Though you should always ask an adult before starting any sort of business, it is fun to imagine and draft ideas with siblings, neighbors, or friends on how to get a business going. The first thing you should do is consider the following:
- Focus on your strengths and interests to ensure you keep a passion for the project or job. Do you have terrible allergies and really dislike dogs? Maybe you want to skip dog-walking, and make sure your interests are somewhat reflected and catered to in your business.
- Pick a small business that you can run without a lot of parental supervision. Having to include your parent or guardian in everything you do might restrict the profit and growth of your operation.
- Do not try to do everything at once. Start small and be flexible as things can change a few times before settling down.
- Is this a volunteering operation or are you strictly for profit? Could you use some of your hard work to make the world a better place? Maybe you are volunteering because it would be good to include on a future college application?
Once you have had time to consider, it is time to think about different kinds of jobs, as well as those that you might have not considered. We've got 10 great ideas along with skills you can develop from working the job.
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Lemonade Stand
- Marketing
- Sales
- Working with money
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Dog Walking/Pet Sitting
- Time management
- Marketing
- Animal handling experience
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Babysitting
- People skills
- Responsibility
- Communication
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Entertainment: Magic shows, clowning, puppet theater, or DJ-ing
- Confidence
- Public speaking
- Creativity
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Selling Handmade Items: Jewelry, charms, pottery, painting, or photography
- Marketing
- Fine motor skills
- Creativity
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Helping in the Neighborhood: Weeding, cleaning, painting, carrying groceries, or assisting the elderly
- Operating and using tools
- Problem-solving
- People skills
- Time management
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Social Justice or Social Impact Crusader: Saving the bees, recycling, or helping the homeless
- Fundraising
- Activism
- Caring and compassion
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Online Content Creator: Blogger, YouTube, TikTok, and more
- Community-building
- Dealing with online bullying or negativity
- Editing videos/technology
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Bake Sale, Clothing/Book/Toy Swaps, or Car Wash Organizer
- Organization
- Time management
- Community connection
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Inventor: Use STEAM-related skills to create something new or improve on existing design
- Research
- Design
- Problem-solving
Wow, that was a lot to cover. If you need help researching or are looking for a good book with ideas, reach out to our helpful CPL librarians and they can help you find a great place to start. It is also important to state that there are rules set in place by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) on how much money kids can make before having to claim it annually. Check here for more information. Good luck, and happy helping to you!
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