College Lexus Signals Success
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Val shares a story about the contrast between his business success and college experience while attending Baruch College in New York City.
"I went to Baruch College for business and finance, mainly because I had a Jewish mother who insisted I had to go to college. It was strange - I was pulling up to my university in a drop-top Lexus, like a $70,000 car, and I was 19.
I was actually interested in topics like law, finance, business, and accounting, but I had no time to study because I was running businesses. My GPA was horrible. I slept through half the classes because I would go to sleep at 4 AM. I couldn't sit through biology, and I didn't prepare for tests because I just didn't care.
I don't think my mother fully knew how much I was making at the time. I was already running successful businesses while being a student, but I was only in school to make my mother happy."
Val Katayev
Immigrated to the U.S. and built a business from scratch, starting with zero capital. Became Google's second-largest advertiser after eBay.
Ran ads from his parents' house, showcasing entrepreneurial spirit from a young age. Featured on notable platforms, sharing insights from his journey as a serial entrepreneur and investor.