This story is part of CNBC Make It’s The Moment series, where highly successful people reveal the critical moment that changed the trajectory of their lives and careers, discussing what drove them to make the leap into the unknown.

Jay Chaudhry never thought he’d run a business, amass a fortune or help popularize an entire industry. Not growing up in rural India, not upon moving to the U.S. in 1980 to study engineering and marketing, not even after landing jobs at tech giants IBM and Unisys.

“I have no background of entrepreneurship in my family of small-scale farmers. So if you asked me, ‘Did I ever think about becoming an entrepreneur in my childhood [or] early years of my career?’ Not really,” Chaudhry, the billionaire founder and CEO of cloud security company Zscaler, tells CNBC Make It.

It took Silicon Valley’s dot-com boom — the wild success stories of tech startups like Netscape — to get Chaudhry thinking in 1996, “Why shouldn’t I start a company?” He made the rash decision to quit his job as an executive at Atlanta-based tech company IQ Software, and his wife Jyoti quit her job as a systems analyst at telecommunications giant BellSouth.

Together, they plunged their life savings — roughly $500,000 — into SecureIT, a cybersecurity software startup they co-founded in 1997. At the time, “maybe less than 5% of Fortune 500 companies had firewalls,” Chaudhry says. “Within 18 months, we had deployed firewalls in about 50% of [the] Fortune 500.”

His timing was perfect: In 1998, Chaudhry sold SecureIT to VeriSign in an all-stock deal worth nearly $70 million. Over the ensuing decade, the husband-and-wife duo founded two more cybersecurity companies and an e-commerce business, each of which got acquired.

By 2007, they were already wealthy entrepreneurs, and Chaudhry — who gets “bored” without something to work on — decided it was time to launch “one big company and put 200% focus on that,” he says.

That company was Zscaler, which aimed to help companies transition away from outdated firewalls and into the cloud era. The couple invested $50 million of their own money, says Chaudhry. Today, it brings in $1.6 billion in annual revenue and has a market value of roughly $30 billion.

Chaudhry’s own net worth is estimated at $11.5 billion by Forbes.

Here, Chaudhry talks about putting his family’s savings on the line to follow his gut, how his upbringing influenced his relationship with money and the advice he’d give someone who wants to quit their job to start a business.

CNBC Make It: What prompted you to stake your entire life’s savings on a startup idea — in an industry that didn’t really exist yet?

Chaudhry: This thing happened because I love to read and I love technology.

In 1996, Netscape had just launched and gone public, and I was fascinated by it. I said, “If [Netscape co-founder] Marc Andreessen could start a company — he was a young guy [right] out of college — why shouldn’t I start a company?”

My wife and I talked a few times, and the more we thought about it, the more conviction we got around it: [Netscape’s web browser] is the way to access information, and it should become popular. But if every company is connected to the internet, that means there will be security risks.

That was my simple thinking. There was no IDC or Gartner study about the market size. It was largely based on what the gut told us.

A gut feeling is one thing. Betting every dollar to your name is another.

It started out with us saying, “Let’s go get venture capital funding.” I had no experience raising funds, and I realized soon that it wasn’t that easy. This was [1996], Atlanta was not a VC mecca and we kept hearing, “Hey, you don’t have any experience.”

We were disappointed, but our conviction was building, which led to me saying, “Why don’t we put our life-savings on the line?”

I didn’t know anything. So, I really didn’t know how big the risk was. I couldn’t quantify it.

How did you make peace with that risk?

After talking back and forth, we asked each other, “What’s the worst thing that can happen?” The company could shut down, we’d lose all of our savings.

The next question was, “Can we find jobs?” There was lots of confidence that we could.

I never had money in my early childhood, so there was never a notion that I must buy A and B and C. Our lifestyle was pretty simple. Our house in Alpharetta, Georgia, was $200,000 — a nice, typical middle-class house at that time — and we didn’t have any fancy cars or fancy payments.

Our only child at that time was going to a public school. There wasn’t a lot of overhead. We said, “Let’s take a chance.”

When a bet pays off, does that success make you more confident to take on bigger risks? Were any of your other ventures as risky as that first one?

The [financial] risk of SecureIT was, like, 1,000 times more than the risk of Zscaler. The amount I invested in Zscaler was a small fraction of my net worth.

