Podcast
The Under 30 Podcast
Hosted by Forbes · EN
How did they make their first million? Whether it’s revenue, followers, streams or something else entirely, the Under 30 Podcast is the must-watch show for anyone young and ambitious building from the ground up. We go beyond the headlines and into the details, unpacking what it really took to go from zero to 50, then 100, and beyond. Hear from some of the most successful founders, actors and musicians featured on the iconic Forbes Under 30 list, as well as the industry veterans, investors and mentors who helped shape their journeys. Real stories, hard-earned lessons and practical insights from the people who have done it. Plus, we make it fun.About The Hosts: Alex York and Zoya Hasan are editors of the Forbes 30 Under 30 list, covering the emerging businesses, brands and founders shaping our economy today. From AI unicorns and drone manufacturers to media empires and cult-followed consumer brands, they put a new spin on business news. Both joined Forbes in 2023, and are New York University alumni.
12episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
K-Pop Demon Hunters Star Audrey Nuna On Grammys, Oscars, & Identity
3w ago00:48:57Tap to summarizeIn this definitive episode of the Under 30 Podcast, hosts Alex and Zoya conduct an exclusive, in-depth interview with award-winning musician, singer, and creative visionary Audrey Nuna. From underground critical acclaim to her monumental breakout role in K-Pop Demon Hunters—which secured two Academy Awards, two Golden Globes, two Critics Choice Awards, and a landmark Grammy win—Audrey offers an unfiltered look into the reality of modern artist entrepreneurship, cultural representation, and navigating the music industry. One of the most defining moments of Audrey Nuna's journey occurred when she took a year off from her traditional trajectory to grind in the studio full-time. She recalls a harrowing moment of standing in Target unable to afford basic necessities, only to secure a life-changing, seven-figure major record deal just eight months later. In this interview, Audrey breaks down her evolving relationship with capital, detailing why creators must stop hating money and instead learn to respect it as a neutral business tool. She shares invaluable financial insights for young founders and artists on living within your means, maintaining equity, and avoiding reckless spending while scaling your brand. Growing up in Manalapan, New Jersey, as the child of Korean immigrants, Audrey spent her early life walking the tightrope between two distinct worlds. That exact experience formed the bedrock of her artistic philosophy, allowing her to seamlessly blend contrasting textures in her music—which she whimsically describes as "ice cream with French fries". Inspired by multidisciplinary icons like Donald Glover (Childish Gambino), legendary animator Hayao Miyazaki, and industrial design pioneer Dieter Rams, Audrey explains how functional design and intentionality transformed her view of pop music from a restrictive genre into a powerful communication engine. Before hitting a billion streams on hit tracks like Golden, Audrey faced endless industry friction. She opens up about auditioning for NBC's The Voice three separate times as a young teenager and getting rejected every single time. Rather than stopping her, those early failures built the psychological resilience necessary to survive dark moments in the industry, including a two-year social media shadowban after posting a series of rebellious grid photos. Her advice for emerging creators and entrepreneurs is blunt and tactical: remain humble, stay grounded through daily journaling and spiritual practices, and view early industry struggles as essential preparation. Demonstrating true entrepreneurial grit, Audrey details her wild experience competing in a high-stakes MrBeast challenge for $1 million in charitable funding. After losing the grand prize in the final moments when Steve-O stole her briefcase, she converted her frustration into positive action by launching an independent $1 million fundraising campaign for Luminous. This non-profit organization provides accelerated, life-changing education programs for underprivileged children across sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East. Now partnered with Republic Records, Audrey discusses how she maintains 100% creative autonomy by surrounding herself with "polyglots"—executives and managers who speak both the language of high-level business metrics and raw human culture. She offers her candid takes on artificial intelligence (AI) and Auto-Tune in music, emphasizing that technology should serve as a tool to elevate human intention rather than replace critical thinking. Finally, she gives Forbes viewers an exclusive preview of her upcoming album recorded across Corsica and Brazil, describing its sound as pure "outcast superhero energy". Subscribe to Forbes for more executive profiles, creative business strategies, and exclusive interviews with the world's most influential young leaders on the Under 30 Podcast! 💰 Financial Literacy: From Broke at Target to a 7-Figure Record Deal🎭 Cultural Identity, Blending Genres, and Creative Autonomy🛑 Overcoming Rejection, Shadowbans, and Social Media Pressure🌍 The MrBeast $1 Million Loss & Philanthropic Impact🎧 Major Labels, AI in Music, and What’s Next Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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From Stocking Walmart Shelves To Her Face On The Shelf: The Rise Of Chef Tini
