Young Aussie on going from a waitress to millionaire before 30

Brittney Saunders didn’t have her sights set on a big career. She dropped out of school in year 11 to work as a waitress and admits the only reason she’d hung around so long was because her friends were all still there.

"I just knew that environment wasn't for me," Brittney tells Yahoo Lifestyle of her decision to leave. "I felt like I was meant for something different, something bigger, but at 16, I didn’t quite know what that was yet. I dropped out at 16 before I even had my P's, my job was working as a waitress in a little Italian restaurant."

Now 31, Brittney is worth millions having started a hugely successful fashion label in her garage, so it's safe to say that her gamble paid off.

"Looking back now, it’s a decision I’m incredibly proud of," she says. "Dropping out didn’t feel like giving up—it felt like choosing myself and my potential. It allowed me to explore my passions, develop my entrepreneurial mindset, and take risks that I don’t think I would’ve taken if I’d stayed in a more structured environment. It’s one of those pivotal moments that shaped me into who I am today."

RELATED:

• Clever money trick used on every shopper in Kmart: 'It's very intentional'

• Reason for royal family's 'scandalous' $172 million 2025 pay rise

• Three simple words that made Kyle Sandilands $100 million

As the owner of FAYT (pronounced Fate because she believes things happen because they’re meant to), she’s showing there are lots of different ways to get rich and achieve success, speaking at huge events like the upcoming Fujifilm’s Creator Summit, a two-day festival celebrating the world of content creation.

From school dropout to a multi-million dollar empire

Of course, Brittney has worked incredibly hard to get to where she is today.

While working at the Italian restaurant, she was also making YouTube videos, something she’d been into since she was 14. It was a relatively new medium back then and she was an early adopter, posting shorts of beauty reviews and fashion hauls plus comedy acts and chats with friends when they were at a sleepover.

"When I started making videos on YouTube, I was just a teenager having fun, experimenting with something I loved. But kids at school didn’t see it that way. They would laugh and make snarky comments, calling me things like "try-hard" or saying my videos were 'cringe'," Brittney explains.

"It was a weird time because YouTube wasn’t as mainstream as it is now, and putting yourself out there wasn’t exactly normal back then. They didn’t get it, and honestly, I don’t think they were meant to."

Either way, Saunders had the last laugh as she amassed a huge following and ended up quitting her job to go full-time as one of the OG influencers.

While she no longer considers herself an influencer, she muses that her success in that medium came from being true to herself.

"I think my success as an influencer came down to being unapologetically myself," she tells Yahoo Lifestyle. "When I started creating content, I wasn’t trying to fit into a mold or portray a perfect version of my life. I was just a girl in her bedroom filming makeup tutorials, hauls, and vlogs about her day-to-day life. People connected with the realness of it—the good, the bad, and everything in between."

She continues, "I think people saw a friend in me. I wasn’t afraid to be imperfect, and that kind of relatability is what resonated with so many."

Seeing a gap in the market

Realising the YouTube life wasn’t sustainable Saunders then made a super smart move and in 2017 she launched FAYT The Label, an Australian-based fashion clothing brand retailing an array of items sized 6 to 24.

Having done many a fashion video, trying on clothes and seeing the feedback she’d realised there was a huge gap in the market for curvy girls like herself.

It was an enormous success leading her to opening five stores nationwide alongside her website. She also allowed her followers to join her on the journey, sharing the ups and downs, while staying relatable.

Brittany's tips for budding entrepreneurs

Ever-humble, Saunders is also keen to help the next generation of entrepreneurs and content creators.

As a keynote speaker at The Creator Summit: Powered by Fujifilm which takes place at Sydney’s Luna Park on 22-23 February she will be imparting her knowledge about what it takes to get where she is now.

"I do feel a responsibility to share what I’ve learned, and that’s a big part of why I started my podcast Big Business and why I’m speaking at the Creator Summit," Brittney says. "I’ve been fortunate to achieve success in my journey, but it didn’t come without challenges, trial and error, and moments of doubt. I know how valuable it can be to hear someone’s real story—the wins and the mistakes—especially when you’re just starting out."

Brittney explains that the Creator Summit is the perfect place to connect with the next generation of creators, entrepreneurs, and innovators.

"I want them to know that they don’t have to have it all figured out, and it’s okay to take risks and make mistakes, she says. "Sharing my story isn’t about saying, 'Do exactly what I did.' It’s about encouraging them to find their own path, trust their instincts, and create something they’re proud of."

SHOP:

• Surprising task Aussies can't stop asking their home device to do: 'Four times more likely'

• Free product that could help increase your home's value by $112,000

• Celebrity hairstylist's go-to product that sells for half the price of its competitors

Saunders will be joined by other content heavyweights including comedian Jimmy Rees OAM and Tom Sharpe, Australia’s first street-style content creator.

Tickets to see Saunders at the ‘Creator Summit: Powered by Fujifilm’ are just $49, and include access to Fujifilm keynotes and interactive workshops and partner hubs.

They also include a single-ride pass for the Luna Park Ferris Wheel and a Fujifilm goody bag filled with giveaways worth over $270.

To purchase your tickets or to learn more about the Creator Summit, click here.

Want the latest lifestyle and entertainment news? Make sure you are following us on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok and don't forget to subscribe to our newsletter.