Young eCommerce Development

[Nebo]

Hello,

My names Scott and I am 16 and it is my ambition to develop an eCommerce business. I understand that some of you may think that what I'm doing is stupid and 'will never work' due to my age, but i have faith and believe in a project like this. My main reasons for developing an eCommerce business at my age are:

I do consider myself to be somewhat of a young entrepreneur as I am constantly looking for business online with web design/multimedia and have been relatively successful in freelancing and am now developing my osCommerce design/integration. I am also very fond of business and enjoy getting involved in business/administration related aspects of the industry.

Money, If it became successful it could benefit myself in the future.

Something innovative/original for me, i want to have a chance to develop a business, its hard to explain but something that will help me have an understanding and something that I would like to 'see through' and i believe starting it at a young age is a good thing.

----

Yes, my education is very important but i find that people overrate the 'time' spent, people think that you spend all day, all night 'studying' but really its not that much unless you have a massive exam coming up. And I would never consider my education to be secondary to a business. Its in some ways similar to people who have a full time job but also maintain a small business after work, so why shouldn't I be able to?

Sorry for not getting to the point quickly, but i believe its important that I explain myself to you before I ask for help/advice.

Obviously its very early stages as I haven't even finished designing the shop yet, but please could you give me some advice on what legal procedures I will have to take.

For example:

Data Protection
Contracts
My Responsibilities
Licenses

Thanks for your time and I appreciate any help you may provide.

 

[JoyDivision]

You might want to get some education behind you first, I wanted to run a business at 16 but I am glad I went to university first .

 

[Jayne]

Hi,

I think it's lovely you are planning for your future now, as long as your education comes first, I wish you all the luck in the world with your new business.

Also, be careful not to over do it, you should be having fun too at 16 yrs old. You don't want to look back when you're older and think I wish!

Good Luck

Jayne

 

[barry.hynd]

Hi Scott,

I personally think it's fantastic that you're starting to have these thoughts so young in life. I would mirror the other comments that education is important but I think you can gain a fantastic range of skills through running your own business.

It would be good to know what your shop will sell etc so that people can maybe comment a bit further. Your age shouldn't be a barrier and i'm sure you will find most people on here very willing to help you.

Feel free to PM me at anytime, if I can help I will.

 

[DuaneJackson]

I'll probably get criticised by some of the others for saying this, but I don't believe education is that important.

Yes, finish your GCSEs, but then go straight into working on your business full time.

If for some reason it fails you can always return to education later.

A good place to start for the information you need is www.businesslink.gov.uk

 

[barry.hynd]

I'm not gonna criticise you Duane beacuse I agree with you. The education system in the UK is far from entrepreneurially minded and I for one think Scott has some balls for doing something so young in life.

I think though it's important to have something to fall back on and because you are so young you really on have your education. If your determined though you will succeed.

 

[Jayne]

I'll probably get criticised by some of the others for saying this, but I don't believe education is that important.

Yes, finish your GCSEs, but then go straight into working on your business full time.

If for some reason it fails you can always return to education later.

A good place to start for the information you need is www.businesslink.gov.uk

Basic education Yes, university no. You either have a business mind or not, if you have, everthing can be learned from work and experience. It depends what you want to do. My husband has little education, but he is very bright and intelligent, he's a qualified crafts baker all learned through work. We've been in business for 12 yrs, so proves not all business people have to be brains of Britain

Jayne

 

[JoyDivision]

It just depends on the business for my line of work most people seem to have a degree, although that might not matter in a business environment I have learn't stuff in my degree which gives me an edge over people who haven't studied the same area.

For example becuase of education I understand the science behind the internet rather tha just how to make websites.

For a bakery then university will probably be overkill, knowledge of the business would be a far greater asset.

PS Sorry about my poor spelling and grammar tonight I am very tired and have had a busy night.

A lot of running a business is all down to talent, look at Richard Branson, however don't use him as an excuse to quit your studies yet, I would say at least get some A levels behind you then you will be 18 and old enough to run a business properly.

 

[DuaneJackson]

I have no idea how long it takes to get a degree, 2 years?

I think 2 years spent in the real world running a business and having it fail would be better experience and education for running another business in 2 years time then spending that time in Uni.

 

[Dread]

Hey Nebo,

I admire your drive and determination and i wish you the best of luck, i myself may be able to give you a few pointers if you like. This is a kinda long story of my life so far, so be prepared.

Personally i think there are two types of business people, theres vocational and academic. I am very much vocational, i left school before my sixteenth birthday with crap standard grades (scottish version of GCSE's) and basically no prospects. I have three friends that are computer geeks like myself. We all took different paths, one did computer work experience for a week and then gave up on computers and now is in a job he hates for the security of a regular wage. The other two stayed on did their highers (A levels) then went to college and did HNC's, one stopped at HNC and got a job and has given up computers for a career within a hotel, the other is doing an HND at the moment and plans to goto uni and come out with a degree.

When i left school i was under sixteen, the law states i had to be full time education until i was sixteen, i was told to goto college, i did an electrical course i hated and left as soon as the law let me, that was a waste of six months. I had never had a computer lesson in my life but always had the passion for it. I got a crappy job as a kitchen porter so i didnt starve and every night sat on the computer like the geek i am (im damn proud of being a geek incase you hadnt guessed already). After a while of working in a kitchen i got the opportunity of being trained as a chef, i took it and got a vocational qualification as a chef a year later, plus another years experience, throughout this i was teaching myself things on the computer in all my spare time.

