2001: An Entrepreneurial Odyssey

If you've been wishing you'd started your business a little earlier in life (and you're still second-guessing your decision to major in Mesopotamian Mythology), then perhaps you don't want to read any further. Maybe you'd rather not know about the annual Fleet Bank Youth Entrepreneur Day held in New York City that awards youngsters for their achievements as entrepreneurs.

Last December, the latest crop of winners included Tahira Abdur-Rahim, 16, who earns $400 a month selling her homemade lollipops, and 13-year-old Christina Smith, whose company, Cute Paws, makes personalized accessories for dogs weighing 15 pounds or less. Net profits as of press time: $300.

Even as you chuckle and proudly dust off your Mesopotamian Mythology degree, consider another Fleet Bank honoree: Aron Leifer, a 19-year-old who lives in New York City with his parents. When he was 16, Leifer started MultiMedia Audiotext, a company that designs computer software.

"You have to do something you enjoy because if you don't enjoy it, within two or three years, you're going to be out of business," says Leifer. "If you're into cars, find information about cars. If you're into sports, sell something that has to do with sports. I enjoy computers--that's why I do it. If I enjoyed playing golf, I'd probably be selling golf balls and a bunch of different things that have to do with golf."

The teenager must know what he's talking about. He has his own office, seven full-time employees, 87 part-time international freelancers and a client list that includes Bell Atlantic. And he's bringing in a whopping $50,000 a month.

This article was originally published in the April 1999 print edition of Entrepreneur with the headline: 2001: An Entrepreneurial Odyssey.