17-year-old making £15,000 a month thanks to Christmas gift reveals how he quit school to run six-figure business
A 17-year-old who is raking in almost £15,000 a month has opened up about how his life has changed thanks to a simple Christmas present from his mum.
Caelan McDonald's life was about to change forever when he was gifted a £150 Cricut Joy by his mum Karen Newsham, 49, two years ago.
It's essentially a digital drawing, cutting and printing machine, which is currently on sale through various Black Friday deals.
The Cricut Joy is pretty versatile as it can cut through a variety of materials, including vinyl, fabric, cardstock and adhesive sheets.
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Small in size, the device is able to make cards, invitations, labels and such.
However, in 2022, Caelan used it to print transfers which he stuck on glassware and acrylic. After he started sharing them on Facebook he got commissions for personalised items.
At the start of the year, he was selling 200 personalised items a month, creating each product at home, working three hours a day after school. He's now quit school to invest in bigger industrial printers.
Since July, he's sold a whopping £74,000 worth of products on TikTok shop and other platforms.
The teenager is now a full-on entrepreneur, working 16 hour days, six days a week, and on track to make £100,000 worth of sales by the end of the financial year.
His best line for Christmas is a bauble featuring personalised angel wings.
"It's 100 percent the best Christmas present I ever got - it's the gift that keeps on giving," he said.
"I never imagined it would get to this point.
"If you'd have told me last year that this would happen I'd have just laughed.
"It kind of started accidentally.
"In June I thought 'I'll just give it a try', and it's gone crazy.
"Now I'm so busy I hardly ever stop.
"The last few months have gone so fast it feels like they've been about two seconds.
"I just invest everything back into the business, but it's nice to be able to update my phone or iPad when I want or need to."
Caelan currently sells 2,500 a month, with individual transfers selling between £1.20 and £3.50, and £100.
He purchased a £4,000 UV printer in January 2024 and has since invested £30,000 in two more printers.
Karen, who works in hospitality, said: "I'm incredibly proud of him, and so glad he's followed his own journey.
"I worried and wanted him to stay in education, but he was very unhappy and spending hours travelling in the cold when he wanted to be working.
"By June he had a really clear idea of what he wanted to do so we took some advice and I thought it was worth letting him try.
"He's always been entrepreneurial. He's great at selling, and listening and responding to his customers, and knowing what's on trend.
"He's extremely hard working and he's certainly taught me a lot."
Anish Vij