Teen Mogul

Teen Mogul

Adriana Balvaneda, Features Co-Editor

Angel Rivas, remember that name. Why you may ask, well at 15 he’s his own boss. At an age where most teens are living their worst nightmares job wise, having the bottom of the barrel job and miniscule wage, Rivas has been running his own t-shirt company that he created last year at only 14!

Rivas partnered up with a company named spreadshirt. Rivas is responsible for designing shirts, and the company deals with printing and distributing the product. Rivas has named his company Rivasic Rivas’s shirts. To further promote his business Rivas even has his own website (aat213.spreadshirt.com). Prices for his products range anywhere from $8 to $20 dollars a shirt. But Rivas also sells a selection of both men and women tees, he evens has incorporated hoodies in his company.You would think being your own boss would get up to your head but not for the down to earth guy like Rivas. But that is not to say he doesn’t dream big. His next step for his company is to ”Expand my products and not just make t-shirts and sweaters. I want to start making hats and other clothing items too.”

Rivas is also debating whether or not to expand his business by expanding his designs to go along with this year’s Junior Olympics, which would offer new designs to students to show off their school spirit this year.

When asked the reaction he gets from people once they learn he owns his own company, he said he usually gets the same priceless response: ”What? You own a company? Let me check this out!”

But starting a business isn’t easy and takes preparation. Rivas has taken Entrepreneurship class, which has really helped him learn how to expand his company and learn how to read his customers. By allowing him to know what is trending and what design will make the most profit, Rivas even stated that he takes request for custom designs and will come up with a product that his customers will like.

So far this upcoming business for Rivas has come with success. His proudest accomplishment in his business is making a sizable profit that he earned all by himself. Having your own business at any age is difficult so how does Rivas do it all so well?  He thanks his recently learned skill: time management. Rivas right now is focused on getting good grades in high school but still is learning how to manage business.

So what does the  future hold for hard-working Rivas. He wants to be a businessman, what kind doesn’t matter to him. As along as at the end of the day, it’s him calling all the shots.