The global AI market could reach $4.8 trillion by 2033, meaning companies like OpenAI and Microsoft stand to rake in hefty profits.
Some people are already cashing in on the increasingly ubiquitous tech, including 17-year-old Samik Sidhu of Virginia. While running two businesses — an Etsy apparel shop and a for-profit networking community — in 2024, he began investing the profits from those ventures in stocks of tech companies.
“Rather than having my money sit in an account, it was able to work for me,” Sidhu said.
Sidhu earned $37,400 by selling graphic T-shirts and other items through his Etsy shop, while the networking community amassed around $28,000. After investing around $53,100 across four companies — Nvidia, AMD, C3.ai, and SMCI — between February and May 2024, Sidhu managed to earn about $72,700. Business Insider verified the related documents.
Sidhu told Business Insider that he had a “good feeling” about investing in companies that were involved in the AI industry.
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“I caught the AI wave at the perfect time,” Sidhu said.
Although Sidhu said he wasn’t “super big” into AI, incorporating the technology into his former e-commerce business operations helped boost efficiency.
“AI helped me with branding, naming my stores, logos, color themes, niches, demographics, all that stuff,” Sidhu said. “I had confidence that over time it would only get better and better. I have literally seen the progression of AI since 2020.”
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Demand for AI technology has increased over the years, but it received a significant boost during the COVID-19 pandemic, when businesses sought to streamline operations amid shrinking budgets and remote workforces. The general public became more familiar with AI through OpenAI’s ChatGPT, a chatbot powered by a large language model. Since then, Big Tech companies like Microsoft, Apple, and Google have been racing to lead the industry.
Sidhu said he has since expanded his portfolio to include companies featured in the S&P 500, such as Apple, Microsoft, and Google.
Finding the right niche
Sidhu told Business Insider that seeing other young folks find success through e-commerce businesses sparked his entrepreneurial spirit. Since 2022, he said he has pursued various ventures, including dropshipping, flipping clothes, social media theme pages, and a print-on-demand service.
Obstacles, such as low sales or high fulfillment costs, prompted him to shutter those businesses, forcing him to reassess his approach.
“I went from business model to business model and had doubts like, ‘Oh, am I just too optimistic?’ But then again, I told myself I’ll get learning experience out of it,” Sidhu said. “I might not make money right now, but with the skills that I’m building up over my first few business ventures, one day I guarantee they’ll come in use.”
That turned out to be true in early 2024, when he set his sights on Etsy. Unlike social media, where algorithms can be tricky to read and attracting customers may feel unpredictable, Sidhu believed Etsy held promise.
“I saw it as a platform with built-in traffic and potential organic traffic, so I started uploading listings slowly,” he said.
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Sidhu launched his apparel shop in January, but closed it down in May.
“Most of my customers were happy, but the occasional customer would not receive their order or experience delayed shipping,” he said. “I didn’t really want to deal with that.”
Around that same time, in March 2024, Sidhu decided to try digital products. He said he used Signal, the encrypted messaging app, to create a networking community.
“I built a private paid Signal community where I taught teens and young adults how to get started with e-commerce,” Sidhu said. “The main focus of the community was print on demand, and how to research niches, set up stores, learn from competitors, design, and fulfill products on platforms like Shopify.”
For example, people could purchase an e-book with advice and tips for $50, or enlist Sidhu’s help in developing their company’s branding for $150. Sales for his digital products peaked in April before slowing down in May, prompting him to close the group soon after.
Always stay consistent
Being a young entrepreneur comes with its own set of challenges, such as juggling school and business or not being old enough to access certain accounts. Sidhu said the key to success is finding stability within those challenges.
“The biggest tip I would say is to pick one thing and stay consistent with it. Stay dedicated, stay disciplined, and have a schedule for it,” Sidhu said. “If you’re diving into a new business venture, know exactly what you need to get done. Know your timelines. Be strict with yourself about those timelines.”
Being persistent is also key.
“You’re going to have to adapt to a lot of different challenges that come up, and there’s always competition out there,” Sidhu said.”There’s always someone who has 10 times the amount of experience you do, who’s double your age, and has been doing it for most of their life. You need to stay consistent. Otherwise, you don’t stand a chance.”
