What I Learned from Starting My First Business at 16

I started my first business when I was just 16 years old—with zero clue what I was doing. It was called Drew's Sole Place, and I was reselling sneakers out of a spare room in my parents’ house. What began as a hobby turned into tens of thousands of dollars in revenue while I was still in high school.

That experience shaped how I approach entrepreneurship today, especially as the founder of Weber Strategic Solutions, where I now help other businesses grow through marketing, advertising, and web design in Gainesville, GA.

Here are the lessons that stuck with me—and how they still apply.

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1. You Don't Need All the Answers to Start

When I launched Drew's Sole Place, I had no business plan, no fancy tools, and no strategy. Just a passion for sneakers and the willingness to figure it out along the way.

Too often, people wait until they feel "ready" to start something new. But if I had waited until I knew everything, I never would’ve started. What mattered most was taking action—learning, adjusting, and growing as I went.

Whether you're launching a new product, redesigning your website, or finally marketing your business online, clarity comes from action, not planning alone.

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2. Consistency Matters More Than Perfection

I made a ton of mistakes. Bad deals, pricing errors, missed opportunities—you name it. But I kept going. I kept posting on social media, kept buying and selling shoes, and kept reinvesting in the business.

That consistency is what created momentum. In today’s world, especially with social media marketing, consistent visibility and engagement beats waiting for the perfect post, perfect strategy, or perfect website.

This same principle applies at Weber Strategic Solutions. Our most successful clients aren't the ones with the biggest budgets—they're the ones who show up consistently.

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3. Experience Builds Confidence

At 16, I didn’t feel like a business owner. I felt like a kid who liked sneakers. But every little win—every sale, every happy customer, every post that got attention—built my confidence.

Confidence doesn’t come before experience. It comes from doing. And the more you do, the more you believe in your ability to figure things out.

This mindset helped me go from reselling shoes to running a full-service marketing agency. I still don’t have all the answers—but I know how to keep moving forward.

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Final Thoughts for Local Entrepreneurs

If you're a business owner in Gainesville, GA trying to grow, my advice is simple: start, stay consistent, and trust the process. Whether you’re building from scratch or scaling something established, the same fundamentals apply.

At Weber Strategic Solutions, we use those exact lessons to help local businesses like yours succeed—through effective website design, local SEO, social media strategy, and paid advertising that gets real results.

Looking for help growing your business online? Let’s talk!