 KID
BUSINESS
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Family Business Idea |
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Business Idea
for a Kid
By Kelly Land, © 2005-2008, All rights reserved.
A business idea for a kid can be many things. Of course we
all remember having a lemonade stand when we were young. But
that doesn't mean it's a silly idea in this day and age.
Kids running their own business and earning their own money
can do more than give them cash to blow on candy, game
rentals and cell phones.
Kids can learn how to prepare for the future by running
their own business. It can also help build their confidence.
I can
remember selling Girl Scout cookies to earn prizes, but also
to help pay for a trip I wanted to take. Learning to
approach prospective buyers in a helpful, confident way
increased my sales and my own personal worth. That's a lot
to walk away with when all you're doing is selling cookies!
There are kids in your neighborhood and mine right now that
mow lawns, baby sit and tutor. There are also kids that help
prepare for the family yard sale. The learn to price things,
not by what they want for it--but by the worth of the item
and how it's depreciated or how the shape it's in effects
it's worth.
I know a mother whose 13 year old son makes over $200 a
month on eBay! Yes--legally. He takes his allowance each
month ($20), and goes to yard sales finding things to sell
on eBay. He uses his moms eBay account and the family
digital camera to put his listing online. He prices
everything fairly and after his minimal fee, he always makes
a profit. Talk about an entrepreneurial spirit at a young
age!
Kid businesses are growing. And kids getting involved in
their parents business can be just as wonderful experience
for the child and the family.
For instance...
My good friend Jenny has a 9-year-old daughter. Jenny runs
her own candy wrapping business. Jenny's business has grown
wildly popular through word of mouth with real estate agents
and insurance agents. "Every time there's a parade in our
town...whether it's Christmas, 4th of July or homecoming,
the orders come out of the woodwork. People want candy with
THEIR logo and info on it tossed out to the parade
watchers," Jenny said.
Jenny's daughter helps her prepare all of these orders
(after her homework and dance classes). Her daughter earns
for every bit of help she puts in. "She's not only learning
to earn her own money, she's learning patience, time
planning and the art of doing something right and neatly,"
Jenny continued.
Candy wrapping sound like a business for you and you kid(s)?
There's many ways to get started:
The Dapper Wrapper
Wrap Candy
Maybe you're family business is kid friendly? Or maybe a
home business idea you have for yourself could be something
for you and your child! Crafts, party rentals, clowns or
cake decorating.
Kids are so computer savvy now--some are building websites
for others and charging for their expertise! Trust me--I
know of several!
Kids just need the opportunity and the room to imagine and
find what fits "them". Not YOU, Mom and Dad!
Encourage them to "want" their own spending money and
savings account. Cultivate and nurture their respect
for money and how not to be consumed by society's pressure
to BUY NOW. We all struggle with thinking our car defines
us, or our clothes define us. It simply doesn't. NO magazine
or notion of how celebrities live is going to pressure me
into living beyond my means. I certainly don't want my kids,
who are SO impressionable anyway to think they HAVE to dress
this way, or drive this car, or have that latest gadget in
order to be cool.
A kid business can help them in a long way to understand how
hard money is to come by and how far money goes when you
spend it. (Sometimes it hurts to know 20 hours of work
doesn't get you everything you want.) Money doesn't just
fall out of the ATM, someone had to work for it. I preach
this to my two kids daily!
The lesson of learning the link between working for
money and spending money is a valuable one. A kid business
just might be the way to go for your child. Create the
atmosphere to foster such thinking, you won't regret it.
No kid is too young. My 4-year-old helped bake cookies and
sell them with her little friend during our recent yard
sale. The sold cookies, cupcakes, banana bread and lemonade.
(Sales were easy to come by since it was A. How outside and
B. Both girls were adorable salespeople!)
Give your child some food for thought when it comes to
deciding on their kid business idea:
-What are their interests
-Do they like to work alone, with other kids, adults
-Do they like work outside (like at the pool?)
-Do they have any interests in sales
-Is there a best friend they want to partner with
-Can they help with your own family business
With gentle guidance and reassuring help, your child just
might turn out to be the next Bill Gates! How bad would that
be??
At the very least, they can learn some hands on experience
that can help them become more prepared for their future.
Copyright 2005 - 2008. All rights reserved. Any reproduction of this article in whole
or in part without written or verbal permission is strictly prohibited.
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