他们是青少年中的佼佼者,在少年时代便或是传统商业的业内黑马,或是时下火爆的电子商业的奇才,或是天分极高,在数学、物理等领域取得令人瞩目成就的“明日之星”,或是早早执教三尺讲台的超级跳级生。下面就一起来听听他们的故事吧!
Fraser Doherty 弗雷泽·多尔蒂
The 14-year-old business-teen who earned a fortune by making jam
靠制作果酱成功致富的14岁“少年商人”
While most successful young entrepreneurs make their money building popular web- sites, Fraser Doherty built his empire in a more traditional way. In 2003, at the age of 14, Doherty started making jams from his grandmother"s recipes in his parents" kitchen in Edinburgh, Scotland.
"One morning, I was visiting my Gran while she was making her much loved orange marmalade1). I asked her to write the recipe down so that I could make it for myself at home.
"I had a eureka2) moment when I realized that I could make and sell jam door to door instead of bacon and sausages. I invested the massive sum of two pounds in my idea and made the first few jars of Doherty"s Preserves jams and marmalades.
"Before these had even properly cooled down, I started knocking on doors, offering a free jar of jam or marmalade to the neighbors. I said that I would come back in a week or so and if they had enjoyed that jar they would be welcome to buy another for £1.80. When I returned, everyone bought a few more jars and encouraged me to start selling jam regularly.
"Within weeks, I had designed labels for my four flavors and was charming all of the old ladies in Davidson"s Mains. I was selling maybe a hundred jars of jam a month and only making about 20 pounds a week from all of that hard work. As a 15-year-old, I was delighted and the fact that I had created the whole thing myself made it extremely satisfying."
Doherty"s business picked up quickly. By age 16, he left school to work on his business SuperJam full-time. In early 2007, Waitrose3), a high-end supermarket in the U.K., approached Doherty hoping to sell his SuperJam products in their stores. Within months there were SuperJam jars on the shelves of 184 Waitrose stores, hoisting Doherty and his business to new heights. SuperJam sells around 500,000 jars a year, which currently has around 10 percent of UK jam market.
"I think that my story hopefully shows you that something anyone could start in the kitchen, bedroom or garage with a bit of hard work, imagination and good support from the people around them could grow into something amazing, something that changes their lives and gives them an amazing adventure. The best advice I can give is to try," said Doherty, who"s stake4) is now worth $1 to 2 million.
Cameron Johnson 卡梅伦·约翰逊
The teenager who made his first million by starting various online businesses
通过多种网络商务挣得首个百万的少年
While other kids were playing outside, Cameron Johnson was trotting5) his red wagon behind him, going door-to-door selling vegetables to his neighbors. That was when he was seven. By nine, he was the top-raffle6)-ticket-seller in his school, selling several hundred in a matter of7) weeks. His parents bought him a computer and a printer for Christmas that year and a few months later he started his own business. "It was a small printing company and simply consisted of using the software on my computer to print greeting cards, invitations, etc. My first order was for invitations for a party my parents were having and from there my customers consisted of family friends, relatives, and neighbors."