It’s not every day a young millionaire admits he lost millions. But for Thee Pluto, one of Kenya’s most recognisable digital creators, failure is part of the story.
“I lost KSh6 million in a short-term accommodation business,” he said in a candid video interview this week, referring to an Airbnb venture that didn’t go as planned. “I’ve failed in many businesses,” he added, “but I never quit.”
The 24-year-old, born Robert Ndegwa, rose to fame online for his social experiments and influencer work. But behind the curated posts and polished image is a young man who, by his own account, learned the hard way.
Pluto said his journey began while still a first-year student at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT). At the time, his dream was modest: a small car and a one-bedroom apartment. But that dream grew bigger.
“One day, a lecturer asked us how much we thought we’d earn after our economics course,” he recalled. “He said we’d start at KSh25,000. That’s when I knew this course wasn’t it. I had to aim higher.”
He left university temporarily to hustle. By the time he returned, he had achieved his first goal. But more failures were waiting.
Apart from Airbnb, Pluto admitted to trying and failing at a movie shop, a bike-for-hire business in Juja, and even a hotel. “Every time I failed, I got back up,” he said. “Quitters are not winners.”
Then came the pandemic.
“When corona hit, I started selling my things and buying Bitcoin,” he revealed. “I was buying it at KSh1.2 million, around October 2020.”
Pluto credits crypto trading and mentorship from older, experienced entrepreneurs as key to his rebound. “Young people act like they know it all,” he said. “But my close friends are in their 40s and 50s people you can actually learn from.”
While critics may view his losses as a cautionary tale, Pluto says it’s a necessary part of growth. His message to youth is clear: stay humble, learn from your mistakes, and don’t be afraid to fail.
“If I gave up after my first business flopped, I wouldn’t be here,” he said.
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