Home & Office Services Division

Innovative Travel Concepts, Manhasset, NY

On the phone, Matthew Chaifetz sounds like any other high school student in America. But he travels to Puerto Rico regularly on business, takes awesome vacations most of us only dream about, and earlier this year, flew first class - right next to Barbara Walters herself. Innovative Travel Concepts (ITC) is a travel booking service that Matthew started when he was 13. That year he had to spend a lot of time at home because he was sick. Instead of loading up on MTV, he educated himself on the travel biz. Things got rolling with a $1,300 loan from his aunt, which he was able to pay back after a few months of business. Matthew's clients are travel agents who use his booking service to make travel arrangements for their own clients. ITC makes things easier by providing record keeping, handling commissions, filing reports, and offering access to reservation networks. Keeping his operating expenses low, Matthew passes the savings along to his customers, and gives them lower rates than competitors in the industry. Currently he has nearly 200 clients across the country and rakes in a six figure annual income. What's Matthew's secret to success? He believes it's excellent customer service and his "ability to see things happening ahead of time." But there's no time to rest on past success. His future dream is to own an airline. And, ladies and gentlemen, that's no flight of fancy.

	YoungBiz 100
1	Matt Chaifetz, 16	Innovative Travel Concepts, Manhasset, NY On the phone, Matthew Chaifetz sounds like any other high school student in America. But he travels to Puerto Rico regularly on business, takes awesome vacations most of us only dream about, and earlier this year, flew first class - right next to Barbara Walters herself. Innovative Travel Concepts (ITC) is a travel booking service that Matthew started when he was 13. That year he had to spend a lot of time at home because he was sick. Instead of loading up on MTV, he educated himself on the travel biz. Things got rolling with a $1,300 loan from his aunt, which he was able to pay back after a few months of business. Matthew's clients are travel agents who use his booking service to make travel arrangements for their own clients. ITC makes things easier by providing record keeping, handling commissions, filing reports, and offering access to reservation networks. Keeping his operating expenses low, Matthew passes the savings along to his customers, and gives them lower rates than competitors in the industry. Currently he has nearly 200 clients across the country and rakes in a six figure annual income. What's Matthew's secret to success? He believes it's excellent customer service and his "ability to see things happening ahead of time." But there's no time to rest on past success. His future dream is to own an airline. And, ladies and gentlemen, that's no flight of fancy.
	YoungBiz 100
2	Shea Allen, 14	Destin Flyer Delivery Service, Destin, FL Shea Allen, owner of Destin Flyer Delivery Service, has made it his business to help other businesses find paying customers for the last four years. Wearing T-shirts advertising Destin Flyer Delivery, Shea and his hard-working brother and sister hand out flyers and discount coupons for merchants in their community. Their best customers, sub shops and pizza restaurants, normally pay about 8¢ per item for this service. One of Shea's other talents is writing. His column, Sharing Ideas with Shea, in which he shares business advice for teens, is syndicated in 47 papers.
	YoungBiz 100
3	Jerry Guess, 16	JD Guess & Associates, Winston-Salem, NC With a start in the button-making business, Jerry Guess went from pin-on promotion to full out marketing and advertising solutions. His company puts out press releases, builds media relations, and now handles two company Websites. He developed a marketing plan for transporting transfer students for a local van service, and sealed an advertising deal with North Carolina A&T State University's athletic division. Jerry also takes part in his community through involvement in the Winston-Salem Youth Advisory Council.