Teenage boy set to make £100k after setting up business from bedroom

Daily Record

2 days ago

Harrison Nott, 15, launched the business from his bedroom in 2023.
A teenage entrepreneur who set up a business from his bedroom is forecasted to make £100,000 in revenue this year.
Harrison Nott, 15, juggles his GCSE studies with running his fledgling cold sweat towel company from home. He launched the product, CoolTowel, in 2023.
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It promises cooling relief through a simple process of wetting, wringing, and snapping the towel made from a three-layer polyester fabric that holds moisture efficiently. Harrison sells his products on TikTok shop and Spotify and claims he made £15k in sales during one particularly hot summer day.
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He said: "I've seen my dad running a business my whole life and I've always wanted to run my own, and have the financial control to do things for myself. I started my own first proper business at eight, reselling items on eBay."
"It did ok and from there I've started loads of different start-ups, most of them failing and losing money on it. They've given me the skills I needed to start a new one."
He credits the success of CoolTowel largely to its online presence.
He said: "The first one that did well was CoolTowel in 2023. I put it on TikTok and Shopify. I saw 50 sales a day and since then its been scaling up and up."
The idea for CoolTowel was born out of Harrison's passion for fitness and squash. He identified a niche in the market and aims his products at athletes, gym-goers, and anyone in need of a respite from the heat, reports Essex Live.
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Starting with a modest inventory of 100 towels in a box which he successfully sold, Harrison's business got a financial boost last year when his dad, Matthew, gave him with a loan to help with cash flow during the summer months. By July, Harrison says he celebrated his most lucrative day, raking in £15k in revenue, which led to a complete sell-out of his towel stock for several weeks.
With guidance from his business teacher, Harrison trademarked his brand and by year's end, he had established a limited company - much to his father dad's astonishment.
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Harrison, who also represents the England Squash Aspire team based in Ipswich, said: "It's about building up a solid brand that people trust. Over the busy summer months, I was able to utilise my dad's warehouse but I do this mostly out of my own bedroom.
"I record myself packaging up and post it on TikTok. I think its tangible for people to see the business owner do it - it's real."
Despite making around £1,000 per day in revenue, the youth is candid about the various hidden costs he faces - including those associated with advertising campaigns and affiliate commissions. He aspires to mentor others on how to develop their own successful enterprises.
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He said: "I want to help people be their best self and launch their business if they want to or get that skill they want to learn. I want to see how far I can get with CoolTowel, maybe get an investment from Dragon's Den and get it into retail.
"I think I can only go so far with it and long term I'd like to build up a personal brand and become well-known for being an entrepreneur. From what I can see, I'm hoping to scale past £100k in revenue this summer. I've forecast and projected that."
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Harrison, from Maldon, Essex, is keen on sharing his journey, having sponsored his own school sports day. His entrepreneurial spirit extends to his daily life, with branded school gear like a CoolTowel bag and phone case.
He also donates CoolTowel products to charities that assist individuals suffering from illnesses and conditions that cause overheating. He's even planning to further his business knowledge academically by taking an A-level in the subject.
Matthew, 42, sees a lot of himself in his son. "He's a chip off the old block. I admire his commitment to bettering himself and in whatever he does, squash or the business.
"When he fails at something, he doesn't just say 'Oh I tried' - he works out where he went wrong. That is so important in life."