Published by The Boston Globe
Lane Sutton of Framingham is the next rising star in technology, business and social media. He runs a website reviewing arts, restaurants and events, consults with other companies about social media and has over 3,000 followers on Twitter. But all that doesn’t get done until Sutton, 13, finishes his homework every day.
Following the Globe's story on Lane earlier this month, Your Town asked him a few questions about his new found fame.
What interests you about social media?
It kind of was a way where I wanted to promote Kid Critic (his website, www.KidCriticUSA.com), and spread the word a bit more rather than by word of mouth, business cards, etc. So it happened where I got on Twitter and Facebook on the same day I think, back in June, and I was on it, and I was Tweeting, and I was approached by a person who was actually my first client. She asked me, “Could you give me some tips on Twitter? She saw I was on it, and I had 400 followers, and I said, sure I could help her a bit. I emailed her off some tips, probably about 20, and she writes back and said, “Huh?” That was pretty much her response. She wanted some training, so we worked out some compensation. Little did I know, that would become Lane Sutton Consulting Services.
How did you get so many people to follow you on Twitter?
They are all real, I’ll tell you that. I have to say that because many people will do Twitter trains to get more followers; there’s all kinds of scams and stuff. I did it by Tweeting out good content, following the rules. I read tons of books and all sorts of things. I would say I’m doing it right in the way of sharing and following the five steps of engaging, following, sharing, publishing, and I forgot one… by doing that, it creates a good reason for people to follow you if they see you have good tweets.
What’s important about social media?
For people waiting to get on it, I would say, get on it. It’ll boost your business and totally get your company or business to reach out to a whole new audience—for people to hear you, where you’ll have a voice online. You have your own unique voice, spreading content around, like a giving tree, almost.
Why did you start your website?
That was an idea that my father and I had. He wanted me to do some kind of reviews, but he didn’t know how to really do it, and my mom supported the idea. She’s helped me a bunch, and so I thought why not create a website where I could kind of put that stuff into a kid friendly family project that could grow? That’s where it all launched off. I really started Dec. 27, don’t know why I remember it 2008, I wanted to have I guess you could say a grand opening on Jan. 1 … so I worked my butt off (I probably shouldn’t say the other word) and designed the website, got a few reviews up to start off. Word of mouth wasn’t really working out so well. I was getting repeat visitors from people I told, family and friends, and it got passed on, but it wasn’t reaching the new audience I wanted … I wanted to reach out to whole brand new audience and share my works with others. That’s where social media really helped
Did you have any similar projects before that?
Still I guess I just have my name in a lot of companies, like Lane Sutton Publishing, I wrote how-to guides, little books like a 55 page guide how to use a Mac OSX, I think it was Leopard … I’ve written other books, there was an identity thing, which was fun because for the author name I put “Just Lane;” I kind of make a joke, like, notice I’m not putting my last name. I had a little e-zine and my own little newspaper, since I was 5 years old, that’s when I started being an entrepreneur. I sold newspapers to family and friends.
How do you maintain online privacy? Are your parents concerned about that?
They definitely are, of course they were hesitant me joining Facebook and Twitter, but my dad approved. My mom was still hesitant, but I did prove to her I could use it in a safe way, and I really probably had to beg her a lot. She still doesn’t like it—to have 3,050 people’s eyes to watch my Twitter stream—but I proved it. I’m not sharing my location online, I do through an app but to friends.
Is that Foursquare?
Yup, I check in just about everywhere. I have 20 mayorships.
Do your friends use social media?
Almost everyone’s on Facebook, but no one’s on Twitter or foursquare from my school. There are more adults I know on foursquare or on Twitter. I look at who’s following me. I can’t keep up with it, really, once it gets past such and such many followers, but I kind of check if there’s anything bad and take the necessary steps to block those who I don’t’ think are appropriate to be watching me.
Does that make your mom feel better?
Yeah. She’ll look at my things too, and I don’t know when she’s looking. I have to be careful.
What’s your biggest goal?
I’m going to keep working at things. My overall goal in business is to be the CEO of—I don’t know what it will be, I’m still brainstorming and coming up with things—the largest technology company. I’m not going to say the next Apple, the next Steve Jobs or Bill Gates. I’m not going to be them because I can’t be; everyone is unique in their own way. I’m going to be Lane Sutton, not the next Lane Sutton. I’m going to be myself, in my own way.
What makes you unique?
I run everything myself. My parents get involved when it comes to certain things like contracts and stuff…I’m doing the writing for the website and controlling that, updating Twitter and Facebook and everything pretty much on my own. Some people don’t do that; they delegate it to other people.
What do you make of you rising fame?
I like it, and it’s a nice motivation for me when I see a new article about myself coming out. It’s very exciting to me, and it just encourages me nice to get emails or letters from other people who’ve seen it and are inspired by me, and I’m glad about that.
When do you have time to be a kid?
I hate to say it but—no, I don’t hate to say it, because I love doing entrepreneurship; it’s my only focus pretty much. When I get out of school, my schedule starts off on my phone checking the day’s emails, voicemails, any tweets, anything …I get home, start homework, get that done, that’s priority. And family, of course, having dinner. Other than that the whole night has been working, and just to give you an idea, last night, I had a consulting meeting and a conference call … the days can be very busy, but it’s something I’m getting ready for my future and getting a jump start on my career.
Is that stressful?
There are times when I have so much work. To be honest, after the Globe article came out, I had so many emails, really, so many, so I had to respond. I wanted to respond to each and every one that needed a response. Most people wouldn’t do that especially celebrities. I’m not a celebrity yet, at least I don’t think so, I’d rather write back to quote my fans or people now, but I was stressed with all the emails. I got them all responded to so happy about that.
Why did you want to respond to them all?
Because they were asking my advice on things, it might not make me any money, but I’m helping someone out who might need some help. That’s important to do because helping others along the way, not everyone’s competition, and competition is good, too. You need it or else the world—there would only be one person doing that. I kind of felt if they took the time to write me a nice letter or email, I should take the time to write them back.
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