While most high schoolers are investing time into things like sports or hobbies, junior Nolan Baker is a young entrepreneur running his own business. Baker’s business, “Baker Tech Services”, handles all commercial and residential technology needs. Baker has been working with informational technology for about three years, but really started doing the in depth/business work in August of 2019. It all started with working on simple stuff at his church and friends’ houses, like computers and wi-fi routers, but after many calls Baker decided there was a need for an affordable tech company in Southern Minnesota. 

Currently, Baker runs the business out of his basement, but one of his goals in the next year is to purchase a storefront so he can have better access with customers. Another one of his major goals is to double his revenue in 2021, which he said is definitely not out of the question. Baker also credits a lot of his business to his website. Baker said, “Being online is a major player in today’s world and it probably accounts for 50 percent of my customers to contact me.” One of Baker’s local customers Bill Cronin, the owner of Mineral Springs Brewery said, “Nolan did an exceptional job for us. He was attentive to our needs, designed a great system, and installed it timely.” Just like every entrepreneur Baker has his struggles too. He says the hardest part about running a business at this young of an age has been getting insurance and banking, but he has been about to get through those obstacles.  

Running a successful business is very challenging at this stage in someone’s life, which makes it extremely rewarding. When asked what makes running his business rewarding Baker said, “Happy customers. When someone comes with a computer that is not working and you can send them out with a functioning computer within a day or two, it is incredibly rewarding.  Another thing that helps is that I enjoy what I am doing, in this job no two days are alike. On Monday I may be repairing a laptop but on Tuesday I could be 50 feet in the air on a boom lift working on long-range wireless internet.”

Being an entrepreneur is difficult alone, but when combining that with being a full-time high school student and being involved in other activities can be extremely grueling. When asked what advice he would give to other students looking to start their own business he said, “It’s a lot of work, if you are not prepared for late nights, early mornings, and less free time starting a business will throw you for a loop.”