# Ryan Trahan

> Ryan Trahan is an American YouTuber, entrepreneur, and philanthropist from Sugar Land, Texas, best known for his creative challenge series — most famously traveling across the country starting with just a single penny while raising millions for charity. With over 23 million subscribers, he has turned audacious social experiments into a force for good, raising more than $11.65 million for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in 2025. Beyond YouTube, he co-owns candy brand Joyride Sweets (sold at Target and Walmart), founded Neptune Bottle, launched the Howdy clothing line, and continues to push the boundaries of branded storytelling on the internet.

- **Role:** Co-Owner & Chief Creative Officer at Joyride Sweets; YouTube Creator
- **Organizations:** Joyride Sweets, Neptune Bottle, Howdy Howdy
- **From:** Sugar Land, Texas, USA
- **Nationality:** American
- **Education:** High School Diploma (Valedictorian), Rice High School, Dropped out (NCAA ineligibility dispute), Texas A&M University
- **Known for:** Raised over $11.65 million for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital (50 States in 50 Days, 2025), Raised $1.38 million for Feeding America via penny challenge (2022), Raised $400,000+ for Water.org via penny challenge (2023)

## Career timeline

- **2013** — Launched YouTube channel on October 27, initially posting running content
- **2016** — Co-founded Neptune Bottle water brand with Caden Wiese; earned $50K+ in first year
- **2017** — Graduated as valedictorian from Rice High School; placed 3rd in Aggieland Open as a cross country runner at Texas A&M
- **2017-2018** — Dropped out of Texas A&M after NCAA ruled him ineligible for monetizing YouTube while competing as a student athlete
- **2018** — Began dating fellow YouTuber Haley Pham
- **2020** — Got engaged to Haley Pham in May; married in November 2020; underwent personal faith transformation
- **2022** — Penny challenge: traveled California to North Carolina using only a penny, raising $1.38M for Feeding America; won Streamy Award for Breakout Creator
- **2023** — Penny challenge 2.0: Paris to New York City, raising $400K+ for Water.org; won Streamy Award for First Person; launched Howdy clothing line
- **2024** — Became co-owner and Chief Creative Officer of Joyride Sweets with Tyler Merrick; Joyride sold out at Target on launch day
- **2025** — Visited all 50 US states in 50 days with Haley Pham, raising $11.65M for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital; Joyride set Guinness World Record for candy Instagram photos
- **2026** — Launched 'Top 10 Places in America' Shopify-sponsored series; Joyride expanding to Publix, Casey's, and Love's

## Achievements

- Raised over $11.65 million for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital (50 States in 50 Days, 2025)
- Raised $1.38 million for Feeding America via penny challenge (2022)
- Raised $400,000+ for Water.org via penny challenge (2023)
- Won 'Breakout Creator' at the 12th Streamy Awards (2022)
- Won 'First Person' category at the 13th Streamy Awards (2023)
- Nominated for 'Creator of the Year' at Streamy Awards (2023)
- Generated 253 million views in a single month during June 2022 penny challenge
- Joyride Sweets set Guinness World Record for most Instagram candy photos in one hour (1,733 photos, June 14, 2025)
- Built YouTube channel to 23 million subscribers and 6 billion total views by 2026
- Scaled Joyride Sweets into national retail: Target, Walmart, Publix, and more
- Neptune Bottle earned $50K+ in revenue in its first year

## Latest updates

- **2026-05** — Ongoing 'Top 10 Places in America' series sponsored by Shopify, with visits to Walt Disney World, Washington D.C., and Niagara Falls already completed.
- **2026-04** — Joyride Sweets expanding distribution to Publix, Casey's, and Love's across the US.
- **2026-01** — 50 States in 50 Days fundraiser for St. Jude confirmed to have raised over $11.65 million in total.
- **2025-06** — Joyride Sweets set a Guinness World Record for most Instagram photos holding candy in one hour (1,733 photos on June 14, 2025).
- **2025-06** — Launched the 50 States in 50 Days challenge with wife Haley Pham, staying in unique Airbnbs across all 50 US states for St. Jude.

## Links

- Website: https://howdyhowdy.com
- Twitter/X: https://x.com/RyanTrahan
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ryan
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryantrahan/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TrahanHome/

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/ryan-trahan
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-05-19