HE WANTED to start his own company to bring go-karts here when he was just 12.
But Mr Daniel Charles learnt in short order that he had neither the capital nor a business plan to make it happen then.
Today, at 20, he has not one but two companies in the motor racing business - and a diploma in marketing that he will receive from Nanyang Polytechnic this week.
He had chosen to study marketing so it would further his businesses - one selling motor sports products which he started three years ago, and another, a month-old service-oriented business bringing the experience of driving anything, from a go-kart to Formula 1 car, to paying clients.
The young businessman has had his fair share of bumps. Recalling his first business deal, he said that 'everything that could go wrong went wrong'.
A shipment of go-karts was delayed in production, and when they were ready, they were delivered to South Africa instead of Singapore.
And then when they arrived at the port, he did not have the necessary paperwork to receive the items.
Still, he made $6,000. In half a year, he had a turnover of more than $50,000, and his company, DNA Motorsports, was off to a flying start.
For the past three years, he had been juggling his businesses and studies, but remained a motivated student: 'While everyone was taking notes for exams, I was taking notes to help my business.'
He found a module in international marketing particularly useful for his dealings with overseas clients.
He learnt, for instance, that an e-mail in English to France ought to be followed by a French translation of it, and that 'people do not have to speak English to deal with me. I should learn to speak their language'.
His second 'baby', Global Racing Alliances, links racing enthusiasts with his network of 300 racing schools around the world, where his customers can drive any kind of car.
A day on a Porsche costs US$1,200 (S$1,640), an F1 car, 2,100 euros (S$4,467), and a go-kart, US$400.
His company also makes travel arrangements. Getting to the race site by private jet is an option available to his wealthier clients.
Being virtually a one-man show and having to deal with clients from across time zones, he sleeps just four hours a day on average.
With the diploma under his belt, there is national service (NS) to get through next. He has found a partner to manage his businesses while he serves his NS.
Asked if he is a born risk-taker, he said: 'I take calculated risks. I am young, I have a diploma. At most, I will be declared a bankrupt and work in an administrative job. That is not that bad.'
This article was first published in The Straits Times on May 19, 2008
