At 20-years-old, many people are beginning to think about what to do after finishing university, but not Falmouth’s Ben Clark.

Ben owns website design company Netgems, and has a portfolio of clients ranging from big businesses to independent start-ups.

But this isn’t Ben’s first business, as from the age of 14 he has stood on his own two feet and seized every opportunity presented to him.

So much so, that he created a situation where he could meet millionaire publishing mogul Felix Dennis, who later became his mentor.

Over the years Ben has worked with local companies such as Freeriders, the Maritime Museum and Kelsall Steele Investment Services.

He has also worked with companies from outside the area, including Unique Cakes by Yevnig, Bathstore, and a range of London based businesses.

To complete his websites, Ben works with students at the university who help provide further graphic design talent to Netgems clients.

But he says that the inspiration to start a digital business, rather than print, came from his mentor, Felix, and Ben was able to pick up the practical skills from his uncle, Tim Clark, who founded online bathroom retailer TapStore.com.

Ben said: “I was 14 and had been obsessed with becoming an entrepreneur, and started a business called Refresh.

“It started out with me filling my school bag with fizzy drinks and snacks, and selling them to my friends.

“But within a couple of months, I was bulk buying food and drink and delivering it to students in each school year who would sell it for 20 per cent commission.

“Almost everyone in the school knew about it, and even the teachers were customers, it was a near monopoly and I felt rich already.

“The school didn’t want me doing that any more so they gave me money to start a magazine and that got me interested in Felix Dennis because he’s in publishing.

“I bought his book and did some research and found out he was a poet, so I booked a ticket to Stratford-upon-Avon to go to one of his shows and went around the back to meet his assistant.

“I gave them a bottle of whiskey and some cigars, with a note attached asking him to talk to me after the show, and he ended up inviting me to an afterparty.

“The party was full of millionaires, and Felix gave me his contact information, later I contacted him and we ended up meeting up a couple of times.

“He told me not to start a magazine, he told me it was stupid and advised me to give up on being nice and to give up everything and focus on what I’m doing.”