Caleb Nelson and the story of Rickshaw Romeo is yet another fabulous example of why it is important to keep your eyes and ears open! Caleb overheard a discussion that his father was involved in – his father, a hotel owner, was looking for ways to attract more people to the downtown. Caleb’s gears started turning and he came up with an idea: a pedicab business. He would pedal a bicycle attached to a carriage where his passengers would ride.

There was one major hang-up: Caleb was 14 at the time. Purchasing the pedicabs would cost nearly $10,000, not exactly money a 14-year-old could find under the couch cushions.

In true entrepreneurial fashion, Caleb decided to make a deal with his father: if Caleb raised half of the money needed to finance his venture, his father would create the other half. His father readily accepted the challenge. In short order, Caleb had raised $5,000 from selling advertisement space on his future pedicab. His father dutifully contributed the other $5,000 and Caleb was off and rolling!

He planned his launch to coincide with a local Shakespeare festival, even providing his peddlars with period correct clothing. The business was a huge success, and Caleb is well on his way to becoming the sole owner of his business (his father currently still owns part of it).

This story is a lesson in several things. For one, it is so crucial to keep your eyes and ears open. You never know how you will stumble on a new business idea. Additionally, sometimes getting creative is required to secure money to start a business. Caleb could have just given up when he realized that at fourteen, he would need to raise $10,000. Instead, he viewed this as a challenge and got creative with ways to conquer that challenge. Caleb’s business is successful because of hard work, as well as creativity and attentiveness.