Ben “Rise and Shine” Weissenstein started a business before he started school and he wants to help others do the same.

We found Ben 15 years after The Houston Chronicle snapped a photo of him and his lemonade stand. In those 15 years, he has started two successful companies and has been featured on Fox News, Dr. Phil, and Entrepreneur Magazine.

Now he’s 20 years old and he owns the highest ranking garage sale business in the world (according to Google). Ben also just added “Author” to his already eclectic entrepreneurial career.

Today, I finally got a hold of Ben to talk with him about why he thinks young people need to read his book.

Click play on the flash player to listen to the conversation. (10:17)
Download audio file (Ben-Weissenstein-Start-Small-and-Grow.mp3)

If you’d rather read it, the enhanced transcript is below.

Enhanced Interview Transcript

1. Why did you write Start Small and Grow?
I wrote the book, Start Small and Grow, to teach kids how to start a business. Because when I started a business, I knew I wanted to be professional, I knew I wanted to get business, but that was the extent of it. If I would have known what I know now, I would have been more successful early on and wouldn’t have had to deal with as many problems.

I wrote the book to give them a roadmap for how you start, how you manage, and how you run a business. Whether it’s walking dogs or whatever, there’s a method for doing it. And if you have that method, it can really help.

No matter who you are, you can become who you want to be. You can be the biggest business man. You can be the President of the United States. Start Small and Grow is a roadmap on how to start a business, but at the same time, it’s supposed to motivate kids to follow their dreams.

Dream, plan, work really hard, and when something doesn’t work, you can’t stop. Keep moving. Persistence is key. If you keep going, keep dreaming, and keep being creative to change things that don’t work, you’ll get to be where you want to be.

2. Tell us about the Grand Slam Garage Sale Business Kit.

We created a garage sale business kit to help entrepreneurs of all ages across the country start their own garage sale business. Whether they’re 14 or 70, they can start their own garage sale business.

It’s full of information on how to start running a garage sale business. Once they buy a kit, they come up with their own company name and they’re completely free from us. We’re just giving them a kit on how to do it. They can choose how to price, what they want to name the business, etc.

It’s $500 for the kit. If we were to franchise we would have had to charge a lot more. And there’s royalties involved, and so on and so forth. It’s a very simple model, but very solid model that can help tons of people across the world create this garage sale industry.

We’re trying to help them anyway possible. We set this up so that anyone can do it.

3. With these two projects, essentially you’re training people, no matter the age, to follow your entrepreneurial path. Why would somebody want to be you?

Well, why wouldn’t they want to be me? Just kidding [laughs]. I don’t know if they’d want to be me exactly.

This lifestyle is a lifestyle of dreaming, chasing, and conquering your dreams. I can’t say that I’ve conquered my dreams, yet. But I can say that I’ve started to see the progress towards making it to that point. I think everyone should want to go after that lifestyle.

You live once. You gotta dream big and you gotta go after it.

Check Out His Book and Business Kits

• Start Small and Grow: A Business Lesson for Kids – You can still get it in time for Christmas!
• Grand Slam Garage Sale Business Kit – Check out the business model he created there.

Ben is one of those people who will always be a CEO. He has me convinced that entrepreneurship is the best thing that has ever happened to him. So much so that he created two products to help you do the same.

You’ll be seeing more of him in the next few years .

You see them everywhere. In coffee shops, hair salons, dentists offices, waiting areas, etc., and you can’t steal them because they’re free!

I always wondered how magazine publishers could leave stacks of their magazines everywhere I went. Now I know. But I’m still curious about how to get them going and what type of money free magazines can make.

I was recently contacted by a couple of 14-year-old magazine publishers from the UK and they helped answer these questions.

Sean Spooner and Louis Porter started Corby Magazine in June 2010 and they’re preparing to release their third issue. In this email interview, Sean walks us through how they got started and how they’ve already turned a profit in four months with their free magazine.

1. What are a few critical steps to publishing a magazine?

Sean Spooner

A: The main step was to make sure that there was a need for the magazine. In the local area there weren’t any magazines. There was a newspaper, however, which already took up about 90% of the local market. So making sure that the magazine was economically viable was an important step.

