Ben, thanks for sharing your Infinite Expedition. Wishing you continued success in your entrepreneurial endeavors.

1. What inspired you to start your own business?

The inspiration came when my grandfather gave me all of his camera equipment to sell. I made a lot of money selling it while having fun. So I realized I could sell other people’s stuff and make money.

2. What advice would you give to teens (your peers) who are interested in starting their own business?

My advice would be to get a professionally designed website and spread it through social marketing.

3. What would you consider the 3 most important skills in being an entrepreneur?

Networking, perserverance and creativity. I’ve been working on networking very hard. It takes a lot of effort but pays off. Perserverance I feel that I’ve mastered, I try remarkably hard to be successful at everything I do. Creativity is very important and I’m still working on it.

4. What is a typical day like for you? Do you participate in other activities? Volunteer?

A typical day is a train ride to school to NYC and a ride back at 6 followed by too much homework and finally time to work on my business. I also use my spare time during my day to get a head start on my homework and respond to emails from customers. Twice a week I prepare sandwiches and meals for homeless people. I am also on my school’s track team.

5. What is your greatest fear and how do you manage it?

My greatest fear in my business is having a package being lost by USPS. It’s happened before and it’s very stressful.

6. What resources did you need to start your business?

For my eBay business I didn’t really need much beside some boxes, a scale, tape and an eBay account with positive feedback.

7. What is your favorite thing about being an entrepreneur?

My favorite thing about being an entrepeneur is feeling like an adult. I love the feeling that I’m doing something that other kids won’t be doing for five or more years.

8. What book has inspired you the most?

“Dig Your Well Before You’re Thirsty” by Harvey Mackay. It’s a book about networking which I think is one of the most critical aspects about business.

9. How do you market your business?

I advertise on Facebook, Twitter, blogs, Craigslist, flyers and paid ads.

Connect with Benjamin:

On Twitter: @entrepreneurpro

Interview on Teenaged World of Maddy

Ebay Website 1: www.ebayben.com

Teen Coaching Website: http://teenbizstarter.com 

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

In his first radio interview Matthew holds nothing back as he talks about:

• How we got inspired in first grade to start his business along with experiences that dotted his childhood that kept in motivated on that path
• How he started a business with a passion but no ‘formal’ training
• How he has learned to leverage adult owned small business owners in his personal and professional networks and;
• Mutual funds and compound interest

Listen to the full interview online now: http://tinyurl.com/d4tc4q

Here is Part 1 if you missed it: “Part 1″

In Part II of his INNERview, we ask Teen CEO “Nashy” of ClastaZ.com questions that inquiring minds want to know . These questions were asked by our Renegades Community and Teen Biz Coach “Shonika Proctor”.  Hope everyone will find this useful as you continue to push forward with your own entrepreneurial pursuits:

1. You said you have been online since the age of 12…at what age did you start your first business and what was it?

Yea, that is right I have actually been active online since I was 12 either just browsing to find ways to make money, or attempting to create my own site. Looking back I don’t think you can call my first site a business, it was a free site I set up on freewebs! The only thing I paid for was the name: www.rediz.com. It was a shopping portal that simply displayed a lot of different sites selling numerous things. I was an affiliate of all of them, so was paid on click thru and also commission if a user went on to buy a product. It actually worked out well to start with but eventually traffic slowed down and commercially it turned out to be a failure. Having said that, I was so young at the time the money it made me felt like a lot and I learned some really valuable experience on the way.

2.  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?

In all honesty when I grew up I always wanted to become a professional football, then changed my mind and thought a career in ski racing was more me. I am always told that you do not become an Entrepreneur you are born one. Do I believe this? Actually yes I do, I believe everyone has that special element inside them some people just don’t realize or understand it. I have always taken an interest in business as both of my parents are involved with it, which helped me, but ultimately I stuck by what I wanted to do which has made me successful.

