Money & Me: 'I went from X Factor to having to sell my car to pay staff but now earn Dh130,000 a month’
JJ Thompson has a very varied CV. He came ninth on The X Factor in 2013 as part of a boy band, spent years as a radio presenter before launching a podcast production company during Covid, which ultimately failed. Then, in June 2024, he walked away from a job offer at one of the UAE's biggest radio networks to start from scratch in real estate with no salary. More than two years later, he's…
JJ Thompson, a former X Factor contestant, radio presenter and podcast producer, has transformed his financial fortunes to earn an average of Dh130,000 a month in Dubai's real estate market. Despite a troubled childhood with fluctuating finances, Thompson found solace in spending money and eventually turned his financial challenges into opportunities.
Starting from a £4.50-an-hour waitering job as a teenager, Thompson's journey saw him working in Harrods, a call centre, and eventually forming a boy band that reached ninth place on The X Factor in 2013. However, the band's podcast production venture failed during the Covid-19 pandemic, leading Thompson to sell his car to pay staff.
Undeterred, he ventured into Dubai's real estate market, eventually earning Dh130,000 a month with a recent investment in an off-plan property in Abu Dhabi expected to yield high returns by 2030. Thompson advises his younger self to maintain a relentless ambition and not let others' skepticism deter him from his goals, reminding him that persistence will pay off.
Written by urgent.news from The National UAE's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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