any young entrepreneurial stories?
Discussion
Has anyone here started young (i mean really young) and still in the same business?
My 9 year old has, for about 4 years now, wanted to become a tree surgeon. He's very passionate has already got ropes, chainsaw trousers, helmet, gloves etc etc (even has an old six foot 2-man tree saw on his bedroom wall).
He's so determined I think he'll actually follow through with his dream, so much so he's started his own little village grass cutting business to help save up for more equipment. It's gone from strength to strength and how has the surrounding areas all wanting him to come and mow their gardens. Its crazy how quickly this took off with local news channel and papers contacting him.
So just wondering if anyone else had a success story and still in their same field doing what they've always wanted to do, would love to hear about it.
For anyone interested...
https://www.kentonline.co.uk/canterbury/news/boy-9...
My 9 year old has, for about 4 years now, wanted to become a tree surgeon. He's very passionate has already got ropes, chainsaw trousers, helmet, gloves etc etc (even has an old six foot 2-man tree saw on his bedroom wall).
He's so determined I think he'll actually follow through with his dream, so much so he's started his own little village grass cutting business to help save up for more equipment. It's gone from strength to strength and how has the surrounding areas all wanting him to come and mow their gardens. Its crazy how quickly this took off with local news channel and papers contacting him.
So just wondering if anyone else had a success story and still in their same field doing what they've always wanted to do, would love to hear about it.
For anyone interested...
https://www.kentonline.co.uk/canterbury/news/boy-9...
Edited by lids.mod on Friday 13th August 20:55
The Moose said:
Good for you OP - that's really great. While I wouldn't want my kid being a tree surgeon, it's fantastic that you are not only supporting him in his passion but also teaching him about business. I am sure he'll have a lot of success in the future either in this business or another. 
What's wrong with being a tree surgeon? Afraid he might hurt himself?
Tyre Smoke said:
The Moose said:
Good for you OP - that's really great. While I wouldn't want my kid being a tree surgeon, it's fantastic that you are not only supporting him in his passion but also teaching him about business. I am sure he'll have a lot of success in the future either in this business or another.
What's wrong with being a tree surgeon? Afraid he might hurt himself?
In the same way that if my son is picking a sport to play at school, I'd be less enthusiastic about him playing American football than I would baseball.
What's wrong with that?
Tyre Smoke said:
Many many things.
At what point are you going to stop controlling what he does? 18? 25? 40?
Anyway. Not for this thread.
OP, wish your lad all the very best with his venture.
Go on then - explain the many many things that are wrong with me not wanting my son (or daughter for that matter) to go into an incredibly dangerous line of work?At what point are you going to stop controlling what he does? 18? 25? 40?
Anyway. Not for this thread.
OP, wish your lad all the very best with his venture.
Anyway, while the usual suspects argue, back on topic.
I kind of ran a black market at my school when I was at GCSE level.
The school banned canned drinks so I bought a job lot of canned drinks and sold them out of my school bag at a 50% mark up.
My mum, an ex teacher, had an abiding hatred for my teachers, so she helped shop for me.
Branched out into booze and jazz mags by special order using older friends to procure.
Was mindful of the theft risk after a hard-ish kid tried to start stealing cans off me, so I hired the two hardest kids (proper glue sniffing nut jobs) as minders.
The school had a tiny unmanned 'careers office', basically a room full of brochures for jobs/YTS, which became my office.
All in all quite successful for a couple of years.
I kind of ran a black market at my school when I was at GCSE level.
The school banned canned drinks so I bought a job lot of canned drinks and sold them out of my school bag at a 50% mark up.
My mum, an ex teacher, had an abiding hatred for my teachers, so she helped shop for me.
Branched out into booze and jazz mags by special order using older friends to procure.
Was mindful of the theft risk after a hard-ish kid tried to start stealing cans off me, so I hired the two hardest kids (proper glue sniffing nut jobs) as minders.
The school had a tiny unmanned 'careers office', basically a room full of brochures for jobs/YTS, which became my office.
All in all quite successful for a couple of years.
