I’m sharing here a podcast interview with Harry, from Unlock the Secret Podcast. In this conversation, I open up about my personal journey as an entrepreneur and share the five crucial steps to making your first million. From the Latin dance school I started years ago, to running multiple ventures, and finally building OneTake AI, I reveal both my successes and the painful failures that taught me the most.
Below the video, you’ll find a recap of the main lessons from our discussion, along with actionable strategies you can apply to your own journey.
👉 Watch the original podcast episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5EB1G0Xxu0
Try OneTake AI for free to see how our AI can help you create content effortlessly, just like I use in my business.
What You Will Learn Today
- The five steps to making your first million
- How content marketing can accelerate business growth
- Listening to customers without asking about your product
- Creating irresistible offers that deliver more value than cost
- How innovation and creativity drive success
- Building personal wealth alongside your business
- Lessons from early failures and overcoming challenges in business
- Transitioning from traditional ventures to tech entrepreneurship
- The importance of mindset and partnerships in tech startups
- How OneTake AI helps creators and entrepreneurs
Steps to Success
Embrace Content Marketing
When I talk about my first step, it’s all about content marketing. Back when I ran my Latin dance school, I tried everything: flyers, street promotions, even getting fined for passing them out! Nothing really worked.
Then I started sharing small parts of my classes online—just a teaser, not a replacement for the class itself. This created curiosity and drew people in. It was like giving an appetizer before the meal. Today, OneTake AI helps people do exactly this, by automating content creation to attract audiences.
Listening to Customers
Step two is listening to your customers, but not about your product. Instead of asking, "Do you like this product?" you want to understand their real problems and desires.
For example, when we launched OneTake AI, my first webinar had hundreds of people. Everyone loved the content, but no one bought the product. Why? Because I was focused on features they didn’t care about. People wanted a one-click, effortless solution, not the intricate details of AI editing styles. Once we shifted the messaging, the next webinar was a huge success.
Webinars and Learning from Mistakes
Webinars have been an incredible teacher for me. My first one in 2008 taught me that engagement alone doesn’t convert. Real conversion happens when you align the offer with what people truly want. Mistakes are your best lessons; analyzing feedback is how you pivot successfully.
Creating Value and Offers
Step three is all about making an irresistible offer. Many entrepreneurs undervalue what they provide. You might sell a $1,000 product, but if the perceived value to the customer is $4,000 or more—financial, emotional, or transformational—they’ll pay it gladly.
I’ve coached clients who repurpose content to create high-value offers without spending extra time. For instance, recording a masterclass and offering it as a product can generate thousands of dollars without additional effort.
Innovation and Creativity
Step four is bringing something new. Whether you’re using AI or traditional methods, the first, obvious ideas are rarely what make a business stand out. Push beyond the average, explore multiple options, test unconventional ideas—this is where innovation and creativity come into play.
For example, when using AI for marketing, I don’t ask for one email; I ask for 11 or 15. The first few are standard, but the later ones spark unique strategies that outperform conventional approaches.
Building Personal Wealth
Step five is about building your personal wealth, not just your business. Between 2007 and 2017, my businesses generated millions, but I had little personal savings. The key switch was realizing that business is a vehicle for freedom, and to achieve that, I needed to take part of the revenue off the table and invest it for my future. This mindset helped me fund OneTake AI and grow to the next level.
Entrepreneurial Dreams and Challenges
I’ve faced many challenges on this journey. My first businesses were risky: a salsa school, a tapas restaurant with a guitar in the ceiling, even music websites. Every venture taught me resilience, creativity, and perseverance.
For instance, my first salsa class had just one student. I almost quit. But by focusing on great service to that one student, my class grew, and within a year, I had 150 students.
Starting a Business Against the Odds
In France, I attended a prestigious engineering school and had a guaranteed job with a good salary. But I was miserable. So I called my parents and said I wanted to quit and start a company. They were skeptical, but we agreed on a one-year challenge: I had to start a business and make it profitable within a year.
I had no idea what I would do. Eventually, I leveraged three skills: salsa, music websites, and dating advice. I created an express business plan, setting financial goals for each month to reach my target. The result? My first month, I made more than my goal and kept scaling.
Learning from Mentors
Perseverance and guidance were critical. My salsa mentor taught me to serve my first student exceptionally, and success followed naturally. Mentorship, experimentation, and listening to feedback were repeated lessons throughout my career.
Transitioning to Tech Entrepreneurship
Tech entrepreneurship is a whole new ballgame. Product-market fit, funding, and building a team are tough. But the fundamentals remain: listen to your customers, fail fast, learn from mistakes, and persevere.
With OneTake AI, I applied lessons from previous ventures. Strong technical co-founders, laser focus, and a commitment to building a full-time tech business were key. Mistakes from past startups—hiring part-time, focusing on price over value—helped us make better decisions this time.
The Importance of Founder Psychology
Many startups fail not because of the technology or market, but because of founders’ mindset and psychology. Success requires humility, adaptability, focus, and the ability to truly listen to your clients.
Introducing OneTake AI
OneTake AI automates social media content creation. Upload your videos, and the software edits, enhances, and formats them—so you don’t have to do the heavy lifting. It’s designed to help creators, entrepreneurs, and businesses scale content creation without burning out.
Conclusion
From salsa schools to tech startups, my journey taught me five crucial steps to your first million:
- Embrace content marketing
- Listen to customers without focusing on your product
- Make irresistible offers
- Innovate and bring something new
- Build personal wealth alongside your business
The path is never linear, but resilience, creativity, and the right mindset make all the difference.
Try OneTake AI for free and start scaling your content effortlessly today.
