While the general investment climate was not the best a decade ago, its effect on Moderna was minimal as the startup was an in-house effort.

There are roughly 1300 employees working in Moderna. But it still has the culture which is typical to strong startups-fearlessness around trying something new and taking risks.

According to the co-founder Noubae Afeyan, who was also the early backer of the company, “it’s a powerful reminder of what is possible when we journey forth, armed with propositions that may—in just a decade—go from outrageous, to obvious, to lifesaving.”

He further said, “The pandemic, if it did nothing else, it gave us the ability to prove everything from soup to nuts in a short time frame.” 

Just like almost every biotech involved in clinical trials, Moderna too faced disappointing results many times. But specialization also benefited the company in tackling COVID-19. Moderna remained focused since inception on a single area: messenger RNA (mRNA) therapeutics and vaccines.

In its earliest trials, Moderna had used mRNA to show it could stimulate an immune response in humans. The company has worked on 10 human vaccines along with 10 non-vaccine products.

According to Afeyan health security should be compared to the way we think about military spending. A lot of funds are being spent on weapons systems. Apart from that a big amount is also spent  on monitoring, security, intelligence and other functions so that we don’t need to use those weapons. The same should also be thought in the direction for spending on health.

He concludes,“We think society’s going to have to shift capital and incentives to getting ahead of disease”.

Health security needs all our knowledge. It is very important to look at the conditions manifested before any sickness as it involves a long period when bodies go through patterns of alternation.

After a rich acting career and now with her own production company, you would assume Bruna Rubio to consider herself successful by now. And she does, but not necessarily for those reasons. So, what is Bruna Rubio’s take on success? Keep reading to find out.

What Success Means to Bruna Rubio

According to some people’s definition of success, Bruna has definitely had a successful life. She was bagging acting jobs from brands like Nestle and Pepsi since she was three. She starred in the Spanish version of Sesame Street. After moving to the U.S., she continued to star in various Spanish films and soaps. She even started her very own production company with many completed as well as on-going projects under her belt.

Reading all that, you would also definitely think Bruna is successful. And Bruna certainly agrees. However, it’s not for the reasons you’re thinking. For Bruna, success simply means doing what you love and making a decent earning from it. It doesn’t have to be a big business or traveling around the world. It doesn’t have to be fame or meeting big celebrities, even though Bruna has achieved both of these. 

It is simply doing what you love. For Bruna, she loves acting, producing and showcasing her country’s talent, and fortunately, she’s able to do it every day. Doing what she does brings her immense joy and happiness in life, and that is the greatest achievement and success she can get in life. Bruna Rubio’s take on success is that such happiness and meaning are much more important than all the money and riches in the world.

Since her success and happiness aren’t attached to any of her material possessions or accomplishments, Bruna lives a content life with no fear of losing her business or anything. She focuses on living in the present and doing her best every day. 

There’s a lot we can learn from Bruna. Despite facing many tragedies in her life, losing her parents and the father of her children, she has continued to be brave and positive and believe in herself.

Hello Kim, welcome to Startup Fortune. Could you tell us a little bit about yourself? What’s your story?

Hello! Thank you for having me. My family immigrated to the USA in 1997, when I was only 3. I learned english and relearned Vietnamese. I can speak both fluently. I believe in working hard to achieve the American dream. We started over in America and my parents had to work 2-3 jobs to make ends meet. Their hard work created a flame inside of me and pushed me to become the entrepreneur that I am today. I graduated from University of South Alabama with a marketing degree and was offered a marketing job in Vietnam. I went back there and worked for their event planning department that they just added. I was able to work with representatives from Mazda, Honda, and national makeup brands in Vietnam. 

I was able to learn a lot in the marketing and event field as well as the culture when I was there for 6 months. They wanted to renew my contract for 2 years, but I was not ready to live in another country that long so I declined and moved back to the US. My family decided to build a fancy nail salon and I ended up marketing and managing the salon. When covid hit and our business had to close. I steer towards ecommerce. I got into insurance, merchant services, and diamond business with partners. In my free time I love to travel and try many types of foods and drinks. I’m working on launching my own  skincare company in the near future.

That’s wonderful. What inspired you to become a model?

Modeling was never something I imagine I would be doing as much now.  I became more invested in modeling after my work experience in Vietnam. I was offered to model for various boutiques in Vietnam, and I took the job to make extra money for my fun travels outside of my marketing job. Modeling allowed me to become more expressive and fashionably daring outside of normal life. This has added more flavor to my creative side while working on marketing events. I now incorporate the modeling to keep my mind fresh and updated with the dynamic businessworld. 

