VALDOSTA — Riley McDowell believes hard work builds character. 

“It shows that you’re willing to put in the effort to succeed,” he said.

After two years of dual-enrollment, McDowell will graduate from Wiregrass Georgia Technical College this summer with an associate’s degree in business management.

He will finish homeschooling this May and was hired as a paid staff member to train at Steeda Manufacturing last December.

“I feel accomplished. I feel like my work has paid off,” Riley McDowell said.

“Nights of studying and weekends spent working on homework, instead of spending time with friends, it’s all coming to a close; and then, I’ll have my time freed up to be doing what I love,” he said.

All of the sacrifices he’s made were worthwhile, the teen said.

“Giving a lot now reaps more benefits in the end, so I figured do it while I’m young,” he said.

Riley McDowell started attending Wiregrass at 15 years old following his brother, Jack McDowell, who has previously been a dual-enrollment student.

His dad also attended Wiregrass when it was Valdosta Technical College as a machine tool student.

Through Sonlight Curriculum, he is homeschooled by his mom, Kelly McDowell. He will receive a high school diploma upon completion.

“It (homeschool) just allows us to focus on things that are really of interest to (him),” Kelly McDowell said.

She said her son genuinely loves to work and stay busy. She described his drive as being “God given.”

“There is no harder working fella in the whole wide world,” she said. “He has a really great heart, and he’s a hardworking fella, and I’m just thankful to see all of those things pay off for him.”

Riley McDowell has honed in on his passion for business by owning Underground Farms, a fishing bait and compost business.

He is currently growing worms, such as wet wigglers and night crawlers, to sell.

“I’m just letting them grow right now so maybe I can go to a show and maybe sell (them),” he said.

What makes being educated about business so fascinating to Riley McDowell is his attraction to learning about costs, profits, outsourcing, selling, managing people and customer interaction, he said.

“I like seeing everything behind the scenes and how everything pieces together,” he said.

Riley McDowell began learning more about business when he was 16 years old. He joined the youth business program Young Entrepreneurs Academy.

While in the program, Arthur Morin of BrandSouth was his mentor.

He conceived the idea for Underground Farms while in YEA! after being taught about startup costs.

“I was like this would be a great idea because it would be a low startup cost, and I can see a quick turn around in a business like that,” Riley McDowell said.

Through a final pitch to sponsors at the end of the program, the young entrepreneur received funding for his business.

He was introduced to Steeda through a YEA! field trip, Kelly McDowell said.

“He was so excited because he loves cars,” she said.

She suggested he do his internship at Steeda. The company agreed and offered him a staff position, she said.

Riley McDowell has always had an interest in cars and said he’d like to stay with Steeda long-term.

“I really like it there, and it’s in a field that I enjoy, and I wanted to get into,” he said. “If I can stay with them and build my way up in the company and build my reputation with the company, I think that would be very good.”

As for post-college plans, he plans to continue his education this fall as an online undergraduate at Valdosta State University and earn a bachelor in organizational leadership.

He advises others to work hard knowing it will eventually pay off.

“The little you get now will be all worth it in the end because right now, it may seem like a long time, now but you’re only 17,” he said.

“You have the rest of your life to go, so why not spend a year or two now working really hard in order to free up the rest of your life.”

To learn more about Underground Farms, visit undergroundfarms.net. 

Amanda M. Usher is a reporter at The Valdosta Daily Times. She can be contacted at 229-244-3400 ext.1274.