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SALT LAKE CITY — Many entrepreneurs will tell you it takes a willingness to learn to become successful, and one Utah teen is proof that entrepreneurs come in all ages.
Like many Utah teens, 14-year-old Noah Cahoon of Highland spends much of his day keeping up with his schoolwork, Scouts and sports. But unlike his classmates, Noah's schedule also includes running a business.
"I'm shipping out order in the morning. Then I go to school, and I come back and do homework and send out emails and stuff like that, he said.
Noah is the CEO of Paper Box Pilots, a company that prints and sells stickers that children can slap on cardboard boxes and let their imaginations run wild.
"Everybody loves to play with cardboard boxes," he said. "In fact, it got introduced into the toy hall of fame — the cardboard box — because everyone loves playing with it."
Noah says the aha moment came when he and his dad walked into a store when he was just 6 years old.
"I remember seeing stickers on a shelf, and he told me, 'We can make these and have real stickers and have them on a shelf like this,'" he said.
That idea stuck. Finally, by age 13, Paper Box Pilots took flight with a sticker set transforming a cardboard box into an airplane. He has since added a fire engine and a race car.
"We have simple instructions on how to put it together, make it look like the picture," he said.
Business took off when Noah and his father, Brian, recently pitched the idea on the TV show "Shark Tank." They got offers from three of the judges.
"We were blown away (that) we were able to do that," Noah said. "It was great for us to even hear we're good enough to get one offer. So yeah, it was super exciting."
Even though he got sweeter offers money-wise, Noah made the decision to partner with "Mr. Wonderful," Kevin O'Leary.
Now Noah is focused on the future of Paper Box Pilots.
"I'd like to take it so it grows, so it's nationwide, maybe even worldwide. And I would like to extend product lines and get it in a large retailer like Wal-Mart or something," Noah said.
Noah said he may ultimately pass his company down to one of his siblings when he starts college three years from now, but he's already thinking of other entrepreneurial ideas to pursue.
"If you have an idea, my advice is to just do it," he said. "Get off the couch and start working and it will pay off for you."
