Who Is The Man Behind Joyride Sweets, Ryan Trahan?
The growing success of Joyride Sweets is due in large part to the role of Ryan Trahan, a young entrepreneur and influencer who added a sugary sheen to the existing brand when he became a partner. Trahan's experience with online success via his popular YouTube channel, plus his charitable fundraising ploys, were already well known when he first connected with the innovative low-sugar plant-based gummy candy company. With an eye on wholesome content and an interest in fitness and well-being, Trahan has parlayed his internet acumen into an expansion for the Joyride brand that makes sense for a candy maker intent on redefining the concept of healthier sweet treats.
But how did Trahan come to have such a business-ready profile, one that has helped poise Joyride Sweets for big success? And what is the background of this unlikely entrant into the snack industry? A little internet sleuthing turns up a heap of intriguing facts that prove Trahan to be as sincere and well-rounded as his fan base knows him to be — even once he moved front and center as the face of his new sugarcoated venture. He may not have the kitchen cred of the most influential celebrity chefs, but Trahan's ongoing goodwill and determination to bring value to the world make his background an intriguing trail to follow.
Ryan Trahan started his successful YouTube channel in 2013
The possibility of becoming an internet celebrity was what first led Ryan Trahan to start his own YouTube channel in 2013 at the age of 15. Though he launched his channel with a cheeky spoof PSA as a character called River Banks, CEO of Water, his early content was primarily centered on running, highlighting his competitive activities as a cross-country runner.
Later video concepts — such as staying overnight in the oldest hotel in the world and trying every seat on the most expensive airline – took his clips in a more stunt-oriented direction, though his challenges sidestepped the trendy derring-do displayed by many other YouTubers. Gradually, Trahan also began producing extended challenges that unfolded over the course of several videos, giving his audience episodic real-life adventures to follow.
Today, Trahan has spent more than a decade in the public eye. During this time, he has amassed a following that most influencers only dream of achieving. With 3.1 million Instagram followers and 2.2 million TikTok followers in addition to his incredible 21.4 million YouTube subscribers at the time of writing, the vlogger is up there with some of the nation's most successful YouTubers. His easygoing personality and willingness to try unfamiliar things for the world to see make him a natural for the internet video age.
The high achiever was his high school's valedictorian
It sounds like Ryan Trahan was always on track for big things. His academic record propelled him to the top of his class and made him valedictorian of Rice High School's 2017 graduating class. The Altair, Texas, high school may not have realized how big its top graduate would become in the years that followed, but his academic achievements indicated that he was set to be successful in his life's next phase.
Of course, there's a YouTube video of Trahan giving his valedictorian speech featured on his channel. The video shows off the affable, good-humored personality his fans were already well-acquainted with as he addresses the crowd and provides words of encouragement for his fellow high school graduates. The clip has garnered more than 318,000 views over the years, giving Trahan's audience a charming glimpse at his personal life beyond YouTube.
His first attempt at business was a 2018 company called Neptune Bottle
Joining Joyride Sweets may be the operation that stuck (pun intended), but it wasn't Ryan Trahan's first attempt at providing products off the back of his internet fame. Named for the Roman god of the sea and co-founded with friend Caden Wiese, the mission for Neptune Bottles was to tap into the portable vessel market that blew up for brands like Yeti and Stanley while trying to tackle the overconsumption of single-use plastic bottled water.
Neptune bottles shared the same bulbous shape as similar water bottles found in just about every big box store and online outlet these days, with broad surfaces perfect for personalization with stickers and labels. The project was even a success with fans who contributed to a Kickstarter, with 851 backers pledging a whopping $30,921.
According to Trahan, Neptune made $50,000 in revenue in its first year. Sadly, you won't find Neptune products actively for sale on the retail market nowadays. Maybe it was the oversaturation of the market that kept Trahan from being able to keep his water bottle business afloat. Though it's still an entry on Trahan's LinkedIn resume and both the Facebook and Instagram profiles for the company remain open, there's no sign of any current activity. Naturally, there's a YouTube clip in which Trahan surveys mall shoppers for their opinions about Neptune water bottles, which just goes to show that the marketing attempts for a solid idea sometimes outlast the idea itself.
