What is it like running a business as a high school student?

The short answer: It is a lot of fun and very rewarding.

I am currently a junior in high school. I started Hype NJ back when I was in 8th grade. What started as a small hobby of me buying t-shirts from Supreme and selling them on my instagram page has grown to me talking with distributors, wholesalers, and brands to grow my revenue to over $1,400,000 at the time of writing this post.

Last week, one of my teachers asked me how I have time to manage my schoolwork while still maintaining Hype NJ. When I thought about it, I realized that even today, Hype NJ is more of a hobby for me than a business. Don’t get me wrong, Hype NJ is making money, but it does not feel like work for me--I truly enjoy it.

I often heard the saying, "If you want something done, ask a busy person to do it." After starting my business, Hype NJ, I couldn't agree more. This year, as I tackle five AP classes, the wisdom behind this saying has become strikingly clear.

Running Hype NJ has improved my ability to manage tasks effectively. Each time I complete a task, whether for school or my business, I instinctively find myself asking, "What’s next?" This constant momentum has not only boosted my efficiency but also improved my organizational skills across all areas of my life.

Working on building Hype NJ never once felt like ‘work.’ In fact, it was sometimes the highlight of my day. That is not to say that there are never hiccups. When running a business, there are always issues that arise. There were truly frustrating moments. However, the sense of building something sustainable overshadowed the time and difficulties that I experienced.