We also had to check that clients were willing to pay for the advertising during these tough economic times.

Lastly, we signed up to as many press releases we could from the local area. This was to ensure that we were always on top of the news and things happening both locally and nationally.

2. What tasks are involved in producing, printing, and distributing a magazine?

A: The first task is always to plan (of course). Planning in our market is vital. We need to know what is happening and when. We need to ensure that there are recourses in place for us to get to an event, cover it and report on it, quickly.

The next two tasks are production and selling.

Louis Porter, Sean's business partner.

I take charge of the design and production, and Louis does the selling. We start with a basic page plan that’s not set in stone. We design and sell around this template. However, if something were to happen which makes big news in the area, we’d phase out another feature and report on the bigger piece.

There are then two steps left. The first is printing. Being a local magazine we keep it local and print with a local printer. By this time we have already contacted all of the printers in the town to get the best quote. The printing is paid for by the revenue made from the advertising.

Lastly we distribute. It takes a few days to get all of the copies into local hair dressers, doctors, dentists, community areas and reception rooms. (We decided early on not to distribute to houses, as they’d get binned, bring in a low readership and high costs.)

3. How do you make money from the free magazine?

A: We make revenue from Corby Magazine by selling adverts to local companies and organisations. Louis takes care of selling the advertising space. He starts by going to all of the small businesses in the town, conducting a short pitch, then answering any questions. This has proved rather successful for us so far.

We then go about designing the adverts. I take charge of this. The process is simple. We get a brief, design to the brief, the clients proof it, we take payment and that’s that.

4. What’s your vision for Corby Magazine?

A: My vision is simple; Corby Magazine to be in every home in Corby, every shop, and ever local business by 2012.

We plan to get there following the rate of growth that the magazine has already seen. Issue one broke even with 12 pages, issue two made a profit with 16 pages and issue three also plans to turn a profit with 36 pages.

In the future we plan to increase the amount that we distribute, the costs of this will be covered by the advertising rates being increased.

5. What advice would you give a young entrepreneur interested in magazine publishing?

A: If you’re going to do a magazine, make sure it’s something that you’re passionate about. Don’t do it about something you know nothing about. If you love it, it will come across in your writing.

Do not move too fast, and make sure that you check all of the printers; sometimes people can take advantage of the fact that you are young. Keep your wits about you, and do something amazing.

Confession: I had no idea they were young entrepreneurs until Sean pointed out that they were both younger than Savannah Britt, the world’s former-youngest magazine publisher. Due to they’re professionalism, I was thinkin’ mid-30′s. Go check out the awesome job they’re doing at CorbyMagazine.com and BiggishMedia.com.

Photo by: BrittneyBush

Adam Toren has been an entrepreneur since he was seven years old. In high school, he and his brother, Matthew, used to import stereos and magic kits from Hong Kong to sell back home in Vancouver. They soon began buying struggling businesses, like pool halls and printing companies, and then rejuvenating them.

They’re still helping businesses today through BizWarriors.com, but they’ve also started helping young people follow in their entrepreneurial footsteps. In 1999, Adam and Matthew launched YoungEntrepreneur.com, which has become the largest website in the world dedicated to empowering and educating aspiring entrepreneurs. They’ve also written a book on the subject, entitled, Kidpreneurs – Young Entrepreneurs with BIG Ideas.

Today, Adam makes his home in Phoenix, Arizona. He’s 35 – and we’re including him here to provide a glimpse into the life, insight, and experience of an entrepreneur who has seen it all, but who’s still young at heart.

The following is a short excerpt from 50 Interviews: Young Entrepreneurs (Volume 1). Get a free chapter at the bottom.

Q: What drove you above and beyond, to entrepreneurship?

A: My brother and I discovered entrepreneurship at early ages, before either of us were nine years old. We realized quite quickly that an entrepreneur is a visionary, a risk-taker, and a builder of businesses.

