Young Web-site designer, company growing up together

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It takes businesses a while to grow up. For Global Net Designs, the business is growing up along with its 18-year-old owner.|ret||ret||tab|

Barron Hilton started at age 14 by helping others with their computer problems. His computer savvy and intense interest in the Internet eventually led Barron to start creating Web sites. |ret||ret||tab|

Today, Global Net Designs, which provides Web site design, hosting and support services, and marketing, has opened a new office at 3050 E. Battlefield Road, Ste A. Global Net Designs has two full-time employees and services approx-imately 25 clients. |ret||ret||tab|

Until a couple of months ago, Global's most public face was its Web site, |bold_on|www.globalnetdesigns.com. When Hilton started Global in 1998, he worked out of a home office. |ret||ret||tab|

His venture into Web site design began when he convinced a Springfield business owner to trade services.|ret||ret||tab|

Some additional opportunities were opened through Hilton's father, Dennis C. Hilton, who also is an entrepreneur. The elder Hilton regularly dedicates 10 to 15 hours per week to advising his son and helping ensure the business stays on track. |ret||ret||tab|

Dennis Hilton adds years of business savvy to the young firm, but he said he began several years ago teaching his son what it takes to be successful in business. "He's a good student," Hilton said. "He learns and he listens, and he absorbs, and he is able to retain and then execute all of that stuff." |ret||ret||tab|

When asked about his father's mentoring role, Barron Hilton said, "He's great. He really knows when I should run with it, and he knows what I'm really good at." He appreciates that his dad "knows when I need a little bit more guidance and help. He's really great about knowing when he should step in and when he shouldn't." |ret||ret||tab|

Barron Hilton estimated he spends about four to five hours per day in the office, but said that lately he's been going straight to the office after class and working until after midnight. He also puts in time on Saturdays.|ret||ret||tab|

The young business owner said he's not intimidated by dealing with customers often more than twice his age. "I try to be as professional as I can about business," he said. He believes good communication with clients is important.|ret||ret||tab|

His clients seem willing to demonstrate their satisfaction and confidence with cash. Global creates Web sites ranging in cost from $1,500 to $100,000.|ret||ret||tab|

Connie Johnson of Wehr, Wehr, Johnson and Bridgeforth, a commercial real estate firm, said she learned about Global from another satisfied client. She too has been pleased with Hilton's work. "He does deal professionally and is a very hard worker We feel he did a very good job," Johnson said.|ret||ret||tab|

Though Global does a considerable amount of business in the Springfield area, it also serves clients across the country.|ret||ret||tab|

Global's employees are Hilton family members. Older sister Nikki Kinney, who recently moved back to Springfield from St. Louis, joined her brother's staff to coordinate Global's client sales and service. |ret||ret||tab|

And brother D.J., 21, joined Global full time as a Web-site design specialist when it opened its new office this spring.|ret||ret||tab|

Both siblings say they have no problem working for their younger brother (Barron is the youngest of five children) and cite working with family as one of the things they like best about the arrangement. "We're all very respectful," Nikki Hilton said. "We're a very close family. We have a great time." |ret||ret||tab|

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