Bernard Schembri
Bernard Schembri
Photos by V-Squared Media & Entertainment, and Tufigno Photo & Video Services.
It was 1996 and unlike most 13-year-olds I didn’t spend a lot of time playing computer games, but I really enjoyed creating computer graphics. When I had Internet access I started wanting to express that creativity online. Back in the real world, I had just started playing table tennis competitively, so I decided my first site would be about that.
Three years later an American table tennis video production company approached me to sell its VHS tapes for a commission. They had no idea I was 16. I knew nothing about running a business but I decided to give it a try. I used some pocket money and started thinking big. I decided to build a bigger website to get more companies to sell every possible table tennis product, plus it was the perfect opportunity for me to learn how to program.
megaspin.net launched in 2001. Fifteen years later it is still running with seven-digit annual sales. Those VHS tapes are no longer for sale though.
I already knew how to program when I started my IT degree but the course gave me a much wider view of information technology which proved to be very useful later on. University is a lot more than the subjects you learn in the lecture room. The IT course definitely helped me improve my problem solving skills, manage my time, and work in teams.
The business took a lot of trial and error but I see it as an ongoing process. I am still reading books and learning. Business skill requirements change over time, especially if you are running an online business. My advice is to be aware of what you don’t know and always be willing to learn. Fortunately, there’s plenty of material online and a lot of it is free or very cheap.
University’s startup incubator TakeOff is a great support community for local tech startups, and I am happy to support it through mentoring. You can read plenty of business books, but books don’t talk back at you, at least not yet. If you isolate yourself as a startup founder, you may be missing out on important feedback and advice.
It is never too late and never too early. If you are a student it may be the best time to start because it will be harder to find spare time when you have a full time job. If you run an online business, you have access to the same global market as anyone else in the world with an Internet connection. This may sound obvious but it has never been so easy to reach such a large audience from Malta. Find a niche you are passionate about, offer something of value to others, and start small. The money will come later.