Ryan Trahan also launched an apparel company called Hydra Collective
Continuing the mythology naming motif started by Neptune Bottle, Ryan Trahan launched a clothing line under the name Hydra Collective, a reference to the multiheaded creature from ancient Greek lore. This primarily sold hoodies, with regular drops of new products. The icy, futuristic look of its staple pieces and the overall aesthetic were arguably worlds away from the warm and outgoing persona Trahan portrays in his social media life, which may have caused some confusion among his followers.
Much like Neptune Bottle, there's little evidence online of Hydra apparel today — although if you search its name, you can find straggler pieces online, such as on vintage clothing websites. While the designer of the Hydra logo has kept the image as part of their online portfolio, the domain name is currently unused, further proof that Trahan sidelined his foray into fashion for other pursuits — namely, the low-sugar candy company at which he would later adopt a major role.
His business pursuits derailed his career as a college athlete at Texas A&M
Even with so much business filling up his agenda, Ryan Trahan never lost sight of his academic and athletic pursuits, the main thrust of which was his place on the cross country and track team at Texas A&M University. A statement issued by the school's athletic department addressed the fact that Trahan was interested in continuing his business projects — including his growing YouTube venture — while participating as part of the team. Though he'd begun prior to enrolling or attending Texas A&M, its policy prohibited NCAA athletes from promoting certain aspects of their businesses while maintaining membership and competing.
Trahan was ultimately granted a waiver that allowed him to continue both his YouTube endeavors and his cross-country career. Despite ultimately being permitted to juggle school, running, and business, Trahan realized that he was only continuing his studies and his athletic activities as a matter of discipline rather than a passion for running and decided to drop out. It was a watershed moment that helped Trahan realize that his YouTube channel was his true focus, pushing the business-minded Gen Z-er to dedicate all of his energy to his YouTube career.
His Penny Series was a smash and a huge fundraising opportunity
What began as a stunt became a certified phenomenon with Ryan Trahan's followers. The YouTuber's wildly popular Penny Challenge series started with a simple concept of trading a penny for increasingly valuable items. Trahan began a quest to see how far he could get in 30 days. His objective: Deliver his penny to Mr. Beast, with a goal of raising $100,000 for the charity Feeding America. It turned out Trahan was able to travel across the U.S. by trading his way up to bigger and better items and circumstances. As he noted in the YouTube series, this just proved his theory that "pennies are a lot like dreams. They'll sit and rot unless you pick it up and do something about it."
It was an experiment in ingenuity and persuasiveness to see how far he could take the ambitious swap, and boy, did it ever turn into a phenomenon. The YouTube clips capturing his endeavor have generated millions of views, and the project massively benefited Feeding America, with over $1.4 million donated. With Trahan's cleverness translating into entertainment that benefits worthwhile causes, the YouTuber found a formula for content that uplifts and helps those in need — a winning combination that made great use of his online celebrity status.
Ryan Trahan was a winner at the Streamy Awards two years in a row
Streamers who amass a following as large as Ryan Trahan's usually catch the attention of award organizations like the Streamy Awards, a ceremony that celebrates the achievements of the YouTube age and its myriad of creative voices. With a steady upward climb of likes and views, plus a slew of good deeds that endeared him to his ever-expanding following, Trahan was more than deserving of his Breakout Creator of the Year award in 2022.
That piece of hardware was just a taste of the accolades to come for the hard-working influencer. At the following year's Streamy Awards, Trahan went home with First Person Creator of the Year. With stiff competition from such big names — such as Safiya Nygaard, Danny Duncan, BENOFTHEWEEK, and Airrack — Trahan proved that his brand has merit and lasting power enough to stand with some of the biggest stars in the business.
He became a part of Joyride Sweets in 2023
The next enterprise on Ryan Trahan's to-do list was Joyride Sweets, a budding candy company offering a mindful modern take on the traditional suite of gummy treats (not CBD gummies, but the family-friendly kind). Rather than starting this brand from the ground up, Trahan was approached by Joyride's creator, Tyler Merrick, in 2022. Merrick was looking for a partner to help take the candy brand to new heights. Since both Trahan and the company are based in Austin, the connection was an easy fit. Trahan stepped in as co-owner and chief creative officer in 2023, and the company has gone from strength to strength ever since.
