A street interview featuring Cleo, a young founder who started her brand Hiraya at 15 and became a millionaire by age 20. She shares insights on overcoming limited resources, the value of mentors, and why she believes attention is the new currency for modern businesses.
How She Became a Millionaire at 20 Starting with Only $500
A street interview featuring Cleo, a young founder who started her brand Hiraya at 15 and became a millionaire by age 20. She shares insights on overcoming limited resources, the value of mentors, and why she believes attention is the new currency for modern businesses.
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Analysis
Excuse me, ladies. Who's the millionaire here?
Excuse me, ladies. Who's the millionaire here? It's her. You're the millionaire? Yeah. Why? I'm actually part of this. Wait, I recognize you. You do? Yeah, I'm part of the School of Hard Knocks team. Yeah. What do you do for a living? I'm a business owner in the Philippines. Do you mind if I talk to you for 60 seconds about your business? Of course. Yeah. What business do you own? I own Hiraya in the Philippines. So our core product line right now is all about nipple pasties and silicone bras. I started it when I was 15 years old. You were 15 when you started this? Yeah. How old were you when you made your first million? When I was 20 or 21. What have you learned about since you had it so young? That honestly, money is just a tool in order for you to get to where you want to be. And you need to define what success means to you early on, even before you have the money, because it's so easy to be swayed with the different versions of success in society. What type of challenges did you face building a business so young? Oh, definitely limited resources. I started the business with less than $500 and I loaned it from my parents when I was 15. What did they say when you said you want to start a business like that at 15? They crazy. But when I did YouTube, they just supported me. Did you ever have any mentors then? I think it's really my dad at the start. But then now I have different mentors. I have mentors for my personal brand, for growing the business. I think mentors are super important. What's the best advice your dad has given you about life? Cleo? Honestly, you know your business best. Yes. It's important for you to also ask for the opinions of different people. But at the end of the day, that decision is yours and yours to make and it should be your accountability. And you already know the answer. It's already within. You just have to look inward than outward. If you had less than $500 again and you had to start all over, what would you do? I would create content online. I always tell my team that we should be content first. Content is king. Attention is the new currency. I love that. Thank you so much.
- 01The Status Hook
Call out a high-status trait in a public setting to grab attention.
- 02The Mutual Recognition
Establish a connection or context between the speaker and the subject.
- 03The Foundation Ask
Introduce the subject's craft and their early start to create contrast.
- 04The Milestone Validation
Confirm the specific timeline of their major success.
- 05The Mindset Shift
Ask for the deeper philosophy behind their success.
- 06The Humble Beginning
Reveal the low entry point to make the success feel attainable.
- 07The Growth Factor
Discuss the importance of guidance or external support.
- 08The Core Advice
Deliver a specific, impactful piece of wisdom from a mentor.
- 09The Actionable Payoff
End with a 'what would you do now' scenario to give the audience a modern strategy.