Matthew R. Dawson Owner, MyDigitalDiscount.com Inc., Oswego Nominated by Operation Oswego County

Matthew Dawson, president of MyDigitalDiscount.com, is the SBA's Young Entrepreneur of the year.

As a youngster, Dawson dreamed of owning his own business and began selling on eBay after graduating from college. In 2001, he completed the Oswego Micro-Enterprise course, received a microloan, and started his online computer business, MyDigital Discount. corn.

With the help of an SBA loan, Dawson has been able to expand his business. In 2001, the 25-year-old was the sole employee of his company, operating out of his apartment selling online and specializing in the sale of bargain-priced digital cameras, MP3 players, and memory-storage devices. He significantly expanded his company's product line to include computers, memory-storage units, USB hubs and rechargeable batteries, and other computer accessories and electronic equipment. Within a year, the company relocated to commercial space within the Business Expansion Center in Oswego and soon after to a 9,900-square-foot building in Minetto. The company now employs five full-time employees.

Revenues are well beyond projections over $4 million - and operations are profitable.

Copyright Central New York Business Journal May 06, 2005
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