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Savvy teenager launches towel cooling business out of bedroom

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A savvy teenager has launched his own cold sweat towel business out of his bedroom - and is now expecting to break £100k in revenue this year.

Harrison Nott, 15, juggles studying for his GCSEs alongside packing orders in his home and managing his own limited company.

The young entrepreneur started CoolTowel in 2023 and has since scaled up his business - having sent out 15,000 orders.

CoolTowel delivers cooling relief by wetting, wringing and snapping the towel with the three layer polyester material holding onto moisture.

Harrison, from Maldon, Essex, was soon selling his wares on TikTok shop and Shopify - and was hitting £15k in one day at a summer peak.

Harrison said: "I've seen my dad running a business my whole life and I've always wanted to run my own, and have the financial control to do things for myself. "

"I started my own first proper business at 8, reselling items on eBay. "

"It did ok and from there I've started loads of different start-ups, most of them failing and losing money on it. "

"They've given me the skills I needed to start a new one. "

"The first one that did well was CoolTowel in 2023. I put it on TikTok and Shopify. "

"I saw 50 sales a day and since then its been scaling up and up."

The idea for CoolTowel was born from Harrison's passion for fitness and squash.

Frustrated with the lack of high-quality cooling towels in the UK, he has created a product for athletes, gym-goers, and those needing relief from heat.

Committed to giving back, Harrison donates CoolTowel products to charities supporting individuals with illnesses and overheating conditions.

Harrison began with 100 stock in a box and sold them - and in 2024 Harrison's dad Matthew loaned him money for cash flow over the summer months.

By late July, Harrison hit his biggest day for revenue - £15k - and was sold out of towels for weeks.

He trademarked his brand with the help of his business teacher and became a limited company at the end of the year - much to his dad's surprise.

Harrison, who also plays for the England Squash Aspire team in Ipswich, explained: "It's about building up a solid brand that people trust."

"Over the busy summer months, I was able to utilise my dad's warehouse but I do this mostly out of my own bedroom."

"I record myself packaging up and post it on TikTok. I think its tangible for people to see the business owner do it - it's real."

Harrison said he averages around £1k a day in revenue but there are many hidden costs, including with advertisement campaigns and commission for affiliates.

Going forward, he hopes to be able to teach other people how to build up their own successful business.

The schoolboy added: "I want to help people be their best self and launch their business if they want to or get that skill they want to learn. "

"I've made a lot of mistakes but now I've got the formula and the idea to scale the business up."

"I want to see how far I can get with CoolTowel, maybe get an investment from Dragon's Den and get it into retail. "

"I think I can only go so far with it and long term I'd like to build up a personal brand and become well-known for being an entrepreneur. "

"From what I can see, I'm hoping to scale past £100k in revenue this summer. I've forecast and projected that."

Harrison has even sponsored his own school's sports day and presented as assembly about his business model.

He also has his own CoolTowel schoolbag and phone case - which he proudly wears to school - and plans to take business a-level.

Dad Matthew, 42, added: "He's a chip off the old block. "

"I admire his commitment to bettering himself and in whatever he does, squash or the business. "

"When he fails at something, he doesn't just say 'Oh I tried' - he works out where he went wrong. "

"That is so important in life."

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