Abdul Moneeb Ilyas isn’t your typical 24-year-old. In fact, while many are still climbing the career ladder and trying to find their way in life after graduating university, the UK-based luxury lifestyle influencer and entrepreneur has been busy making millions.
With an ever-growing Instagram follower base of nearly 700k, all it takes is a quick scroll of his feed to see that he’s made it in life, with the world’s finest hotels, luxury supercars and designer brands like Versace and Louis Vuitton all featuring regularly. And now, he’s making it his mission to help other young entrepreneurs achieve the same success that he has, by inspiring them with what’s really possible if you set your mind to it.
Starting out in the business world at the tender age of 18, Abdul had already amassed over £5 million from his various endeavours – no small feat for a man of humble beginnings. Aged 15, Abdul, who grew up in Derby, recalls his mother being unable to afford to buy him a video game he desperately wanted during a shopping trip, and it was this that set in motion a series of events that would lead him to the hard-earned champagne lifestyle he leads today.
Having learned early on that the good life doesn’t just land in your lap, he’s appreciated the value of hard work ever since, putting in long hours in a freezing food factory in his younger years for the paltry sum of £2.80 an hour, and working a string of other low-paying jobs, to ensure he always had some money in his pocket. But it hasn’t just been the hard grind that has got him here.
By 16, his entrepreneurial streak was already beginning to show through, when he set up as a seller on Ebay to trade FIFA coins. By 18, he was raking in a modest amount of cash by auctioning off protein shakes.
Alongside it all, he continued to hustle away in a 9-5 job, working for companies ranging from the courier service DHL, all the way up to luxury car manufacturer, Rolls Royce – but no matter how far he climbed in pursuit of a glittering career and a secure lifestyle, he couldn’t shake the feeling that something was missing.
Eventually, he realised it was freedom – something that a job like that could never give him. Add to that the fact that he was teetering on the edge of financial ruin thanks to having built up £30k of gambling debt, and he knew something had to give. So, he took a risk, handed in his notice and decided to go all-in on his dreams of entrepreneurship, diving head first into the world of online marketing.
It’s precisely this willingness to take a risk that he credits for enjoying the lavish lifestyle he lives today, and today, he isn’t just a millionaire, but an internet sensation. After years of working hard to secure his own success, he’s now sharing his learnings with other young people in search of a better life in a bid to help them do the same via his social media platforms, including Instagram and Twitter.
A quick scroll through his Instagram profile is enough to see that Abdul has well and truly made it in life – in fact, he lives a life that most others could only dream of. His photos show him posing with luxury supercars, climbing out of helicopters and lounging by infinity pools in all sorts of paradisiacal destinations.
Yes, he makes money as an influencer. But the content he posts isn’t just for show; in fact, it’s all in the name of showing other budding entrepreneurs what’s possible. After all, if someone has it, it just proves that others can, too – and that it doesn’t have to be an impossible dream many seem to think it is.
According to Abdul, getting there is all about mindset. Once you’ve figured out what kind of lifestyle you want to live, the key is to reverse-engineer it to work out what steps you need to take to get there – but often, the process can feel overwhelming. By working on your mindset daily in order to release any limiting beliefs and move from lack to abundance, you provide yourself with the most powerful tool to keep going when things feel tough – and understanding that each small failure is part of the learning process is paramount.
Abdul is a strong advocate of digital courses and mentors over a traditional university education, and believes that these days, you don’t need a degree to be successful in life – despite having one himself. But one thing he does believe is essential is the will to keep learning and growing – and to spend time reading and consuming business and mindset content every day.
It’s a case of investing in yourself, just like you’d invest into your business, he says. And the drive and determination to keep going, no matter what, is an essential characteristic of a successful online entrepreneur.
A common mistake he often sees people making? Using their online platforms to make out that they’re something they’re not. Abdul’s Instagram might show an opulent lifestyle, but it’s all centred around the things he loves to do, buy and experience. It’s a personal brand, and it has to be authentic – otherwise, you won’t convince anyone that you’re worth pressing the follow button for, let alone listening to.
His story is undoubtedly an inspiring one, and for lovers of luxury, it’s impossible not to fall in love with his feed. It isn’t just his stunning photos that command attention, but his passion for supporting others to achieve the life of their dreams. In a world where there are many different ways to build additional streams of income and create wealth, it’s just the kind of inspiring content we want to see.
For more support and inspiration, follow Abdul on Instagram and Twitter.
