Under 30 Summit Highlights: Part 2

After the Under 30 Summit kickoff, there were a number of panels and speakers every day on certain topics. Below are those I found particularly interesting and thought I would share.

Making the 30 Under 30 List Panel

Several people at Forbes responsible for creating/overseeing the 30 Under 30 list talked about their process and held a Q&A for people wanting to learn more.

Summary:

• Big numbers are important, especially in tech and finance where a lot of early success is measured by money coming in.
• For other industries, like ones focused on service, showing your impact helps you stand out--how many people are being reached, how significant is your influence.
• Being able to quantify success is important. 

The 30 Under 30 selection process begins with submitting an application, then there's the subsequent review by Forbes reporters, and then the creation of a shortlist that is sent to expert judges in each industry to determine the honorees. One of the panelists at the summit clarified that when they say expert, they MEAN expert. Taylor Swift, for example, was one of these judges at one point.

Big Sean

While mega rapper Big Sean didn't perform, he did come to chat about life and his journey. He discussed the pressure of fame and expectations around his success, choosing music over school (even with scholarships and a 3.7 high school GPA), and avoided taking a side on the Kendrick and Drake beef.

Big Sean also talked fatherhood and family, living in the same home as his mom during the COVID-19 lockdown, flying Delta, and learning to love himself.

Bobbi Althoff - The Really Good Podcast

Social media star, Bobbi Althoff, known for her very frank conversations with celebrities (most notably Drake), recorded her next podcast episode live onstage with poet Rupi Kaur. Althoff and Kaur talked depression, therapy, poetry, and wealth. Entertaining, sorrowful, and slightly awkward, it was everything Althoff is known for.

Tori Dunlap - Founder of Her First 100k and New York Times Bestselling Author

Tori Dunlap's goal is to make women wealthy. She has a top-rated podcast, writes about financial literacy, and owns a business empowering women economically. She argues that money is inherently neutral, but what you do with it matters and that it's important to start talking about it.

Ankur Jain - Billionaire Founder of Bilt Rewards

Ankur Jain, founder of a company that lets renters gain points for paying rent, imparted wise words to the audience:

1) "Can you live in a world where that problem is not solved?" If not, you're on the right path working to solve it. If so, you're wasting your time.

2) "Raise money from people who have incentives in your success. If you want partners, don't ask for mentors or advisors, ask them to invest."

Other great panelists and speakers included soccer player Midge Purce, CEOs Ken Chenault and Ken Frazier, designer Jenny Lei, and the Cavinder sisters (athletes and entrepreneurs), to name just a few!

Many of those who shared their stories started with little more than extreme self-belief, and the idea that if they kept going, things would fall into place. Sometimes they had nothing to lose, others dipped into savings. One founder even operated a company after running out of official product. Whether they oversaw multimillion dollar acquisitions or continue to own and run their own companies, each person chose over and over to bet on themself and refused to give up until they found success.