But Zscaler was much harder. I put more money in it than all the others combined. I took bigger bets. I hired people more quickly to solve some very hard problems. I wanted to do something big, something lasting.

We were trying to solve a problem that was futuristic. Will it be successful or not? Will the market take off or not? That was all unknown.

So if you asked me the chances of success of Zscaler, there was a much higher risk. Because, with SecureIT, it was fairly obvious that as you connect to the internet, you need firewalls.

What’s your best advice for someone who’s thinking about quitting their job to start their own business?

First, build conviction by learning more about what you want to do. Don’t just do some of the cursory work.

Second, start by putting in your own money. That actually is part of testing your conviction. If you really have conviction, you’ll take a chance on yourself. That also means you’ve done some serious homework, you’re ready, you’re committed.

You can also make decisions the way you want to make decisions. If Zscaler was largely owned by VCs, they probably could have shut it down. It took us a few years to really start getting traction in the market, and VCs can write you off and move on. They say, “It’s one of my 20 investments.”

When you put in your own money, this is the only business you have.

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One key trait separates the best CEOs from all others, according to JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon.

While some leaders can get complacent in their lofty roles, a great CEO prioritizes learning, inquisitive conversations and taking genuine interest in other people’s points of view, Dimon, 68, told LinkedIn’s “This is Working” video series last week.

“I think leaders have to get out [from behind their desks],” Dimon said. “They have to get out all the time. They have to be curious, ask a million questions. They’re learning from competitors, they’re learning from clients.”

One of Dimon’s top priorities for himself is meeting with clients and competitors — so he can ask questions and get firsthand accounts about where his company is excelling or doing poorly, he said.

“I always tell a client, ‘When you complain to us, you’re doing us a favor. If we’re torturing you, we’re probably torturing another 10,000 [or] 100,000 people,’” Dimon said. “I think CEOs, any business leader, who can’t get out [or is] too busy, they’re making a huge mistake.”

Dimon isn’t the only CEO who values inquiring minds in the workplace: The trait separates highly successful employees and leaders from their peers, according to Amazon boss Andy Jassy. 

“You have to be ravenous and hungry to find ways to learn,” Jassy said last week in a video published by Amazon, about the company’s list of 16 leadership principles. The biggest difference between people with successful careers and those who remain “stagnant” is a constant, humble drive for knowledge and self-improvement, he added.

“For some people, at a certain point, they find it too threatening or too difficult to keep learning,” said Jassy. “The second you think there’s little left for you to learn is the second that you are unwinding as an individual and as a learning professional.”

Curiosity and desire to learn can take you further in your career than your technical skills, LinkedIn vice president and workforce expert Aneesh Raman told CNBC Make It in March. The two traits are especially beneficial for young professionals, helping them stand out in the hiring market and reframe setbacks as learning opportunities, he said.

″[A growth mindset] is the new degree, the way that you’ve been looking for a Harvard degree,” said Raman.

To strengthen your inquisitiveness, try dedicating 20 to 30 minutes each day to learning something new, TedX speaker and organizational psychologist Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic wrote in the Harvard Business Review last year. You could research a subject you’ve always been interested in, set up a coffee chat to learn more about a colleague or read a challenging book about an unfamiliar subject. 

Ask yourself questions like, “What area do I want to be an expert in?” and “What topics could I spend all day thinking about?” Chamorro-Premuzic wrote.

Continuing to learn and explore, in both familiar and new areas of interest, helps people avoid “complacency” and build the “heart and grit” they need to advance their careers, said Dimon.

“If you don’t have an accurate assessment of the real world out there, what’s changing, what the ideas are, you will eventually fail,” he said.

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I became a Trader Joe’s content creator by accident. Before Instagram even existed, I started posting my favorite TJ’s items on a blog to share with my friends and roommates. The goal was to get them to stop eating all of my food and go buy their own. 

It was a fun hobby while I briefly pursued a CPA after college, and when I pivoted to work in private equity and commercial real estate development for about a decade. Now I’m a full-time content creator who makes a living through other brand partnerships and my spatula and kitchenware company.

