Jr's Pit Stop

Help me become an entrepreneur under 18! I want to open and operate a mechanic garage!

I’m Jeremy, and I’m a mechanic! I’ve been told that from before I can remember, I have had a love for learning how things worked! I was the kid who took apart the pens in his mother’s purse and successfully put them back together before I could write! I loved any toys that involved screwdrivers and assembly/disassembly and mastered them early and ahead of the age recommendations. By first grade, I had gained interest in motors and machines. I started tinkering with old lawnmowers and other small engines that neighbors or family members deemed ‘broken’ or tree lawn bound! I took great pride In fixing these things and always loved the reactions of people (especially mechanics in the field who had tried to fix them but threw in the towel after too many hours invested without success) when they saw that I had got them running!

By second grade I had successfully taken apart several small engines and fully restored them to working condition. My thirst for mechanics grew and I would beg my parents to pull over for any piece of equipment I’d see on a tree lawn so that I could diagnose and master it! Halfway through third grade my parents decided homeschooling would be a better fit for me to learn and grown in, and I started interest-based learning rooted in mechanics.

By age ten I moved on to tractors and larger machines, and finally took a shot at my first car, a 20 year old, broke down Chevy S10 that had been sitting too long without running. As you can anticipate, I brought that truck out of the graveyard and it’s still running today! That project got me interested in welding (most of the floorboard had rusted away) and I soon learned another trade! I was learning math and other concepts that kids my age weren’t even aware existed! I gained real world experience through learning with a hands on approach in a field I’m passionate about. Field trips included events at Dragway 42, and internships included hours logged at a local diesel mechanic shop. Needless to say, I felt lucky and fortunate.

By the time I turned 13, my parents were showing more and more confidence in my work and gave me the opportunity to fix a diesel truck in the family business’s commercial fleet! From brakes to break lines, and transmissions to exhaust systems, I have successfully repaired and maintained their commercial semi trucks and haulers for the last two years.

Some kids are advanced in music or art. Some kids go to college early and become physicians. But me? I’m advanced in mechanics, and the real world is my university. I’m ready to take the next step. I’ve met a retired mechanic who is leasing his commercial mechanic garage and wants to give me the opportunity to grow. I’ll be overseen by adults as I complete my certification in the next year, but the business will be mine. I just need help with the expenses that go into starting it! I have been operating a popcorn business for the last 5 years, selling popcorn at my parent’s market, and have grown that business from a small home use popcorn machine to commercial equipment and stocking two stores. I’ve used the revenue I’ve generated from that business to purchase most of the tools I’ll need to run a successful garage!

This is my dream! This is an amazing opportunity for me! To grow as a mechanic, to learn the art of entrepreneurship, and to earn and save money for my future. Please consider donating to my fund! I will use the donations to repair the existing lifts in the garage, for tools, uniforms, signage, marketing expenses and my first few months rent. Your donation could very well pave the way for a successful future! Please help me start a business in mechanics!