Teens dreaming of lucrative tech careers should seize on the opportunity to hone their artificial intelligence skills by immersing themselves in the growing number of AI-powered code generation tools, says billionaire Scale AI co-founder Alexandr Wang.

“You just have to figure out how to use the tools maximally,” Wang said on a recent episode of the “TBPN” podcast that aired on September 17.

When asked for his best advice for young people, Wang said, “it’s impossible to understate the degree to which I’ve been radicalized by AI coding.”

AI coding, also called “vibe coding,” involves using artificial intelligence to generate original software code simply by typing out commands and instructions. AI coding apps, like Replit and Cursor, allow you to write code, or even develop a new app, without any coding or computer engineering expertise.

“It’s actually, in some ways, this incredible moment of discontinuity where, if you just happen to spend, like, 10,000 hours playing with the tools and figuring out how to use them better than other people, that’s a huge advantage,” said Wang, who co-founded Scale AI in 2016 and helped build it into a tech unicorn that was most recently valued at $29 billion.

Wang compared the current moment of rapid technological advancement to the early days of the computer revolution, when people like “the Bill Gates’ of the world” capitalized on being early adopters of computers and software.

Indeed, the Microsoft co-founder has said he spent his teen years sneaking out of his parents’ house at night to spend hours learning to write software code, thanks to a fortuitous arrangement he had with a local Seattle company that gave him free computer access.

Wang believes this era’s teens would be wise to follow Gates’ approach by spending as much time as possible learning to use AI coding tools: “That moment is happening right now — and if you are, like, 13 years old, you should spend all of your time vibe coding,” he said on the podcast. “That’s how you should live your life.”

AI’s coding ability will match Wang’s ‘within the next five years’

Wang has an estimated net worth of $3.2 billion, according to Forbes, and was poached by Meta in June to serve as chief AI officer. Despite his massive success and standing in the industry, even Wang believes that “literally all the code I’ve written in my life … will be able to have been produced by an AI model within the next five years,” he told “TBPN.”

The idea of AI programs potentially being able to replicate the work of even the best coders in the world is already feeding concerns about software programming remaining a promising career choice. Companies are already increasing their use of AI coding programs, and in some cases using them to replace human programmers.

But Wang and others in the industry still believe in the value of teens learning programming skills, especially in concert with familiarizing themselves with relevant AI tools that can potentially help maximize those skills. 

“As coding becomes easier, more people should code, not fewer!” Andrew Ng, co-founder of the Google Brain research lab, wrote in a LinkedIn post in March, adding: “One of the most important skills in the future will be the ability to tell a computer exactly what you want, so it can do that for you.”

Ng called this “the best time yet to learn to code,” noting in the post that workers with strong coding skills will be able to use AI coding tools more effectively than anyone else, making them desirable to employers who are already seeking out employees with AI skills. And, while anyone can use AI tools to generate code and create new apps and startups, entrepreneurs “who understand the language of software through their knowledge of coding” are able to communicate what they want AI to build “much more precisely” than anyone else can, Ng added. 

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Five years ago, I quit my unfulfilling 9-to-5 job as a higher education administrator and began selling digital products on Etsy. 

Today, I make an average of $14,000 per month in passive income from seven income streams, including my Etsy store, my blog, real estate investments and stock appreciation. I also recently became a self-made millionaire.

It wasn’t an easy road, and I definitely had a few missteps along the way. But I learned how to find my niche, run a business and build the life I want doing what I love.

Here’s my best advice for starting a successful side hustle:

One common mistake people make is trying to juggle so many income streams that they start to lose focus. But most people I know who’ve built a profitable business didn’t start out creating their income streams all at the same time.

I’ve met many new side hustlers who start dabbling in stocks, launch a Shopify store and then look at real estate — all at the same time. This usually results in burnout, overwhelm and even debt. 

Instead, build one solid stream, master it, then move to the next. 

When I first started my side hustle, I made a few bucks here and there, but nothing to write home about.

It wasn’t until nine months after my launch that my Etsy store started making thousands of dollars a month and eventually allowed me to quit my full-time job. 

Success doesn’t happen in a single viral post or overnight launch. It comes from showing up, adjusting and staying in the game long enough to see your knowledge and efforts compound.

When I started learning about business, I tried to DIY everything myself. I would watch free content on YouTube and Instagram, and read books from the library. But after I bought a course about how to sell on Etsy, things started to shift. 

Looking back and knowing myself more, I think “learning the hard way” took too long. I would try to learn, struggle alone, not see any progress, then lose motivation. I didn’t want to keep learning because I wasn’t seeing any results. 

But when I invested a small amount of money into a course and a community of people working on the same thing, I was able to learn, struggle, get help and achieve small wins. My motivation would go up, and I would want to repeat the cycle. 

I’ve met many business owners who have a lot of money, but they don’t have time. It’s important to be strategic in creating the life you want. 

