylen currently has more than 524,000 followers on Instagram.
Benitez
The secret behind the word “Benitez” remained a mystery for a long time. During his 100K celebration video, he revealed that the word Benitez serves as a tribute to a prominent figure he met while at a camp.
Benitez came from a person he used to camp counsel. He said that Benitez was the most positive, loyal, and genuine person he had ever met. Of course, being the prankster he is, Baylen built a strong affinity for the kid. Baylen described “Benitez” as someone who’s not afraid of what others had to say.
People might call them disrespectful but Baylen just wants to be real, 100% of the time. Baylen’s “Benitez” brand represents his ideologies as a teenager that’s navigating a highly-competitive world. He is not about flexing the stuff you have. Benitez wants kids to stay the same as they were before. Baylen says in an interview:
“That is also what my brand represents. That is what makes us different. While everyone is faking stuff or “flexing,” I will stay the same no matter how famous or how much money I have. I’ll be a millionaire wearing the same Walmart clothes I wore when this all first started.
In Summary
Baylen wants his fans to stay the way they are. He wants to make them realize that it’s cool not to be cool. The teenager wants to build leaders, not followers. Follow him here, here, and here to get updates about his shenanigans.
Read here about how one prankster changed his life for the better.
Opinions expressed by AsianBlurb contributors are their own.
Zakary Kelley is a technology reporter for Business Blurb covering social media and the digital products that are changing our lives.