4w ago00:35:28Tap to summarizeIn this definitive episode of the Under 30 Podcast, hosts Alex and Zoya dive into a masterclass on the creator economy, brand equity, and real estate acquisition with viral culinary trailblazer and entrepreneur Tina Younger, globally recognized by her 12 million supporters as Chef Tini. Broadcasted as an authoritative playbook for modern creators, culinary professionals, and startup founders, this comprehensive interview traces the raw mechanics of scaling an online persona into a highly lucrative multi-platform empire. From navigating corporate asset negotiation to establishing long-term financial freedom outside traditional media hubs, this conversation serves as the ultimate guide to modern business disruption. The narrative of self-made success is perfectly embodied in Chef Tini’s business trajectory. Long before achieving status on the Under 30 framework, Tini recounts her formative years as Tina Tanaka navigating a rigid public school education system in Maryland that failed to align with her hands-on capability. After pivoting to a regional trade school program at the Career Technology Center (CTC) to avoid standard desks, her behavioral and academic metrics completely shifted from failing grades to the Dean’s List. Tini highlights a profound full-circle milestone that defines her current corporate scale: transitioning directly from a minimum-wage position stocking inventory on Walmart shelves to having her own face printed on national grocery product packaging distributed across those exact same shelves. This profile underscores how specialized trade talents can outpace standard corporate climbing structures when paired with aggressive work ethics. A core lesson for any startup founder or creator in this episode centers on calculating high-stakes risks under extreme time constraints. Tini outlines the disruptive moment Gordon Ramsay’s casting team reached out for Next Level Chef Season 2 just two weeks before active filming was scheduled in London. At the time, she was completely broke, selling household furniture alongside her husband Antoine simply to meet monthly rental obligations, all while balancing full-time culinary school and exhaustive fine-dining restaurant shifts. To capitalize on this career-altering pivot, Tini strategically surrendered a secured corporate culinary internship with Disney. Facing a logistical crisis with an expired passport, she proactively petitioned her local congressional office to secure an emergency next-day passport dispensation to catch her flight to the United Kingdom. Rather than succumbing to the immense pressure of competing against seasoned Michelin-star sous chefs, she viewed the intense television production as a high-velocity learning environment, ultimately placing in the Top 8 and transforming her newfound credentials into sustainable market leverage to secure premier talent representation. Building digital content on platforms like TikTok requires shifting from vanity metrics (like follower counts) to structural monetization and protective intellectual property (IP) management. Chef Tini outlines her rigorous blueprint for maintaining brand integrity within highly competitive consumer spaces: Executive Control in Partnerships: Tini actively rejects standard, passive influencer structures. In high-profile collaborations with premium culinary brands like Headley & Bennett, she enforces strict design autonomy over custom product lines—including specialized aprons and chef knives—ensuring her name and reputation are never compromised by corporate oversight. Selective Brand Alignment: In a landscape driven by fleeting internet fame, Tini maintains strict filters on corporate sponsorships. Her creative marketing integration is anchored purely in everyday utility, as demonstrated by her massive marketing campaign with Marvel to promote major theatrical releases. In-House Business Infrastructure: Rather than employing standard third-party management agencies that run the risk of financial mismanagement, Tini maintains complete fiduciary transparency by appointing her mother—an experienced independent business owner—as her core business manager. For young entrepreneurs suddenly experiencing rapid wealth accumulation, capital allocation strategy is everything. While many rising creators fall into the trap of short-term consumer liabilities, Chef Tini outlines a highly conservative financial philosophy focused entirely on generational wealth protection. She openly rejects standard designer clothing, luxury items, and fleeting consumer trends, identifying high-quality tattoo artwork as her only personal indulgence. Instead, Tini's smartest financial decision has been the aggressive acquisition of physical real estate and land assets. By avoiding saturated, high-cost metropolitan hubs like Los Angeles or New York City, she has focused her capital on developing an expansive family land compound designed for agricultural sustainability, fishing, livestock, and