Can you please tell us more about your business ventures? 

I have tried many business ventures and failed a good amount of times! However, each time I have gained a lot of knowledge and experience which fueled the businesswoman inside of me. My current ventures are merchant services, e-commerce diamonds, and skincare. I am working on my own skincare line for 2021. I hope my many failures will help me create that one big success. 

How do you find life in the USA, being someone who’s migrated from Vietnam?

The language barrier presented the toughest challenge when I migrated to the USA at the age of 3. However, I was blessed to have guidance from caring teachers and friends, so I learned the language quickly. I ended up excelling in my English and grammar classes throughout my highschool and college years. I believe my parents struggled the most because they came over in their 30s and started everything from ground zero. Overall, I love it here because this is the land of opportunity as long as you work hard and never give up.

As a woman in business, did you face any difficulties when you were just getting started?

I believe the difficulties I have faced any gender would face going into new fields you have never tried. As a business person, you need to learn how to adapt quickly and efficiently. America has less of a glass ceiling than most countries, and I believe people would see that if they actually venture out of the American market. A lot of businesses now need to provide value to their consumers rather than making a sale. The focus needs to be tailored towards the consumers’ needs and wants for the business to thrive long term.

What was your biggest failure? What did you learn from this mistake/failure?

My biggest failure was collabing with friends and family. We trust the closest people to us to carry their weight and be dependable, but that is rarely the case in reality. I learned not to do business with close friends and family unless there is a contract involved and everyone knows their part. 

How did COVID-19 impact your business? 

My family owns one of the biggest nail salons in our area, and we were forced to close from April to late May. The rent is high and I had to figure out other options to keep my family afloat and be able to pay for the rent. Luckily, many online businesses offered work, so I took the opportunity to learn new skill sets. This was how I got into the merchant services and diamond business. Additionally, I have been able to focus more on my skincare line for 2021. Covid may have negatively affected one of my businesses, but it has given me more business opportunities in other sectors. 

What are your goals and future plans?

The following is my 5 year plan:

1. Launch my skincare line in 2021
2. Invest into more stock and real estate
3. Open my dream Boba Tea shop
4. Retire my parents
5. Acquire more connections and enter the Thai and Vietnam market by 2024-2025

What advice would you give to aspiring women who wish to become independent entrepreneurs?

Believe in yourself and be unique. When you are your authentic self, things will unfold effortlessly. Never allow other opinions to affect your choices and always strive for the best version of yourself.

More details about Kim can be found at:

https://www.facebook.com/kimphung.luong.58

https://www.instagram.com/kimnhi911/

Cannard’s life was not easy, he had learning difficulties from a very young age and it was thanks to his sister that he was able to get ahead. His mother spent much of her time in hospitals because of mental health problems. Because of that Harley had to grow up fast, learning to cook and do adult things when he was only 5 years old.

At that age he started his first business since they had no money, he started selling lemonade in front of his house to pay for some candy that he loved at that time. Things looked like they were going to end badly for Cannard, and in his youth, he ended up in foster homes and being expelled from school.

His life was transformed when he lost his son in a car accident. At 22, he was in great pain and even felt lost, but he found the strength to turn around and begin a path of growth, which has not stopped since.

Harley’s first steps in business

After spending his whole life from problem to problem, Harley was determined to change completely. So, thanks to his passion for fitness, he became a personal trainer. Success began to come into his life, with constant hard work, staying focused on his accomplishments, and setting goals.

He was able to create his first health center and that led him to the path of digital marketing, as he had to manage and promote the trainers through social media and different digital media. When he discovered his passion for e-commerce and networking he dedicated himself to perfecting his skills.

This led him to open his second business, this time focused on healthy food. In these two ventures, he had great success, and it was thanks to the promotion in social media and putting into practice what he learned that he was able to obtain better results. By that time, he had already found something that he was very good at and liked too much, so he started researching more, and even signed up for some online classes. He desired to become a marketing expert.

For this reason, one day he comes up with an idea. After attending an online conference he sees that he can create a project that offers an effective service. He communicates with a friend and what is the most outstanding and successful idea Harley Cannard has ever had is born.

The birth of AMZ Automation Australia

The idea that Harls had, was to create a company that would serve to advise and manage the marketing of its customers. Using all his knowledge about networks and e-commerce he starts to promote his enterprise in social media. This cost him only $100, and what he never imagined was the great impact and success it would have.

