| At the early age of five years old,
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| | and neighbors. Everyone loved his
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| Cameron started his first business
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| | products and told their friends and soon
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| selling tomatoes door-to-door for a hefty
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| | his business grew. From it's success he
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| price of $1 each. He received just as
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| | learned the power of word of mouth
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| many No-es as he did Yes-es but unlike
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| | marketing.
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| most people, he took the rejection as a
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| | The Power of the Internet
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| challenge. When he received a 'No", he
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| | By age eleven, Cameron learned the power
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| asked why and many times got to a 'yes'.
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| | of the Internet and eBay and began his
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| He learned early on to "believe in
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| | next venture in selling his sister's
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| yourself, trust your instincts and very
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| | Beanie Baby Collection. Before long,
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| importantly, learn to sell yourself".
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| | Cameron grew Cheers & Tears Beanie Babies
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| From Home Alone to Home at The Plaza
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| | to become the second largest Beanie Baby
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| Hotel
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| | retailer on the Internet, profiting $50K
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| At eight years old, Cameron saw the movie
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| | in one year From this experience, he
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| Home Alone 2: Lost in New York. A great
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| | learned to start small - find and start
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| deal of the movie had been filmed at the
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| | businesses that are low-cost to operate
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| Plaza Hotel owned by Donald Trump in New
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| | and can easily generate word of mouth
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| York City. After seeing the movie, he
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| | marketing.
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| struck up a deal with his dad. The deal
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| | His next business was also an Internet
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| included a trade of straight A's for a
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| | based business offering free email
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| trip to New York with a stay at the Plaza
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| | accounts which blocked junk mail. From
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| Hotel. Without his parents knowing,
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| | it, he created tens of thousands of users
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| Cameron wrote Donald Trump to tell him he
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| | and later sold the business. Looking for
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| would be coming to Manhattan. He did not
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| | something new to do, Cameron started
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| get a response in the mail, however,
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| | MyEZMail which was a company that would
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| Donald had a surprise for Cameron when
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| | provide an e-mail forwarding service
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| they arrived at the Plaza - a stay in the
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| | where subscribers could keep their email
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| same room the movie was filmed and an
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| | addresses confidential.
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| exclusive shopping spree at FAO Schwartz.
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| | The Next Michael Dell
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| His parents were stunned. Cameron sent
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| | All of these successful businesses
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| Donald a thank you note and enclosed a
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| | brought Cameron much deserved notoriety.
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| card telling him to keep watch because he
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| | As a result, he was nominated to receive
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| will be the next "Donald Trump".
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| | the Junior Achievement "Young
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| Cheers & Tears
| |
| | Entrepreneur of the Year" Award. At age
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| A few lemonade stands and commissioned
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| | 14, he became 1 of 3 finalists from over
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| yard sales later, Cameron started his
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| | 100,000 applicants. They were looking for
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| first real business. At the age of nine,
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| | a teenage Michael Dell and Cameron had
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| his parents gave him his first computer
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| | all the qualifications.
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| and printer and from it he created Cheers
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| | Although he didn't win, there were many
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| & Tears - a customized stationary company
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| | more good things in store for this young
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| that also sold greeting and business
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| | entrepreneur. We'll follow Cameron's
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| cards. He sold his products to relatives
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| | story in part two of this article.
|