long-term asset appreciation for future generations. To answer how a digital creator consistently captures cross-generational audience attention, look no further than Tini's legendary viral recipes, such as her famous mac and cheese. Far from a spontaneous internet trend, she reveals that the proprietary recipe took four consecutive years of micro-adjustments to fully perfect. Tini systematically applied advanced culinary principles learned during her international cuisine training, implementing South Asian spice-blooming techniques directly into heated fats to extract maximum flavor compounds. Furthermore, she integrated strict restaurant emulsification science by utilizing Dijon mustard to flawlessly bind cheese fats, while selecting Cavatappi pasta specifically based on its structural ribbing to hold heavy sauce bases. Ultimately, this episode maps out Tini's future philanthropic endeavors, detailing her goal to open a revolutionary soup kitchen staffed by certified professional chefs to elevate humble, donated ingredients into gourmet dining experiences for the less fortunate. Watch this exclusive Forbes Under 30 Interview with Chef Tini to learn how to master brand equity, navigate corporate negotiations, and convert digital content into long-term wealth. 📈 From Stocking Grocery Shelves To Global Product Stardom🍳 The Gordon Ramsay Pivot: Strategic Risk Management in Media💼 Creator Economy Scaling: How to Monetize Authenticity and Brand IP🚜 Smart Money Decisions: Prioritizing Generational Land Over Luxury🧀 The Corporate Blueprint of a Viral Video Masterpiece Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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What It Takes to Get Legendary VC Bill Gurley To Invest In Your Startup
Jul 1300:32:21Tap to summarizeIn this masterclass episode of the Under 30 Podcast, hosts Alex and Zoya sit down with Silicon Valley royalty and legendary venture capital investor Bill Gurley for an unvarnished, deep-dive interview on the state of global technology, high-stakes startup financing, and the future of corporate growth. Broadcasted from the heart of the world's most competitive technology corridors, this video serves as an authoritative field guide for founders, angel investors, and tech enthusiasts navigating the modern market, stretching from traditional innovation hubs like San Francisco and Silicon Valley to rising ecosystems in New York, Austin, London, and beyond. The macro tech landscape has shifted dramatically into an aggressive, hyper-polarized market. Bill Gurley breaks down the stark, black-and-white divide where artificial intelligence startups are raising capital at historic, astronomical valuations, while non-AI tech companies face massive friction securing seed or growth capital. Looking closely at hot sectors like the automated coding space and legal AI vertical, Gurley highlights that upwards of seven distinct companies have raised more than $200 million each. This creates a hyper-competitive landscape where companies deploy immense capital reserves purely to fund aggressive customer acquisition strategies, rendering traditional, conservative bootstrap approaches completely obsolete. As venture capital firms scale their own asset management pools, a dangerous dynamic has emerged. Gurley details the "observer effect" in modern startup investing, where venture capitalists aggressively push capital onto high-performing tech startups that do not actually need the cash. Founders are routinely flown out in helicopters and gifted premium sports box access to incentivize them to sign away equity, with the implied threat that if they refuse the funding, the cash will be handed directly to a direct market competitor. Taking unnecessary funding artificially drives up a startup's burn rate and obscures its fundamental financial health. Gurley explicitly warns young founders that private cap tables are structurally rigid, built only to scale upward. Due to liquidation preference stacks and ratchet clauses, navigating a down-round in private equity is incredibly destructive, unlike public market stock corrections. While historical anomalies like Uber successfully scaled past a $2 billion annual burn rate to now generate over $10 billion in free cash flow, structural over-leveraging routinely leads to total business failure, as famously seen in corporate downfalls like WeWork. A critical warning for startup founders in this episode centers on unit economics and pricing integrity. Gurley sounds the alarm on the modern trend of "vibe coding" and the illusory software growth scaling metrics reminiscent of the dot-com bubble. Tech startups are frequently caught in an unsustainable cycle where they purchase underlying computing architecture or tokens from upstream tech giants (like Amazon or Anthropic) and resell them to corporate clients at a net loss. Gurley notes that when an enterprise sells a dollar for $0.80, it can easily demonstrate infinite operational growth, but it will face a catastrophic reckoning when forced to achieve true cash-flow break-even metrics. For early-stage startup founders attempting to raise venture capital, Gurley outlines his precise investment framework. Beyond identifying strong consumer marketplaces built on compounding network effects