Over the next few weeks we will be giving a few more details about each of our UK Ten Oustanding Young Persons of 2015. First up is Lewis Bowen from Sheffield.

Ask yourself: What were you doing at 12-years-old?

One young Sheffield man remembers it well. It was at this ambitious age he saw an opportunity, grabbed it with both hands and started his entrepreneurial journey into business. Lewis Bowman undercut his competition, The School Canteen, by selling cans of pop to his peers for just 5p less a go, resulting in a net profit of £40 per week.

So, it may not come as a surprise that Lewis has been honoured with one of our JCI TOYP awards for 2015.

Lewis, 25, from the Steel City has gone from strength to strength, showcasing his entrepreneurial flare from an incredibly young age. By 15-years-old, Lewis has started his own merchandising business and by the time he was at University he’d employed six people for a new venture in telemarketing –something which would give his friends a helping hand for sustaining University life while studying.

With his drive, determination and social conscious, Lewis soon came to realise that not only could a business venture help support his friends, but a new and challenging project could empower change, a lot of change for that matter.

On finishing his finals, he put the wheels into motion for his most exhilarating and successful venture – Geco Industries – a business that makes alternative energy affordable and accessible and which is namely known for the cooking product, Fuel 4.

Within the first year, Lewis secured a deal with the fastest and largest growing outdoors retailer, Go Outdoors and has since been endorsed by the Scouting Association.

His success has not come without its challenges, but humble Lewis puts his success down to his good team and having a great support network around him. 

For more information about TOYP please visit www.jciuk.org.uk/toyp