The Business Journal’s annual report on young entrepreneurs, some of whom entered the working world while in their teens.

Say you’re an executive with a $50,000 advertising budget you don’t want to blow. Ali Salomi will tell you how to spend it.

In fact, he’s been doing that since the age of 21, when he started Red Label Enterprises Inc. with money earned from a previous business he’d founded and sold.

“I love business it’s almost a game to me,” Salomi said. “I like moving this piece and that; you strategize, move your pieces and see if the outcome is correct or not.”

In the case of Red Label, the outcome has been correct; the firm currently has 33 clients including 11 companies in the Fortune 500. What they get, Salomi said, is detailed demographic analysis so that advertisers know how to get the biggest bang for their ad buck.

“A lot of people have this mentality where they just advertise and check it off their list,” he said. “You could be throwing that money away; I say, no, you need to research before you advertise, and we’ll do the research for you.”

Salomi prepared for his role by working for other firms where, initially, his youth was a problem.

“A lot of times they wanted to see an older person who they thought was more in touch with their business,” he said. “I attacked it by first offering to hit the youth niche market to build a reputation; then, once they trusted me, they’d give me their other demographics as well.”

Contrary to the advice of some pundits, Salomi believes, advertising is even more important not to mention cheaper in bad times than good.

“If you don’t advertise,” he said, “you’re done people will forget about you.”

Salomi had started four businesses by the age of 21, including an online dating service and a Web site where people could post rumors about their friends, neither of which survived. However, he later sold a film staffing agency for a hefty profit.

But is it a good time to start a business now?

“Of course,” he said, “everything’s on sale.”

FAST FACTS:

– Ali Salomi, 27, chief executive, Red Label Enterprises Inc., North Hollywood

– Business: Marketing consultants

– Employees: 12 full-time, 92 contract workers

– Financial: 2008 revenue of $2 million with significant profit

– Fact: Salomi started four businesses by age 21