where the 10,000th user derives infinitely more value than the 100th, Gurley prioritizes a founder's raw capacity for salesmanship. Whether loud or quiet, a chief executive must master the art of recruitment, closing customer acquisitions, and navigating fundraising rounds. He references Jeff Bezos' investment thesis of seeking "unbounded determinism"—the visible trait in an entrepreneur that proves there is absolutely no obstacle capable of stopping them from building their enterprise. Stepping outside the boardroom, Gurley shares unexpected historical anecdotes from his early career, including how annual trips to Las Vegas led to counting cards at Binion's casino. By strategically hunting down specific gaming pits where high-rolling gamblers distracted the house pit bosses, Gurley and his peers learned to gamble with a mathematical edge—a strategy that directly mirrored his transition into technology investing. He applies this same analytical lens to the meteoric rise of prediction markets like Polymarket and Kalshi, warning investors to heavily monitor volume data and watch out for low-float market manipulation or high house rakes on esoteric prop bets. Finally, drawing from the core principles of his newly published book, Runnin' Down a Dream: How to Thrive in a Career You Actually Love, Gurley challenges the standard "follow your passion" corporate cliché. Pointing to landmark Stanford research proving that ten years post-graduation, fewer than 40% of professionals work in a field related to their college major, Gurley urges young corporate workers to avoid the sunk cost fallacy, embrace intellectual curiosity, and fearlessly repot themselves into industries where their internal focus burns the brightest. Watch this exclusive Forbes Under 30 Interview with Bill Gurley to learn more about how speculative tech waves, career choices, and macro market changes shape the global venture landscape. The Massive AI Funding Divide vs. Traditional Trade Startup ModelsThe Valuation Trap, High Burn Rates, and Cap Table ComplicationsIllusory Growth: Are You Selling a Dollar for Eighty Cents?What It Takes to Get Bill Gurley to InvestCounting Cards in Vegas, Prediction Markets, and Career Pivots Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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This Entrepreneur Raised $400 Million To "Poison" Your Data (And Protect Your Privacy)
Jul 600:36:32Tap to summarizeIs your phone number revealing your deepest secrets? Today on the Forbes Under 30 podcast, hosts Alex York and Zoya Hasan sit down with Arjun Bhatnagar, co-founder and CEO of Cloaked. After building a crude AI that accidentally automated his relationship, Arjun realized just how vulnerable our personal data truly is. Now, with $400 million in funding, Cloaked is helping consumers fight back against data brokers and hackers using a radical technique: data poisoning. Arjun breaks down why you should never give out your real phone number at checkout, how Cloaked secured a massive privacy partnership with the NFLPA, and the terrifying reality of what someone can do with just a single piece of your personal information. Plus, he shares the massive $1.5 million marketing gamble that saved his company, and finally sets the record straight on the biggest Forbes Under 30 myth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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From Mom’s Garage To Global Fame: How Vic Blends Built A Cultural Barbering Empire
Jun 2900:58:46Tap to summarizeWelcome to the flagship episode of the Under 30 Podcast, where hosts Alex and Zoya sit down with digital creator and celebrity barber Vic Fontanez, widely known as Vic Blends. In this exclusive interview, the visionary entrepreneur shares his blueprint on how to turn an ordinary career into a life of extraordinary purpose . From humble beginnings cutting hair in his mom's garage to styling global icons like Barack Obama and Tom Brady, Vic outlines his unique trajectory for long-term business success. However, rapid scaling in the creator economy comes with major financial risks, and Vic pulls back the curtain on a devastating financial oversight early in his career. He reveals how a six-figure IRS tax bill nearly derailed his entire operation after a bad accountant failed to pay his taxes for two years, offering critical financial literacy lessons on managing business revenue. Beyond small business management and tax strategies, this episode dives deep into the unseen mental pressures of rapid entrepreneurial scaling. Vic opens up candidly about his mental health journey, detailing his bipolar 1 disorder diagnosis, his experience with mania and psychosis, and the necessity of his 16-month hiatus at the absolute peak of his success . Discover the core mindset behind his "stay planted" philosophy, which emphasizes grounding your business and life in personal character rather than fleeting digital metrics . Learn how he leveraged his online influence to secure a major talent agency deal with WME, monetize digital content, and successfully transition to long-form storytelling with his hit show, the Deep Cut Podcast . He also details his latest physical venture expansion, including strategic real estate acquisition by buying the land to launch the physical Planted Barbershop brand . Finally, explore his profound commitment to philanthropy as he explains why he personally self-financed $100,000 to open the Vic Blends Academy—the first licensed barber school inside a California prison . Whether you are an aspiring content creator, a small business owner, or a seasoned startup founder, this interview offers invaluable insights on leadership and building a sustainable enterprise. Subscribe to Forbes for more executive profiles, investment strategies, and motivational success stories from the world’s top young leaders. 