How a 19-Year-Old From the Bronx Built a Luxury Empire From One Handshake

Summary

Podcast Summary: Earn Your Leisure

Episode: How a 19-Year-Old From the Bronx Built a Luxury Empire From One Handshake
Hosts: Rashad Bilal & Troy Millings (iHeartPodcasts)
Guest: Xavier (Founder, Jacksonic Rentals)
Release Date: August 2, 2026

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Episode Overview

In this inspiring episode, Rashad and Troy sit down with Xavier, a 19-year-old entrepreneur from the Bronx, who shares how he leveraged the power of networking and mentorship to turn a single handshake at Invest Fest into a thriving luxury car rental business, Jacksonic Rentals. The episode dives into the challenges and mindset of young entrepreneurs, the importance of community and financial literacy, and how youth is a powerful advantage in the business world.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Xavier's Origin Story & Early Networking

[02:10 - 05:00]

• Xavier recounts how he first attended Invest Fest at age 17, despite not having a business yet.

• Thanks Bronx council member Kevin Riley for sponsoring a group of students to attend; emphasizes importance of exposure and environment.

• Proactive in seeking mentorship:

  “I was just shaking hands with everybody... schedule calls, see how could I learn from somebody or get a mentor.” – Xavier [03:40]

• Built relationships, notably with Sherman Brown and PJ (now mentor).

• By Invest Fest the following year, Xavier pitches his business idea and wins a $1,000 youth scholarship for Jacksonic Rentals.

Launching Jacksonic Rentals & Scaling Up

[05:04 - 07:00]

• Hosts highlight Xavier’s rapid growth:

  “You’re 19 years old, you’re coming out the Bronx... you meet a mentor, you start an exotic car rental business.” – Co-Host [05:13]

• Secures his first funds and leverages connections for real clients, including hosts’ referrals and serving local youth for prom.
• Explains offerings: daily and weekly exotic car rentals, chauffeur services (Lamborghinis, Ferraris, Rolls Royces).

The Power of Mentorship & Business Model Insights

[07:05 - 09:30]

• Host shares a story:

  “Kids in our neighborhood going to the prom... call Xavier, he gets a car, maybe four, five hours.” – Host 2 [06:36]

• Xavier details how his mentor PJ taught him the intricacies of the exotic car rental business.
• Reveals business model: most cars come from private owners (“investors”) with underused luxury vehicles—they become appreciating assets through rentals.
• Xavier had always envisioned this business, writing it in his notes a year before connecting with PJ.
• Quote:

  “I literally have in my notes from maybe 2023 or 2022: ‘I will own an exotic rental business.’” – Xavier [07:36]

Encouraging Youth Entrepreneurship and Mindset

[09:30 - 11:29]

• Parent interviewer asks about the significance of starting young.
• Xavier reflects on wishing he began even earlier and stresses the value of early financial literacy:

  “I always felt like I was behind even now... I wish I was into crypto, I could have been one of these crypto kids, you know? But it’s all God’s time.” – Xavier [09:54]

• Breaks down the generational impact:

  “Simply just planting the seed in a young individual could blossom the whole entire generation.” – Xavier [10:12]

• Advocacy for breaking generational curses and building wealth, fueled by being raised in the Bronx projects.
• Credits mentors and educational programs (like Aim High) for broadening his worldview:

  “A conversation with a person could completely change their life... that’s pretty much all it took for me.” – Xavier [10:59]

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Notable Quotes

• On Seizing Opportunities:

  “It was just all a bunch of steps and just time, time in the way. And now we’re here... it's kind of mind boggling.” – Xavier [04:54]

• On Business Model Creativity:

  “A lot of people say vehicles are depreciating assets, but in the rental game we can actually make them appreciating assets...” – Xavier [08:20]

• On Youth and Potential:

  “The ambition and the vision that I have for myself... people that had more or was more experienced poured into me at a young age... I see life from a different perspective now.” – Xavier [10:30]

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Memorable Moments & Takeaways

• From Note to Reality: Xavier documented his dream business in his notes years before it materialized — a testament to the power of vision boarding and intentionality.
• “Just One Conversation:” The critical role a single connection or handshake can play, especially for young people seeking to break generational cycles.
• Practical Business Lessons: Success doesn’t always mean ownership; leveraging networks and underutilized assets can lead to opportunity with minimal risk.

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Key Segments & Timestamps

• Xavier's Invest Fest origins & networking: [02:10 - 05:00]
• First $1,000 scholarship & validation: [05:04 - 05:28]
• Building and scaling Jacksonic Rentals: [06:00 - 07:00]
• The mentorship relationship & business mechanics: [07:32 - 09:30]
• Advice for youth, impact, and breaking cycles: [09:54 - 11:29]

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Overall Tone

Casual, inspiring, and candid—rooted in community empowerment, practical business insights, and the energetic ambition of youth. Xavier’s story is equal parts motivational and instructive, packed with real-world advice, vulnerability, and gratitude for those who helped him along the way.

