Queen of gossip: Woman makes money selling chit-chat, claims business helped her buy 2 houses

A 67-year-old entrepreneur from Colombia has turned her passion for gossip into what she describes as a profitable business, claiming that selling neighbourhood secrets has helped her buy two houses, as per a Gulf Today report.

Miryam, who calls herself a professional “chismosa”, or female gossip, discussed her unusual business in an interview shared by content creator Lady Daniella. She explained how she collects information about people in her neighbourhood, documents what she hears and charges for details that others want to know.

Miryam said her business is built around her habit of spending time outside her home, where she can listen to conversations and keep track of neighbourhood happenings.


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“I love gossip,” she said, proudly describing herself as a professional chismosa. She said a respected gossip in the neighbourhood “knows everything”.

For less sensational information, Miryam said she charges between 5,000 and 10,000 Colombian pesos.

Her approach to collecting information is highly organised. She carries a notebook with her and records conversations she overhears, saying this allows her to remember details accurately and provides evidence for the stories she shares.

“I can be here talking with you, but my little ears are well positioned to listen to what people are saying,” she said.

She claims to keep evidence of her stories

During a tour of her home, Miryam showed the interviewer a bulletin board containing photographs and other material that she said supported her stories. Among the material were photographs allegedly showing neighbours involved in extramarital affairs.

She also claimed that some people pay her to keep their secrets private.

“She gives me money so I won't tell him, and he gives me money so I won't tell his wife and children,” she said.

Miryam recalled one of her most expensive pieces of gossip, saying she charged 700,000 Colombian pesos to remain silent about a man who was allegedly unfaithful to his wife whenever she travelled.

Despite the money she says she has made from the business, Miryam said some neighbours have tried to copy her approach.

‘I never say anything without evidence’

Miryam insists that there is an ethical element to her work, arguing that she does not spread information without proof.

“I never say anything without evidence,” she said, describing the importance of the material she collects. Her approach has earned her the reputation of being the “Queen of Gossip”.

She also showed viewers a large piggy bank containing coins and banknotes, which she claimed represented what she earns from selling gossip in a typical week. According to Miryam, the income from her unusual venture has helped her purchase two homes.

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Gossip and board games at her second home

Miryam said she also gathers information through social interactions with friends. She described meeting them at her second home to play Parcheesi and other board games while exchanging the latest neighbourhood news.

She believes her unusual business supports her lifestyle while also creating opportunities for others in her community.

“Gossip is my life; it runs through my blood,” she said.

Miryam also believes the business will always have a supply of material because gossip is a constant wherever people live.

“Wherever you go, there's gossip, so it will never end,” she said.

She summed up her philosophy with a humorous observation: “In every respectable neighbourhood, there's a gossip, and if you don't know a gossip, then you are the gossip.”

The video documenting Miryam’s unconventional entrepreneurial journey has attracted significant attention on TikTok. “Gossip brings in money,” she said, presenting her unusual approach to neighbourhood information as a business.