In an interview this year, Tosca Musk, entrepreneur and sister of Tesla Inc. and SpaceX CEO, Elon Musk, shed light on the unexpected burdens that come with her famous last name. While speaking to the Daily Mail, Tosca discussed the misconceptions and financial pressures she faces because of her sibling's astronomical wealth. She is the younger sister of the richest man in the world who has a net worth of around $230 billion, according to Forbes.
Tosca, renowned for her role as founder of the streaming service and production company Passionflix, shared a particular incident that highlighted these issues. She revealed that when she sought to secure a location for her ventures, she was initially quoted $5,000 per day. As soon as her identity was recognized, the rate mysteriously skyrocketed to $25,000. Musk expressed her frustration, stating that such assumptions were hardly equitable.
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"The location was going to cost $5,000 a day. But when they heard my name and assumed we were rich, they decided to charge us $25,000," she told the Daily Mail, emphasizing the unfairness of such treatment. "Everyone assumes my eldest brother pays for everything, but he does not."
When questioned about whether Elon Musk offers support, either through financial means or business advice, Tosca Musk found herself in a delicate position. She described it as a "double-edged sword," carefully navigating the complexities of her relationship with the tech billionaire.
"Well, it's a double-edged sword for me to say whether my brother has helped in any way. If I say no, then people will say he does not support me at all, and if I say yes, they'll think he paid for everything," Musk said.
She went on to express her hope that Elon Musk takes an interest in her work, asserting, "But I hope he watches the films. They are definitely an education service for men in how to behave with women."
Contrary to popular belief, the Musk siblings, including her brothers Elon and Kimbal, did not grow up wealthy. They spent their formative years in South Africa alongside their mother, Maye Musk.
Maye Musk made the courageous decision to divorce their abusive father, Errol, when the Musk children were ages 5, 7 and 8. As a single mother, Maye took on the task of holding down five jobs to provide for her family. Her determination eventually led her to become a successful model and the author of the bestselling memoir "A Woman Makes A Plan."
For Tosca, the lessons learned from her mother were invaluable. Maye Musk's relentless work ethic and commitment to independence left a lifelong impression on her children. Even today, Maye strives to attend all her children's events.
Tosca says she often meets people who try to use her connection to her famous brother for their own benefit. She can easily spot when they're not being honest, and she's determined not to let them take advantage of her.
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Photo: Shutterstock, Wikimedia Commons
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