We grew up learning the entrepreneurial lifestyle from our grandfather, Joe, who had been an entrepreneur all his life. He actually set us up on our first entrepreneurial venture selling these little stunt airplanes called Dipper-Do’s at a local folk festival. He taught us the proper way to use the stunt plane to really wow the audience and we sold out of them before the folk festival was over. What a great feeling for a couple of kids seven and eight years old! So it began: the entrepreneurial bug had bitten us.

We then went from mini-venture to mini-venture throughout our schooling years. From importing stereo equipment and magic kits from Hong Kong, we learned a lot and made some money along the way. Then, as soon as we graduated from high school, we took the money we had earned and bought a struggling billiard hall in an up-and-coming part of our town.

This is where we learned the saying that you hear so often from entrepreneurs: “We poured our blood, sweat, and tears into that business.” We built the billiard hall into quite the happening spot, with a stage for live jazz, a liquor license, and a small café within the location. We ended up getting a great offer to sell in our 12th month of being in business.

Some things have definitely stayed the same since our first business venture: our dedication, work ethic, determination, and our passion to help others start, manage, and grow successful business ventures.

Q: What do you want to be when you grow up?

A: My brother and I have some exciting plans in the works. We are working on creating a fund for young entrepreneurs, which will allow us to invest smaller amounts of capital ($5,000-$25,000) to assist in launching solid business ideas, while also providing the mentorship and support that all of us entrepreneurs need during our journey.

We’ve done a lot and plan to do a lot more. I think that my 18-year-old self would be very impressed with what my brother and I have accomplished so far in this chapter of our entrepreneurial life. Stay tuned for much more, though!

Q: Anything else you would like to add?

A: Thanks for inviting me to participate in such a great interview and what looks to be a superb collection of interviews. I’m looking forward to reading the book and spreading the word!

This is an abridged version from Adam’s BONUS interview in our latest project, 50 Interviews: Young Entrepreneurs. Adam is a seasoned entrepreneur who can spot opportunities from 882 miles away. He gave me a call after receiving our promotional copy in the mail and I was thrilled to have the opportunity to pick his brain. Keep a close eye on what he’s doing at YoungEntrepreneur.com.

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Lane Sutton is a social media guru, webmaster, and critic. He also happens to be a 13-year-old from Boston.

We talked with Lane about his website, KidCriticUSA.com. Speaking like a seasoned business pro, Lane revealed how he got started, how he handles his clients, and how he reacted after getting a phone call from Forbes Magazine.

See what Lane is up to at LaneSutton.com or you can follow him on Twitter (@KidCriticUSA).

Listen to Lane Sutton’s Interview

Listen to it while you eat! (25:57)
Download audio file (Lane-Sutton-Interview.mp3)

Read Lane Sutton’s Interview

Q: How did you get a knack for entrepreneurship so early?

A: I had been inspired by my father, who is an entrepreneur himself. He’s a disc jockey, so he plays music for events and mixes. I was pretty amazed that someone could make money by doing what they love. That’s exactly what my father does. So, I’ve been an entrepreneur since I was five years old.

It all started when I went to my local newspaper company and I took a tour of the newsroom. It made me want to write my own little newsletter or newspaper. So, I came home and I think I was up writing until two in the morning.

I compiled a bunch of news stories and I rewrote them, adding my own little twists. Then I printed it out and distributed it to local family and friends. I think I charged two dollars. But, I loved doing it. I was getting paid to write about things that I was interested in. I just loved having my own business built around a passion or a hobby. That continued for a bit. Then I wrote a few books and that’s kind of when everything sprung up.

Q: What sets you apart from any other 13-year-old?

A: Certainly the part about [starting a business] as a five-year-old. Business is something that I truly love. But the reason I started is that I love to write. I write for my website and run all of my business operations myself.

When people meet me, they’re like, “Whoa – this kid is 13? Why isn’t he on the playground, playing sports, or doing regular activities?” They go out of their minds sometimes. They just don’t understand it, because they don’t realize that this is what I really like to do.

I think that’s what sets me apart at school. I excel at business, numbers, and I love using technology. A lot of teens spend a lot of time texting, just in their own little world. Or they’re surrounded by friends and just hanging out. Why not get ahead and take a leap in their future?