Today, my Trader Joe’s-themed Instagram account has nearly 2 million fans. That’s even though I’m not officially affiliated with or sponsored by the store in any capacity and never have been. I just genuinely love going there, and I pride myself on uncovering hidden gems and seasonal must-haves.

Here are my top Trader Joe’s picks for the summer.

Summer and watermelon go hand in hand. This cold-pressed juice is refreshing and not overly sweet, made only from watermelon and lemon with no added sugar. 

I love sipping on it by the pool or taking it along on a picnic to stay cool on very hot days. 

At about $0.25/ounce, it’s much cheaper than similar juices you could get elsewhere. For example, a bottle of Evolution Fresh watermelon juice runs about $0.46/ounce on Fresh Direct. 

This smoothie also has just two ingredients — coconut water and coconut meat. I love enjoying it after a morning workout or as a midday snack. It makes me feel a tiny bit like I’m on a beach vacation, even if I’m just taking a break during a busy afternoon.

I’ve tried coconut smoothies from other grocers and find they’re often packed with sugar and other ingredients — and they have a higher price point. Compare TJ’s $0.35/ounce to, for example, $0.42/ounce for a Harmless Harvest version on Fresh Direct. 

Every summer, I eagerly await the arrival of sweet, tender, juicy Ataulfo mangos, also known as honey mangoes. 

They’re perfect for snacking on their own (my preference), adding to smoothies, or incorporating into summer salads.

Trader Joe’s was the first grocer I saw carry Ataulfo mangos a few years back and since then I’ve seen them appear elsewhere, but at a higher price. Trader Joe’s sells theirs in a 4-pack at about $1.50/mango compared to about $2.25/mango in a 2-pack on Fresh Direct. 

These thick, ridged chips come in a blue bag and boast a tangy BBQ flavor with notes of honey mustard. 

They’re a summer snacking staple for me, and can add a delicious crunch to sandwiches. I always keep a bag on hand for summer gatherings and beach trips.

A lot of brands make a BBQ chip, but I’ve never had a ridged, Carolina gold variation quite like this. 

This new item has quickly become a favorite. I keep it in the fridge, and the combination of crunchy honeycomb and smooth milk chocolate satisfies my sweet tooth without feeling overly indulgent.

In the U.S., we don’t have a standard chocolate bar filled with honeycomb — like the U.K.’s Cadbury Crunchie — though you can find the combo here and there. 

There are also recipes floating around the internet. But if you don’t have time or energy to make it yourself or visit a bunch of stores, the TJ’s option is cheap, easy to find, and delicious. 

Another summer delight I eagerly anticipate every year is the ube mochi. These individual bites of ube (or purple yam) ice cream are coated in a chewy mochi exterior with a flavor that’s something like a mix of vanilla and pistachio. 

I love enjoying these in the evening as a way to cool down and treat myself after a long, hot day. 

I’ve heard you can find ube mochi at some specialty markets, but those aren’t always convenient. 

A combo I currently love is Trader Joe’s celery bites paired with any of their hummus varieties. The crisp, refreshing taste of celery combined with the creamy, flavorful hummus makes for a healthy and satisfying snack. It’s perfect for hot summer days when you need something light but filling. 

You could, of course, wash and cut your own celery at home. But if you’re grabbing a snack on the go, the pre-cut bites save you some time and hassle. 

While it’s important to protect your skin year-round, this sunscreen becomes an essential part of my routine during the summer. 

Whether I’m heading to the beach or spending the day outdoors, it keeps my skin protected and doubles as a hydrating base I can use under makeup. It’s light, doesn’t feel greasy on my skin, and doesn’t leave a white residue.

I’ve tried tons of sunscreens and this one is one of my favorites. For a daily user like me, I appreciate that it’s cheaper than other options, such as Sun Bum, which lists its comparable six-ounce tube of SPF 30 at $17.49. 

This is one of my favorite condiments. I haven’t come across it at other grocers so I categorize it as an “only at TJ’s” item. 

It has the perfect balance of dill and mustard, and if you ask me, it makes any sandwich, burger, or grilling experience tastier. 

For a unique twist — trust me here — try it on a slice of watermelon. 

Natasha Fischer is the creator of Trader Joe’s List. She is not affiliated with or sponsored by the store. Before becoming a full-time content creator, she worked in private equity and commercial real estate development for 10 years while posting as a hobby.

