Gates left Harvard in his junior year because he was fired up to fill the need for software on early small computers and wanted to beat competitors to the punch. Obviously he'd learned enough about finance to count the major money he made with Microsoft. Where do you suppose Gates acquired that know-how? Or did it come with his DNA? Could it be that your grandson was born with a head for business and is slated for the big-time and you'll never have to worry about living on a fixed income again? Hmm, let's see ...
MIXED BUSINESS BAG. Some wannabe entrepreneurs who skip college have entrepreneurial parents or relatives as role models who mentor them. Others turn to savvy volunteers at SCORE (score.org) for guidance, or participate in online small-business forums. A number-- a large number -- become serial entrepreneurs who never succeed, even after five or six tries.
What happens to entrepreneurs who hit the wall? Most seek employment in established workplaces. Commonly, they are surprised to find that obtaining a professional job is harder than expected, probably because employers fear that with their independent mind-set the ex-entrepreneurs won't fit in, or that if they failed at one challenge, they'll fail at others.
MY VIEW. You don't say your grandson is so filled with ambition to do something wonderful with Web design that he feels his passion can't be delayed. If not, my hunch is that he hasn't looked down the road enough. I hope he isn't one of life's unfortunate people who, rejecting education and advice, can only find his best direction the hard way.