So, you wanna know about Ben Pasternak, the teen millionaire? Well, this dude has a net worth of $2 million, and he’s not even that old yet! Ben’s story is pretty wild, so let’s dive in.
The Start of Something Big
Ben Pasternak co-founded Monkey, a social media app that lets teenagers video chat with each other. And get this—he did it when he was only 15! But before Monkey, Ben was already in the game. At 14, he created Flogg, an app where young people could buy and sell stuff. That’s when things really started taking off for him.
From Apps to NUGGS
After Monkey, Ben didn’t just sit back and chill. Nope, he went on to start a food tech company called SIMULATE. Their first product was NUGGS, a vegan chicken nugget that’s supposed to be just like the real thing. It’s doing pretty well too. By 2021, NUGGS was making $8 million in revenue. That’s some serious cash!
Early Days and First Big Break
Ben’s story started in Sydney, Australia, where he began coding when he was just 13. By 15, he had already made an app called Impossible Rush while he was bored in class. He teamed up with Austin Valleskey, a friend he met online, and they sold the app for $200. Later, they created Impossible Dial and sold it for $56,000 AUD. Not bad for a couple of teenagers, right?
Moving to the Big Apple
Ben dropped out of high school and moved to New York, where he launched Flogg. That was a huge success, especially after he got funding from Binary Capital, a big venture capital firm. Then in 2016, he and some tech-savvy friends created Monkey, which blew up with over 20 million users. Eventually, a Chinese company called Holla bought Monkey in 2018.
Living the High Life
Now, Ben’s living it up in a 27th-floor apartment in Manhattan’s Hell’s Kitchen, paying $4,200 a month in rent. Not too shabby for someone who’s just 24!
Fun Facts About Ben
- Big Recognition: In 2016, Ben was named one of Time’s most influential teenagers and made it onto Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list.
- Family: He was born in Sydney, Australia, on September 6, 1999. His parents, Anna and Mark Pasternak, are pretty educated folks. His dad, Mark, has two bachelor’s degrees in architecture and a master’s degree, and his mom has a university education. Ben also has two younger siblings, Jake and Maya.
- Early Hustle: Even in Year 5, Ben was all about business. He once tried selling Chupa Chups lollipops but didn’t want to waste his lunchtime, so he hired another kid to do it for him, taking a cut of the profits.
Read More: Richard Lugner: The Legacy of a $200 Million Construction Tycoon and His Final Farewell
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