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This episode is a must-listen for aspiring entrepreneurs, parents, educators, and anyone curious about how hustle, relationships, and vision can turn youthful ambition into a blooming business—at any age.

Transcript

[Host 1]

This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human earners.

[Host 2]

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[Host 1]

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[Xavier]

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[Co-Host]

So you know we you spoke at a school that we was at in the Bronx a few months ago and it was such an impressive story from an entrepreneurial standpoint and just going to invest fest and how that's actually altered the trajectory of your life that we was like man, we want to highlight young entrepreneurs, some people that are doing well in the community, our form of give back. But I also just want you to just kind of tell your story if you can as far as how you got to Market Mondays.

[Xavier]

Yeah, so this is completely crazy because I envisioned this literally the first time I went to Invest Fest because I was watching you guys before even going to invest first. But first year at Invest Fest I want to thank Kevin Riley for, you know, sponsoring our Atlanta trip council member from the Bronx. He invited us and about like I think it was 70 other students, completely free, five star hotel. And I was able to actually go, I was invited. And that first year I had nothing to show for, I had no business. I was 17 years old, fresh out of high school, class of 2024. And I just wanted to go and just be around the environment of entrepreneurs, high level individuals and actually learn. So being there I was just shaking hands with everybody. Like I was, you know, I was telling you guys earlier I was trying to schedule calls with people, I was trying to get on zoom calls, schedule this, try to see how could I learn from somebody or get a mentor, etc and that alone just led me to create connections and actually interact with certain people. But at Invest Fest, like I said, I wanted to give a thanks to Sherman Brown because he has a large network as well. And being there I actually met somebody who is involved in a business I was interested in which I now run Jackside of Rentals. And ever since then we just stood well connected. His name is pj. He's a mentor of mine. And ever since then it's just been on since there came into Invest Fest the next year. This is Invest Fest 2025 and I was actually able to pitch my business to you guys. You know, I was able to pitch to Troy MG and I was actually a winner of the youth scholarship pitching Jacksonic Rentals, showing my vision with it. What is it I actually want to do? What's my plan, how I actually want to scale? And ever since then I just been well connected with the people around me. Like I said, I want to give thanks to Kevin Riley, thanks to Sherman Brown and as well as my high school principal Ms. Bray from Bronxville Preparatory Academy for bringing on Sherman Brown to lead me to meet Kevin Riley. So it was just all a bunch of steps and just time, time in the way. And now we're here going into Invest Fest 2026 and I'm on Market Mondays with you guys. Somehow, you know, it kind of mind boggles me like I don't even understand

[Co-Host]

it, you know, so, so just to Just to. So just to put it in perspective before Troy goes. So you, how are you 19?

[Xavier]

Yeah, I'm 19.

[Co-Host]

So you're 19 years old, you're coming out the Bronx, you come to invest fest, you meet a mentor, essentially, you start an exotic car rental business. And then you get. How much money did you get? $5,000.

[Xavier]

It was 1,000.

[Co-Host]

1,000, okay, yeah, but you got the $1,000. You parlayed that. But now you actually have a successful exotic car rental business. And we actually used you because somebody, I'm sure Troy will tell the story, but somebody needed a car. So straight out of high, you pretty much straight out of high school, and you're up and running and you're, you're like a real entrepreneur that's out here moving.

[Xavier]

Thank you so much. I appreciate it. So, yeah, it's like we're actually serving real clienteles. We're actually providing these vehicles, chauffeur services, daily rentals, weekly rentals on exotic cars. Lamborghinis, Ferraris, Rolls Royces. Any vehicle you can name, we have access to. And we could put you in. Whether it's a daily rental or a chauffeur, you know, you got a date night, you want vacation, airport drop off, you want to live that luxury lifestyle, Sometimes people just want it for the moment, you know, so we're here to provide that service. And it happened like this, man.

[Host 2]

It's an incredible story. And again, this, this isn't just like some theoretical, like story we're telling this year we have some kids that were in our neighborhood going to the prom. They called us day of. No joke. We day of, hey, guys, can you help? I need a car. I was like, I know the person to call. We call Xavier, he gets a car. This is probably how many hours? Maybe three hours, four hours?

[Xavier]

Yeah, like probably five hours max. Four hours? Yeah, five hours max.

[Host 2]

You get the job done. This is the idea of networking across. Prom season is a big season for you. You just came out of prom season. First question is most people thinking like, wait, this is an 18 year old kid, 19 year old kid. How was he able to get these cars? So talk about the process of having your mentor explaining you the, the game and how this was on your vision board. This wasn't something that came out of nowhere. You were on your vision board and saying, I'm gonna get there when I'm 30. You didn't know you'd be here at 17?

