Young entrepreneurs: Teen players - Adam Eliaz

Edgware teen Adam Eliaz was a finalist in last year's Junior Apprentice. The 18-year-old started making money at 11, buying and selling sporting equipment on eBay. He left school – The London Academy in Edgware – at 16 and started his own official limited company last year. He reports good sales, making a turnover £6,000 to £13,000 per month. Says Adam:

"When I was around 12, my dad used to drive me to car-boot sales and sleep in the car while I ran the stalls. I kept all the profits and ploughed that back into my business, which helped it grow from year to year. The reason why I set up my own business is because I never wanted to work for anyone else. I've always been business- minded, love working hard and making my own money. I love taking risks and have always wanted to make a name for myself in the business world.

"I wasn't the smartest student and only got seven GCSEs at A to C. My Dad didn't mind and even gave me some warehouse space at his office in Colindale, where I had a small office area and stocked my own products. My mum, on the other hand, was not so happy about it. But to be honest, I didn't really care what they thought or wanted from me. I always knew I was going to leave school. I knew that when you come out of university you're saddled with loads of debt and you're still not guaranteed a job, so it wasn't for me. I knew that I could do well running my own business.

"I am hoping to double, or even triple my turnover in my second financial year, with extra sales coming from both my new wholesale and shipping website, xdrop.co.uk which will be launched in the next few weeks and the shop I'm taking on in the Harlequin Shopping Centre in Watford this month.