Iman Gadzhi: From Broke Teen to 8-Figure Digital Mogul

Iman Gadzhi went from a broke 16-year-old high school dropout to building a business empire worth tens of millions—all before the age of 25. Today, he’s one of the most talked-about names in the world of digital marketing, SMMA (social media marketing agency), personal branding, and online education.

In this post, we’re diving deep into Iman Gadzhi’s journey, the struggles he faced, the momentum he created, and how he turned small wins into an unstoppable machine. If you’re an aspiring entrepreneur or digital marketer, Iman’s story offers lessons you can’t afford to ignore.

Iman Gadzhi’s Current Milestones, Networth and Mission in 2025

• Net Worth: $25–30 million (estimated)
• YouTube: 5.63 million subscribers | 167+ million views
• Students Impacted: Over 45,000 worldwide
• Businesses Owned: GrowYourAgency, AgenciFlow, IAG Media (exited), Consulting.com (acquired)
• Mission: Reforming education and building schools in Nepal

Humble Beginnings (2016): Broke, Lost, and Searching

In 2016, at just 16 years old, Iman Gadzhi stumbled upon the concept of SMMA (Social Media Marketing Agency). He didn’t fully understand it, but he knew one thing: he could offer marketing services to businesses and get paid.

Despite not having any formal training, Iman committed to learning and developing his skills on his own terms. His discipline was unmatched. While others his age were partying, he was creating channel art, designing funnels, editing videos, and cold-calling local businesses.

2016 Highlights:

• Closed his first deal with his football club, helping grow their social media presence after leaving the team.
• Flipped Instagram theme pages to earn cash.
• Focused deeply on reading one book a week, journaling, meditating, and using affirmations to strengthen his mindset.

2017: Momentum Meets Sacrifice

Iman’s early success wasn’t without setbacks. In 2017, he:

• Flew to Amsterdam to shoot a video for Bang & Olufsen—a milestone project.
• Grew his agency and crossed six figures in revenue.
• Hired his first full-time videographer.
• Took private tennis lessons and finally took his mother on a promised vacation.

But by August, his business hit a wall. He lost 40% of his total revenue and realized he had gotten too comfortable. His apartment fell through, employees left, and his entire momentum crashed. Rather than quitting, Iman took full responsibility. He doubled down and began grinding again—rebuilding everything he lost and more.

2018: From Survival to Systems

By 2018, Iman had gone from trying to survive to building a real business. From £300/month clients to building sales systems that generated over $100K/month, Iman had now become a serious player.

Accomplishments in 2018:

• Bought his first Rolex at 18 as a milestone of self-worth.
• Realized he had been undercharging clients and not valuing himself.
• Launched digital products, including the first version of Agency Incubator, which would go on to help thousands build their own SMMA businesses.
• Added funnels, Facebook ads, and email marketing to his agency offerings.
• Helped a company revamp its entire webinar and they got a 10X return

2019–2022: Building a Brand, Creating Legacy

These years were all about scaling. Iman took the momentum and turned it into a movement.

After laying the foundation in 2016–2018, 2019–2022 marked the phase where Iman Gadzhi shifted from being a scrappy entrepreneur to building a scalable, multi-platform empire. These years were all about refining his systems, hiring a world-class team, building community, and deepening his impact.

2019-2022 was the era of Systemization & Course Domination.

• Agency Incubator officially launches under his new education brand GrowYourAgency. It becomes one of the most recognized SMMA courses in the world.
• Iman’s agency, IAG Media, was pulling in $60K–$100K/month, servicing luxury brands and e-commerce companies.
• Grew his YouTube channel to over 200K subscribers through in-depth agency videos, lifestyle vlogs, and raw personal development content.
  • Built an in-house team including:
  • Full-time editors and content managers
  • Client success managers for course programs
  • Media buyers to handle client ad accounts
• Launched the Iman Gadzhi Podcast, featuring solo episodes and entrepreneur guests.

2023–2024: The Evolution of a Digital CEO

By 2023, Iman Gadzhi was no longer just a successful agency owner or course creator. He was building a diversified business with multiple income streams, long-term assets, and public influence. These two years marked his shift from “grinder” to architect and investor.

