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13-Year-Olds Built AI Fragrance Empire: it’s never to early to start — Gabe Fiascone | Ep 15
Description
Stuck waiting for the “right time” to start your dream in your 20s? Gabe Fiascone (co-founder of Essence By You) reveals how four 13-year-olds in Chicago launched an AI-powered custom fragrance company that’s disrupting the $50 billion luxury perfume industry. Learn the exact quiz that creates scents from your personality, why childhood curiosity beats waiting for permission, and real strategies to turn problems into profitable purpose. No fluff — just grit, ownership, and tools to build something meaningful now.
Key Highlights:
• How a denied $200 cologne at age 13 sparked a self-taught fragrance empire
• AI quiz that matches top, heart, and base notes to your mood & lifestyle
• Why luxury markups are broken ($2–3 cost vs. $200 retail)
• Gen Alpha mindset: Start chaotic, learn fast, own your path
• Practical advice for 20s: Experiment early, solve real problems, embrace failure
Connect with Gabe Fiascone & Essence By You
Website:https://www.essencebyyou.com/
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Chapters
0:00 - Intro & Welcome
0:38 - Gabe’s Background & The 13-Year-Old Founders Story
2:15 - Denied Cologne at 13: Spark That Started Everything
5:10 - AI Quiz & How Custom Fragrances Actually Work
8:45 - Disrupting $50B Luxury Perfume Industry
12:30 - Psychology of Scent & Memory Connection
15:20 - Mindset for Young Builders: Start Small & Own It
18:40 - Lessons on Grit, Curiosity & Problem-Solving
21:15 - Rapid Fire Advice for Your 20s
23:50 - Closing Takeaways & Guest Contacts