Q: What do your friends think?

A: My friends will go home and check out my website. Then they come to school and say, “That was really you writing? I mean, come on! Dude, you’re 13 years old.” I also contribute to my local newspaper now and I write about some happenings at our school. So I’ll bring in some copies that have been published for my teachers to see, especially my language arts teacher. She’s just amazed.

My family was amazed when I got the call from Forbes Magazine. I had responded to a HARO query (HelpAReporter.com) and Forbes just called me. I was actually riding my bike and when I came home, I checked my phone. I ran upstairs and listened to the message probably like three times. Then I ran downstairs and told my parents.

[My family] was just amazed by what could happen with web and email. I couldn’t believe it either – because getting into one of those publications has been one of my lifelong dreams. My family has always been very supportive and they’ve given me advice – especially my dad, since he’s been running his own business for a while now.

Q: What would you tell an up-and-coming entrepreneur?

A: If you’re interested in entrepreneurship, then start early. It’s the best thing you can do. It’s what I did and I’ve already learned so much at a young age. I can even teach adults and speak to adults at speaking engagements. They haven’t heard of this stuff with social media.

I’d even tell adults to start early. They could be working for corporate America or something, but they have a passion that they haven’t [pursued]. If their passion is painting, they could sell paintings. So, whatever you’re doing, start early.

Q: How should someone get started?

A: Dream your idea. Start brainstorming. Food is really easy [to get into]. You always need that. Clothing is big as well. We need office supplies, school supplies. So you can kind of think of your category. Then, use test groups. Maybe you’ll give the product to them for free, so you can get some good feedback for improvement.

Then do market research. You could give a survey in your school to see if the students are interested in your product. Look at some competitors, like local businesses. If they’re public and they have a stock, take a look. See how it’s doing. You can find a lot of the information online and then you can see if the product is really in need.

Q: You’ve got a big vision. Where do you go from here?

A: My goal is to be the CEO of a large technology company. I want to be the next Apple, Inc. I have to work from the bottom.

If you want to get to the top, then you start at the lowest point. That could be an engineer, a call center person, or whatever it may be. Then you have to go up. You might become a senior engineer. Once you get to the top, you probably go from vice president to senior vice president and then you finally reach CEO of the company.

Q: You were one of the first people to purchase our book. What is your honest critique?

A: I’ve only read the first couple interviews, because I have my bookcase full of books that I’ve been wanting to read. I was inspired by Emil Motycka. He mows lawns and I don’t mow lawns, but I was shocked at how he could earn [$135K his senior year of high school]. Most people couldn’t even do that until they’re 30.

I was inspired by how he could have that many clients and still balance life. Sometimes I have trouble balancing. Homework comes first. After I’ve finished my homework, which could be right after dinner, I could be working from 6 to 9. If I don’t have homework, I’ll be working the second I get home.

Thanks, Lane!

I know what you’re thinking… Yes, Lane is only 13 years old. I’ve come across Lane’s site a few times in my entrepreneurial perusings and I was blown away when I saw that he bought our book! He already has a remarkable story and I can’t wait to see where he goes from here. You can get into contact with Lane or find more information about him at:

• LaneSutton.com
• Lane on Twitter (@KidCriticUSA)
• KidCriticUSA.com

Joe Penna grew up on a little-trafficked street in São Paulo, Brazil. When his mother needed help getting more customers to come to her yard sale, Joe used the family computer to design signs that he then posted around town. It was his first taste of business.

When Joe was 12, his family moved to the United States. Joe attended the University of Massachusetts to become a cardiothoracic surgeon, but he eventually dropped out to follow his passion for video.

After bouncing around working on local commercials and music videos in Boston, Joe decided to pack his bags for Los Angeles to start making YouTube videos full-time. His channel, called Mystery Guitar Man, features a new video every Tuesday and Thursday, usually combining Joe’s love for music with unconventional video editing and black sunglasses.

Since getting started in June 2006, Mystery Guitar Man has amassed almost over 1.4 million subscribers and over 76 million over 150 million total views – making it the 13th 6th most subscribed channel on YouTube.

