He’s a freshman business major and already a successful entrepreneur
Throughout his teen years, Wyatt Vail could be found at almost every sporting event at his high school, from football games and golf tournaments to tennis matches and swim meets.
He wasn’t competing himself in all those events, just photographing them for his successful entrepreneurial venture.
Vail started a photography business as a sophomore at Big Foot High School in Walworth, Wisconsin. He captured his classmates excelling at sports, then sold the photos at a price even a cash-strapped teenager could love: $1 per photo or $20 for a whole gallery of game shots— sometimes 100 or more.
“I could have made more money, but it was nice to just be appreciated by people without trying to break the bank,” says Vail, who researched the going rates for other photography businesses, then dropped his prices below them.
Vail has now brought his business acumen to the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where he’s a freshman majoring in accounting and marketing. When it came time to apply to colleges, Vail says his dream school was a no-brainer.
“I valued Madison’s high-ranking business program, knowing that it would prepare me for a successful future both academically and personally,” he says. “I felt a strong pull to attend the university and be part of its vibrant culture and learn from its prestigious professors.”
Vail is a “direct admit” student to the Wisconsin School of Business. Direct entry programs are competitive and selective and allow students to be formally admitted to both the university and a school, college, or major program prior to enrolling.
“We’re pleased that so many new students like Wyatt already have real-world business experience before even arriving on campus,” says Jim Franzone, associate dean for the Wisconsin School of Business Undergraduate Program. “Wyatt has impressive entrepreneurial instincts that served him well in high school. We’re glad he’s bringing his talents to UW–Madison.”
Vail says he has long had an interest in both business and creative endeavors. (His love of photography came from a grandfather, an avid birder who took him on hikes, always with a camera at the ready.) Vail combined his interests to start WAVPhotography.
“I have no employees to delegate tasks to, so I wear all the hats,” he says. “On the surface, I appear to be simply a photographer. But underneath, I’m the accountant, the customer service representative, the website designer, the marketer, and so much more.”
As his reputation grew, Vail expanded beyond sports photography to include senior class portraits, another thriving aspect of his business. He figures he’s taken tens of thousands of photos.
In addition to his business venture, Vail was heavily involved in other activities during his high school years, including playing drums in the school’s band, serving as yearbook photo editor, competing in tennis and soccer, and participating in the National Honor Society, the National Art Honor Society and Future Business Leaders of America.
At UW–Madison, he is a recipient of Bucky’s Pell Pathway, which pledges to meet the full financial need for up to four years for all first-year students who are Wisconsin residents and qualify for Federal Pell Grants. The pledge covers not just tuition and fees but also housing, meals, books and most other educational expenses.
Vail says he’ll prioritize studying at UW–Madison but also continue his business as much as he can. He intends to join the Badger Business Professionals Club and perhaps take photos for a student newspaper. He may even end up on a Badger sideline one day.
“It’s always been a dream to shoot for a college team,” he says.