[Xavier]

Not at all. So, yeah, like I said when I actually met my mentor, once again, his Name's PJ at Invest Fest. And me and him connected and I was telling him, yo, look at my notes. I literally have in my notes from about maybe 2023 or 2022 saying I will own an exotic rental business. Or it was under, it was labeled as future businesses and under it was exotic rentals. And this is something I thought I would have to scale into like later on in the future. And he was just like, wow, there's no way. Etc. And then as me and him continued talking, I was like, wait, I think I know your your business. And me and him actually had a convo because what's crazy is this is such a full circle moment. I try to book with him for my prom. So I actually tried to get a rental vehicle for my prom. I was trying to get a Lamborghini Huracan, but I was 17 years old so you know, I didn't meet the requirements. I had no full coverage insurance, no eats it, no 21 plus license. And then, you know, he let it happen. You know what I'm saying? He ain't give you the lamb. I was a little tight, but I had to go in my mom's car. But that was cool for me. But so yeah, meeting, meeting the mentor, like I said, he was actually able to show me the game and tell me, you don't even really need to own these vehicles. There's people out here that have Lamborghini Uruses that they don't even drive them and they're just paying that monthly car note and it's just sitting there. It's a depreciating asset. But a lot of people do say vehicles are depreciating assets, but when it comes into the rental game, we can actually make them. Appreciating assets as in dealing with the expenses and then everything profit from there. So just to sum it up, investors having a broad network and you can also, you know, on the vehicles yourself as well. But there's a lot of like, you know, using investors, etc, where it's like there's no risk on the table. Source the client, you manage the vehicle, you're able to get the job done.

[Parent/Interviewer]

Quick question for you, for the parents who may be watching with their kids tonight, can you talk to us about the power of youth? Mapping out a vision plan and telling parents not to limit the beliefs on their children because you started incredibly young and most people think you have to wait till you're 30. But talk to the importance about getting started early as an entrepreneur and what advantages the youth have over over people that are older?

[Xavier]

Yes, most definitely. So I always said, I always felt like I was behind even now I'd be like, I wish I started when I was 13, 14 instead of playing Fortnite. Like I wish I was into crypto. I could have been one of these crypto kids, you know, But I mean it's, it's all God's time, you know. But yeah, you really have to do emphasize youth financial literacy in general because simply just planting the seed and a young individual could just blossom the whole entire generation. So like my whole mojo, and I get this from Sherman Brown, is I want to break generational curses and create generational wealth. You know, because I'm from the Bronx, I was born and raised in the projects. But the ambition and the, the vision that I have for myself being that people that had more or people that, that learned more or was experience poured into me at a young age, I've now opened my mind to something completely different from let's say the average 19 year old. Whereas I can vision my life being completely different from let's say the average, the average Joe. Like you know, let's say a 9 to 5 or corporate, you know, I actually see life from a different, different perspective now that I zoomed out when people were able to pour into me from a young individual, I mean from a young age. And that just goes to show how much literally just a conversation, a conversation with a person could completely change their life. And that's pretty much all it took for me. Going to these events, being partnered with Aim high and just shaking hands, meeting all these high level individuals show you there's so much more to life if you just put your head down and work towards something greater than what is normal to everybody earners.

[Host 2]

What's up? Look, when you think about discovering small brands, what store pops in your mind? Well, it should be Walmart. Seriously. Walmart has thousands of small brands and they're all in one place. Just go online or in store, discover and shop. It could not be easier. Every one of these brands has a real story and real people behind it. They're true American success stories and you can find them all at Walmart. Discover thousands of small [e-mail] today before you sign off.

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[Host 2]

Earners what's Up? Look, building wealth isn't just about making money. It's about knowing where your money is working for you. That's why we partner with Empower. Empower is all about helping you invest well so you can go out and live a little. Their free Empower Personal Dashboard gives you a complete view of your financial life in one place. Track your net worth, monitor your budget, analyze your investments, set retirement goals, and more. You've worked hard for your money, now make sure it's working hard for you. Download the Empower Personal dashboard or visit empower.com not an empower client. Paid or sponsored when traveling for events or festivals throughout the country, every dollar matters. We compare flights, prices, hotel rates, and restaurant options. So why wouldn't we compare rides? Personally, I always check Lyft before booking a ride. Prices can change throughout the day depending on traffic, weather, and what's happening in the city. If you're headed to a concert, out to dinner, or catching up with your friends on a Friday night, taking a few seconds to check Lyft could leave you with more money to enjoy the experience. Save Money Checklist this is an iHeart podcast.

[Host 1]

Guaranteed Human.