 Library |
|
Empowered by determination and guts and eliminating the process of failure, some of today’s wealthiest people gained success at a young age by starting small, learning the ropes, and focusing on their step by step challenges and experiences. Whether you decide to invent a new product or service, or improve existing ones, the only thing that separates you from the successful entrepreneurs listed below is having the confidence to turn your dream into a reality.
Read abut the businesses the following entrepreneurs started and let their stories inspire and motive you to become the next successful Young Entrepreneur.
Bill Gates
Bill Gates is considered as one of the most famous entrepreneurs of our time. With a vision of personal computers emerging out of the mainstream, he teamed up with his colleague, Paul Allen, while he was in college. Together, both of them left the university in exchange for a dream that led them both to their multibillion business, Microsoft Corporation.
Oprah Winfrey
At a very young age of 19, Oprah started her anchoring career for a TV station situated in Nashville, Tennessee. From there, she pursued her dream and traveled to Chicago. Not more than a month later, The Oprah Winfrey Show was born and talk show was never the same. Surpassing other local networks, it was tagged as one of the best talk shows that entered national television.
Rachel Ray
Despite having no formal training in culinary arts, Rachel Ray has made a name for herself in the food industry. With numerous shows on the Food Network, a talk show and cookbooks, high-energy Rachael doesn’t slow down. She has also appeared in magazines as well has having her own magazine debut in 2006. She knew she was a success when a website dedicated to bashing her was created.
Michael Dell
With $1,000, dedication and desire, Michael Dell dropped out of college at age 19 to start PC’s Limited, later named Dell, Inc. Dell became the most profitable PC manufacturer in the world. In 1996, The Michael and Susan Dell Foundation offered a $50 million grant to The University of Texas at Austin to be used for children’s health and education in the city.
Walt Disney
Starting his career at the age of 16, Walt Disney’s accomplishments are astounding. The most influential animator, Disney holds the record for the most awards and nominations. Disney’s imagination included cartoons and theme parks. The Walt Disney Company now has annual revenue of $30 billion.
Still not inspired yet? Read the stores of other children your age who had enough courage to make the leap into entrepreneurship.
 Take five young Potomac entrepreneurial-minded kids, a pair of plastic clogs and ribbons left over from a craft project, and what you have is a new start-up company determined to put the pretty back into plastic shoes.
"Cribbinz," a variety of pretty ribbons that can be wound through the holes of plastic shoes and sneakers are the creation of Caroline Tan, 11.
She is marketing the new product with her brother Eric Tan, 12, and neighbors Jack Rolle, 9, Nick Rolle, 12, and Chris Rolle, 14.
They customize the ribbon by measuring it to fit different shoe sizes and then seal off the end of the ribbon so it doesn’t fray.
Sabrina, 9, decided to turn her favorite hobby — beading jewelry — into a charity to make other children happy. "And I was really good at jewelry
|
|
 so I decided to do it by making bracelets." Her beautifully beaded jewelry was sold to a local hospital and given out to the children who were hospitalized there.
 At age 9, Jason O'Neill invented the Pencil Bugs. Cute critters of Styrofoam, pipe cleaners, and wire antennae, Pencil Bugs immediately became a big hit around his community appealing to kids of all ages.
Now 12, Jason has won awards, been invited to speak to adult business organizations, and has been included in ABC’s NightLine story on young whiz kids.
 Cameron Johnson is a seriously happy entrepreneur who started his first business when he was 9 with $50 and a home computer. He began creating computer games.
Before he turned 21, he had started 12 successful businesses and was offered a large amount of money in venture capital to grow his new web company.
Here’s what Cameron has to say:
It's actually not that difficult to succeed. It starts with finding the courage to put yourself out there.
At the age of 14, Fraser Doherty was busy making jam, after his grandmother taught him a recipe that had been handed down through generations of his family.
Unhappy that traditional jam contained high levels of sugar, he decided to make a much healthier version by using natural grape juice instead of sugar, and fruit such as blueberries and cranberries that are particularly high in nutrients and vitamins.
Doherty started small selling jars of his jam door to door near his parents' home. As interest grew, so did his proceeds. He now makes 40,000 jars of jam a month and was featured in his local newspaper.
These children had a vision and the motivation to succeed. Just like them you, too, can take an idea and turn it into a lucrative business. Get started now!
|