3. You had multiple business ventures? What was your favorite and why, even if it was not financially successful?

Yes, I had multiple ventures. Honestly, most of them were failures commercially but I didn’t give up. I never had real success until I was late 15 with a business which helped individuals create websites, sold personalized stationary and brochures. I didn’t really enjoy it, but was a key part of my career so far and gave me the funding I needed to set up new ventures.
    My favorite was definitely a website called Surfpony.com which was a PPC search engine. I brought it for $x,xxx and borrowed money from my sister’s (of which I have 3) and my parents to buy it. I really enjoyed working on it and expanding the features it offered, but sadly with my inexperience I drove it into the ground. The girls were not happy…

4. 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?

The biggest problem teenage entrepreneur’s face is getting the capital to fund their idea’s and dreams, but if you look hard enough you can find plenty of others way to fund it, even if this means spending a few hours in a shop a week. My advice for young people who are continuously being put down about starting a business is to try and ignore it. You should rely on a ‘gut instinct’ to decide whether you are right or wrong. If you believe in yourself and your idea that strongly, go for it. Don’t wait, Start young, think big, and stick with it.

5. Starting an internet based business is competitive…to some extent. And at the same time online marketers are coming up with new ideas everyday. What was your criteria in choosing the first person you trusted to share your idea with? 

I actually have not had any problems as yet with my ideas being stolen. I actually am always open about my ideas and usually are really supportive online and will often help improve them. I would always be open whilst online and among fellow entrepreneurs, think of it as a melting pot for brains to bounce. Also when you are looking for funding, you have to be much more open and approach people with clear instructions on your idea – you can’t get anywhere keeping it a secret! Be careful who you share with, but don’t be too conservative!

6. Do you feel that alot of people have tried to get over on you or cheat or fast talk you because you are a teen/young entrepreneur? How have you dealt with this?

No absolutely not. If you approach people with confident you should never have trouble, and if you do don’t work with them! Usually people are amazed at a young’un doing business and in some cases it will probably help you gain publicity! Don’t be phased or intimidated by older people, treat them with respect and I am sure they will return the favor.

7. 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?

My strongest traits are definitely my motivation and determination. As in another of my answers I said I have had a lot of failures, many more then I have had success. I could have easily packed it in and got back to a normal teenage life. That’s definitely not what I wanted, I wasn’t going to give in, I really wanted to be a success which is exactly why I carried on. I always look to the future, never backwards which is what always picked me up and took me forward. If I was not determined, trust me I would not be doing this interview and doing the things I wanted to do today.

8. What has been the biggest obstacle you have had to deal with as a teen/young entrepeneur?

Hate to say this, but definitely getting funding to start projects. I always look for investors not just for their money but for their expertise. It used to be such an impossible task and still is quite hard. Luckily though, recently there have been a lot more sites created to join entrepreneur and investors together. A new one I found today was www.growvc.com – not heard of it before or used it, if anyone has let me know!

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

My current company http://www.ClastaZ.com is a new music discovery site which is used to find new music and dig up the old.It has been around for very almost a year, and due to huge traffic when it originally started. I sold a small part of the company for $xx,xxx and then decided to completely rebuild it, adding new innovative feature’s which were unique to ClastaZ. The idea is to connect people from all over the world to one another to share music taste discover new music, artists and remixes they never knew existed.

People can connect via forums and a live chat feature. Post topics about new bands and songs they have heard, and if you want to find some new music ‘a different way’ then you have the ability to use our amazing 3D Search to find songs! There is also options to buy songs, save them to play lists, add to favorites and rate them for others to view!The inspiration came from myself not being satisfied with my music library. I wanted to discover new bands and talk to people based all over the world about there experiences with music! The initial concept was drawn up and had huge success! I have certainly enjoyed resolving my problems in finding new types of music with ClastaZ and hope you can to! It’s a great concept and was launched again after the rebuild on the 13th December, full steam ahead and it won’t be long I hope until it is up there with other recognizable brands. 

