The teenage years are arguably the best time to learn valuable life skills that can help to prepare soon-to-be-adults for success in the real world.
In today’s world, financial security is of great importance to people all over the world, and competition for high-paying jobs is fierce. As a result, an increasing number of people are opting against getting a job, and choosing to work for themselves instead.
Entrepreneurship is a growing trend in the global economy in which people create small, self-owned and self-managed businesses to fill gaps in the market that they have identified. This kind of self-employment is a great way to learn indispensable business skills, if nothing else, but many small businesses, if properly managed, have the potential to grow into something much larger over time – in fact, many of the world’s top companies today were started by entrepreneurs.
The range of ideas that teenagers can use to start their own small businesses is limited only by imagination. Let’s look at a few simple and interesting examples.
1. Social Media Consulting
Teenagers today spend more time than any other age group engaging with social media on personal computers – on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and a wide variety of other sites like these, as well as on smartphones and tablets.
This makes many of them experts in what is one of the largest commercial industries on earth. Many companies have been established that offer social media optimization services for big business – why not start your own?
2. Jewelry or Clothing Design
Teenagers are notoriously fashion-conscious, and many are quite creative. This is a perfect combination for making clothing, jewelry, and other accessories that can be sold fir a profit.
It’s relatively easy to start making simple items with appliances and materials found in your home, or that are easily obtainable. And if your ‘label’ is fashionable, there’s always room for expansion!
3. Bicycle Repair
Many teenagers have some good technical skills, and a lot of people need things fixed. Bicycles are a good example of a common item that people often have a need to repair quickly and cheaply. Starting a small business that offers basic bicycle repair at a competitive price can be a good way to tap into this market, and expand your skills.
4. Babysitting
Babysitting is a classic high school job – almost every teenager has been one at one point or another. While this work can be moderately lucrative on an individual basis, why not take it one step further and start a small agency that offers babysitting services in your neighbourhood?
This way, you can get your friends involved, and have more sitters available to meet demand for your services and bring in more revenue.
5. Grow Organic Produce
After school (and homework), many teenagers are left with a substantial amount of free time on their hands. Why not put this time to good use by starting an organic vegetable garden (perhaps with a few friends in your neighbourhood) that is cared for daily.
By harvesting regularly, you can sell the fruit and vegetables you grow to people in your neighbourhood, or even restaurants or retail stores.
6. Music Lessons
These days it seems like almost every teenager can play the guitar – some very well in fact! This can be turned into a profitable skill by offering lessons on the instrument of your choice. You could get together with some friends who play different instruments and start a small music academy!
7. Bookselling
Most people are always on the lookout for a good book, and almost everyone has old books gathering dust on the shelf.
With a couple of friends, a great way to start a business with minimal resources to start with could be to go around asking for people’s old books (perhaps you can even offer to clean out their dusty shelves or attics for them) and start a secondhand bookstore out of your garage.
8. Video Creation
These days, plenty of teenagers are quite good with a camera, and many have the editing and production skills to make a good-looking video. There is a huge market for this kind of creative work, making it a great business opportunity.
If you have a friend who’s good at design, and one who makes music, you even have the beginnings of a small production house!
9. Gardening
Gardens are one of those things that plenty of people have, but can seldom afford the time they need to maintain it properly. Starting a gardening business can be an easy way to tap into this gap in the market.
Start with basics like lawnmowing and raking, and, if you know more or improve your skills, you can even add more advanced landscaping services.
10. Computer Help
As children of the digital age, teenagers today know far more about computers than the older generations. Many businesses exist that provide this kind of much-needed service, which is highly in demand.
