Tom Lewis began his entrepreneurial journey at age 15, freelancing from his bedroom to write travel content. By 2020, his efforts had scaled to generate £20,000 monthly income. Today, at 22, he leads a thriving ad agency in Dubai with 15 employees, valued at over £1 million, and has helped clients achieve more than £75 million in revenue.
Starting Small in Worcester
After discovering that pilot training costs were out of reach, Tom turned to freelancing for inspiration. Watching his father use platforms like Fiverr sparked the idea. He chose to create travel articles for boutique hotels and custom itineraries for tourists, charging £50 per project.
During the summer of 2018, Tom dedicated hours to his desk, often ignoring the heat. ‘I would shut my bedroom door and sit at my desk for hours on end,’ he recalls. ‘My mum would come in and remark, “Wow, it’s absolutely boiling in here.” I’d be sweating but so focused that I wouldn’t realise.’
At school, he maximized library time, chatting with librarian Mrs. Jeffrey during lunch while working on his computer. Classmates viewed him as studious, unaware of his side hustle.
Scaling Up and Skipping University
Entering sixth form, Tom raised his rates by 500% within a year, reaching £20,000 per month by 2020. While peers visited universities, he rejected the traditional path. ‘University was pushed down your throat, but I thought, “Why would I get myself into £70k worth of debt to do a normal 9-5?”’ he says. ‘Freelancing helped me to see outside of that.’
Post-college, Tom launched an online confectionery business, importing American sweets with his savings. His first delivery arrived on a large lorry, prompting his father to ask, ‘Oh God. How much stuff have you ordered?’ Undaunted, Tom stored inventory in his parents’ garage and delivered 50-60 parcels daily via electric scooter, regardless of weather.
Pivoting to Advertising Success
In late 2022, Tom expanded to other online products. A portable dog water bottle flopped, with only his mother buying one out of sympathy. Success came with Bluetooth earbuds, generating £200 daily.
Mastering ads on Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger became key to promotion. In 2023, using an inheritance from his grandmother, he completed a specialized course and returned to freelancing as an ad consultant.
At a networking event, Tom connected with a colleague of entrepreneur Steven Bartlett. This led to Diary of a CEO becoming a client. The two bonded quickly, co-founding MetaStat, an ad development agency. ‘Steven invests in entrepreneurs, not businesses,’ Tom explains. ‘He helps when help is needed.’
Growth in Dubai and Future Plans
Tom relocated to Dubai to accelerate business expansion, likening it to starting university. He maintains a small, focused circle of friends in their late 20s and early 30s. ‘My circle is small. It probably sounds very unsociable, but I have very few close friends just because I’m so focused on building my company,’ he says.
The team has grown from three to 15 members in 18 months, with plans for further expansion. Tom works 12-14 hours weekdays and most weekends, fitting in early-morning paddleball sessions. ‘I’m almost obsessed with the business and how we can grow it, so that occupies my brain most of the time.’
He advises aspiring entrepreneurs to learn a niche skill through courses and monetize it via freelancing. ‘Nine times out of 10, you can start making money from that.’
