17 - year old girl makes up to $70,000 a month with a MySpace site !
By admin on Sep 7, 2007 in Business, General, International
Fast Company published a fairly long article in the September edition of their magazine about the 17-year old Ashley Qualls.
This girl runs a MySpace layout and graphics site called Whateverlife. I never heard about this site before but she seems to be doing amazingly well, according to the article the three-year old site receives 7 million unique visitors and 60 million page views a month and this earns her up to $70,000 a month.
Most of this revenue seems to come through Google AdSense and ValueClick.
At 17 going on 37 (at least), Ashley is very much an Internet professional. In the less than two years since Whateverlife took off, she has dropped out of high school, bought a house, helped launch artists such as Lily Allen, and rejected offers to buy her young company. Although Ashley was flattered to be offered $1.5 million and a car of her choice–as long as the price tag wasn’t more than $100,000–she responded, in effect, Whatever. :) “I don’t even have my license yet,” she says.
Ashley is evidence of the meritocracy on the Internet that allows even companies run by neophyte entrepreneurs to compete, regardless of funding, location, size, or experience–and she’s a reminder that ingenuity is ageless. She has taken in more than $1 million, thanks to a now-familiar Web-friendly business model. Her MySpace page layouts are available for the bargain price of…nothing. They’re free for the taking. Her only significant source of revenue so far is advertising.
I already knew that MySpace related sites can bring in a lot of money but this story amazed me, the kind of money she’s pulling in from this site is stunning. Looks like I’m in the wrong niche lol :P
You can read the full story over here. One of the funny things is that a court ruled in January that neither Ashley nor her parents are allowed to manage her finances:
Until she turns 18, next June, a court-appointed conservator is controlling Whateverlife’s assets; Ashley must request funds for any expense outside the agreed-upon monthly budget.
The arrangement, she says, affects her ability to react in a volatile industry. “It’s not like I’m selling lemonade,” she says. Besides, it’s her company. If she wants to contract developers or employ her mother, Ashley says, why shouldn’t she be able to do it without the conservator’s approval?
So the teenager has hired a lawyer. She wants to emancipate herself and be declared an adult. Now. At 17. Why not just sit tight until June? The girl trying to grow up fast can’t wait that long.
via thomasdemaesschalck.com
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31 Comment(s)
By joe on Sep 7, 2007 | Reply
Anyone capable of earning $70,000/mo without breaking the law deserves to be treated as an adult.
By Rich on Sep 7, 2007 | Reply
here here
By Brian Herman on Sep 7, 2007 | Reply
I can only imagine what she will be earning when she’s 37!
Why doesn’t she retire then?
By naturegirl on Sep 7, 2007 | Reply
Wow, amazing! If I stumble on that site I would never imagine that!
By brent on Sep 7, 2007 | Reply
Hoax.
By Steve on Sep 7, 2007 | Reply
Brent, it’s not a hoax. I’ve spoken with Ashley before, and she’s doing very well for herself. :)
By andrew on Sep 7, 2007 | Reply
looks like its time to put my website idea to the test. i mean, if shes 17 and dropped out of high school, you would think a 20 yr old junior in college studying computer science could scrap something together to make a little money…..maybe youll write about me someday
By Winter on Sep 7, 2007 | Reply
I just hope some of that (actually, MOST of that) is being saved. It might seem silly now, but she’ll likely be kicking herself later if she doesn’t.
What a ridiculous decision though. She created the company and made it what she is today, but the court thinks some random other person is going to do a better job? Yeah, that’s going to work well.
By foshizl on Sep 7, 2007 | Reply
she can foshizl on my nizzl!
By Chester on Sep 7, 2007 | Reply
Wow, I must be doing something wrong. I wish I could have that kind of luck. I agree with Winter and hope she is saving most of that. With that kind of start in life she will be able to do whatever she wants! I hope she doesn’t just waste the gift that has been given to her.
By foshizll on Sep 7, 2007 | Reply
She can foshizl on my nizzl!!