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Netflix’s latest reality hit, “Owning Manhattan,” premiered in June, and one of the luxury apartments featured on the show is making headlines.

“Owning Manhattan” follows celebrity broker Ryan Serhant and a group of agents who work at his real estate brokerage, SERHANT., as they try to sell properties in Manhattan and Brooklyn. The penthouse at 527 West 27th St, known as Jardim or “garden” in Portuguese, was featured in several episodes.

“It’s a great architectural gem that combines outdoor and indoor living in New York City, which is something you don’t generally see,” Chase Landow, the SERHANT. agent who sold the property, tells CNBC Make It.

By the season finale, Serhant and his team rented the apartment to Bad Bunny for $150,000 a month, who lived in it for a few months, according to Landow. The news made headlines in 2023 after it was reported that the Puerto Rican rapper and singer had secured the most expensive rental in New York City at the time.

The Real Deal first reported the penthouse was sold in May for $15 million. It had been on the market with the SERHANT. brokerage for about a year.

On “Owning Manhattan,” the sale price was listed at $20 million, with a potential 3% commission of $600,000. If the 3% commission remained the same for the final sale, Landow’s commission was $450,000. Landow did not want to comment on the exact amount in our interview.

While it wasn’t Bad Bunny who bought the place, public records show that the penthouse apartment was sold to the Head of Banking and Executive Vice Chair at Citi, Viswas “Vis” Raghavan and Pamela Raghavan.

“I think real estate is finding the goodness of the fit —finding a buyer who appreciates what you’re selling and finding a seller who appreciates a buyer,” Landow says. “I think this particular buyer fits perfectly with what this property is and what this property offers.”

The apartment has four-bedrooms, four-bathrooms and is roughly 4,500 square feet with 4,600 square feet of outdoor space. It also includes a lap pool, several terraces, a library, an outdoor kitchen, a spiral staircase, and direct elevator access.

The 36-unit building was designed by iconic Brazilian architect Isay Weinfeld and marked his first New York City building.

“It was really important for them to have a bit of reprieve from New York City and have a little bit of an oasis in the middle of the city,” Landow says. “Everything is really thoughtful in the sense of where it’s placed in the apartment.”

The amenities include a fitness center, a private club, a 60-foot lap pool, a yoga studio, onsite parking, and a “paparazzi-proof” private driveway.

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The key to success is to never stop trying to learn new things, according to Amazon CEO Andy Jassy.

“You have to be ravenous and hungry to find ways to learn,” Jassy said last week in a video posted by Amazon about the company’s famous list of 16 leadership principles, originally penned by founder Jeff Bezos.

One of those principles, “Learn and Be Curious,” says the best leaders “are never done learning and always seek to improve themselves.” Jassy said he’s seen that ability make the biggest difference between people who successfully grow their careers and those who remain “stagnant.”

“For some people, at a certain point, they find it too threatening or too difficult to keep learning,” he said. “The second you think there’s little left for you to learn is the second that you are unwinding as an individual and as a learning professional.”

Continuing to learn as you age can improve memory and other cognitive abilities, while also making you happier, research shows. And employers are often keen on hiring and advancing workers with a “growth mindset,” where you continuously try to adopt new skills and improve your abilities, LinkedIn workforce expert Aneesh Raman told CNBC Make It in March.

Jassy and Bezos aren’t the only high-profile professionals who think that way: Julia Stewart, the CEO who merged IHOP and Applebee’s into a roughly $530 million restaurant giant, says that “You should be learning for the rest of her life” is her mantra.

Good leaders have to realize they don’t always have every answer, and be comfortable learning from the people around them, Stewart told Make It in May. “I think as you get older and you become successful, you realize: ‘I don’t have to be the smartest person in the room,’” she said. “I’ve never had somebody say, ‘No, I’m not going to help.’” 

Jassy agrees. “You have to think about the idea that you don’t know everything and that there’s a lot to learn,” he said. “Even if you spent many months or years learning a certain area, it may flip upside down very quickly.”

His advice: Stay humble in those upside-down moments, so you can find the joy in learning new things and continue to grow for the rest of your life and career. 

“Instead of that feeling threatening and scary, you have to think about that as being part of the fun of what you do,” Jassy said.

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