Senior Adam Ahmad is any businessman’s dream come true. Strutting into the classroom where I was to interview him, he greeted me with a friendly, firm handshake, which would seem quite unusual when coming from someone his age. During the duration of the interview, there was no fidgeting or twirling of thumbs; his impeccable posture and eye contact could make others seem like a lazy-eyed Quasimodo in comparison. If I had not been able to see him, I would have been surprised to see a high school student occupying his seat due to seasoned method of speech. After meeting him for the first time, the fact that he was able to start his own $7,000 business at the shocking age of 11 and a $78,000 business his freshman year was slightly more believable.
At the tender age of 11, Ahmad already had one foot in the door to the business world.
Ahmad was the typical 11-year-old boy: he loved to play video games and was especially fond of his PlayStation Portable. But like most young children, Ahmad wasn’t made of money; he had to beg his parents every time he wanted a new game.
After doing some research online on how to get games for free, Ahmad discovered the world of programming language. He spent weeks upon weeks studying the programming and learned how to use it. Eventually, the preteen was able to create a program that enabled users to install any open-sourced game that was online. He was able to download the program onto memory sticks and made “kits” that contained these and a required modified battery. In order to buy his supplies in bulk, the young Ahmad was forced to sell things like his Pokémon cards and his old electronic devices. Ahmad created eBay and PayPal accounts with the intention of selling his product online.
“I was like, if I can help others who have the same problem as I have, this could be something I could make money off of. It wasn’t really the money though; I really just wanted to see if this could actually work. I took a big risk, essentially,” said Ahmad.
It ended up being well worth the risk. Ahmad originally put his devices up for sale for $10 a pop. When he checked back less than three hours later, the eBay bids had soared to $60 each. In all, he estimates he made around $7,000. Keep in mind Ahmad was only 11 at the time.
“It’s like a competitive race. If you have a good idea, you want to be the first to implement it,” said Ahmad of his business.
Late in his freshman year, Ahmad once again explored his skill in programming, only this time, it was with the iPhone. He made a similar bundle software--one that allowed the consumer the ability to download thousands of free apps through downloading one application and be able to use the iPhone on any carrier. He used his previous business profit as seed money to buy iPhones in bulk to produce his product. Once again, his business came through with great success and Ahmad said he was able to rake in around $78,000.
“Hearing positive feedback from customers really motivates you, and makes you feel good about what you’re doing,” reflected Ahmad.
Sharing the Wealth of Knowledge
Ahmad, alongside fellow senior Mike Coutre, co-founded the new school-sponsored club Young Entrepreneurs. Coutre (accustomed with Ahmad’s experience in business having been in FBLA with him) approached him with the idea of re-creating a club that had a history at LHS, Young Investors.
“Adam came up with the entrepreneur spin on it. I knew if I gave it to him, he could make it happen,” explained Coutre.
“Instantly, I was like, ‘we need to do this,’” said Ahmad.
The two approached department supervisor for applied arts, Dr. Debra Kellum, with their idea, and she agreed to become the sponsor.
“I had Adam last year in my Accounting I class, so we [already] had a great relationship in that class,” said Dr. Kellum. “We had noticed a big trend in schools with entrepreneur programs; they were really becoming cutting edge.”
The goal of the two boys was to create a club that would teach kids how to be successful in starting up and running a business by getting together once a week and coming up with business ideas within the school. Ahmad explained he wants to give students the “chance to get their feet wet, and do something they’ve never done before.”
“We really try to inspire people to think big,” said Ahmad.
The club plans on donating any money it raises in the future to various charity organizations. Their most recent focus was raising money for their WISH family. Young Entrepreneurs hosted a school-wide dodge ball tournament and sold rubber wristbands inscribed with “WISH upon a paw” that brought in a significant amount of funds.
“We are trying to figure out ways to raise funds and come up with creative ideas that are in the entrepreneurial spirit,” said Dr. Kellum.
Dr. Kellum and Coutre both agree that Ahmad is extremely business-savvy and dedicated to the club.
“[Adam’s] a very motivated person; he’s very creative. He’s always thinking of ways to make the club better, which is awesome,” said Coutre. “He’s so forward thinking, [and] he just brings so much to the table.”
A Present and Future Business Leader
Ahmad has technically been a member of FBLA since his freshman year. However, he was not always a member of Libertyville’s team. He attended Warren High School for his first semester of his freshman year; he transferred to LHS for his second semester.
He was approached by former LHS teacher Mr. Bill Pitcher, who recruited him to join the LHS team. Ahmad went on to compete in nationals that year, an honor usually reserved for upperclassmen. He earned the spot after snagging second place in the state competition, eBusiness, where he was required to create a working website for a florist business.
Ahmad placed first in eBusiness at regionals during his sophomore year, and alongside his teammates, placed fifth in state for the Business Plan event. Whereas the competitors usually merely present a business idea, Ahmad’s team actually created a usable product: a tablet likened to Alka-Seltzer that dissolved in water to create a drink.
His Current Project
Fueled by his previous successes in the business world, Ahmad has embarked on a new project: NotéDex.
To put in simple terms, NotéDex is a tablet PC created by Ahmad that, well, looks and acts like a piece of paper. By acting as a notebook with an infinite amount of space, it would replace all the notebooks and pieces of paper students go through every year. Ahmad hopes to include a calculator into the programing and a way for teachers and students to communicate and take or turn in tests and assignments.
“I wanted to create something that I could say I made. I wanted to progress from what I had done before,” explained Ahmad.
Ahmad claims the beauty of the device is its simplicity and low technology level. Not only will it be easy to operate, but it will run for the low price of $100-150. The business-savvy Ahmad has hired a software programmer to help him complete this project, and he obtained a patent to protect his ingenious invention. Ahmad anticipates having a working prototype of his product in about six months.
Ahmad is currently searching for responsive and durable casing for his product. He hopes to be able to expand in both online sales and to national retail chains. In the meantime, Ahmad has applied to the Wharton School of Business at University of Pennsylvania and hopes to attend there next fall.
“I want to meet minds like mine and people more advanced than me because when I do, I have the opportunity to collaborate. I think when you are able to collaborate with high-caliber minds, you can really create something big,” said Ahmad