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Joshua Motta of Net-Avenue I am currently 15 years old. Net-Avenue, our first start-up, started in the summer of 1997 when I was 13. I really got into the whole Internet concept when I helped local businesses design web sites. As I got better and better, and became one of the leading designers in Kansas City, I looked into other Internet fields. Looking for an opportunity to expand my business, my partner and I looked at various possibilities, among which a software store. We soon realized that starting a software store would cost a lot of money to set-up, and we had the equivalent of zero dollars for a normal business. Net-Avenue started out on $25.00 and an idea. So we used some creativity. My partner, Adam Mechtley, and I explored the Net looking for ideas and decided to set-up an Internet Mall. It started out as just a mall, but we realized that helping other merchants setup shop would be a booming business. We not only created a virtual store but a whole new site called Merchantfront. Our business, named "Net-Avenue", offers merchants to affordably, easily, and immediately create a fully functional on-line store. It also offers listings to help promote existing Internet businesses. Before starting this venture, I did not have any previous experience doing business. My parents do not have an entrepreneurial background either. I have been in business for about 3 years. Most of our revenues come from the Merchantfront.com web site and our mall rather than the Web site preparation although we are still doing both. We now have help from 5 independent contractors. What we needed in order to start our business were a few simple things. A telephone and telephone line, a computer with modem and Internet access, regular office supplies and furniture, and an address to receive payments. We had most of our equipment and bought additional equipment as money started coming into the business. My main challenge was to find a business name that was available both as a domain name and as a business name. Another challenge for us was to make our business known. In order to achieve that, we had to contact a lot of media sources and get our story published. Readers see our story and check out our Web sites. From there, the magic of our Web site design does its work and potential customers give us a call. Then, it is only a matter of one of us convincing them to become customers. My greatest satisfaction at the moment is knowing that I make more money than several other small businesses while I am only 15 years old. When we first started the business, we offered free listings to businesses for about 6 months. Now, we are signing up anywhere from 10 to 50 new customers a month at various very competitive rates. We even receive queries from adults about how to run an Internet business. We are proud to have acquired respect in this field and of the fact that Net Avenue is doing business with individuals as well as businesses all over the world. Of course, it is not easy for us to juggle business responsibilities and school. We have taken advantage of the summer period to grow our business and have a commitment to both our business and our schoolwork. We have faced a challenge in the fall. The main impact of starting school again was the fact that we are not there to answer customer calls before 3:00 p.m. But it hasn't been a huge problem so far. My long-term goal is to heavily increase the value and size of Net Avenue. I am not necessarily in this for personal wealth at the moment, but it is a benefit. I would like to expand the services and hire more people. We have already started increasing our operations by adding another Web site that offers a shopping cart service at very competitive prices. Each of our Web sites now has its own specialty. Our new Web site, Merchantfront, started in late 1998 to help merchants set up shop on the web. So far it has been a booming success. For as low as $50.00 per month, we design the merchants' web site and get them set up on the Internet. We have signed on over 50 clients and are continuing to add more at a very rapid rate. Merchantfront has partnered with whizteens.com to offer all teenagers a chance at starting their own e-commerce business at a very special rate with our service. For more information go to www.merchantfront.com. My advice for other young entrepreneurs: Don't be shy. Every week I am on the phone with the media trying to get exposure. I think that if you don't get publicity, you're history. Every entrepreneur needs to be a hard worker. Set goals for yourself to give you the motivation you need. At no time can you quit. Don't be shy. If you are going to succeed, you need to speak out, get media attention and the customer base you need in order to expand. Be competitive, do some research on what companies are doing. Most of all, HAVE FUN! http://www.whizteens.com/profile1.htmlYou've reached the end of this story... There are currently no more articles on Joshua Motta. Please Check out the next success story! [ Next Success Story ] . about us . thanx . contact . awards . guestbook . site map . Copyright (C) 1999 (email link outdated) |