In only 9 months the company was already generating $800,000. A growth that was too fast and put him in a big hurry. Running a business that grows at that rate can make things go away, but Harley and his team are not afraid of challenges. They got down to business and dedicated much of their capital to training to run a business of that size.

Today AMZ has a turnover of $75,000 a week and offices on two continents. Also, its CEO and founder Harley Cannard plans to continue growing, leading its customers to achieve their goals.

To think that for 22 years of his life Harley went through many problems and now he is a successful entrepreneur, just shows that people who go through difficult situations can succeed, provided they put their minds to it. A change of mentality can cause a hard blow, which can bring you down or motivate you to turn your life around.

Entrepreneurship in the United States has been on the decline for a while. Women, however, especially minorities, are starting businesses at a rapid rate, and many of them are succeeding in their ventures, helping to remedy the gender imbalance in the entrepreneurial ecosystem, and boosting industry growth. Success stories of young entrepreneurs like Elaine give ambitious young women hope and confidence to take the risk of starting their own business.

In any community, regardless of its size or region, women remain the key decision-makers. This is especially true when it comes to purchases for their families and making sure all the needs of a home are met conveniently. This persistence and solution-oriented mindset opens countless new doors for innovation, which makes ventures headed by female entrepreneurs often different from that of men. Indeed, the growth rate of women-owned businesses was 21% from 2014-2019, while growth for all firms regardless of gender in this period was only 9%. Minority female business owners have also seen impressive growth trends in recent years. As an Asian American Elaine is proud to be part of the growth seen in minority women-entrepreneurs.

There are several other startups in the fashion industry that are renting luxury merchandise to people. Elaine’s venture has been gaining attention as the first Asian-American owned company to rent luxury handbags. The rental process is rendered simple with the 5 steps of order, receive, enjoy, return, and review. It is no longer considered taboo to rent these items instead of purchasing them. Moreover, it is the most practical and economical way to approach the increasing demands of the social calendar. Being an avid fashion enthusiast herself, it didn’t take long for Elaine to understand what women need and to then create one of the best platforms for luxury fashion rentals.

“I am happy to call the United States my home and to have followed in my parents’ footsteps by starting my own business. As a woman who moved to the United States from Hong Kong, I’ve had to work diligently to turn my dream into a reality. Luxury Fashion Rentals is committed to providing you with impeccable customer service.” says Elaine.

Elaine Hau is a motivated businesswoman and social media influencer. She began her entrepreneurial journey in 2020 with Luxury Fashion Rentals. The experience gathered through many years in sales and marketing allowed her to promote several brands successfully, which gave her the confidence to start her own business, Luxury Fashion Rentals. She’s also known for being socially responsible and for helping those less fortunate. She currently sponsors numerous children in impoverished parts of the world. Her company recently sponsored The Miss Black DC Event, hosted on February 1, 2020, that celebrated the first day of black history month. As someone who always wanted to start her own business in the United States, and who made it happen through hard work and determination, Elaine will surely inspire many young female entrepreneurs around the world.

Elaine is very active on Instagram and her fashion journey can be followed at @LittleElaineHau

More information about the process of ‘Luxury Fashion Rentals’ can be found at: https://luxuryfashionrentals.com/how-it-works/

For Media Inquiries:

Contact: Luxury Fashion Rentals
Email: info@luxuryfashionrentals.com
Website: https://luxuryfashionrentals.com

Hi Vany, thank you very much for doing this with us! Welcome to Startup Fortune. Could you tell us a little about yourself? What’s your story?

Hey there, of course! My name is Vanessa but I’m known on the internet as Vany Vicious. I’m a model and entrepreneur. I’ve been in numerous tattoo magazines across the world including a few covers, and I now have 2 online clothing stores called Haute Floss and ThrowBack Garage.

How old were you when you started modeling and why did you want to become a model?

I started modeling at 18, so I’ve been in this industry for over a decade. I honestly never thought about modeling and never really thought i would ever be the “model-type”. I was a weird kid growing up and was never really the “pretty girl”. When I was 18, my roommate at the time purchased a camera from a garage sale or something. We spent the entire day playing dress-up and taking photos around our house. I was kind of digging the photos so I uploaded them to MySpace and was soon contacted by a Pinup Girl style website. They asked if I would be OK with them publishing the photos on their site and I agreed. From then on, I kept shooting with professionals I was meeting on Myspace, kept posting, and my social media presence kept growing.

