It finally happened! October 11, 2012, all the many hours of preparation were put to the test. I was in New York, presenting my business plan to a panel of NFTE judges from across the USA. There was fierce competition from the other young entrepreneurs but I am happy to say I won the $25,000!
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In 2010, I was a high school student looking to make some extra cash – buying and selling iPhones on Craigslist, selling P90X, selling collectibles, etc. A manager at Best Buy hired me the day I turned 16, and I stayed for 2 years. There I learned about technology, customers, and how to balance a budget. Subsequently, I made “iRepair”, an iPhone repair business, the business plan for my NFTE class. I learned how to repair phones, found a supplier, and advertised via social networks. I won my classroom and regional NFTE business plan competitions. I expanded the business to do more than just repair iPhones and changed the name to TechWorld.
Throughout the NFTE experience, I met many people who were eager to help my business grow; entrepreneurs, teachers, and coaches from the corporate sector. These mentors helped me make my business plan the best in the country. The insight they provided and their confidence in me is invaluable.
Today, I’m in college and running this small business. I’m not exactly sure what the next phase will be, because we are still somewhat at the mercy of Apple, but now we service phones all around the USA with an average 2-3 day return or locally in under 45 minutes – all taking payments online!
I want to thank NFTE, and most importantly MasterCard, for giving me this opportunity. They’ve revolutionized the cashless payment system that allows my business to thrive. Without their sponsorship to support NFTE, kids like me couldn’t take this life changing journey.