I then decided i'd try give it a go as a web developer, as this was what i decided i wanted to do in the IT field and had the most ability for. Six months down the line im really just starting to make proper money now, currently on my first serious contract.

To summerise, im now nearly 20, have my own business (very small) and have zero computer related qualifications and an extremely small portfolio with very little money, but its exciting. Im more qualified as a chef on paper and could get a job in a 5 star hotel quite easily because of my CV, but i know LOADS more about computers. Two of my friends gave up, and the other is still in education and still knows nothing, because he doesnt have the passion, hes doing it for the bit of paper.

Whether your academic or vocational, if you dont have the passion for what you do, your stuffed. Life experience has been the most important thing for me, dont be afraid to make mistakes because you will, the important thing is to learn from them. You may need to get a humdrum job to keep the pennies coming in, just never give up on what you love.

(Sorry for the long post everyone, but ive been where Nebo is and know how important support from other people is.)

Good Luck, feel free to PM me if you need any advice.

Cheers
Dread

 

[james.hill]

Well it looks as if this thread has been hijacked into a education vs business thread.

I'd like to share my experiences with you all =].

Growing up, school never challenged me at all. When I was 9 or 10 I got taken out of class for a hearing test as I never really responded to the teacher. What I was really doing was daydreaming!

At around age 15 my family got it's first computer. At last! So much to learn without the barriers of an indifferent school system. I slept all day at school, and played on the pc all night, and I learned so much more so quickly. At age 17 I got offered a job at a local ISP that I turned down in the end. At age 18 I got offered a job doing tech support for an IT firm, that I also turned down to go to university.

At university I chose to do electrical engineering. After a year I knew it wasn't for me (and my inheritance money had run out). I decided that I didn't want to continue, and got a job with a well respected ISP. 2 or 3 years later, I'm working at the ISP part time and bootstrapping my own business part time.

So how's this relate to education and business? Well if I was doing it again, I'd get the minimum education upto A levels. Unless I was planning to go into a specific profession such as law or... um... medicine, I wouldn't bother with higher education. At my work, EVERYONE seems to have a degree these days, even people who're on the phone doing customer service work. This devalues a degree as far as I can see, and places a much greater emphasis on skill and *EXPERIENCE*. I've noticed at the higher levels of employment education does make a difference, but I still think that experience and accomplishment will beat the pants off a degree any day.

Having said that, I'm constantly competing against the me that stayed at university. I'm coming out ahead so far, but we'll see ;-).


To Nebo:

Check out shell live wire. A google should find them well enough. While you've got all the spare time that school affords, but (I guess) lack of cash and authority, then this is the perfect time to develop working models, give away your product for free to a few people to get feedback, and iron the kinks out of it. Then when you're product is completely ready and you're ready to leave school you'll be set to go. Use the time to develop portfolios etc if this is what you do.

I hope this helps =+)

James

 

[Ozzy]

Education v Experience
It seems to be quite common that entrepreneurs generally don't do that well at school, and I seem to remember reading some report on it somewhere.
I personally ony came out of school with 1x GCSE worth shouting about at that was in Art & Design . However now I am studying a Higher Diploma in Company Law, and for what is worth I have a couple of NVQ's. I have done my stuydying in my spare time now that I have my own business and I do it to better myself and my career.
That said, I have learnt more from bitter experience than any school teacher could teech me!

Now, I am current recruiting 2x members of staff and I am actually looking at their qualifications aswell as they experience. I am turning people away who do not have enough experience, at the same time also who do not have good English and/or literature based grades.

 

[injan]

Check out shell live wire. A google should find them well enough. While you've got all the spare time that school affords, but (I guess) lack of cash and authority, then this is the perfect time to develop working models, give away your product for free to a few people to get feedback, and iron the kinks out of it. Then when you're product is completely ready and you're ready to leave school you'll be set to go. Use the time to develop portfolios etc if this is what you do.

I hope this helps =+)

James

hey dude is that livewire thing still going!!!
i was runner up in that competition and got a certificate back when i was 17 years old!!! nice to see it still going...

my advice is
i agree with James about degrees
if i were you i would concentrate on just the specific things you need to learn through whatever means (wether a degree or vocational courses or work experience etc
just learn it cos u want to and learn from the best, dont take any notice about the degree bit and dont let work experience employers etc waste your time_get to the point about what u want to learn)
i wish i had spent more time out enjoying myself so try not to lose this part of your youth_use it as an opportunity to learn about LIFE skills, dynamics, pulling the crowds, influencing people etc etc
My advice also is never get your friends involved in ur business_keep your friends sacred
You will need your friends if you ever make it bigtime
as a form of 'pest control' for example

it sounds like you have adequate tech skills to do what u want
i would advise u get real life (printed/or broadcast) marketing skills(techniques) such as franchising, costs and effectiveness of adverts in press, etc etc...

also u would need to decide if u want to be the one that fronts it
like Richard Branson does or if u want to be untouchable.... 8)
this was the tricky bit for me and where i failesd and tripped...
this is also another time when u might need your friends!!

a good place to find employees and 'business associates' is through a hobby such as martial arts or sport....but they are a different kind of friend a bit competitive and the hobby will keep it together for u and oil your relationships for example at events etc but these friends are not as sacred as the ones u have now.... this is very important...keep your true-est friends out of site they are your secret weapon when u need them most!!

Good Luck
I'll make sure u get free advertising(coverage) no strings.. in our forthcoming publications when we are running if u want it....no c**t ever helped me, sowhat the heck why not