2023: High-Level Mentorship & Big-Picture Thinking:

• Winds down his agency (IAG Media) completely to focus on scalable ventures — software, consulting, content, and community.
• Publicly announces the shift from service to software, launching a viral video titled “Why I Shut Down My 7-Figure Agency”. The move sends shockwaves across the SMMA space and creates massive buzz.
• Focuses heavily on AgenciFlow SaaS, ramping up paid media, integrating affiliate deals, and adding AI-based automation features.
• Inner Circle mastermind launches with a $25,000+ price tag — offering advanced consulting, networking, and systems-building to elite entrepreneurs.
• YouTube content shifts from tutorial-style videos to cinematic storytelling and deeper business philosophy. Popular uploads include:
  • “The Truth About Making Money Online”
  • “I Made $1M In My Sleep — Here’s How”
• Guest appearances and collabs increase — features with Alex Hormozi, Danny Buck, and The Diary of a CEO podcast.
• Builds a personal branding curriculum on Skool — empowering influencers and creators to turn their identity into income.

2024: Platform Ownership & Strategic Acquisitions:

2024 is the year Iman begins transitioning from just a creator or educator into a platform owner and business portfolio builder.

Key Business Moves:

• Takes a minority stake in Skool (in late 2024), the all-in-one community + course platform — alongside other thought leaders like Hormozi.
• GrowYourAgency crosses 45,000+ students — solidifying its place as one of the most successful online education programs in the SMMA world.
• Agency Incubator 3.0 launches — with new modules on AI, automation, high-ticket sales, and personal branding.
• Rebrands his education funnel to include a clear path from:
  • Free content
  • Entry-level course
  • Skool community
  • Inner Circle / mentorship
  • High-ticket SaaS & consulting

Digital Ecosystem & Funnels:

• Email list tops 300,000+ subscribers with automated segmentation based on interest (e.g., SMMA, branding, SaaS, passive income).
• Begins using VSLs (Video Sales Letters) and TikTok/YouTube Shorts as lead generation channels.
• AgenciFlow MRR climbs steadily — with agency owners locked into recurring monthly plans. New integrations are added to compete with tools like HighLevel and ClickUp.

Content Strategy:

• Uploads slow to just 1–2 a month, but each video becomes an event.
• Starts including more business travel vlogs, behind-the-scenes business calls, book reviews, and mindset videos.
• Several clips hit 1M+ views, including:
  • “Why You’re Still Broke in 2024”
  • “My $100M Empire Blueprint”

2025: Empire Mode — Owning the Industry

In 2025, Iman made a major power move by acquiring Consulting.com—a once billion-dollar brand built by Sam Ovens. This acquisition symbolized his arrival as a dominant player in online education and coaching.

Iman will continue to grow and expand his reach and knowledge to be one of the top consulting firms in the world. Not only does he give tons of free content online to help young entrepreneurs learn and scale their own business.

7 Key Lessons from Iman Gadzhi’s Rise:

• Momentum beats motivation – Never let off the gas when you’re winning.
• Price based on value, not age – Confidence in your service justifies high retainers.
• Study every day – One book a week and documented learnings changed his brain and business.
• Invest in boring skills – Funnels, email, sales calls—master the unsexy stuff.
• Build public proof – Use your results to fuel content and build trust.
• Stack leverage – Agency → Course → SaaS → Community → Portfolio.
• Give back louder than you flex – Philanthropy builds a brand story that lasts.

Final Thoughts:

Iman Gadzhi’s story isn’t just about fast money—it’s about long-term vision, discipline, and evolution. He started as a kid with a camera and a dream. Today, he runs an 8-figure empire, empowers other entrepreneurs, and is reshaping how people learn business online.

Whether you’re launching a side hustle or scaling your own agency, there’s something to learn from Iman’s journey. He’s proof that when you bet on yourself—and stay focused—anything is possible.

Sources & References

• Gadzhi, Iman. “How I Built a $1,000,000 Business by 18.” YouTube, uploaded by Iman Gadzhi, 14 Jan 2019, https://youtu.be/GlLCA9dArZ4
• Iman Gadzhi YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ImanGadzhi
• GrowYourAgency official site: https://www.growyouragency.com
• AgenciFlow official SaaS: https://www.agenciflow.com
• Skool (used for Gadzhi’s mentorship): https://www.skool.com
• Pahar Trust Nepal (Iman’s school-building partner): https://www.pahar-trust.org
• Assorted social media posts, podcasts, and interviews featuring Iman Gadzhi (2019–2025)