Private-equity veteran Yua Bonet lost $300 million in six months and was diagnosed with late-stage breast cancer. After attending Tony Robbins seminars during chemotherapy, she beat cancer, declared a five-year plan to invest $1 billion and generate $3 billion in gains, and now runs a new $1 billion private-equity fund.
2 years ago, I had the worst career failure in 6 months. I'd lost $300 million. Ended up having to lay off 1,500 people, and I felt like it was my fault. And at the end of that year, I was diagnosed with breast cancer.
Wow.
Late stage.
Whenever you think it's the worst thing that can happen, the crisis is there for you to have a breakthrough. But if you don't know that, if you don't search for it, if you don't push through, then the crisis will destroy you. But crisis either destroys you or recreates you at a whole new level, and you've certainly done that.
Hi.
What's your name?
Where are you from? Um, Yua Bonet from New York. It's so surreal to be here. I wanted to share a special story. So, 2 years ago, I had the worst career failure in my history. I've been investing in private equity for 20 years, and in 6 months, I'd lost $300 million. And it was, you know, I— it just complete— because up to that point, I'd made money on every investment for 20 years. I'd never lost money before. My identity—
Wow.
Was that I was a good investor. And did everything I could to save the company. I couldn't, ended up having to lay off 1,500 people, and I felt like it was my fault that I put these people in a bad place, and it was really hard for me. And at the end of that year, I was diagnosed with breast cancer.
Wow.
Late stage. Flora nose, you know, spread to 8-lymph nose, chest, everything. And that's actually when I discovered you.
Wow.
Well, rediscovered you. I used to listen to your tapes in high school. And so—
I'm not that fucking old, am I?
And I went to UPW. Actually, you know, and that really helped me during my cancer diagnosis.
Oh, absolutely.
I went to Fiji for Life and Wealth.
Yes.
And Lauren changed my life. She, you know, talked me through— I was literally, I was getting chemo during that time, and she helped me climb up the telephone pole, stand at the top, jump off, and really changed my life.
Give a hand to Lauren for a second there. That was Lauren.
Oh, yes. So in Fiji, we were— where's my Fiji family? You guys were all there. Woo! So in Fiji, I got up on the stage And I don't know, but I just— it felt right. And Lauren asked me, what are you gonna do? And I said, over the next 5 years, I will invest $1 billion, make $3 billion in gains, and 10x what I lost. And at that point, I was just— I just said it 'cause it sounded right, but I had no idea how I was gonna do it. But I said it with a lot of confidence, right? And then I beat cancer. I went—
Woo!
Then I went back to work, and then I got laid off. How many times can a kid punch in the face in an 18-month period? Because I got laid off.
Not the right question to ask. You can get another one after that.
That was the wrong question, because the division that I was working in, they just They exited the whole division. So that was October '23, and I thought, gosh, what am I going to do now? I'm unemployed. So I thought, I know, I'll join Plat.
Seems like the thing to do when you're unemployed.
So I, like, literally that week I bought Platinum Partnership. My husband's like, what are you doing? And I was like, trust me, this is going to help me. Help him, right. Um, December 2020, 2 months later, I get a call from Ariel saying, we're looking for someone to run Project Black, the new private equity.
So you're running Project Black? Wow.
So they raised $1.5 billion. $500 million had been invested. with the prior head of investments. He had departed the firm and they said, Yua, we have $1 billion for you to invest.
Wow.
So there's so much grace. And to be here too, I didn't even know Melody was going to be— I just texted her this morning. I was like, are you speaking here? I'm here.
That's awesome. Well, talk about the hero's journey. Right? Here was your life a certain way, so wonderful, and smash! You had the call to adventure. It didn't feel like a call. It felt scary as shit. But look what you did. Look how much you've grown mentally, emotionally, spiritually, physically. And I'm just— I'm inspired by you. It's beautiful. And wow, you surround yourself with absolutely the right kind of friend and mentor and partner and boss, as you describe. But my bet is she looks at you more as a partner and associate than That's gorgeous. That's gorgeous. Gorgeous. And I'm so glad, you know, it's— you see how life evolves. I met Lauren how many decades ago? 3 and a half? 35 years ago? 36 years ago. She came to the castle. So we were feeding people for Thanksgiving. I've been doing it since I was 17. And she came and we became good friends. And she then came on and I used to do Lifemaster myself. And decided we're going to do it in Fiji, make it this really cool environment. But obviously I couldn't be there every week, and so she went and spent 6 months there and really began to do it. So I'm very, very grateful for the grace that you've experienced, the grace that she's passed on to you. It's just a reminder to all of us, you know, whenever you think it's the worst thing that can happen, the crisis is there for you to have a breakthrough. But if you don't know that, if you don't search for it, if you don't push through Then the crisis will destroy you. But crisis either destroys you or recreates you at a whole new level, and you've certainly done that. So congratulations. Beautiful.
Oh, yes. Wow.
By the way, we have all the textures, don't we, here? It's like all of this is just a story called life. We're all here On Earth, in Earth school together, figuring it out. But it's really helpful to have so many examples of people that have been through difficult times. So when you hear difficult times may be coming, you're more than anything that's coming. You're more than anything that could ever be done to you, and you're going to be beyond prepared. How many already feel like you're more prepared right now just by what you've already learned, right? And come back to— it doesn't take a lot to get you where you have your security locked. Or maybe your independence locked so that even when those things happen, the storm comes, it won't be forever. Gunlock really gave you, I think, a beautiful view of it. He's actually excited to see how this story ends and the new story begins. But he's actually, if you listen to him, more excited about making it through this and helping people make it through this because the challenge is bigger. Because when springtime comes, it's freaking easy. It's like you start a business in springtime, you think you're a genius. No, it's just springtime. That optimism, by the way, usually lasts 15 to 20 years roughly, if you study historically. That's not every moment, just like winter isn't heavy every moment. But you're already in winter. We're already there. But, you know, the biggest part of the storm, it still hasn't hit. It will, but we'll respond to it. And if you're smart, and I know you are, and you got yourself a community of people and friends like we have together, then you can navigate this and really have a magnificent time. In the middle of winter. I've always said, some people freeze to death in winter, other people ski, snowboard, build a great fire, build up their business, have a great time with their family, and that's what's coming. So we want to be well prepared for it and take advantage of the opportunities that will come from it. And in the midst of winter, there is springtime, right? It's like, you know, I live in Florida. It's winter right now. It's 74 degrees and really nice.
Yeah.
I go swim in the ocean every day. It's like, you know, you got to remember it's not the same everywhere.