Doofus said:
My ex brother-in-law started a car washing business when he was 11 or 12. He got dozens of clients who all paid him £5 per car to come to their house on the weekend and clean it.
He employed half a dozen of his friends at £3.50 per car and spent his Satrudays watching telly.
Now that is genius.He employed half a dozen of his friends at £3.50 per car and spent his Satrudays watching telly.
I once built a 'fairground' in my garden aged about 7. Just trikes and pedal cars in a circle, and perhaps a football and some 'targets'. Got my mates to pay to have a go. A mate across the road had a dart board in his garage. The cheap ones with the plastic flights in red or blue on the darts, got him to pay to try and score under 20 to win.
Parents were quite impressed that I persuaded a kid to pay to use his own dart board. Until his dad came out and told me off. Still didn't give him a refund.
I made a decent amount trading pirated computer games in school, back when they were on tape and floppy disk. I made enough money to hire a minder.
I also ended up running a Newsagents shop on Sundays, aged 15. I got the job after standing up for a fellow paperboy with the owner.
I don't do either of these jobs now, but definitely use the skills I learnt then every day.
There was a country lane that ended up becoming a no-through-road with a turn-around when they built the M25. For some reason, this became the favoured spot to dispose of one's 'gentleman's art booklets'. Sometimes these were tatty remnants but mostly they were intact and contained in carrier bags which I would duly collect and sell at school. I stumbled across a whole box of them once - making about £30 off that lot until a teacher found them in pupil's bags. I then nicked the mags from the teacher's drawer and re-sold them to lads at the other school in town.
40 years on and I'm still in the recycling game (sort of) preventing waste and dealing with fly-tipping.
40 years on and I'm still in the recycling game (sort of) preventing waste and dealing with fly-tipping.
To the OP - well done your son - we read the story and watched the video - he is one great lad and will go far.
I went to a very entrepreneurial school - my first business was at 15 (slow starter!) there were a number of boys who were millionaires before they left school (1980s)
So no issue starting young and your involvement and support is fantastic…
If he wants / needs a website - send me a message we will do him one free of charge - will also host it until he is 18 free of charge!
(My wife who is a hand surgeon has also offered her services to support him but is not sure you will want them!)
I went to a very entrepreneurial school - my first business was at 15 (slow starter!) there were a number of boys who were millionaires before they left school (1980s)
So no issue starting young and your involvement and support is fantastic…
If he wants / needs a website - send me a message we will do him one free of charge - will also host it until he is 18 free of charge!
(My wife who is a hand surgeon has also offered her services to support him but is not sure you will want them!
)The Moose said:
Good for you OP - that's really great. While I wouldn't want my kid being a tree surgeon, it's fantastic that you are not only supporting him in his passion but also teaching him about business. I am sure he'll have a lot of success in the future either in this business or another.
Thank you, His passion is so strong I hope he really does become a tree surgeon and fulfill his dreams. I'm sure all jobs carry some risk, some more than others obviously, if he's fully trained, sensible and enjoys what he does there's not more I can ask. akirk said:
To the OP - well done your son - we read the story and watched the video - he is one great lad and will go far.
I went to a very entrepreneurial school - my first business was at 15 (slow starter!) there were a number of boys who were millionaires before they left school (1980s)
So no issue starting young and your involvement and support is fantastic…
If he wants / needs a website - send me a message we will do him one free of charge - will also host it until he is 18 free of charge!
(My wife who is a hand surgeon has also offered her services to support him but is not sure you will want them!)
That's very kind, thank you, currently he a one man or boy band so he can only do so much work, but maybe in the future if he needs for advertising I'll take you up on that offer lolI went to a very entrepreneurial school - my first business was at 15 (slow starter!) there were a number of boys who were millionaires before they left school (1980s)
So no issue starting young and your involvement and support is fantastic…
If he wants / needs a website - send me a message we will do him one free of charge - will also host it until he is 18 free of charge!
(My wife who is a hand surgeon has also offered her services to support him but is not sure you will want them!
)And thank you everyone else for the kind words and stories.
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