Lately I've had a lot of younger individuals concerned about how old you have to be to start a business.
When it comes to the actual starting of a business there is no specific age that has to be met.
You will however need an adult (parent/legal guardian) to help with your financial needs (credit) and making the business legal with the government.
Even with that being said it is not a necessity when you start as you will not have to pay taxes unless you make more than $400 in a year.
It is great to see kids taking initiative in finding ways to make their own money.
For those who need ideas on things that they can do I've created a short list of some of the things others have done.
- lawn mowing - baby sitting - car wash - dog walking - pet sitting - selling handmade arts & crafts - lemonade stand There are many other different types of business ventures for a child to start these are just a few of the ones that the individuals who contacted me were considering.
My best piece of advice for any aspiring entrepreneur is to try to start a business around something you are passionate about.
Being a young entrepreneur also gives you a good marketing advantage, so I'll share some of the strategies I used when I was 12.
- Tell anyone and everyone who will listen about your business - This isn't the time to be shy and you can not make money unless people know about what you're offering.
- Use your parents - This means to advertise at their place of employment, most likely their co-workers know about you anyway.
Put fliers in their break room, place your business cards on the corner of their desk, they may even let you put information about your business as the computer's screensaver or background.
- Use your yard - Place a sign with your contact information in your front yard where everyone can see it.
- Places of similar interest - If you have a business dealing with pets place fliers in areas that are frequented by individuals with pets (pet shops, vet clinics, parks, etc.
) - Always be prepared to talk about your business - have a sentence or two that tells exactly what you offer.
I attracted many customers who were just plain curious at first.
- Quality work - No matter how old or young you are high quality work speaks for itself and is the best way to get people talking about what your doing.
The more they talk the higher your chances become of getting new customers
When it comes to the actual starting of a business there is no specific age that has to be met.
You will however need an adult (parent/legal guardian) to help with your financial needs (credit) and making the business legal with the government.
Even with that being said it is not a necessity when you start as you will not have to pay taxes unless you make more than $400 in a year.
It is great to see kids taking initiative in finding ways to make their own money.
For those who need ideas on things that they can do I've created a short list of some of the things others have done.
- lawn mowing - baby sitting - car wash - dog walking - pet sitting - selling handmade arts & crafts - lemonade stand There are many other different types of business ventures for a child to start these are just a few of the ones that the individuals who contacted me were considering.
My best piece of advice for any aspiring entrepreneur is to try to start a business around something you are passionate about.
Being a young entrepreneur also gives you a good marketing advantage, so I'll share some of the strategies I used when I was 12.
- Tell anyone and everyone who will listen about your business - This isn't the time to be shy and you can not make money unless people know about what you're offering.
- Use your parents - This means to advertise at their place of employment, most likely their co-workers know about you anyway.
Put fliers in their break room, place your business cards on the corner of their desk, they may even let you put information about your business as the computer's screensaver or background.
- Use your yard - Place a sign with your contact information in your front yard where everyone can see it.
- Places of similar interest - If you have a business dealing with pets place fliers in areas that are frequented by individuals with pets (pet shops, vet clinics, parks, etc.
) - Always be prepared to talk about your business - have a sentence or two that tells exactly what you offer.
I attracted many customers who were just plain curious at first.
- Quality work - No matter how old or young you are high quality work speaks for itself and is the best way to get people talking about what your doing.
The more they talk the higher your chances become of getting new customers
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