Lessons from Codie Sanchez & My Own Path to Success
When I stumbled upon the episode of The Diary of a CEO featuring Codie Sanchez, something clicked. Her unapologetic take on wealth-building, her contrarian mindset, and her obsession with speed and clarity in business felt like echoes of my own journey. Codie and Steven Bartlett didn’t just talk about success – they dissected it, challenged the myths, and laid bare the raw truths that most people shy away from.
💼 My Journey: From Beauty & Fitness to Global Trade
At 19, I launched my first business in the Philippines, a beauty and fitness consultancy rooted in my lived experience as a model, competitive athlete, and someone quietly managing a chronic condition. By 21, I had my first employees. I wasn’t just selling advice; I was packaging resilience, discipline, and transformation.
Then at 23, I co-founded my second business in Japan, an online export-import company. The pandemic created a rare window of opportunity. We were bilingual, agile, and I had a lifetime of entrepreneurial insight from my parents. We monopolized a niche, made our ROI in under six months, and scaled fast. Eventually, I handed over my stake to my partner and closed my first business to prioritize my health. That pivot led me into academia and research—seeking solutions to live and thrive with my condition.
🔥 The Hunger That Fuels Success
After watching an Instagram feel by Sam Bucha about Gen Z, it made me value the generation I am from, but made me realise that they have lost a lot of skills that make you tough, and think or act with purpose.
I then rememebered Codie’s words, “If you’re under 22, you should be so hungry you might bite someone’s face off.” That hunger is what separates the dreamers from the doers. It’s not just about working smart – it’s about working hard for yourself, for your future, and for the life you want to build.
Success isn’t a one-size-fits-all. For some, it’s a penthouse in a bustling city. For others, it’s a quiet cabin in the woods. What matters is that your version of success is authentic to you. And when diverse visions of success collide in the same room, that’s when innovation happens.
⚡ Intensity: The Secret Ingredient
If I had to distill the essence of my success, it would be intensity. Intense people move fast, speak clearly, and act decisively. In business and finance, intensity isn’t just admired, it’s required. You don’t win races by lagging. You win by being direct, fast, and relentless.
My parents used to say, “There’s someone out there practicing harder, faster, and longer than you.” That voice still drives me. It’s not about being better than others, it’s about being better than who you were yesterday.
🧭 What’s Next?
I miss business. But I’m not rushing back. I’m still in my twenties, and as one of my mentors once said, this decade is for exploring, building skills, and expanding networks. The thirties? That’s when you cash in on the groundwork.
Despite health challenges and life’s curveballs, I’ve given 2 TEDx Talks before the age of 20, built companies before 25, published peer-reviewed papers before completing an undergraduate degree, earned a few awards along the way, and constantly surprise myself because I believe I can do it.
Some call it success. I call it stubbornness and hard work. The victim mentality will not get you anywhere. Never let someone’s opinion dictate your reality. Get up. Get working. Trust your gut. Start now.
Artist & Academic 