Who or what is your inspiration in business?

I've always felt drawn to entrepreneurship. When I was seven, I started earning money by picking strawberries in California. At eight, I bought small bags of chips for 25 cents and sold them at school for 50 cents. That was my first real step into business. No other career has ever felt right to me. I love the idea of being my own boss, managing my own time, and not having to answer to anyone else.

How do you stay motivated?

What really drives me isn’t encouragement, but the negative comments, setbacks, and doubts. When people look down on me or laugh at my ideas, it pushes me to work harder. The ones who rejected me or said I would never succeed only make me more determined. Every rejection and put-down motivates me to keep moving forward. I believe reaching the top will be worth it, no matter how rough the journey gets.

What would you do with the $25,000?

With $25,000, I will expand inventory and hire overseas sales agents. In countries such as Laos and Thailand, agents can be hired for $200 to $300 per month. This equates to 6.3 million kips in Laos and 9,500 baht in Thailand, both of which are competitive local salaries. My goal is to allocate funds efficiently and ensure smooth logistics.