Generation Next

WallStreetProdigy
"Success comes when you start young." These wise words from 19-year-old Chris Delany pretty much sum up his approach to starting his own business. This Mount St. Mary's College sophomore is already on his second business, a real-time investment consulting Web site, www.wallstreetprodigy.
com.

Delany sold his first business, a disc jockey venture, two years ago. The then 17-year-old wasn't idle-he immediately started putting together WallStreetProdigy and formally launched the Avon, New Jersey, business in January 2002.

Still, even with all his passion, he and co-founder/COO Dennis Barrett, 20, find that convincing clients to trust young people for investment information and advice is a monumental challenge. "The people that take a chance realize we do know our stuff and we study the market," says Delany. "Getting the trust of people...that's our hardest selling point."

The company's other investment advisors are a little older-in their early 20s. But among them, they boast business educations from Notre Dame, Princeton and Wharton. A large part of their business, in fact, is educating people about investing. "We're a little different than most teens," says Delany. "We like to have a good time, but we also like to work." With $200,000 in projected sales for 2002, the good times are just beginning. -Nichole L. Torres

This article was originally published in the May 2002 print edition of Entrepreneur with the headline: Generation Next.