Teen wins NFIB/Betty and Steve Neighbors Young Entrepreneur Award.
Meet NFIB Scholarship Winner Jason Paulos of Arizona
Jason Paulos has always been a tech wizard.
Although he has been interested in computer programming from a young age, it wasn’t until 2015 that Paulos saw the business potential of his skill with computers. After helping a friend develop a website, he decided to launch his small business, Paulo Verde Technologies LLC, in March 2015. His success since then has earned him a college scholarship, the 2016 NFIB/Betty and Steve Neighbors Young Entrepreneur Award.
Paulos helps local businesses in his hometown of Peoria, Arizona, with “a mish-mash of things,” he said. From spiffing up a business’ website to running an analysis of company data using Excel spreadsheets, Paulos’ services run the technological gamut.
The work is satisfying for the young entrepreneur because he gets to see his efforts making a difference, he said.
“You can work toward something and have a very tangible impact,” Paulos said. “Seeing my work have an effect is rewarding.”
Even though he created a website for his company, that’s not where most of his work comes from. Paulos browses websites and applies for various freelance jobs in the area. Staying up-to-date with technology and constantly researching new trends in computer software are some of the biggest challenges in succeeding in the industry, he said.
With college on the horizon, Paulos is ready to bring his business to the next level. He plans to use his scholarship to study computer programming at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the fall, and his ultimate goal is to create a mobile app for his business so consumers can more easily reach his company.
