Jonathan Whittle has turned his back on university, instead deciding to launch Maggleit.com – a website that aims to change the way people buy and sell products.
“I had a choice to go to university or start a business,” the 19-year-old says. “I decided that I’d be better off starting up a company than spending three years at uni.”
Maggleit.com connects manufacturers directly to their customers, cutting out retail outlets that may increase prices for shoppers or reduce profits for the companies they buy products from.
Whittle has funded the entire venture with his own savings and built the website himself. “I taught myself how to make the website after being quoted thousands of pounds to have someone else build it. It took me three months from start to finish,” he notes.
The site was launched last month and has between 25 and 30 sellers already signed up. The focus now is on attracting buyers to the venture.
So far, Whittle has no regrets about shunning the student life. “Thousands of people do business studies at university – it’s hardly a way of differentiating yourself.
"I think university is overrated.”
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