Young. Bold. Unstoppable.

At just 13 years old, Aaden Dunn, armed with nothing but two phone cases and a single LED light, set out on his dream path of becoming a successful entrepreneur.

Today, the now 17-year-old, who recently celebrated his birthday, is the CEO of Unstoppable Enterprise. He oversees a team of 15 and distributes electronics and other products across Jamaica. Dunn also operates a separate shipping venture, helping individuals import goods directly from China to Jamaica.

From humble beginnings selling accessories to schoolmates at Kingston College, Dunn has transformed a small hustle into a fully operational business, importing container loads of goods from the US and China.

“I started with two phone cases and one LED light to now bringing in container loads of goods, supplying all across Jamaica.

“Once you have a dream, you are unstoppable,” said the full-time University of Technology, Jamaica student, who is pursuing a degree in business administration.

Remarkably, Dunn has built his business without taking a single loan.

He credits his mother, Suzith Wilson, for emotional and financial support in the early stages but emphasises that the bulk of his success came through personal sacrifice, consistency, and belief in his brand.

Dunn’s journey began at Kingston College, where he sold phone cases and LED lights. With over 400 students and little competition, he quickly carved out a niche, and his venture soon grew beyond expectations.

He explained that he started with small, high-demand items after conducting his own market research, relying solely on what he could afford and manage independently.

“Small profit is better than no profit at all,” said the young entrepreneur, who was inspired by watching his mother, a businesswoman, who started out peddling sheets and curtains.

Dunn also recalled attending multiple pop-up events by himself with just a six-foot table, hoping each time to make a sale and build brand recognition.

“There were days I made zero dollars – most days – but I still did it. And now I am a testament to the younger generation that once you have a dream, continue,” he said.

Now operating from his own location inside TechPro Building at Lindsay Crescent in St Andrew, Dunn imports a wide range of tech products from the United States and China. His inventory includes phones, laptops, his own brand of water heater and cooler, gaming gear, event products, and smart home accessories.

“The business now runs mostly from my phone,” he shared when asked how he balances school and entrepreneurship as he was observed taking multiple calls and assisting customers directly from his device.

NO SMOOTH PATH

But the road to success wasn’t always smooth.

At 15, Dunn invested heavily in his first shipment of 14 gaming chairs, having saved profits and received some help from his mother. But as a novice, he made the mistake of shipping the goods by air instead of sea and was billed over $500,000.

“So I made the hard decision and left them at the wharf,” he recalled with a laugh. “After that loss of over $500,000, I went to church because as a Jamaican, you have to go to church in case of any evil spirit. I prayed and got myself baptised.”

Undeterred, Dunn returned to the basics, selling smaller, fast-moving products and gradually rebuilding his capital. He also began importing through shared container space, allowing him to better manage shipping and clearance costs.

He noted additional challenges unique to young entrepreneurs in Jamaica, including being unable to register a business or obtain a driver’s licence under his own name.

“My business now is under my mother’s name. Even when I’m shipping in stuff, it has to be under her name because she’s an adult,” he said.

Dunn believes that lowering the legal age for business registration and improving access to startup capital would significantly ease the path for aspiring young entrepreneurs.

“So many obstacles are in their way, so many, and most people in Jamaica don’t trust a brand if it’s not registered.”

Despite his well-known surname, Dunn distances his success from family connections. His father owns a separate business, but Aaden insists that his achievements are entirely self-made.

“I took zero dollars from my family when I started. I did it all by myself, everything,” said Dunn, who noted that he was raised by both of his parents with strong values and began working at age nine, helping in his father’s business.

With ambitions to open three more locations, Dunn is also focused on giving back.

Unstoppable Enterprise donates 20 per cent of every sale to local children’s homes and recently gifted its branded water cooler to Mona Heights Primary School. This Christmas, Dunn is also planning a major community initiative tied to holiday sales, again focused on benefiting Jamaican children.

“When you spend with us, the money goes straight back into the future of Jamaica,” he said. “We believe in the kids.”

Dunn’s advice to young Jamaicans dreaming of entrepreneurship: “No matter the obstacles, no matter the challenges, no matter the fight, because anything that you’re doing, you’re going to get obstacles, and there’s going to be a lot of fight. But if you’re not getting the obstacles and you’re not getting the fight, what’s the point?

“But you see, your best success story is when they realise that no matter the obstacles and the challenges, you still rise, just like the motto of Kingston College: The brave may fall, but never yield,” he added.

tanesha.mundle@gleanerjm.com