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What Is Eric Thomas’ Net Worth?
As of 2025, Eric Thomas, the American motivational speaker, author, and minister, has an estimated net worth of $5 million. This figure is primarily attributed to his successful career as a motivational speaker, author, and minister. He’s widely recognized for his impactful speeches on YouTube, which have garnered him a significant following and contributed to his financial success.
Eric Thomas’ Early Life and Career Beginnings
Eric Thomas was born on September 3, 1970, in Chicago, Illinois, and raised in Detroit, Michigan. He experienced a challenging upbringing, including a period of homelessness after dropping out of high school due to disagreements with his parents and aunts. For about two years, he lived on the streets of Detroit. During this time, a friend introduced him to a church where he was encouraged by a pastor and evangelist team to pursue his GED and a college degree.
He was invited to live with a church member’s family and secured employment at a local McDonald’s and an Olive Garden on the west side of Detroit. During this period, Thomas met his wife, De-De Mosley, at the Detroit Center Seventh-day Adventist Church. They later moved to Huntsville, Alabama, where they both attended Oakwood University and got married while still students. Thomas spent twelve years working towards his undergraduate degree and finally graduated from Oakwood in 2001. While in Huntsville, he preached and established a program to support underprivileged youth.
In 2003, Thomas took a job with Michigan State University (MSU) along with a fellowship to complete his master’s degree in K-12 Administration with an emphasis in Educational Leadership. He worked as an academic advisor to disadvantaged students at MSU. At MSU, he helped develop an undergraduate retention program called The Advantage with fellow academic advisor and motivational speaker DeAndre Carter which targeted academically high-risk Black and Latino students. He also served as senior pastor at A Place of Change Ministries (APOC Ministries) in Lansing, Michigan. Thomas attained a master’s degree from MSU in 2005, and a PhD in Education Administration in 2015.
Sources of Income and Career Highlights
Eric Thomas’s income is derived from various sources, with motivational speaking being a primary contributor. He has delivered motivational talks to numerous college and professional athletes. He also earns income from his books, including “The Secret to Success” (2012), “Greatness Is Upon You: Laying the Foundation” (2014), and “Average Skill Phenomenal Will” (2016).
Thomas founded ETA LLC, a consulting firm that offers education consulting, athletic development, and executive coaching. His work has extended to consulting for Fortune 500 companies and major sports teams within the MLB, NBA, NFL, and MLS. He has also appeared on Fox News to discuss his work and was featured on Disclosure’s album “Settle” and Meek Mill’s album “Wins and Losses”. In 2020, he reunited with Disclosure to speak on the song “Energy”, which was released as the lead track from their third album Energy.
His YouTube channel, where he posts motivational speeches, has a substantial following with over 1.46 million subscribers as of March 2025. Some sources estimate his annual earnings to be around $1.2 million, stemming from his various business ventures and investments. It’s estimated that his website generates over $1,200 per month in sales of his ‘Grindgear’ merchandise, and he earns approximately $20,000 a month from his coaching and training programs alone. Presupposing a 4% annual yield on his assets (3% – 5% is the historical average for safe investments), his money also easily makes him an additional $248K per year.