What was your first big break in the industry? How long did you have to wait for that?

I think the first time I ever got really recognized was probably on my first cover shoot. Which totally happened randomly. It was Savage Magazine a very very long time ago.

What were the initial challenges you had to face?

At the beginning, I didn’t have many challenges because I didn’t have as many people watching. I think more challenges come along the more popular you become. I think the biggest challenge is letting go of the negativity people spread on social media. It bothered me for a while, constantly having millions of people telling me everything that they think is wrong with me.I’ve learned throughout the years that you can’t please everyone. And I’ve truly accepted and embraced who I am 100%

What is the most interesting incident that happened to you during a shoot? What has been your favorite job so far?

I’ve had a few interesting moments for sure. I’ve done shoots with baby crocodiles which were pretty awesome. I’ve also almost fainted during a shoot because I thought it was a good idea when I first started to starve myself before shooting. I’ve learned my lesson. I also almost drowned attempting an underwater shoot a few years back with a piece of cloth that was about 50 feet long. Every day is a new day!

I honestly don’t have a favorite because I constantly work with such amazing and creative people, I really cannot pick a favorite. I love every chance I get to create something new. I recently shot in Joshua Tree National Park in California which was beyond amazing.

Would you like to mention a couple of your clients? Any specific names or brands that you’ve worked with?

I’m so grateful to be able to work with brands I love. I work consistently with ProSupps, GButter and Fashion Nova and I love them all. I am forever grateful that they gave me a chance .

Now, let’s talk about something else for a moment What is your favorite movie of all time and why? Do you have a favorite celebrity?

My favorite movie of all time is True Romance. There is just something about that movie that I find so dope. I think one of my favorite celebrities is Leah Remini. She is hilarious and so tough. She reminds me of my family members, she could easily be my cousin .

What do you think is the most unique quality of yours? What makes you stand out?

I think what makes me stand out is my hustle. There are thousands of girls who do this type of modeling, and there are thousands with way more followers than me. But I know I’m doing something different when these girls are reaching out to me for advice on how to grow their personal brands. I think the way I market myself, and the way I have been able to build a business from being me is what separates me from the rest. Not everyone has that grind mentality.

Tell us about your diet and exercise routine. Do you eat nutritiously? How do you train? Do you like yoga?

I train 4-5 times a week and I love heavy lifting. I train like a body- builder because that’s how I was taught and that’s how I’ve seen the most results and changes in my body. I do eat well, except on weekends. Ya girl loves her cheeseburgers. Not a fan of yoga though, having big legs makes it difficult to be flexible but I need to work on that.

Becoming a successful model is just a dream for many. Is there anyone you are grateful for helping you get where you are now?

I’m grateful to every photographer that has worked with me, especially in the beginning. One person I am extremely grateful for is my friend Vanessa (VaneVivid) on Instagram. She is the first photographer that got creative with me and there was a big chunk of my career that I was only shooting with her for magazine publications. She always believed in me and we always produced really amazing images. She is a big part of my life and I love her to death.

What are your future plans? Do you have any plans to create your own fashion startup at some point?

Right now I’m putting a lot of my focus into my two stores. I started them both around the same time this year so they are very new. I’m treating them like my babies. Haute Floss is an online swimwear and women’s clothing boutique. Throwback Garage is a vintage clothing and home goods shop I opened on Etsy.

That’s wonderful! Tell us about your journey, from a model to become an entrepreneur!

I’ve been able to fully support myself with my modeling career for a very very long time. I know modeling is not going to last forever so I thought that putting some time into new ventures would be a smart thing for me to do. Although, I have college degrees, the entrepreneurship is what really makes me happy.

As a person who started in the industry at a very young age, do you have any advice for those who want to become a model?

My advice would be, do not shoot anything you are uncomfortable with. Intuition is a very real thing. If something doesn’t feel right at a photo shoot, or even during a conversation before, Don’t do it.

When you are not busy modeling, what are your favorite activities? Do you have any hobbies?

I’m truly a workhorse. I’ll have fun when I feel like I’ve done enough. It sounds miserable to some people, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Thanks again for your time and now, one last thing. Where can we follow you?

My instagram is @OfficialVanyVicious, my fitness IG is @vanyviciousfit

Facebook Page https://facebook.com/officialvanyvicious

and website:

www.vanyvicious.com

Thank you!