Meet the teens building businesses while at school
Although they are still in full-time education, their work is being supported family.
Two Guernsey teenagers are successfully managing their own businesses while still attending school, skillfully balancing academic demands with customer engagement and social media promotion.
Sixteen-year-old Harriette operates Vi-t'en daone, a mobile coffee venture, while 15-year-old Zack is the founder of the stationery brand Noted by Zack. Both entrepreneurs, who remain in full-time education, credit the backing of friends, family, and social media for their business growth. They also noted that online promotion has been instrumental in expanding their reach.
Harriette launched her coffee business with parental support after gaining experience at a local tearoom and completing a Level 2 food hygiene course online, along with a foundation barista skills course. Her coffee trailer, sourced from a UK company, allowed for customisation with various equipment options. She observed a significant increase in customer numbers following online promotion. "After we've been posting on the socials, we've definitely seen a rise in customer numbers and it's been great seeing my friends come down and everybody's just getting involved. Word-spreading has been great," she stated. Harriette plans to return to The Ladies' College in September for A-levels, which will lead to reduced business operations during term-time. She anticipates participating in "special events... throughout the year like the Christmas tractor run."
Zack's stationery business concept emerged from his own struggles to find suitable notebooks while studying for exams. He recalled, "All I could find was either something that was really boring or too childish." Attracting customers proved to be a significant hurdle initially, with no orders received until he began creating social media videos to showcase his products. "When I first launched it, I got no orders. I think, in your head, you think even when you launch the store it's going to get orders, but you don't," he explained. "The main thing you have to try and do is make sure people see it and people like it. I did a TikTok, which I think got me my first couple of orders."
Some of Zack's products will soon be available in a local shop, and he aims to expand into more Guernsey businesses while continuing his education. He prioritises school, stating, "School will come first because I haven't even sat my GCSEs yet. I'll still do it in the background, hopefully, but then, in the summer, I'll try and put more priority and get it further." After completing his studies, Zack hopes to further expand his business, potentially making it a full-time career. "I think it would be really cool to be able to do it as my full-time job," he shared.