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