Struggling with schoolwork and attendance, a Perthshire teenager decided to leave school to start his own business.
A work placement at Macintyre Wealth Management last year spurred former Breadalbane Academy pupil Kyle Munro to make a change.
In April, the 17-year-old set up website design and social media management agency K Munro before leaving school this summer.
He says: “I didn’t like school at all and I don’t think school is for everyone.
“I was skiving a lot of lessons and didn’t want to go in for school, so it definitely was affecting my mental health.
“I thought ‘what’s the point of being here when I’m just miserable?'”
After leaving school, Kyle also became Macintyre Wealth’s full-time digital marketing assistant, which taught him how to build up his own business.
Supportive environment to grow venture
Coming into a working environment with supportive managers has allowed the 17-year-old to not only grow his business, but also develop personally.
Kyle says: “It was good to be in an environment with people bouncing ideas, it was much more free than being at school.
“Jennifer and Andrew – the directors at Macintyre Wealth – helped me massively with everything I need to go forward with my business.
“They took a chance on me and it’s amazing.”
As a part of the Young Person’s Guarantee, Kyle will be at the firm until January when he goes fully self-employed.
Director Andy says the firm actively works with the local school to showcase careers in financial services.
“When Kyle approached us about work experience, he was unsure what he wanted to do,” he says.
“During his time with us he has found his niche not in financial advice, but in digital marketing.
“We are delighted to support and mentor him in launching his own business.”
Passion discovered at work
Kyle first discovered his passion for creating websites when working at a pet store five years ago.
He was tasked with making a website for the store. He got to work, not realising it would become his new passion.
“I was so engrossed in doing it, I loved it and it could be something that I could do,” he recalls.
“It fizzled out a little bit, but I was still doing little projects on the side.
“This year I hit the ground running and went for it.”
Describing himself as independent and a frequent user of the phrase “my way or the highway”, having his own business means freedom for Kyle.
The youngest of four children, the teenager has had support for his new venture from his parents and his siblings.
He has also received funding and guidance from Perth and Kinross Council and GrowBiz to buy equipment.
Goals for K Munro
Ahead of going fully self-employed in January, the young entrepreneur has set some goals for himself and K Munro.
“I want to become financially stable enough to be self-employed and still be able to live a life,” says Kyle.
“But also to build up a bigger client network and work with local businesses and new businesses starting up.
“In the long term, I want to help people understand social media and how to create a website.
“My personal goals are to work on myself, spread those wings even further, be myself and build up my own mental well-being.”
Conversation