For example, you can sell goods at local farmers’ markets on the weekends. But before setting up that side hustle, it’s important to figure out when those markets are open and ask yourself if you’re willing to give up weekends to sell your products. 

Of course, you can hire employees to help you eventually. But that will also cut into your profits, and might not be possible in the beginning.

The most successful people I know have a growth mindset. They believe that their abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work. 

Because of this foundational belief, they aren’t afraid to step into unknown territories and learn. On the other hand, people with a fixed mindset don’t believe in their ability to grow and learn, so they never try, which leaves them feeling stuck. 

Building multiple income streams and becoming a millionaire isn’t about doing everything perfectly. It’s about staying focused, learning as you go, and not giving up. 

You’ll make mistakes (I’ve made plenty), but with the right mindset, each mistake teaches you something that gets you closer to your goals. Keep going, tweak what’s not working, celebrate the wins, even the small ones, and remember: Progress beats perfection every time.

Rachel Jimenez is an entrepreneur, professor and mom of two. She has a passion for helping others achieve their personal, professional and passive income goals. She runs an Etsy store and a blog, Money Hacking Mama, where she shares financial wisdom and practical advice for women navigating their careers, businesses and life.

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As the cost of attending college continues to rise, so do home prices in college towns across the U.S.

The most expensive college town, ranked by median home-sale price, is Santa Barbara, California, where homes sold for a median price of $1,964,170 from January to July of this year, according to a Redfin analysis published last week.

In the analysis, Redfin defines college towns as cities where at least 10% of the population consists of students enrolled at a four-year accredited university, located at least 30 miles away from a metropolitan area with a population of more than 1 million people.

Boca Raton, Florida, home to Florida Atlantic University, and Northern Arizona University’s college town of Flagstaff, Arizona, rounded out the top three most expensive college towns, according to the report.

These are the 10 most expensive college towns ranked by median home-sale price.

• Notable college: University of California, Santa Barbara
• Median home sale price: $1,964,170

• Notable college: Florida Atlantic University
• Median home sale price: $822,701

• Notable college: Northern Arizona University
• Median home sale price: $695,902

• Notable college: Oregon State University
• Median home sale price: $568,507

• Notable college: Utah Valley University
• Median home sale price: $517,224

• Notable college: University of Oregon
• Median home sale price: $501,571

• Notable college: Brigham Young University
• Median home sale price: $474,745

• Notable college: University of Michigan
• Median home sale price: $464,495

• Notable college: University of New Hampshire, Manchester and Southern New Hampshire University
• Median home sale price: $456,096

• Notable college: Washington State University
• Median home sale price: $452,137

While most college students are more likely to rent during their time in these places, home prices in college towns can give a general sense of how expensive local rental costs are, said Redfin Chief Economist Daryl Fairweather in the report.

″[Housing costs] in some college towns have climbed so high they’re increasingly out of reach for students, faculty and staff,” Fairweather said. This can force faculty and staff to live farther from campus and may even discourage some professors from accepting jobs there.

For students who have to pay tuition, additional housing expenses can lead to increased debt or require them to live further from school, Fairweather said.

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We all want to be the type of person who marches into a meeting brimming with confidence, who meets new people without thinking, “What do they think about me?”, who calmly looks over a room when making a killer speech and isn’t intimidated by all those eyes staring back, who doesn’t fret about what to say in that job interview or first date.

But all too often, crippling self-doubt creeps in. We tell ourselves: “I can’t do it!”

We’re answering back: Yes, you can! As Theodore Roosevelt once said, “Believe you can and you’re halfway there.” Here is a collection of inspiring and motivational quotes that will help you start believing in yourself.

1. “You have to have insane confidence in yourself, even if it’s not real. You need to be your own cheerleader now, because there isn’t a room full of people waiting with pom‑poms to tell you, ‘You did it! We’ve been waiting all this time for you to succeed!’” –Mindy Kaling, actor

2. “Don’t ask for permission. What are you waiting for? What are you asking for?” –Ava Duvernay, film director

3. “For one year, I would say ‘yes’ to all the things that scared me. Anything that made me nervous or took me out of my comfort zone, I’d say ‘yes.’ Public speaking? Yes. Acting? Yes. A crazy thing happened: The very act of doing the thing that scared me undid the fear.” –Shonda Rhimes, producer

4. “I have learned over the years that when one’s mind is made up, this diminishes fear; knowing what must be done does away with fear.” –Rosa Parks, activist

5. “It’s not your job to be likable. It’s your job to be yourself. Someone will like you anyway.” –Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, writer

6. “I think in your life, there’s a moment when the door opens and you need to walk through the door then. You can’t say then, ‘Well, I’ll go through it two years from now. I’ll do it, I’ll save up some money…’” –David Sedaris, writer

7. “The next time you hesitate before going after something you want, the next time you blush and brush off a compliment, the next time you doubt your place in the world, in the workplace, in your home or in your own skin, say these words to yourself: ‘I’m worth it.’ And I know you will always say it like you mean it.” –Viola Davis, actor

