It’s 6:00 p.m. on a school night, and rather than staying home and finishing his school work like most other students, senior Eyob Mengistu is at the library helping a third grader solve a math problem.

He sits with the kid, guiding him through the worksheet one step and one proof at a time.
Mengistu is especially unique because he is a rising entrepreneur.

Along with tutoring elementary school students, Eyob has also created two other personal businesses: Eyob Cuts and Eyob Landscaping.
Eyob Cuts is Mengistu’s barber business, while Eyob Landscaping is his yard work service.

Mengistu started working on his tutoring as well as his landscaping business this year, but he began his hair cutting service during his sophomore year, offering his friends inexpensive haircuts after school.

“I needed money quick and I hated my boss back then,” said Mengistu. “I quit and made my own business.”
However, as successful as he considers himself to be now, it is difficult starting a business. During his very early days however, his jobs were tough.
It was difficult for him to generate profit during the early stages of creating his business.

Just like anything, however, Mengitsu was able to adapt and learn as time progressed in order to create a better business plan.
“Now, I am better at finding more local jobs,” said Mengistu. “I advertise on neighborhood apps and also news spreads quickly by word of mouth promotion.”

Mengitsu also promotes his business on social media and aims to satisfy his customers.

On his Twitter account, @Eyobcuts, he even promises to spare any unsatisfied customers from any costs.

To practice his hair cutting skills, Mengistu has often practiced on his brother and willing friends.

This past summer has been the height of Mengistu’s income due to the amount of free time he had to work and promote his brands.
However, he has not let school come in between his businesses. Even though school always comes first, he has realized that with sufficient and tactical time managing skills, he is still able to make money.

“I try to work during the weekends and on days when I don’t have a lot of homework,” said Mengistu. “But I definitely have worked a lot less now than I did during the summer.”

For his landscaping business, he first consults with his clients about what they would like to have altered in their yards and properties. Mengistu then completes all their yard work and outdoor needs.

Along with his own businesses, Mengistu tutors practically every subject taught in elementary school. He meets with students and assists them with their homework and other academic struggles they may be having. He usually tutors these students at the community library, George Mason Regional Library in Annandale. This happens both on school nights and weekends as well.

On top of working on three individual and unique businesses, Mengistu has to balance his school work. This can be very challenging considering that Mengistu’s jobs are very tiring and takes up a lot of time in his day. “I try to work on the weekends and on days when I don’t have a lot of homework,” said Mengistu. “I definitely have worked a lot less now than I did in the summer.”

Even though these jobs have been tiring, Mengistu made a relatively large amount of money this past summer. He made up to $700-800 per week during the summer. This amount of money can help him invest into the future of his businesses.

Although starting a business in high school is a very ambitious venture, Mengistu’s friends and family are very supportive of his businesses.
His friends have even asked him for job opportunites to work as his employees. Mengistu has allowed some of his friends to work under him.
His parents share this enthusiasm and think that his business start ups are positive things.

Their opinion is that these jobs that have allowed him to learn to make money on his own, which is an important skill to have.
They have even started to make him pay for himself and his things to really make him feel like an adult in charge of his own money.
The relatively steady flow of income and the success of his jobs have continued to push Mengistu into continuing on, as difficult as that can be sometimes.

He also encourages other passionate high schoolers to do the same with their hobbies or interests.
“If you have an idea that you think will make money,” said Mengistu. “Run with it and stay persistent.”