At just 21 years old, Sutton Smith is redefining what it means to be a young entrepreneur in a competitive market. As the CEO of LA Airsoft, Sutton has turned a small operation in his parents’ attic into a thriving multimillion-dollar business. Now, with a new venture in the pipeline, Sutton is showcasing how great leadership transcends industries. His story is a testament to innovation, resilience, and adaptability.
Leadership Born in Unlikely Circumstances
Sutton Smith’s journey began humbly, in the attic of his parents’ home in Shreveport, Louisiana. During the global uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic, Sutton didn’t wait for opportunities to come to him. Instead, he created his own. Seeing a gap in the high-end airsoft market, where parts were in short supply, he started sourcing and reselling these sought-after items. His ability to identify a market need and act on it quickly became a hallmark of his leadership style.
Sutton’s business soon evolved beyond mere reselling. By listening to his customers and understanding their frustrations with the limited availability of airsoft parts, he positioned himself as a problem-solver. This early ability to lead with empathy and foresight set the foundation for his success.
Managing Growth While Balancing College Life
For many college students, the transition to higher education is challenging enough. For Sutton Smith, it also came with the responsibility of managing a fast-growing business. While attending Texas Christian University full-time, he scaled LA Airsoft into a multimillion-dollar operation, overseeing employees across multiple states.
Running the business remotely was no small feat. Sutton hired talented team members through platforms like Upwork and maintained communication with them using digital tools. This decentralized structure demanded strong organizational skills and the ability to delegate effectively. By automating processes and building a robust online infrastructure, Sutton ensured that his business ran smoothly—even while he balanced a rigorous class schedule and campus involvement.
Charting a New Path: Flow Keeping’s Role in Smarter Business Decisions
Building on the lessons he learned with LA Airsoft, Sutton is channeling his entrepreneurial spirit into a new venture: Flow Keeping. This innovative financial management platform is designed to simplify bookkeeping and analytics for small businesses, particularly in the e-commerce sector.
Flow Keeping integrates financial data from tools like Xero and QuickBooks with sales data from platforms like Shopify and Amazon, pulling this data in real time. The platform minimizes back-and-forth communication between clients and bookkeepers by providing an all-in-one view of financial performance. Flow Keeping is a full-service bookkeeping company that combines traditional bookkeeping expertise with innovative software integration, making financial management more streamlined and accessible. By streamlining reconciliation processes and generating real-time financial overviews, Flow Keeping eliminates inefficiencies and empowers entrepreneurs to focus on growth.
“Most small businesses operate on a cash-basis accounting system, which can obscure the true financial health of the business,” Sutton explains. “With Flow Keeping, data from accounting software and selling channels are pulled in real-time, streamlining communication between clients and bookkeepers. This approach offers two critical perspectives: a tax-optimized view that accounts for inventory purchases as expenses, along with a real-time operational view that provides small businesses with a clear and actionable understanding of their profitability.”
Juggling Education and Entrepreneurship: Sutton Smith’s Dual Pursuit of Success
While developing Flow Keeping, Sutton continues to excel academically, with plans to graduate in May 2025. His background in accounting has informed many of Flow Keeping’s features, such as integrating financial and selling channel data.
“Balancing school and entrepreneurship has taught me time management and the importance of delegation,” Sutton says. “With LA Airsoft, I’ve been able to build a strong team that allows me to focus on multiple ventures while keeping the first business running smoothly.”
Guiding Principles for Success
Sutton Smith’s journey offers actionable insights for aspiring entrepreneurs and young professionals aiming to make an impact:
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Turn Challenges into Opportunities: Sutton’s frustration with traditional bookkeeping led to the creation of Flow Keeping, showcasing how identifying pain points can inspire innovation.
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Balance Creativity with Practicality: From designing high-end airsoft parts to building an AI-powered financial platform, Sutton’s ability to merge creative solutions with real-world needs has been central to his success.
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Embrace Growth Through Collaboration: Sutton emphasizes the value of surrounding yourself with a strong team and leveraging their strengths to scale effectively.
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Adapt and Evolve: Navigating shifts in market demands and expanding into new ventures highlight the importance of staying flexible and forward-thinking.
A Bright Future Ahead
As Sutton Smith looks to the future, his vision remains ambitious. With Flow Keeping set to launch in Q1 2025, he plans to begin with beta testing and refine the platform based on user feedback. Depending on initial results, he envisions scaling the business to meet the needs of a growing market.
For Sutton, the transition from e-commerce to financial tech isn’t just about solving problems—it’s about creating opportunities. “This next venture combines everything I’ve learned from running LA Airsoft and studying accounting. It’s about helping small businesses make smarter decisions with their data, as well as creating a bookkeeping platform tailored specifically to small business and e-commerce” he says.
To learn more about Sutton’s entrepreneurial journey, visit laairsoft.com or stay tuned for updates on Flow Keeping.
