It started with a towel. Now it’s turning heads.
At just 16, Harrison Nott has built a six-figure business from his bedroom, balancing schoolwork with a company that pulled in more than £100,000 last year. And recently, that hustle paid off in a big way.
The Essex teenager won the Ali Baba CoCreate Pitch competition, beating thousands of entrepreneurs from around the world and walking away with a $200,000 top prize. Along the way, he also caught the attention of former England footballer Rio Ferdinand, who was so impressed he gave Harrison his number.
“I felt like a celebrity,” Harrison told Essex Live. “It felt like a dream… It was out of this world.”
Not bad for a business that started with a simple idea and a box of 100 towels.
Harrison launched CoolTowel in 2023, inspired by his own frustration as a squash player trying to find a quality cooling towel in the UK. His version is straightforward. Wet it, wring it, snap it, and it cools down, thanks to a three-layer polyester material that holds moisture.
From there, things moved quickly.
He began selling through TikTok Shop and Shopify, documenting the process as he packed orders himself. At one point during the summer, he hit £15,000 in sales in a single day. To date, he has shipped more than 30,000 orders.
“It’s gone from a relatively small side hustle run from my bedroom to a big business,” he said. “I’ve had to grow up very fast.”
That growth has meant changes at school too. Harrison now follows a part-time timetable to keep up with demand, with support from teachers who have helped him navigate the balancing act.
This is not his first attempt at business. He started selling items on eBay at age eight and has launched several ventures since, many of which failed. He says those early setbacks helped him figure out what works.
“They’ve given me the skills I needed to start a new one,” he said.
Support at home has played a role as well. His father, Matthew, who runs his own business, loaned him money to manage cash flow during a busy stretch. Harrison also used his dad’s warehouse during peak periods, although much of the operation still runs out of his bedroom.
That hands-on approach has become part of the brand. Harrison films himself packing orders and shares the clips online, giving customers a direct look at the person behind the product.
“I think it’s tangible for people to see the business owner do it,” he said. “It’s real.”
Despite the strong revenue, he is quick to point out that costs add up, from advertising to affiliate commissions. On average, he brings in about £1,000 a day.
Still, the bigger picture is already taking shape.
Harrison has trademarked the brand, turned it into a limited company, and is now planning international expansion. He is also thinking beyond the towel itself, with ambitions to build a personal brand and eventually help others start their own businesses.
“I want to help people be their best self and launch their business,” he said.
Back at school, he has sponsored sports day, presented his business story in assembly, and even carries a CoolTowel-branded backpack and phone case.
For his dad, the trajectory is not surprising.
“When he fails at something, he doesn’t just say ‘Oh I tried’,” Matthew told Essex Live. “He works out where he went wrong.”
From a bedroom idea to a growing company, Harrison’s story is still unfolding. But if the early chapters are any indication, he is not slowing down anytime soon.
📸credit: cooltowel.com
