By: Meritte Dahl

For Christmas his junior year of high school, Austin White-Pentony asked his parents for a filing cabinet.

White-Pentony told his father, Allan White, he wanted the filing cabinet to keep his tax records straight.

The University of Minnesota business freshman owns and operates Get Smarter Solutions LLC. The company buys used and broken electronics, such as smartphones, tablets and laptops, then sells them on eBay.

White-Pentony created his business, formerly known as Mad Town Phone Sales, from his home in Madison, Wisconsin. The name changed when White-Pentony moved into his dorm last fall.

Last year, White-Pentony’s business made over $350,000 in sales, which allowed him to pay for college, he said.

“The fact that he can still keep his head on straight and not just blow through the money and become irresponsible is amazing,” White said.

White-Pentony has also used some of his money to pay for trips abroad. He loves to travel and has visited Peru, Panama and Sweden.

Look for a full profile of Austin White-Pentony in Tuesday’s Daily.