The partnership brought visibility to Joyride, thanks to Trahan's obvious online clout, and gave the organization a spokesman who came with an enormous following. Trahan frequently features Joyride displays in his social media content, using his reach to expose his fans to a new sort of candy that offers a low-sugar sweet made without artificial dyes and even provides a fair amount of dietary fiber. If you've tried these delicious confections, you know how hard it is to choose which Joyride candy is the best. They're a modern take on the notion of sweet and sour chewy treats, and Trahan has helped them find a place in the hands (and stomachs) of snackers across the U.S.
His wife, Haley Pham, is also a popular YouTuber
It's not uncommon for folks in the same industry to become romantically entangled. Content creation is no exception, with Ryan Trahan's own love story stemming from his YouTube career. Lifestyle vlogger Haley Pham connected with the future candy connoisseur via an introduction by a mutual friend at the 2019 VidCon, a creator convention that seems like a perfect setting for influencer romance to blossom. To paraphrase Trahan's own description, it was a match made in Gen Z heaven.
Pham became Trahan's first girlfriend before eventually becoming his wife. While Pham now makes regular appearances in Trahan's content, she is an internet superstar in her own right, with over 3.8 million subscribers tuning in for videos that primarily focus on her love of reading. Her additional 1.6 million Instagram followers are also treated to photos and videos of her adventures with Trahan, as well as her love of journaling and fashion. She's also set to publish her first book, a romance called "Just Friends," in 2026. With both parties boasting flourishing online communities, they're arguably something of a power couple in the YouTube world.
Ryan Trahan and Haley Pham visited 50 states in 50 days to raise funds for charity
Continuing on the track of using his growing fame for good and noble causes, Ryan Trahan proposed a wild idea to raise money for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, an organization committed to pediatric medical treatment. Over the course of 50 consecutive days, he and his wife, Haley, would visit all 50 states, staying at and reviewing various unique Airbnb locations along the way.
The journey was, of course, fully documented on the couple's respective social media channels. The attention garnered by the feat was accompanied by some high-dollar donations made by the likes of YouTuber Mr. Beast, who contributed $50,000, and Staple Games, which made the single-largest donation of $815,642. There were also side challenges, like the moment when Trahan was challenged to run a mile in under five minutes and 30 seconds for a $10,000 donation, demonstrating the massive goodwill the influencer duo stirred up for an amazing cause.
By the time Trahan and Pham finished their voyage in Hawaii, they had raised more than $11.5 million for St. Jude's – a Herculean feat for such a short time span in both travel and fundraising. It averages out to around $230,000 raised every day of the challenge, proving the monumental change possible when motivated humans use their fame to help others.
His wife's beliefs inspired him to become a Christian
You won't find anything terribly controversial floating around the internet about Ryan Trahan and Haley Pham, with the two online celebrities seemingly as wholesome as their image projects. While that may seem a little uninteresting to followers who love a juicy slab of hot goss every now and again, it's refreshing for their fans to see a sweetheart pair who are simply, well, sweet.
Trahan credits a lot of his current approach to life to his decision to start a "spiritual pursuit" that led to him "developing a relationship with God" (via YouTube). This was a 180-degree swing for Trahan, who has claimed that he was a "cynical atheist" before he and Pham started dating and would try to debate her beliefs. He's since noted that his connection with Jesus is part of what motivates his philanthropic efforts to do good for the world, proof-positive that there's more to the maker of Joyride Sweets than just low-sugar candy and YouTube antics.
Despite entering the candy business, Ryan Trahan is still committed to physical fitness
A visit to Ryan Trahan's TikTok account reveals that even after diving into the sugary world of commercial confections, the energetic entrepreneur hasn't abandoned his pursuits of a healthy lifestyle. His devotion to fitness — combined with his commitment to providing a more nutritionally balanced line of candies — proves that even the most disciplined lifestyle can leave room for satisfying your sweet tooth.
Trahan's fitness-focused content has included documenting the results of a 30-day virtual reality fitness routine. After bulking up with weights and trimming down via his running practices, Trahan adopted a 2,000-calorie daily diet and used only headset video workouts, with the goal of having fun while getting fit. He's not alone in finding fun in fitness. Wife Haley Pham, an ex-dancer, also documented her attempt at adopting a marathon runner's training regimen, explaining the impact of each phase as she went. Seeing how committed these two are to their health and well-being, it was only logical that a company inventing a healthier candy would become one of Trahan's pet projects.