At 14 years old, Tucker is not like any other teenager. Despite suffering from learning disabilities, this young American managed to become a successful entrepreneur.
Tucker Findley is a teenager from Virginia, United States. The least we can say is that this 14-year-old young man does not have the same activities as young people his age.
The reason? He earns up to $5,000 (4,737 euros) an hour selling golf balls. A great victory for this teenager who suffers from learning disabilities.
It was at the age of 9 that Tucker discovered his gift for business. At that time, he was failing academically and was not happy at school. As a result, he could neither read nor write, nor even count beyond 10.
It all started when the boy discovered abandoned golf balls near two golf courses. As People explains, he collected them, cleaned them and put them up for sale on Facebook Marketplace, a community platform that allows users to buy and sell items to other users.
Photo credit: Shutterstock
Against all expectations, the balls sold quickly: 2,000 in three days. Tucker, now 14, used his profits to buy more. He then demonstrated his entrepreneurial spirit by hiring friends to find and clean up the bullets.
And that’s not all! He began scouring local garage sales for vintage gems and antiques.
Photo Credit: Ryan Findley
Having difficulty at school, he becomes a successful entrepreneur
Not only was Tucker becoming an entrepreneur, but he was also learning math by counting golf balls and selling them by weight (he suffers, among other things, from dyslexia and dyscalculia, which affects the ability to understand and use numbers). .
Building on his success, he managed to convince his parents to help him open an online store on eBay. This decision allowed him to make considerable profits.
«One day, he found some items at a flea market that cost around $10. He managed to sell them in five minutes for the sum of 100 dollars each (94 euros)», Explains Ryan Findley, Tucker’s father, to People magazine.
The budding businessman has an eye for selling his merchandise. He once bought a BMX bike frame that was missing a wheel and other parts for $6, then sold the individual parts for $500 in just 24 hours.
Other impressive sales he has made include that of a Barbie doll for $1,000 (950 euros) and 600 sports cards for $20,000 (18,960 euros).
“I’m happy now”
His mother, Rebecca, helps him ship hundreds of items a day, and thousands of items, including Air Jordan sneakers, movie posters and GI Joe toys, are stored in a warehouse of more than 2,500 square meters.
In addition to his eBay store, called Tucker’s Vintage Treasures, he sells merchandise on Whatnot, a live sales marketplace aimed at collectors or enthusiasts.
According to him, he can sell more than 5,000 dollars (around 4,740 euros) of goods in an hour thanks to live auctions.
Photo Credit: Ryan Findley
As he points out, Tucker also partners with second-hand dealers in the area to find good deals. As part of his professional activities, he acquired skills in mathematics, reading, speaking and negotiation.
«I’m really happy now. The most important thing is to find what you are good at, not to focus on what you are bad at», confie Tucker.
One thing is certain: this teenager has a bright future.
