Ever wonder how some of the greatest entrepreneurial journeys begin? Sometimes, it’s not with a meticulously crafted business plan or a venture capital infusion. Sometimes, it starts with a little bit of mischief, a lot of naiveté, and an unsuspecting online auction site. Today, we’re diving into a hilarious, true story from the wild west of the early internet – a tale of a 12-year-old, a pager guide, and a very understanding mom.
Picture this: It’s 1998. AOL chatrooms are buzzing, dial-up internet is a thing, and the concept of buying or selling anything online is still mind-blowing. Our protagonist, a young aspiring entrepreneur with zero means or knowledge, stumbles upon a mention of something called eBay in an AOL chat. An online auction? This was revolutionary!
For weeks, this kid was practically living at the liquor store (yes, the one that sold money orders – remember those?). He was buying everything he could get his hands on: fake jewelry, knockoff clothes, even a trendy new pager. The goal? To understand this magical online marketplace.
The Million-Dollar Idea (or so he thought)
Then, amidst the digital clutter, he spotted it: a listing for a guide titled, “How To Start A Pager Business.” A pager business! All his friends wanted pagers after seeing his. This was it! His ticket to becoming the next Bill Gates (though, he admits, he didn’t even know who Bill Gates was at the time).
After eagerly awaiting its arrival, a manila envelope finally landed on his porch. He devoured the information, feeling absolutely ready to launch his kajillion-dollar pager empire.
So, he went on to launch a pager business, right? Ummm… not exactly.
The Brilliant (and Risky) Pivot
What he did next felt far more brilliant. He called a friend whose dad owned a company with a massive corporate copy machine. A quick deal was struck: use of the machine in exchange for buying the supplies. For two days, these two pre-teens sat there, churning out 100 copies of the “How To Start a Pager Business” guide. They even gave them laminated covers with slip-on binding strips! It was beautiful. 100 units of inventory, for a mere $40. He was officially going to be rich.
Back on eBay, he published his own listing, selling the very guide he’d just bought. He probably copied the original seller’s description too – hey, efficiency, right? First day, first sale! Then three, then five. By the end of the week, over 50 copies were sold. Money orders were rolling in. He walked into the bank and cashed his first $1,250. Pure euphoria!
The Inevitable Phone Call
Then came the email. A law firm. Panic. He did what any 12-year-old would do: he ran to the one person who always got him out of trouble. “Mom, something happened!”
After a lengthy explanation and a well-deserved lecture, his mom picked up the phone. He could hear the lawyer’s rant through the cordless phone: “infringement, copyright, LAWSUIT!” Uh oh. This was bad.
His mom listened silently for five minutes as the legal threats rained down. Finally, she delivered a single sentence that changed everything:
“Sir, I understand… but my son is 12.”
Silence. Then, laughter. The lawyer, stunned, burst out laughing. A promise was made: no more sales, no more promotion. The pager guide business was officially, and abruptly, over.
The Takeaway: A 3,000% Profit (and a Priceless Lesson)
This first business lasted a grand total of seven days. But here’s the kicker: it yielded a 3,000% profit. As the original Reddit poster quipped, “maybe I’m actually better than Bill Gates, because Microsoft never did those numbers!”
Beyond the insane profit margin, this story is a fantastic, humorous reminder of several things:
- The Power of Observation: Spotting a need (or a profitable item) is the first step.
- Resourcefulness: Finding a corporate copy machine instead of buying one? Genius.
- The Wild West of Early Digital: The rules were still being written, and sometimes, you learned them the hard way.
- The Unsung Hero: Mom: Seriously, moms are the best crisis managers.
- The Importance of Copyright: A lesson learned early and memorably.
So, while a 12-year-old’s “stolen” pager guide business might not be in the history books for its longevity, it certainly stands as a legendary tale of early entrepreneurial spirit, a crash course in copyright law, and the sheer audacity of youth. What’s your most memorable business lesson?
Caracole