Episode summary
Gen Z Hustler Makes $75,000 a Month on Kiosks and Drives a Lambo | Bloomberg Businessweek
Bloomberg Businessweek Daily
· · 12 min · Hosts: Carol Massar, Tim Stenovec · Guests: Redd Brown
Summary
Young Americans are responding to shrinking entry-level opportunities, higher housing costs and anxiety about the future of work by trying to build businesses and multiple income streams. Redd Brown says the reporting centered on a larger Gen Z question: if traditional jobs feel less reliable, how do younger people create autonomy and financial security on their own?
The story’s anchor is Micah Stanley, a 24-year-old in Lincoln, Nebraska, who never finished high school and built a business around vending machines that dispense flavored vape pens and nicotine pouches. Brown says Stanley was not passionate about vaping; he saw the margin, learned the model from online information, and turned it into a business that reportedly brought in $75,000 a month and eventually let him buy a Lamborghini and invest in a bar.
Brown also highlights broader Gen Z patterns: applications from Gen Z founders to form new businesses are up 66% in the 12 months through June, and many younger people are using AI to lower startup costs. The episode argues that what looks like hustle culture is also a response to weak community pathways into work, with coaching and online apprenticeship-style programs replacing some of the old on-the-job ladder.
Key takeaways
- Redd Brown says Gen Z entrepreneurship is being driven by weak job prospects, AI disruption and the search for multiple income streams.
- Micah Stanley turned a vape and nicotine-pouch vending machine idea into a business that Brown says generates $75,000 a month.
- Brown says Stanley was not motivated by vaping itself; he focused on margins, sales and the route to market.
- Gen Z applications to form new businesses rose 66% in the 12 months through June, according to Bank of America Institute.
- Brown argues that online coaching is functioning like a modern apprenticeship, giving newcomers scripts, leads and location support.
Notable quotes
“young Americans facing a different market. Uh grappling with shrinking entry level opportunities. AI's impact on the labor market is certainly happening”
“how do I make my life a little bit more autonomous? How do I how do I have multiple income streams to to have the life that I want to have”
“I think we even say in the story, he's not passionate about vapes. It was just anything. He saw the margin”
“Applications from Gen Z founders to form new businesses has increased about 66% in the 12 months through June from a year earlier”
How the episode opens
Bloomberg Audio Studios podcasts radio news. — You're listening to Bloomberg Business Week with Carol Masser and Tim Stenc on Bloomberg Radio.
Speaking of cycles, that is also the case when it comes to job markets. And it's I think safe to say that we've got young Americans facing a different market. Uh grappling with shrinking entry level opportunities.
AI's impact on the labor market is certainly happening. Uh they've got increasing housing costs, mounting personal debt, bit of a full plate. And then there's the Gen Z who seemed to figure things out, at least according to a story by our own Red Brown.
It is today's Bloomberg uh actually a recent Bloomberg big take uh by Bloomberg News consumer reporter Red Brown who joins us here uh on set. Um there's a great Bloomberg Originals video too that I highly recommend folks check it out. Tell us about this story.
Um first of all, young people, right? It's been a difficult backdrop.
Yeah, absolutely. I think you just kind of uh laid it out there nicely all the things that they sort of face at the moment. I think there's this element that um one of the stats that really stood out to me was I think it's like 68% of Gen Z doesn't think they think that work will be obsolete in the future. Um
I don't even know what that means like like how do you get your head around that? — Yeah, exactly. Like what does that mean for the future of work? You know, like these people are looking at the job market. Maybe they're coming out of college or not and they're saying, you know what, I don't think that there's a path forward for me here. Right. So then that takes you down this path of what am I going to do instead?
From the episode’s captions: roughly the first two minutes, lightly cleaned. Keep watching on YouTube →
Topics
- gen z entrepreneurship
- vending machine businesses
- speculative investments
- retirement saving
- multiple income streams
Watch the episode
Summary, takeaways and quote selection by Octagon. Quotes are short excerpts; the full conversation is in the episode.
More from Bloomberg Businessweek Daily
-
Bloomberg Businessweek Weekend - November 13th, 2026 | Bloomberg Businessweek -
Inside Jensen Huang’s Final Hours as Nvidia CEO | Bloomberg Businessweek -
Jensen Huang's Exit Kicks Off Nvidia Strategy Reset | Bloomberg Businessweek -
Special Episode: Bobby Jain on Why He Chose Millennium Again | Bloomberg Businessweek -
Bloomberg Businessweek Daily Podcast: Jensen’s Nvidia Departure -
Take-Two Releasing Long-Awaited Grand Theft Auto VI Next Week | Bloomberg Businessweek
Bloomberg Businessweek Daily, this episode and its artwork belong to Bloomberg. Octagon is not affiliated with the show; this page is an independent summary.