By Ocelot on Sep 7, 2007 | Reply
Actually, Winter’s hope (that she save some money) is why the court is involved. This is similar to California’s Coogan Law (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coogan_Law). Child actor Jackie Coogan lost most of his earnings when his parents spent his wealth. The court is just trying to make sure she really does reach 18 with her earnings intact.
By geo on Sep 7, 2007 | Reply
Proving again as google as proven for years that the most successful internet business model is give stuff away that people want for free and make money off the advertisers on your site.
Now however that her successful nichew is known competitors with deep internet cross connections will do the same thing and out promot e her and she will be to lose share. Also proven model.
Unless she can replicate her model in other areas her earning potential is topped out now and she should sell for a better price.
By Lawl on Sep 7, 2007 | Reply
Andrew: If your Major is Computer Science, I wouldn’t bet on that ;o
By kev on Sep 7, 2007 | Reply
yea i hope shes saving some of it especially if she is making 70k a month most people don’t make that in a year. good for her
By TSM Group 2 on Sep 7, 2007 | Reply
Way to go Ashley. Bravo! (no sarcasm or pun intended). Any tips to lend to the fewer and less fortunate?
Don’t blame you, secrets learned are very hard earned! Hope you save most of the income wisely for later years to come. Don’t forget to enjoy the freedom too.
Congrats! I would love to reach that goal one day soon! Thank you for another inspiring story!
By DotComCrashPartDuece on Sep 7, 2007 | Reply
Part 2 of the dot com crash is coming soon.
By conor on Sep 7, 2007 | Reply
if she did this till she was 37 shed be so rich
By Forex Blog on Sep 8, 2007 | Reply
After all it is not so hard to make those money. Just put it as a goal and go for it! Sooner or later you will do it!
By Steve on Sep 10, 2007 | Reply
This 17 year old obviously has business sense way beyond her age. Saving the money is by far the wrong choice and she seems to already understand that. She needs to invest the money wisely in order for it to grow. Saved money depreciates in value.
By Underhill on Sep 12, 2007 | Reply
Conor: I doubt myspace will still be around when she’s 37
By toolibra on Sep 13, 2007 | Reply
You go girl (I mean ma’m). Creativity and the courage to act on it are not reserved for the “over 18″ crowd. If she’s smart enough to take on the challenges of the internet and win then she can do whatever she thinks is necessary.
Who Are the courts to decide whats best for someone in business who’s not harming anyone but acting as an inspiration for other budding entrepreneurs.
WOW!!
By ultramancool on Sep 14, 2007 | Reply
Fucking hillarious, I hit the site, see a giant “Sponsored by:” and I’m like “
By CBR on Sep 16, 2007 | Reply
Great story and what an inspiration she is! Good on her I say, at just 17 its very cool and I am glad she did not sell out.
By Audrey D on Oct 15, 2007 | Reply
Ashley…You GO gurl! You are doing your thing and enjoying every minute of the ride! I applaud you. You didn’t get to where you are acting like a childish, immature, materialistic, self endulging, self centered, boy crazy, overly hormonal kid (as most teen girls would be)! You are a VERY smart, bright and capable BUSINESS WOMAN which ALL females should look to and emulate! Guarantee you, if THEY had the ability to be handed that kind of money…their first stop on the road to fame would be to try and outshine and hang with the Paris Hilton’s of the world! So good for you and keep on investing back into your company and into people who ONLY have your BEST interests at heart!
~Audrey
TheVacationDivas.com
TheFundraisingDiva.com
By Jack on Oct 24, 2007 | Reply
There is a very important factor for Ashley’s success: GOOD KARMA from past lives. Ingenuity alone is not enough.
By james on Jan 8, 2008 | Reply
wow you go girl,
By feetlover on Feb 5, 2008 | Reply
Nice feet, Ashley !
By jason on Feb 14, 2008 | Reply
not it is not i have seen this story on the news she is real and really makes that much
By james on Feb 26, 2008 | Reply
that site must have a lot advertisers because it practically empty with all the ad filtered images in firefox.
By Jon on Feb 28, 2008 | Reply
Lucky girl! I think it’s a matter of being in the right place at the right time, like a lot of things.