Kyle Forgeard is a Canadian YouTuber, entrepreneur, and podcaster born on July 12, 1994, in Mississauga, Ontario.
He co-founded the NELK YouTube channel in 2010 and later built a business empire that includes Full Send merchandise, Happy Dad Hard Seltzer, and the Full Send Podcast.
Forbes named him to its 30 Under 30 list in 2022.
Who is Kyle Forgeard?
Kyle Forgeard is the co-founder and driving force behind NELK, a Canadian-American entertainment company known for its prank videos, vlogs, and lifestyle content.
He launched the channel in 2010 alongside a small group of friends from Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.
Over the next decade, Forgeard turned NELK from a low-budget prank channel into a multi-platform enterprise. The group’s audience grew into one of the most loyal followings in the creator space.
By 2022, he had moved beyond content creation into consumer brands. His work on Full Send merchandise, Happy Dad Hard Seltzer, and the Full Send Podcast placed him among the most successful creator-entrepreneurs in North America.
Forbes recognized his impact when it added him to its 30 Under 30 list for social media in 2022. That recognition validated a business model built on brand ownership rather than ad revenue alone.
Early Life of Kyle Forgeard
Kyle Forgeard grew up in Mississauga, Ontario, a suburban city just outside Toronto. His parents, Rick and Gayle Forgeard, raised him there alongside his sister Chantal.
His interest in filmmaking and comedy developed early. From a young age, he was drawn to creating videos and experimenting with camera work, which led him toward a formal education in the field.
Forgeard enrolled at Ryerson University in Toronto, where he studied filmmaking. However, he left before completing his degree to focus entirely on building his YouTube channel.
That decision, made when he was still a teenager, set the foundation for everything that came later.
Kyle Forgeard Age
Kyle Forgeard is 32 years old as of 2026, born on July 12, 1994. His zodiac sign is Cancer. He launched the NELK channel at just 16 years old, long before the channel became a cultural force.
Kyle Forgeard Ethnicity and Nationality
Forgeard is Canadian. He was born and raised in Mississauga, Ontario, and holds Canadian citizenship. His background is of European descent, and multiple sources describe him as Canadian of mixed ethnicity. His upbringing in suburban Toronto shaped the working-class, relatable tone that defined early NELK content.
Kyle Forgeard Height and Weight
Forgeard stands 5 feet 10 inches tall, which is approximately 1.78 meters. His weight is reported at around 74 kg, or 163 lbs. He has an athletic build and dark brown hair and eyes, consistent across his public appearances and content.
Kyle Forgeard Education
Forgeard attended Ryerson University in Toronto, where he enrolled in a filmmaking program. He dropped out before finishing his degree to pursue his YouTube career full-time. That early focus on content creation, rather than credentials, proved central to the career that followed.
The technical knowledge he picked up during his time at Ryerson did inform his approach to video production in NELK’s early years.
Kyle Forgeard Career
Kyle Forgeard’s career falls into three distinct phases: the early YouTube years, the breakthrough and brand-building era, and the business expansion period that turned him into a full-scale entrepreneur.
Channel Launch and Early Content
Forgeard created the YouTube channel NelkFilmz in 2010 alongside Niko Martinovic, Marko Martinovic, and Lucas Gasparini. Their first video, uploaded on April 13, 2013, was titled “McDonalds Job Interview PRANK.”
In the early years, the channel produced small comedy skits and prank videos with limited equipment and a small audience. The tone was raw and unfiltered, which built a cult following in the Canadian creator scene.
Jesse Sebastiani later joined NELK and became Forgeard’s key creative partner. The two reshaped the channel’s direction and pushed it toward a higher production standard.
NELK earned YouTube’s Gold Creator Award in January 2018 after crossing one million subscribers. That milestone came years after their founding, reflecting the slow but steady build they put into the channel.
Breakthrough: Coke Prank on Cops
The channel’s viral turning point came in 2015. Forgeard and the team uploaded a video titled “Coke Prank on Cops,” in which they told Los Angeles police officers they had “coke,” then revealed they meant Coca-Cola.
The video spread rapidly across social media and introduced NELK to a massive new audience. It set the tone for the brand’s identity: bold, risk-heavy stunts aimed at a young male audience.
From that point, NELK’s subscriber count grew steadily. The group continued with similarly provocative content, building a reputation for going further than most creators were willing to go.
In 2017, NELK launched the Full Send merchandise brand, an online store offering limited-edition apparel and accessories. The brand used a scarcity-driven “drop” model, releasing batches of clothing for a short window and selling out quickly.
