Many of the most successful people in business today started out as teenage entrepreneurs. For many teens, the realization that building something of your own beats working for “the man” comes to them naturally, but coming up with the right idea isn’t always easy.
So here are 10 ideas to get your creative juices flowing. Most can be started by anyone, and a few will require some specialized knowledge, but might get you on the right path or spark another idea, even if you don’t have that knowledge right now. And if you’re at all worried about being taken seriously as a teen business person, take a look at our recent post on the subject.
Whatever business you decide to start, know this: if you’re a teen reading this post, you’re already far ahead of 90 percent of other people your age, and way ahead of the vast majority of people of any age.
To enter the world of entrepreneurship can be challenging at times, but those of us who do it know that all the hard work, setbacks, and challenges that come are nothing compared to the rewards of starting and growing your own business. So don’t let anything slow you down. If being in business for yourself is your dream, go for it with all you’ve got!
Senior Errand Service
Wherever you live, there are bound to be senior citizens who need help with errands. The errands you’ll run can range from grocery shopping to picking up dry cleaning and going to the post office.
If you don’t yet have wheels, there are plenty of ways to help seniors around the house too, like washing the car, making minor repairs, or helping out with yard work. As the fasted growing segment of the population, it makes a lot of business sense to serve seniors, and it will feel good to know you’re helping someone who really needs it.
Garage Cleaning
Have you ever walked past an open garage that was so cluttered with stuff the family couldn’t fit their car inside? Those are your potential clients. Cleaning out the garage is a chore no one enjoys (unless they’re getting paid like you will), so convincing people to hire you won’t be that hard – especially if you’re polite and professional and your rates are reasonable.
Your startup costs will be minimal with this business – chances are you have most if not all of your supplies at home already. All you’ll need are a good push broom, some cleaning supplies and lots of elbow grease.
To get customers, make up some flyers and go door-to-door around your neighborhood. It might be intimidating at first, but before long, you’ll get your pitch down, and it will be well worth the effort.
Web Design Service
This is one business where you really should have some training and a lot of practice to get started. Yes, there are many people out there calling themselves web designers who just use templates and have only a basic html background, but you don’t want to be one of those.
The real money in this field is made by those who know what they’re doing. If it’s something that interests you, it won’t take that long to learn, and you can do very well from referrals and return business. And this is another business that can take you far beyond your high school years.
Blogging
Are you an expert in a particular area, like social media or high school algebra? Are you an entertaining writer, or simply have a great sense of humor?
If you can get people to read what you have to say, you can make money at it by starting a blog. There are thousands of affiliate programs that will pay you when people click through from your blog to their sites and make a purchase.
You’ll want to read lots of articles (like these) about how to do this right, but once you figure it out, it can mean making way more than your friends working at the taco place
Social Media Consulting
If you’re in your teens, chances are very good you know your stuff when it comes to using Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare, and other social networks. But did you know this stuff is big business? Well it absolutely is. There are entire consulting firms dedicated to helping their clients maximize their social media efforts, and some of them probably don’t have as much experience at it as you do.
Step one is to find out all you can about using social media for business. There are tons of online resources for this, so that part’s a breeze. Next, decide what services you’ll offer and if you’ll specialize in a particular area – Facebook fan pages, for instance. Then get out there on social media and make it known that you’re available as a consultant.
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