Grant Hilbert, a 26-year-old farmer from Iowa, realized his dream of owning 250 acres of farmland through a unique combination of video gaming and online content creation. Growing up on his grandparents' farm, Hilbert cultivated a passion for agriculture and worked towards his goal from a young age. During high school, he started a YouTube channel called The Squad, where he shared gameplay of Farming Simulator, a game that allows players to cultivate crops and raise livestock. His channel gained over one million followers, enabling him to monetize his content and save enough money to purchase real farmland.
After graduating from Iowa State University with a degree in agriculture, Hilbert bought hundreds of acres in central Iowa, where he planted corn and soybeans and continued to engage his online audience through a second channel. Additionally, he founded SquadBuilt Inc., which launched the game American Farming, focused on midwestern agriculture. Despite his online success, Hilbert remains dedicated to farming and aims to inspire others while working alongside his brother on their farm. He is actively sowing his own field of dreams, achieving his goals earlier than anticipated.