He has since launched a second channel, called jp. His videos, like ‘Guitar: Impossible’ and ‘Root Beer Mozart’, have won various awards and have been featured on television programs around the world. He recently directed his first nationally televised commercial, for McDonald’s and Coke. Joe just turned 23 years old.

The following is a short excerpt from 50 Interviews: Young Entrepreneurs (Volume 1).

Our Exclusive Interview with Joe Penna

This is actual footage from the real Mystery Guitar Man that only him and us have access to, until now!

Enhanced Transcript

Joe on Being Young

It’s tough for people to take you seriously when you’re young. They don’t see it as any kind of prejudice, but I think it is a prejudice. You are looking down on somebody just because they’re young.

Young and inexperienced go together in a lot of people’s minds, but that’s not the case in the way I see it. I think people can be quite experienced or at least talented at a young age.

We young people have a lot of stamina. We can make videos until six in the morning like I have sometimes. So that’s definitely a plus.

Joe on Dropping out of Medical School (Bonus)

College just wasn’t working out for me, because I had picked the wrong thing.

But when I first quit, the only people who said that it was a good idea were my parents. I was like, “I want to do this crazy, creative thing and eventually I want to do YouTube full-time.” My parents were like, “Give it a try. If it doesn’t work out in a year, reconsider your options. But you’re going to regret it for the rest of your life if you don’t give it a try.”

At the time, I was making $900 a month off of YouTube with $850 in rent. So sometimes it was like, “Do I pay Chase credit card this month? Or do I pay for Ramen noodles?”

Joe on His Parents

Yeah, they are super proud of me. My dad knows more about my YouTube than I do. He calls me sometimes. Once he called me at three in the morning. He’s like, “Joe! There’s a bad comment on one of your videos. Go delete it right now.” I’m like, “Dad, it’s three in the morning. I can delete it in the morning.” He calls me every time, “Hey, you’re 13 now! I’ve done the math; it’s so many days until you’re 12.” I’m like, “That’s great. Thanks dad.” So, yeah, my dad’s really supportive.

My mom sends everything that I do: books, CNN, interviews, every single link. She spams it out to all of her family members. So, yeah, they’re super supportive of what I do.

Joe on Inspiration

For my YouTube videos, I take inspiration from everywhere in life. I see things around and I’m like, “Oh! These cool glasses. What can I do with these glasses? Juice bottle! What can I do with this juice bottle?” I’m not trying to sell anything. Buy a bunch of mini-joes, paste them up on the wall, and then do a video like that.

I’m constantly thinking of new ideas, different things that I can do.

Joe on Doing What You Love

If you’re not doing what you love to do, at least give it a chance. I gave myself a year to try YouTube out, and it worked out for me. Give it time, too. Don’t be like, “This isn’t working out. I’ve been trying it for a week. I’m going to try something else.” Give it some time.

I tried it for a year and it worked out. If you think that you’re going to love something, give it a try. You’re going to kick yourself in the butt for the rest of your life if you don’t.

Mystery Guitar Man here, guys. Thanks for watching my video!

My Personal Favorite MGM Video

Paper Mosaic

This is how you build a community. So cool!

Oh, by the way…

Here’s the “Making of” the commercial for McDonald’s and Coke that Joe directed:

This is an abridged version from Joe’s interview in our latest project, 50 Interviews: Young Entrepreneurs. We discovered Mystery Guitar Man about three months ago and he was sitting at about 650,000 subscribers. A few days ago, he surpassed 1 million! Since we conducted the interview less than a month ago, he jumped from 13th to 11th most subscribed. Brilliant marketing. Check him out on YouTube and Facebook.

Joe Penna’s Top Quotes

“Every single person I know who is successful at what they do is successful because they love doing it.”

“If you think that you are going to love something, give it a try. You’re going to kick yourself in the butt for the rest of your life if you don’t.”

Want even more inspiration?

Don’t miss 38 more inspirational quotes from crazy-young entrepreneurs like Joe:
40 Entrepreneurship Quotes You’ve Never Heard >>