A 20-YEAR-OLD who started out in business in his parents’ garage is on course to hit £5m turnover within the next 18 months.

Dan Foskett set up his online fitness equipment business Connection Fitness in 2006 and within the space of two years has expanded into a 10,000sq ft unit and employs seven people.

The business, based on the George Reynolds Industrial Estate in Shildon, County Durham, is anticipating further rapid expansion, with turnover expected to hit £5m in April 2010, which will put it on course for Fast Track 100 status.

Mr Foskett, who started his first business aged 16 in the garage of his home, said the business growth had been so rapid it has had to move three times since April 2006.

“I first went into business at 16 selling computer parts from home, then moved into other parts, including fitness equipment. I found this was the market I was most interested in and was a business I could develop further,” he said.

“Connection Fitness became a limited company officially in April 2006.

“I spent everything I made from the previous year on a new professional website and moved into a small warehouse and office unit.

“We have moved premises three times since then as the business has grown and now have a 10,000sq ft unit with a showroom on the George Reynolds Industrial Estate in Shildon. It’s a big change from the business I started in my garage.”

Mr Foskett first became interested in online commerce when he discovered internet auction site Ebay while still at school. He built his first website aged 16.

“When I got my first web sale, it came through within hours of the online adverts going live and after that I was hooked and never wanted to do anything else,” he said.

“I did okay in school, but dropped out of sixth form to concentrate on the business, as I was trying to juggle both in the early days and it had to be one or the other.

“Business wasn’t something I ever studied at school so it has been a case of learning as I go over the last four years, learning from my mistakes and also from other business people that I deal with.”