Startup Guides > From Boy to Boss: How a 10-Year-Old Entrepreneur Followed His Father's Footsteps

As a young boy growing up in Jamaica, I was inspired by my father's entrepreneurial spirit. Despite his humble beginnings and lack of formal education - my father never went to private prep schools or Ivy League colleges like I did - he carved out a path as a self-made businessman. From selling street food to operating commercial transportation, he was the epitome of hustle and determination.

At just 10 years old, I vividly remember walking two miles to school and back every day, saving every penny of my bus fare, and then staining my khakis in the evening as I did chores, such as polishing my father's shoes and prepping vegetables for his lucrative soup business. Why? Because it meant I could buy toys - digital watches, games, bicycles, and Rambo movie merchandise - from the bustling markets of downtown Kingston. Skipping church on Sundays became a strategic move to stock up on inventory, so that, come Monday, I could show off my latest treasures at school and sell them to eager classmates for a tidy profit...