8. “I want people to walk around delusional about how great they can be — and then to fight so hard for it every day that the lie becomes the truth.” –Lady Gaga, singer/songwriter/actor

9. “The best advice I’ve ever received is, ‘No one else knows what they’re doing either.’” –Ricky Gervais, comedian

10. “I’ve been absolutely terrified every moment of my life and I’ve never let it keep me from a single thing that I wanted to do.” –Georgia O’Keeffe, artist

11. “Confidence is not about being extroverted or outspoken; it’s about being yourself and believing in your own worth.” –Lupita Nyong’o, actor

12. “The big lesson in life, baby, is never be scared of anyone or anything.” –Frank Sinatra, singer

13. “Be gentle and kind with yourself. Confidence is something that takes courage in a world that doesn’t always support who we are.” –Tracee Ellis Ross, actor

14. “Once you realize there is life after mistakes, you gain a self-confidence that never goes away.” –Bob Schieffer, journalist

15. “Great people do things before they’re ready. They do things before they know they can do it. Doing what you’re afraid of, getting out of your comfort zone, taking risks like that — that’s what life is. You might be really good. You might find out something about yourself that’s really special. And if you’re not good, who cares? You tried something. Now you know something about yourself.” –Amy Poehler, comedian

16. “The secret is, if you can picture yourself doing anything in life, you can do it.” Tom DeLonge, musician

17. If only you could sense how important you are to the lives of those you meet; how important you can be to people you may never even dream of. There is something of yourself that you leave at every meeting with another person.” –Fred Rogers, TV host

18. “Those who are crazy enough to think they can change the world usually do.” –Steve Jobs, entrepreneur

19. “I always say you should be very careful with the voices you listen to. And my closest voices have always told me, ‘You can.’” –Becky Hammon, basketball coach

Kathy and Ross Petras are the brother-and-sister co-authors of the New York Times bestseller You’re Saying It Wrong, along with other popular language books, and co-hosts of the award-winning NPR syndicated radio show and podcast ”You’re Saying It Wrong.” They’ve also been featured in media outlets including The New York Times, The Chicago Tribune, The Washington Post and Harvard Business Review. Follow them on Bluesky.

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Famous for its inflation-proof hot dog and soda combo, Costco is known on Wall Street as a reliable stock with steady growth.

Fueled by solid sales, a successful business model built on paid memberships and regular dividends, Costco share prices have nearly tripled over the past five years, for a total return on investment of 188%, including reinvested dividends. In comparison, the S&P 500 index, which is a measure of the broad U.S. stock market, has seen a total return of 100% over the same time period.

Its popularity may come with a cost, however. Costco shares trade at a premium compared with its profits, leaving investors with “no room for error” if the company underperforms, Scot Ciccarelli, an analyst at Truist Securities, wrote in a recent note.

Even so, many investors believe Costco is well-positioned to withstand tariffs, according to analysts at UBS. As a consumer-staples retailer, it sells mostly products people continue to buy even in downturns, such as groceries, household essentials and health products.

Costco is also known for its bargain prices, made possible by thin margins subsidized by growing revenue from membership fees, which account for a significant share of the wholesaler’s profits.

Despite economic uncertainty, Costco continues to expand. The company plans to open about 30 new warehouses a year, with just over half in the U.S. and the rest abroad, per CNBC.

Costco reported fiscal fourth-quarter earnings after the closing bell on Sept. 25. Revenue came in at $86.16 billion, topping analysts’ expectations of $86.06 billion, according to LSEG.

Costco’s shares are up by about 3.7% so far in 2025 and were trading at $943 per share as of Wednesday’s market close.

Here’s how much a $1,000 investment would be worth now, based on Costco’s closing price of $943 on Sept. 25, 2025.

If you invested one year ago

• Percentage change: 4.4%
• Total as of Sept. 25: $1,043

If you invested five years ago

• Percentage change: 188%
• Total as of Sept. 25: $2,883

If you invested 10 years ago

• Percentage change: 591%
• Total as of Sept. 25: $6,909

If you invested when Costco went public in December 1985

• Percentage change: 61,540%
• Total as of Sept. 25: $616,398

By comparison, the total return on an S&P 500 index fund, including reinvested dividends, would have been 100% over five years, 242% over 10 years and 3,140% over 20 years.

And while Costco’s stock has been a strong performer over the past few years, past performance is no guarantee of future growth. Financial experts commonly recommend diversifying your investments instead of putting too much money into a single stock.

Low-cost index funds, which offer broad market exposure, typically provide more stability and lower fees than individual stocks.

Want to be your own boss? Sign up for Smarter by CNBC Make It’s new online course, How To Start A Business: For First-Time Founders. Find step-by-step guidance for launching your first business, from testing your idea to growing your revenue. Sign up today with coupon code EARLYBIRD for an introductory discount of 30% off the regular course price of $127 (plus tax). Offer valid September 16 through September 30, 2025.

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