WAKE FOREST, N.C. – While many 16-year-olds spend their weekends hanging out with friends and playing video games, Ayden Lally has created a business.

In 2019, he started "Light It Up", a holiday lights installation company. Last year, he only made about $500, but this year he made over $14,000 on just one project – hanging lights on the Capital Chevrolet dealership in Wake Forest.

“It's definitely a great experience, I’ve learned a ton of stuff —managing teams, crews, getting a legit company I started, the LLC, the insurance, etc.,” says Lally.

His company was also featured this year on “The Arena”, a periodic web series by The Brian Hamilton Foundation and Junior Achievement USA, that features teen entrepreneurs and guest coaches.

“My general advice to any parents and any kids, is to start super early. I started businesses when I was nine and 10 years old. You learn a ton, you get a lot of muscle memory for what works, what doesn't work, dealing with customers, dealing with workers, dealing with vendors, so start super early,” says Brian Hamilton, tech entrepreneur and philanthropist.

While juggling a business, school work, and a social life can be challenging, Lally says it’s all worth it.

“I've had a lot of friends that say they want to start something, but wanting to and actually doing it is a very big difference. No matter what it is, how small, big, just do it– start it, doesn't matter the age,” says Lally.