In September 2020, YouTube demonetized the NELK channel after the group hosted a large gathering at Illinois State University during COVID-19 restrictions. Rather than treating this as a setback, Forgeard used it to accelerate a shift toward brand-owned revenue streams.
Full Send Podcast, Happy Dad, and Business Expansion
In 2021, Forgeard launched the Full Send Podcast, co-hosted with comedian Bob Menery. The show attracted major guests from the start, including Elon Musk, Mike Tyson, Donald Trump, and Shaquille O’Neal.
By March 2022, the Full Send Podcast had climbed to the number two position on Spotify’s US charts. The show gave NELK a second major platform beyond YouTube and opened new sponsorship revenue streams.
In June 2021, Forgeard co-founded Happy Dad Hard Seltzer with brothers John and Sam Shahidi. The brand, produced at Minhas Breweries in Wisconsin, became a top-five hard seltzer at Total Wine by 2023.
Happy Dad’s revenue is estimated between $67 million and $100 million annually and the brand has sold over 224 million cans since its launch.
In January 2022, NELK launched the Full Send Metacard NFT collection. The collection of 10,000 digital cards on the Ethereum blockchain sold out in minutes, generating close to $23 million in total value.
Kyle Forgeard Channel Stats and Achievements
The NELK YouTube channel has grown to over 8 million subscribers. The Full Send Podcast reached the number two spot on Spotify in the US in March 2022, one of the highest chart positions a creator-led podcast had achieved at that time.
NELK’s Instagram account and Kyle’s personal account, @kyle, together reach millions of followers. In January 2022, the Full Send Metacard NFT collection sold out in under two minutes.
Forbes named Kyle Forgeard to its 30 Under 30 list for social media in 2022. That placement acknowledged the scale of the business empire he built alongside his content.
NELK also received YouTube’s Gold Creator Award in 2018 for crossing one million subscribers. The group’s Full Send merchandise brand is estimated to generate close to $100 million annually through its limited drop strategy.
Kyle Forgeard Brand Deals and Collaborations
Full Send’s merchandise model evolved beyond simple branded apparel. The brand adopted a drop format modeled on streetwear labels like Supreme, releasing limited quantities of clothing for short windows.
Single drops have reportedly sold out in under 30 minutes, with some generating tens of millions of dollars in a single release.
Happy Dad Hard Seltzer expanded into partnership with Breakthru Beverage Group, which drove its Midwest distribution.
The brand reached distribution across multiple US states and built national retail presence at chains including Total Wine.
Forgeard and the NELK team have also maintained partnerships with UFC president Dana White over several years. NELK appeared at UFC 264 in 2021, and that relationship has contributed to brand visibility in the sports and entertainment crossover audience they target.
Kyle Forgeard Relationship
Forgeard keeps his personal life private and has not publicly confirmed a long-term relationship. Multiple sources note that he is currently single.
He has not been previously married and has no confirmed children as of 2026.
Kyle Forgeard Net Worth
Kyle Forgeard’s estimated net worth is $25 million as of 2026. His wealth grew sharply from an estimated $5 million in 2024, driven by the expansion of his business portfolio rather than content ad revenue.
Full Send merchandise generates the largest portion of his income. The apparel line, sold in limited drops, produces close to $100 million in annual revenue. Happy Dad Hard Seltzer adds a second major pillar, with estimated annual revenues between $67 million and $100 million and a brand valuation in the $250 million to $300 million range.
The Full Send Podcast contributes through sponsorship deals and ad partnerships. Its high-profile guest list has pushed its sponsorship rates well above industry averages.
The Full Send Metacard NFT drop in January 2022 brought in roughly $23 million in total sales. Forgeard also holds real estate in Los Angeles and Las Vegas, including property in the Hollywood Hills.
Kyle Forgeard Social Media
Forgeard is active across multiple platforms. On Instagram, he runs @kyle, a handle he secured early in his career. On TikTok, he posts as @kyleforgeard. The NELK Boys’ main channel on YouTube is @NELK. The Full Send Podcast also has its own separate YouTube channel, @fullsendpodcast. On Twitter/X, he goes by @KyleForgeard. He does not maintain a large following on Twitch.
The Bottom Line
Kyle Forgeard co-founded NELK in 2010 and earned a spot on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list in 2022, built on a business empire that includes Full Send merchandise and Happy Dad Hard Seltzer.
He grew up in suburban Mississauga, Ontario, dropped out of Ryerson University, and turned a prank YouTube channel into a brand with an estimated net worth of $25 million by 2026.
Happy Dad Hard Seltzer, which he co-founded in June 2021, has sold over 224 million cans since launch and continues to expand its US retail footprint. We hope you enjoyed reading about Kyle Forgeard. Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below!