Welcome to the flagship episode of the Under 30 Podcast, where hosts Alex and Zoya sit down with digital creator and celebrity barber Vic Fontanez, widely known as Vic Blends. In this exclusive interview, the visionary entrepreneur shares his blueprint on how to turn an ordinary career into a life of extraordinary purpose . From humble beginnings cutting hair in his mom's garage to styling global icons like Barack Obama and Tom Brady, Vic outlines his unique trajectory for long-term business success.

However, rapid scaling in the creator economy comes with major financial risks, and Vic pulls back the curtain on a devastating financial oversight early in his career. He reveals how a six-figure IRS tax bill nearly derailed his entire operation after a bad accountant failed to pay his taxes for two years, offering critical financial literacy lessons on managing business revenue. Beyond small business management and tax strategies, this episode dives deep into the unseen mental pressures of rapid entrepreneurial scaling.

Vic opens up candidly about his mental health journey, detailing his bipolar 1 disorder diagnosis, his experience with mania and psychosis, and the necessity of his 16-month hiatus at the absolute peak of his success . Discover the core mindset behind his "stay planted" philosophy, which emphasizes grounding your business and life in personal character rather than fleeting digital metrics . Learn how he leveraged his online influence to secure a major talent agency deal with WME, monetize digital content, and successfully transition to long-form storytelling with his hit show, the Deep Cut Podcast .

He also details his latest physical venture expansion, including strategic real estate acquisition by buying the land to launch the physical Planted Barbershop brand . Finally, explore his profound commitment to philanthropy as he explains why he personally self-financed $100,000 to open the Vic Blends Academy—the first licensed barber school inside a California prison . Whether you are an aspiring content creator, a small business owner, or a seasoned startup founder, this interview offers invaluable insights on leadership and building a sustainable enterprise. Subscribe to Forbes for more executive profiles, investment strategies, and motivational success stories from the world’s top young leaders.

00:00 Introduction: The Under 30 Interview

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AI agents aren't just for coding anymore—they might be your next career wingmen. In this interview with Alex York, Jack and Jill Co-Founder Saaras Mehan breaks down how his revolutionary AI recruitment platform is bypassing endless CV screenings to connect talent directly with hiring managers.

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Women’s sports are in a golden era, and Red Roses superstar Ellie Kildunne is leading the charge on and off the pitch. Fresh off an MBE, a World Player of the Year title, and a World Cup win, Ellie sits down with Forbes’ Alex York to talk about the explosive growth of women's rugby and the realities of being a modern pro athlete.

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What if you could pay for your groceries, collect loyalty points, and verify your age at a bar using just your palm? Meet Maria Marti Garcia, the co-founder of Five ID, the biometric startup turning sci-fi into an everyday reality. In this interview, she breaks down how FiveID's hardware and software ecosystem allows users to link their credit cards, bank accounts, and soon crypto stablecoins, directly to their palm print.

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Meet Miha Jagovic, the visionary founder behind Bloq.it, a smart parcel locker company completely revolutionizing the last-mile logistics industry. In this interview, Miha breaks down how he took his startup from just four lockers on the ground to a massive B2B network seeing over 100 million uses a year.

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Recorded LIVE from the 2026 30 Under 30 Summit in Phoenix, AZ.

Digital jokester Adam W used his smartphone to bypass Hollywood’s gatekeepers and build a 55 million–strong fan base and multimillion-dollar brand empire. He shares the biggest takeaways from his journey to success and how he’s redefining the rules of showbiz.

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Recorded LIVE from the 2026 30 Under 30 Summit in Phoenix, AZ.

Venture capital legend Bill Gurley takes the stage for a candid fireside conversation and audience-led AMA. From how to avoid “career regret” to the art of building strong peer groups, he’ll highlight the biggest lessons in his newest bestselling book “Runnin’ Down A Dream: How to Thrive In a Career You Actually Love.” Then, the audiences asks questions to pick the brain of the man who has mentored some of the most successful founders in history. Bill Gurley discusses the AI bubble, the biggest market opportunities for 2026, finding the right mentor and beyond!

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Recorded LIVE from the 2026 30 Under 30 Summit in Phoenix, AZ.

Audrey Nuna made history with “Golden,” the first K-pop song to win a Grammy. Now she’s channeling that momentum into her own music and broader cultural and philanthropic impact—defying convention and expectations as she goes.

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Recorded LIVE from the 2026 30 Under 30 Summit in Phoenix, AZ.

Airtable democratized software by letting anyone build a database. When AI shock up software, founder Howie Liu relaunched Airtable as an AI-native app platform. The visionary founder and CEO shares inside lessons about AI-proofing your tech and the art of the pivot.

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Recorded LIVE from the 2026 30 Under 30 Summit in Phoenix, AZ.

The global sports economy has topped a trillion-dollars in value. Billionaire investor Jahm Najafi and breakout star JuJu Watkins share their insider playbook on how to win in this competitive business.

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