A 23-year-old millionaire has slammed his “work-shy” generation for “mindless scrolling” – saying any young people “triggered” by his words are just “lazy.”
Entrepreneur Luke Lintz has always been hungry for success, launching a company with his brothers, Jordan and Jackson, aged just 16 – with the business now worth eight figures.
Luke, who has 1.1 million followers on Instagram (@LukeLintz), tells Jam Prime how he overcame personal challenges, including his parents’ messy divorce, a strict upbringing, and a childhood stammer, to carve out his own path in life.
And he believes more Gen Z-ers could do the same if they stop staring at their social media feeds.
The jet-setter, who has a luxury flat, super fast cars, and travels to exotic locations with his ‘stay-at-home’ girlfriend, also shares the secrets to his success.
“Too many young people make excuses when they could be making money,” the owner of HighKey, originally from Canada but now lives in Puerto Rico, said.
“People can blame the economy, but ultimately, you will get back the value you contribute.
”You have to surround yourself with driven people to be successful, and I couldn’t find that crowd by staying in my small hometown.
“I know I really disappointed my parents when I decided to ditch college to run my own company.
“At first, my dad was so upset he kicked me out of the house – which meant I had to make my own success from day one.
“But it all ended well; he even later invested in the company, and I know he is proud of me now.
“I haven’t taken a day off in seven years.
“There is so much opportunity out there, but most 20-somethings are addicted to scrolling on their phones.”
Ironically, despite telling young people to lay off social media, Luke actually made his fortune through Instagram advertising.
He began by creating ads to sell physical products and later moved into digital promotion and PR.
Now, Luke and his brothers have 1,200 clients worldwide, including high-profile celebrity stars like Kevin Hart, Cardi B, Tyga, Nicki Minaj, Bella Thorne, and Rick Ross.
He said: “I decided from a young age that I wouldn’t become a victim or get messed up by a tough childhood.
“When I was a lot younger, my parents went through a hostile divorce that was ongoing for 14 years – and at one point, the case went to the Supreme Court of Canada.
“The trauma made me develop a stammer and speech impediment, and I decided not to speak for a while.
“I just kept quiet, and as the middle child, I could hide between my brothers, but overcoming these issues was the foundation of my resilience.
“I knew I had it in me to be a leader.
“I’m not a quitter, but so many people from my generation are.
“They are lazy and want shortcuts instead of doing the necessary work.”
Luke employs 75 full-time workers and aims to turn over $100 million in the next five years.
The digital entrepreneur hasn’t set an alarm clock since high school and says he’s always “ready to go.”
He lifts weights daily, reads books on marketing and business, and travels as much as possible.
Aside from the company’s ambitions, Luke has one of his goals, too – to become a billionaire by 40.
And he loves spending his hard-earned cash on himself and his girlfriend, Kendel Kay, 25.
Luke said: “I love to spend money, and it motivates me to make more.
“I live with my girlfriend in a condo on the beach – it costs $9,500 a month – but we also love traveling.
“Travelling in style is my favorite way to splash out.
“We always get luxury rooms in the best hotels.
“I also like jewelry and cars – I want to experience all the finest things.
“When I was 20, I even bought myself a head-turning Lamborghini fitted with gold rims.
“I don’t make money to be happy. I am already happy. The work that I do and the journey that I am on make me happy.
“I want to inspire other young people to get up and grab opportunities when it comes to them instead of holding themselves back from success.”
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Luke isn’t just here to slam young people – he also has some valuable advice for them, sharing the secrets to his success.
The entrepreneur has even set up a series on YouTube called Road To A Billion to help other budding entrepreneurs.
He said: “I’ve worked 100-hour weeks through some tough times and big projects.
“Not many young people have that drive.
“You can’t be afraid to mess up; I have, and we lost a lot of money in the beginning – and had to sell all our products without making a profit once.
“But we didn’t quit.
“That’s the trick – you must see it through and learn from your mistakes. The only way you lose is if you quit.
“Ignore anyone who doesn’t believe in you.
“My brothers and I have been called ‘cringe’ and ‘Daddy’s money’ by jealous trolls online, but if you care about what other people think, you won’t go far.
“Now I keep my circle small and focus on the work.
“I am glad to be able to show up daily for the company I love.”