10. How did you feel when you signed your first deal to have a part of your company acquired? Part II of the question: Did you ever think when you started your company that you would ever try to sell it or is it something that just naturally happened in its own time?

When the opportunity came to sell part of the company. I didn’t think twice! The guys who approached me are two fantastic people who are really experienced in the world of business. The offer was to good to refuse so I took the money and ran! No, of course I didn’t they are to great guys and are really supportive of me with all my ventures!

I always thought about potential offers that might come my way but didn’t know how I would react. It’s not something I ‘pre planned’ but it is definitely a good thing they came my way!

And for those of you who might have missed it yesterday, Nashy invites all prospective young entrepreneurs, potential clients and well-wishers to reach out and connect with him using any of the contacts below:

Email: ed@nashy.co.uk

Web:  www.nashy.co.uk

  Twitter: @nashy

And here is Part 2 if you were looking for that (you’re welcome )

With his love of music, boyishly good looks and charming ways you’d think that UK teen Ed “Nashy” Nash was bringing back The British Invasion with a modern twist. But in fact, he’s soaring up the charts in a slightly different kind of way- as a successful teen entrepreneur with his latest social media venture www.ClastaZ.com a music discovery site which is used to find new music and dig up the old.

Nashy may only be 17 years but he knows that in the world of social media and online ventures seventeen is old by today’s standards  He recalls that he got the entrepreneurial bug at age 12 and it started with browsing the web and trying to figure out ways to make money on the web. He built his first site on freewebs and he paid for a domain name. The site was a shopping portal with what he says was a bunch of different stuff. [When your 12 none of that really matters anyway, people click through and you make money. That is more or less the point.] According to Nashy, it got “a lot” of traffic initially but then it died off and in the end he considered it a great learning experience. And learn he did, in the years that followed he has bought and sold, grown and killed, lol, a number of online ventures.  He says that a lot of his ventures he considers ”commercial failures” but being that his strong suits are motivation and determination he succeeded when it mattered. His first financial success came when he was 15 (going on 16) and he has most recently sold a small percentage of ClastaZ.com for a 5 figure dollar amount that he reinvested back into the company.

So aside from geeking out in his business ventures, doing a bit of consulting work and managing multiple projects for clients, does Nashy have a life? Of course he does. He is a teenage boy for crying out loud. And like a true Renegade CEO he works a little and plays a little more.  He loves playing sport and is a keen sportsman (Go Chelsea); as a teen hearthrob, naturally he loves the girls and the girls love him and he enjoys hanging out with his friends and part-ay-ing (in the hizzity howse) into the wee hours of the morning, I presume. [ I can only imagine, on seecond thought, I would rather not].

Being the CEO of a music centric company one would have to think that he has a little interest in music…which he does! He is into the music scene and loves punk/emo and the like- Good Charlotte [oh yeah- they grew up 8 mi south of my hometown] and Bowling for Soup are all “sweet bands in his eyes”….HIS WORDS…not mine, LOL. When he is not doing the day to day grind and being the life of the party he loves skiing, traveling abroad for holidays, skiing, wakeboarding and SKIING! Did I mention he really LOVES SKIING?!

So whether you are an emerging teen entrepreneur looking for some continued inspiration, a prospective client who has a cool chalet in a nice ski resort and need some social media consulting work, a UK sportsman looking for an extra or a nice charming girl who would love to join the fan club of a socially conscious entrepreneur you can reach Nashy here:

Email: ed@nashy.co.uk

Web:  www.nashy.co.uk

Twitter: @nashy

Be sure to join us tomorrow when we present Part II of our innerview with Nashy. We’ll chat with him one on one and learn more details about his life as an entrepreneur; his challenges as a start up and a young entrepreneur and how he overcame them; and how he connected with the company that wrote that 5 figure check to him!

Until tomorrow-

Cheers Mates