Starting and growing a business should not be confined to a certain age. If a brilliant business idea comes to you, you should grab it with both hands and strike while the iron is hot, cliché as it may sound.
For many teenagers, the thought of setting up a business can be both daunting and overwhelming. Where do you start? How do you go from there? But you only ever need enough courage to try and put your brilliant idea into motion. It does not have to be expensive and over-taxing. Some might not even require initial funding.
In fact, there are a wealth of business ideas that can suit the aspirations of teens like you, with many of them free to start. We’re gathered some of them to inspire you to take the risk and aim for the stars, even when you’re just in your teenage years.
Blogging
Starting a blog is relatively easy. Anyone can do it. If you are a teenager who enjoys writing at a young age, you will be able to harness your creative spirit and earn at the same time. There are free sites that allow you to blog for free. This includes Medium. You can use your blog to showcase your works. This will serve as your portfolio to demonstrate your writing ability.
If you are wondering how you can possibly earn money through blogging and writing, here it goes:
· You can grow your blog’s audience and later on find brands willing to do affiliate marketing with you. You will be given commissions through referrals.
· If you have earned enough money to invest on a professional website with your own domain and hosting, you have the chance to sign up for Google Ad Sense and earn by allowing Google to run ads on your site.
· You can also earn money through donations from readers, usually in the form of a third-party site like Ko-Fi. People who love your writing will readily support you to show their appreciation.
Of course, there are a number of things you need to keep in mind when you want to start a blog. This includes finding a niche and a topic that is close to your heart. You should be able to be knowledgeable about stuff that you will be talking about to prove your credibility.
Graphic Design
The advent of technology allows young people to explore and try out new things. This includes learning how to do graphic design as a teenager. The latter is focused on creating artwork for businesses with the fusion of product information, making it extremely appealing to consumers.
Some of the examples of graphic design include website elements like banner and header images, logos, product packaging, and all sorts of marketing materials. You can also create invitations, cards, and other interesting designs for all occasions.
Creating graphic design for clients will let you indulge your passion, hone your talent, and earn extra money without even needing a huge capital.
Photography
While it may not be possible with huge events that involve manpower and ample resources, photography can still be a valuable hobby that will let you earn money. If you are already into taking great photos, this hobby can be quite lucrative. You can start by signing up your family as your first clients. You can volunteer to do family portraits, pet pictorial, and other relatively easy-to-manage photography sessions.
When you are more confident with your skills, you can venture outside of the family and look for clients who are willing to pay for your services. You can create social media content for local businesses, for example. You can even get into niches like pet photography, taking portraits of furry friends.
Tutoring
Offering assistance to struggling students can be another good way to earn an extra income for teens. An academic tutor service will put your unique skills to good use, whether it is excelling math, science, writing, or reading. You can teach students who are having a particularly hard time on a subject you are good at.
It is also possible to make your service more specific. Say, you can offer your services to students who want to prepare for standardized tests such as SATs, ACTs, and AP tests.
Handmade Products
You can sell about anything online, especially with the existence of dropshipping options and marketplaces. Apparel, jewelry, scrapbook and journal materials, stickers, and other stuff that you can design and make yourself can be good product ideas. While this idea may not be totally free, the starting capital is not that much. If you already have a printer at home and an editing software or subscription, you will be good to go.
If you like creative staff, you can sell your crafts on websites and online shops like Etsy. This may include greeting cards and other arts and crafts.
Pet Sitting
If you are one of the many teens who love being around animals, pet sitting can be a perfect business for you. You can find clients around your neighborhood, who will most likely trust you with their beloved fur babies because they know you. This kind of business will give you flexible hours without financial investments. Your clients will often shoulder the pet supplies, from leashes to treats. All you need to do is to ensure that their pets are taken care of.
A day’s work may involve feeding them at appropriate meal times and taking them out for a walk. The latter is especially applicable to dogs that often need their daily dose of exercise.
Podcasts
While podcasts are relatively new, this medium is growing rapidly. Just like blogging, podcasting can be easy, provided you are passionate about discussing specific topics and growing a solid base of followers in the process.
Podcasting will help you earn a decent income once you have managed to grow your listeners. You will be able to find advertisers who will be interested in placing ads on your podcast episodes. This kind of business will rely a lot on your skill, passion, and determination.
Delivery Service
There are tons of companies that help get food and other goods to customers with ease and convenience. This includes Uber Eats and Grubhub. People who want to get their favorite food delivered to their doorstep rely a lot on these platforms. You can take advantage of this by offering your delivery service.
You can reach out to local restaurants and other businesses around your area and offer them your courier service. You can then pick up orders from them and deliver them to the intended customers.
Data Entry
Data entry is one of the most common online jobs out there. If you want to earn money without shelling out capital, you can find clients who need data entry, especially small businesses with little manpower.
This job only requires your ability to type and a reliable laptop and internet. It can be done in the comfort of your home or anywhere you are as long as you have an internet connection. The remote feature of this business means you can have a wide reach of clients, encompassing businesses anywhere in the globe. However, there might be cases where local businesses might require your presence on-site.
Tips Before Starting Your Own Business as a Teen
Of course, you will want a business idea that will not require a fortune for a capital. It must be relatively easy to start, often just drawing from your existing skills and capabilities and allowing you to use available resources at your disposal. Here are other valuable tips that you need to consider before you jumpstart your journey as a teen entrepreneur.
· Take the time to come up with a brilliant idea. The possibilities are endless, but you need to make sure that your idea is doable, feasible, and manageable with limited time and resources.
· Pick a business idea that is easily accessible. You won’t want a business that will require long travels as you might need to shell out money. Business ideas that can be operated from your home are the most ideal.
· Choose one that offers flexible hours. You won’t want time constraints as might be juggling school work and your business. This will allow you to work in the evenings or on weekends.
· Learn how to maintain your business. You should be able to keep it going through hard work and determination. You may also want to consider handling the technical end of the business, including filing an annual report, renewing business permits and licenses, and paying taxes, among others.
· Make sure to do the marketing side of things properly. Building your business can depend a lot on how you market the services or products you offer. You need to establish a solid online presence and appeal to your target customers. Harnessing the power of social media can help you successfully do this. You can also later on utilize the wide reach of Google by running effective ads to spread the word about your business.
Start Young
Age is not a hindrance when it comes to starting your own business. In fact, it is even highly beneficial that you hone your business skills at a young age. These business ideas for teens will be great inspirations for you as you plan out your business and strive to earn money, even while juggling your academic work and other demands.
Of course, it will not be easy if you are just starting out, but you need to keep in mind that you will not go anywhere if you are not courageous enough to try. With patience, hard work, and determination, you will make it as a teen entrepreneur.