00:00 Introduction: The Under 30 Interview 01:55 The Origin Of Vic's Motivational Mindset 03:17 Merging Passion & Purpose: The Free Haircut Concept 08:57 From High School Culture To Choosing The Barber Trade 14:29 Scaling The Business: Entertainment Agencies & Mentorship 25:29 The Media Play: "Deep Cut" & Securing A-List Guests 32:41 The Unseen Cost Of Success: Navigating Bipolar 1 39:27 The Six-Figure Financial Mistake You Need To Avoid 49:02 Corporate Social Responsibility: The First Prison Barber Academy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Stop Scrolling LinkedIn: This $20 Million AI Startup Is Fixing The Labor Market
May 1600:27:18Tap to summarizeAI agents aren't just for coding anymore—they might be your next career wingmen. In this interview with Alex York, Jack and Jill Co-Founder Saaras Mehan breaks down how his revolutionary AI recruitment platform is bypassing endless CV screenings to connect talent directly with hiring managers. 00:00 - Meet Jack & Jill: Your AI Career Wingmen 02:20 - AI Job Displacement & Fixing The Labor Market 06:47 - Removing Bias From The HR Industry 08:17 - How "Fully Agentic" Recruitment AI Works 15:29 - Why London Is The Ultimate AI Startup Hub 18:23 - Raising $20M And 22X Growth In 5 Months Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Why Ellie Kildunne Had To Turn Down The Olympics To Become The Best Rugby Player In The World
May 1200:45:16Tap to summarizeWomen’s sports are in a golden era, and Red Roses superstar Ellie Kildunne is leading the charge on and off the pitch. Fresh off an MBE, a World Player of the Year title, and a World Cup win, Ellie sits down with Forbes’ Alex York to talk about the explosive growth of women's rugby and the realities of being a modern pro athlete. 00:00 - The Explosive Rise Of Women's Rugby 08:58 - Breaking Barriers & The Path To Going Pro 14:52 - Why Kildunne Turned Down The Olympics 23:37 - How To Land Authentic Brand Deals 33:15 - Using Photography To Network & Build Brand Value 38:23 - Writing A Book At 26 & The Power Of Self-Discovery Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Would You Pay Via Palm Print? This Startup Is Revolutionizing Biometric Technology
May 900:25:50Tap to summarizeWhat if you could pay for your groceries, collect loyalty points, and verify your age at a bar using just your palm? Meet Maria Marti Garcia, the co-founder of Five ID, the biometric startup turning sci-fi into an everyday reality. In this interview, she breaks down how FiveID's hardware and software ecosystem allows users to link their credit cards, bank accounts, and soon crypto stablecoins, directly to their palm print. 00:00 - What is FiveID? The Future of Palm Payments 01:52 - Leaving Revolut to Disrupt Visa & Mastercard Fees 04:18 - Building FinTech Hardware From Scratch 07:09 - How Biometric Data Encryption & Privacy Actually Works 11:14 - Pitching Investors on the Future of Digital Identity 14:45 - The Supply Chain Chaos of Building Physical Hardware 16:36 - Using AI to Code Proof of Concepts in Minutes 18:46 - The Reality of Being a Female Founder in FinTech 20:24 - Why AI Will Drastically Shrink Future Startup Teams Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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How This Entrepreneur Identified A $6 Billion E-Commerce Opportunity
May 500:21:29Tap to summarizeMeet Miha Jagovic, the visionary founder behind Bloq.it, a smart parcel locker company completely revolutionizing the last-mile logistics industry. In this interview, Miha breaks down how he took his startup from just four lockers on the ground to a massive B2B network seeing over 100 million uses a year. 00:00 - What is Bloq.it? 02:27 - Scaling from 4 Lockers to 100 Million Uses a Year 04:22 - The Tech: Why Battery-Powered Hardware Wins 07:15 - Expanding Across 10 Markets (And Why the US is Next) 10:18 - The Reality of Fundraising for a Hardware Startup 12:00 - Block It's B2B Revenue Model Explained 14:23 - Supply Chain Chaos & The Future of AI Manufacturing 17:40 - The Best Advice for First-Time Founders Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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How Adam W Grew Comedy Clips Into A Global Media Company
Apr 2800:18:43Tap to summarizeRecorded LIVE from the 2026 30 Under 30 Summit in Phoenix, AZ. Digital jokester Adam W used his smartphone to bypass Hollywood’s gatekeepers and build a 55 million–strong fan base and multimillion-dollar brand empire. He shares the biggest takeaways from his journey to success and how he’s redefining the rules of showbiz. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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