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E-mail This StoryFrisco resident Tom Swanson works as a webmaster, flipping Internet sites for profit much like a Realtor might fix up an old house and sell it at a higher price. He’s also dabbled in the stock market, created a business blog, and can straighten out a Rubik’s cube in just over a minute.
What sets Swanson apart from the hundreds of other businessmen in Frisco is that he is yet to celebrate his 17th birthday. The Wakeland High School student has been honing his entrepreneurial abilities since he was 10 years old, when he began mowing lawns for $10 per job.
When he was 12, Swanson began selling products on eBay, making about $50 a month. He used two months profit to buy his first Web site, which he perceives as one of the biggest failures in his short career. The Web site folded, but Swanson said he learned invaluable lessons while losing $100.
“Being unique, being someone that everyone else isn’t is the way to succeed online,” Swanson said.
After consulting with experts and conducting some online research, Swanson turned his business prospects around. Now he makes between several hundred and several thousand dollars a month refining and selling Web sites.
The Web sites can focus on anything, but Swanson said the key is finding a hot topic and staying knowledgeable about trends. Environmental and self-help sites have been among the most profitable recently.
“All these things are so widely talked about in the real world that people go online and they research that, and that’s how you figure out what your Web site should be about,” he said.
The Swansons moved to Frisco in June from North Carolina. Neither Swanson’s parents nor his two older brothers have any experience with online business. His mother, Carolyn, knows that her son has a unique gift.
“There’s no doubt in my mind he’s going to be a [lifelong] entrepreneur,” she said.
Swanson credits much of his success to industry experts who were willing to give him advice. The teen-ager didn’t advertise his age, but was honest when asked. He said that most people were eager to help such a young businessman.
“A lot of the big guys that are up there really think it’s cool that I’m … striving to be an entrepreneur at such a young age,” he said.
Now that he’s found success, Swanson is helping others by sharing his knowledge with newcomers on a blog at StartAnOnlineBusiness.net. He offers tips on breaking into the business and provides a glimpse into some of his other interests as well. Readers may learn about choosing a domain name as well as details of Swanson’s recent mission trip to Romania.
Swanson’s business knowledge, acquired completely through his own research and connections, overflows with insight for those looking to start a business in a market that is full of competition.
“You’re not just learning from me (on the Web site),” Swanson said. “You’re learning from the real pros in the industry.”
At age 16, most of Swanson’s friends lack the entrepreneurial drive and business knowledge that consume much of his free time. He said that they often ask to be included in the next profitable deal, but lack the patience and responsibility to follow up on it.
After high school, Swanson plans to pursue a MBA, possibly at Furman University in South Carolina or at a college near his home. He hopes to use his online entrepreneurial experience to start a company that does business in the “real world.”
