Matthew Turcotte, Teen CEO and founder of North Shore Web Development and Host North Shore lives in a very progressive small town on the mighty and beautiful St. Lawrence River. He attends the local high school and is a straight A student and accelerated student. Two years ago he acquired the rank of Eagle Scout. [btw, I recently learned that only 2% of all youth who enter Boy Scouts ultimately achieve the honor of Eagle Scout, so congrats to him]. He enjoys mountain climbing in the nearby Adirondack High Peaks region in the spring, summer, and fall. As fate would have it, it seems that the life experiences which dot his past (dating back to first grade) make him the ultimate poster child for his company, North Shore Web Development. His company, a full service web design company, along with his recently launched hosting company, provides web design and online marketing strategies with a strong focus on small towns and the small businesses within those small towns. As Matt grew up in a small town and currently lives in one he is extremely knowledgeable on helping them build a big presence on the webwithout compromising their quaintness and charm. Today’s Innerview covers lessons learned and his experiences as a teen CEO in high school.

1. What does your company do and what inspired the idea?

North Shore Web Development creates affordable and professional websites for individuals, businesses, and organizations. It also offers quality hosting and domain registration as well as marketing.

It all started when my uncle was running for county sheriff and asked me to create a website for him. I read up on some basic information about how to create a website and by word of mouth one job led to another and before I knew it I had several websites that I was updating and maintaining. Now business is doing better than ever and I’ve partnered with several local businesses to assist me with marketing my business, assisting me with advanced coding, and helping me to create elaborate graphic designs.

2. At what age did you start your first business and what was it?

I’m 16 and I started my first business last November (2008). The company is fairly new and that is still my main project now. I call the business North Shore Web Development. I had been designing websites for people for about three years before I started the business and was getting paid pretty well for it, so I decided to create my own company to make marketing and working with clients easier.

3. Where do you think your entrepreneurial bug came from? A family member, relative or did you always have natural curiosity about business and such things? Are other people in your family entrepreneurs? If so, what kind of businesses do they have?

The only other entrepreneurs in my family are my grandfathers. On my father’s side, Donald, he had his own plumbing business which was very successful in our town. On my mother’s side, my grandfather Andy, he sold Mac tools and later Matco tools and did very well with that.

4. Have you had multiple business ventures? If so, which one is your favorite and why, even if it was not financially successful?

North Shore Web Development is my first venture, but I’m currently working on a hosting company to provide domain registration, web hosting, and other services for my clients. I call this company Host North Shore. (Note: Host North Shore Launched January 2009)

5. Some teens would argue that their parents think starting a business is like a sort of pipe dream- and isn’t much different than wanting to become a pro athlete or entertainer…so what advice would you give to young people whose parents are not really digging the entrepreneurial lifestyle?

There are businesses everywhere, and where there are businesses, there are business owners. Farms, restaurants, shops, stores, etc. They are all businesses! There are business owners everywhere versus pro athletes or entertainers who we may see every once in a while, if we’re lucky. Being a teen entrepreneur is a very possible goal and it can lead to many opportunities. Everyone has skills and talents and if you can learn to do them well and market yourself, you’ll do well.

6. What is your criteria in choosing people that you share your business ideas with (do you have advisory board or do you kind of go on your own instinct and vision)?

I always consult with my parents whenever I have big decisions to make and they have been very helpful. I’ve also gotten to know my neighbor, who is a very successful businessman through doing web design work for him and he has also been very helpful and inspirational to talk to.

7. Do you feel that a lot of people have tried to get over on you or cheat or fast talk you because you are a teen/young entrepreneur? If yes, how have you dealt with this?

No. Everyone that I have dealt with has been very supportive. Being a teen entrepreneur has advantages; people want to see you succeed.

8. What would you say has been the most valuable personality trait or skill that has worked to your favor in running your business and why?

Passion has been a huge part of it. I love what I do and it makes it that much easier to do it and do it well. I am also very hard working. I work my hardest to make sure I meet the deadlines I promise and to get my work done in a timely manner.

9. What has been the biggest obstacle in dealing with as a teen/young entrepreneur?

Finding the right business for me to pursue. I’ve wanted to run my own business since the first grade and I’ve spent years trying to find one that was right for me and now I’ve finally found one that was right for me. When it happened, everything fell into place and it went so smoothly. It was meant to be.

Connect with Matthew on Facebook or via:

My business MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/northshorewebdevelopment

Website: http://www.northshorewebdevelopment.com

Hosting: http://www.hostnorthshore.com