A 30-Year-Old Self-Made Billionaire Has Advice for You: Lessons from Afterpay Co-Founder Nick Molnar

When it comes to building something big in Australia, Nick Molnar is the kind of guy worth paying attention to. At just 30, he’s already made his mark as the co-founder of Afterpay, a company that changed how millions of people buy online. But his story didn’t start in a boardroom. It started in his bedroom.

From Side Hustle to Billion-Dollar Business

Molnar was just another commerce student at the University of Sydney, flipping jewelry on eBay in his spare time. It was a side hustle. But unlike most, he had the guts to turn it into something bigger.

Back in 2012, he was working as an investment analyst under Mark Carnegie, a heavyweight in Aussie private equity. Carnegie took one look at Molnar’s hustle and said what most bosses wouldn’t:

“I don’t know why you’re working here. You should go do this full time.”

And that was it. The push he needed. Carnegie even offered to hold his job for a year in case it didn’t work out. Molnar never looked back. He launched Ice Online, and a couple years later, Afterpay.

Afterpay Took Off Like a Rocket

If you’ve shopped online, you know Afterpay. It lets you buy now and pay later in interest-free installments. The idea exploded, especially when COVID pushed more people into online shopping and digital payments. Afterpay’s stock shot up by more than 1,300 percent, and Molnar went from side hustler to billionaire.

Real Advice from a Real Entrepreneur

Molnar’s success wasn’t luck. He took risks and followed through. For anyone out there working a job and thinking about going out on their own, here’s what he wants you to know:

1. Build something on the side
It’s smart to have something beyond your day job. That second stream could turn into your main gig faster than you think.

2. Time is everything
Side hustles only go so far if you’re only giving them your nights and weekends. If you want to win, you’ve got to go all in.

3. Get out of the job mindset
Forget the idea that you need a corporate job to succeed. You can create your own income, your own path. Once you accept that, the sky opens up.

4. Find people who push you
Carnegie believed in Molnar before he believed in himself. Surround yourself with people who don’t just support you, but challenge you.

Why This Matters

Australia’s full of people sitting on great ideas but waiting for the perfect time. There is no perfect time. Molnar didn’t wait. He built. He launched. He figured it out along the way.

At The Cultivator, we back guys who are ready to build something real. Whether it’s your first product or your fifth, we’re here for the doers, not the dreamers.

If you’ve got something brewing, take the shot. You never know where it’ll take you.

Image Credit: CBNC

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