Sam’s YES company, Tech Angel, is a tech service for elderly individuals that provides a friendly, fast, and affordable service. In 2023, Tech Angel has expanded throughout Southland, and Sam is serving multiple clients per week, prioritizing customer service to give his clients the best experience possible.

Participating in YES opened Sam’s mind to another world of money, and he realized that trading time for money would not get him anywhere financially. Instead, he needed to trade a product or a service. Participating in YES gave Sam the confidence to pursue his passions and start his own business.

When asked what made him decide to do YES, Sam’s reason was that he needed to find what he was truly passionate about in life, so he gave business a shot. One of his favourite memories of his YES experience was being awarded his National Award and the invaluable skills gained from pitching his business.

Sam learned many business and life lessons from his YES experience. One of the most important lessons he learned is: “There is no such thing as failure. Instead, failure means there is more to learn”. Sam overcame several challenges during his YES journey, such as stepping outside of his comfort zone, which ultimately helped him grow both personally and professionally.

Sam’s advice to current YES students is to never doubt themselves because self-doubt is the biggest failure. He also advises them to embrace their individuality and do what makes them happy instead of fearing being judged or embarrassed. In Sam’s words, "life is too short to worry about what someone else thinks."

Sam's entrepreneurial mindset has helped him become a successful self-employed individual. His career highlight so far is when he grew his online school to reach over 550 students nationwide. Sam's dream job is to remain self-employed, and the best piece of advice he has received so far in his career is to never let someone else decide his dreams or future. Everything is in his own hands.

Having an entrepreneurial mindset is essential because it opens the mind to be more creative and think outside the box. Being an entrepreneur also teaches many life skills, which can be valuable in many different aspects of life.

The best advice he’s received so far?

“Never let someone else decide your dreams or future. Everything is in your own hands.”

Sam's story is an inspiring one. He started his own successful business through the Young Enterprise Scheme and has used his experiences to grow personally and professionally. Sam’s mission is to inspire youth to embrace their individuality and pursue their passions, and he hopes that his story will motivate others to do the same.

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