A teenager who left school at 16 has earned over half a million pounds from reselling pre-owned clothes online, funding holidays to Singapore, Thailand, and Amsterdam with his grandmother. Leon Scott, 18, from Ayr, Scotland, started selling sweets in the playground at age 13 before moving to second-hand clothing on Vinted and eBay, making around £25 a week.
From Pocket Money to Profits
By age 16, Scott was earning up to £3,000 a month in revenue while still attending school. He decided to "take a leap of faith" and leave education to focus on his business. In early 2024, he began using Tilt, a live-streaming auction app, making £25,000 that year. His revenue surged to £560,000 in 2025, and in 2026, he has already generated nearly £400,000 in sales.
Scaling Up Operations
Scott’s operation expanded from his grandmother’s spare room to a 3,000-square-foot storage unit. He typically wakes in the late morning or early afternoon, packs orders from the previous night, and then live-streams auctions from 9 pm, selling 30 to 60 items per hour. His biggest sale was a new Moncler jacket for £780.
Scott told PA Real Life: "I couldn’t be more happy with my decision. Just the thought of being trapped away in a college or university or even in an office, and then working for someone else … I like the freedom that I’ve got."
Early Beginnings
Scott started his side hustle by selling sweets to classmates, then progressed to pre-owned designer clothes from brands like Moschino, Alexander McQueen, and Versace. He reinvested all profits, gradually accumulating stock. He sourced items from friends, reselling sites, and car boot sales, making around £25 a week initially.
Within two years, his monthly sales reached £2,000. After a Tilt representative contacted him, Scott tried live-streaming auctions, earning £65 in his first hour. He soon streamed daily after school, sometimes for up to seven hours on weekends.
Leaving Education Behind
Scott lost interest in school, saying he found little value in business lessons. He attended college for a year at his parents’ request but dropped out in March 2024. "I’d realised I didn’t want to do any sort of normal job and I don’t really want someone to tell me my hours," he said. Since then, he has never looked back.
His revenue hit £3,000 per month by the time he left college, totaling £25,000 in 2024. After devoting more time to the business, his sales soared to £560,000 in 2025.
Rewarding Family and Traveling
Scott took his grandmother to Amsterdam to thank her for storing his stock. He has also traveled with friends to Singapore, Thailand, and the Canary Islands, with a trip to Vietnam planned. He advises aspiring entrepreneurs: "It’s all just consistency and putting your head down for long enough until it works. I feel like people should know that there’s a lot more out there than getting a typical job."
