📺 Stream EntrepreneurTV for Free 📺

How I Lost $1 Million by the Time I Was 21 Years Old Don't make the same mistakes I did.

By Neil Patel Edited by Dan Bova

entrepreneur daily

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Entrepreneur Network partner Neil Patel started an ad agency when he was 16. He learned internet marketing on his own because other agencies couldn't do one simple thing -- get his website to rank on Google.

Getting ranked on Google is more competitive now, but when Patel was 16, it was relatively easy. He realized that these agencies were ripping him off, and so he decided to do for himself what others couldn't. He got good enough at it that he began making quite a bit of money, but also realized that he disliked working as a consultant.

So, instead, Patel decided to open up his own business, which might not seem revolutionary now but was fairly new at the time: a cloud computing business. This field has grown massively since Patel first started his business, but he probably doesn't deserve the credit for that. After all, Patel's business failed -- but not before he had pumped a million dollars into it.

In this video, Patel wants to tell you the story of how he started that business and where it went wrong so that you can avoid losing money the way he did in the future.

Click play to learn more.

Related: 7 Secrets That Will Help You Become a Millionaire in the Internet Age

Entrepreneur Network is a premium video network providing entertainment, education and inspiration from successful entrepreneurs and thought leaders. We provide expertise and opportunities to accelerate brand growth and effectively monetize video and audio content distributed across all digital platforms for the business genre.

EN is partnered with hundreds of top YouTube channels in the business vertical. Watch video from our network partners on demand on Roku, Apple TV and the Entrepreneur App available on iOS and Android devices.

Click here to become a part of this growing video network.

Neil Patel

Entrepreneur and Online Marketing Expert

Neil Patel is co-founder of Crazy EggHello Bar and KISSmetrics. He helps companies like Amazon, NBC, GM, HP and Viacom grow their revenue. 

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Side Hustle

These Coworkers-Turned-Friends Started a Side Hustle on Amazon — Now It's a 'Full Hustle' Earning Over $20 Million a Year: 'Jump in With Both Feet'

Achal Patel and Russell Gong met at a large consulting firm and "bonded over a shared vision to create a mission-led company."

Side Hustle

How to Turn Your Hobby Into a Successful Business

A hobby, interest or charity project can turn into a money-making business if you know the right steps to take.

Productivity

Want to Be More Productive? Here's How Google Executives Structure Their Schedules

These five tactics from inside Google will help you focus and protect your time.

Business News

These Are the 10 Most Profitable Cities for Airbnb Hosts, According to a New Report

Here's where Airbnb property owners and hosts are making the most money.

Business Ideas

63 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024.