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This article will give you the inspiration and guidance to find your first business idea for kids. After all, it is never too early or late — whether your child takes an interest in a new topic that interests him or her, there are still many opportunities to turn this into a successful venture! There are so many possibilities when it comes time to think of ideas for children who want more independence and freedom in their lives–for them, be sure they have fun while doing what they love!
Kids’ business ideas usually involve little training, little equipment, and are time-sensitive. Children should practice selling their services with family and friends before going public with them. For example, as a precondition to offering lawn maintenance services to paying clients, they should master the fundamentals of lawn care by caring for their family’s yard.
Here are 12 kid-friendly business ideas:
1. Car Wash & Detailing
Kids can start a company providing vehicle wash and detailing services. It’s easy to get started, and it doesn’t need the use of transportation to reach clients. Neighbors may be advertised to, and kids can go to their houses to wash their automobiles. Because kids may practice on their own parent’s or guardian’s automobile, it’s a simple business to learn.
Buckets, soap, sponges, and towels are the primary equipment needed to start a modest car wash company for less than $100. Wax, a buffer, a vacuum, interior cleaning wipes, and leather seat wipes are all extra charges.
Depending on the size of the vehicle, kids may charge anywhere from $20 to $50 for a complete car wash that includes rims and tires. Depending on the vehicle size and the complexity of the wax job, they may charge anywhere from $50 to over $100 for each car if they include auto detailing (waxing and inside cleaning) in the service.
2. Lawn Maintenance Services
A lawn care company is a wonderful business for kids since they can learn how to run it at home before taking on customers, similar to automobile detailing services. They don’t require vehicles to serve their customers since the equipment may be pushed or carried to a neighbor’s house.
It may be costly to purchase lawn care equipment. Parents and neighbors, on the other hand, are often willing to lend their own equipment to budding young entrepreneurs. When their neighbors become wounded, sick, or crippled in any manner and are unable to mow their grass, this is an excellent chance for youngsters to give services and actually assist someone.
“The finest business I’ve ever seen a youngster operate is mowing lawns.” In my area, there’s a child who will be in eighth grade this coming school year, and he began mowing lawns last year.
“He’d charge $20 per lawn, each week, and my neighborhood’s lawns probably took around 30 minutes to mow each.” He was able to get five clients for a total of $100 per week and $400 per month, which is incredible considering he only worked a few hours per week and was only 12 years old. I’d advise teenagers to search for business ideas that take care of the tedious tasks that adults despise. Mowing the grass, removing weeds, cleaning the interiors of residences, and so on.
“People despise performing these duties and have already hired landscaping and cleaning services to handle them for them.” However, instead of paying a professional $30 per hour, you may charge half as much as a child. Because you’re a less expensive option, you’ll attract a large number of customers. You’ll also receive pity merely because you’re a child beginning a company.”
— Jim Barron, AcceleratedFi.com Owner
3. Designing Graphics
Creative youngsters can make marketing materials for small enterprises using basic design abilities. Many small companies cannot afford to engage a full-time graphic designer to develop logos, brochures, flyers, or postcards. A youngster who knows how to use Photoshop or Canva can make thousands of various marketing pieces for tiny enterprises. Canva is free, whereas Photoshop starts at $9.99 per month.
In addition, children might create a profile on freelancing websites such as Fiverr to get tasks from all around the globe. To avoid receiving unfavorable feedback, we suggest executing multiple free design tasks and developing the skills before joining Fiverr. Child graphic artists may make anywhere from $15 to more than $50 per hour depending on their skill level.
4. Use a Web Builder to Create Websites
Building a website has never been simpler thanks to technological advancements. Website builders, such as Wix and Squarespace, make it simple to publish a website without knowing how to code. A tech-savvy child may learn how to use one of these website builders and design basic websites for small business owners in their neighborhood.
A freelancer’s minimum rate for building a website is usually approximately $1,500. Because it is not their full-time job, kids may develop a website of comparable quality and charge $500 for it. They might also charge extra to educate company owners on how to use the website builder software so that they can make changes themselves without having to call the web designer.
5. Babysitting Service
A babysitting company is a popular choice for teens. Babysitters might earn anywhere from $10 to $25 per hour, depending on the number of children they are responsible for. They may use a website like Care.com to identify a family in need of babysitting services. Anyone between the ages of 14 and 17 may join the website, but they must have parental permission.
“Caring for children demands maturity and responsibility, yet parents are often there if assistance is required. The American Red Cross provides CPR, first aid, and babysitting programs for children aged 11 to 15. These lessons establish a firm foundation in child care.
“A certified technical institution now provides online training with Child Care Diplomas and Certifications for youth aged 16 and above.” Teenagers may build a career as a sitter or a professional nanny via Amslee Institute’s programs, which are taught by college instructors.
“It’s simple to get started as a sitter after finishing training by reaching out to neighbors, family, and friends.” Sitters may also advertise their services in local newsletters, apps, and on social media.”
— Amslee Institute President Elizabeth Malson
6. Caregiver
Acting as a caregiver to an adult in need is an option for caring for children. A caregiver is someone who assists an older person with transportation, housework, and basic meal preparation in addition to providing companionship. Caregivers are in high demand, with over 10,000 baby boomers retiring every day, and will remain so for the next few decades.
Although fundamental caregiver responsibilities may not need training, we suggest first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) certification. A child might earn anywhere from $10 to $20 per hour as a caretaker. The sole expense will be transportation to and from the client’s residence.
7. YouTube Channel
Some of the highest-earning YouTube channels, such as Ryan ToysReview, which made over $22 million in 2017, include children. YouTube compensates channel owners for displaying advertisements before their videos begin. For every 1,000 views, anybody may earn anything from $2 to $5. Additionally, after you reach a certain number of followers, advertisers may offer to pay for sponsored videos.
Starting a YouTube channel is inexpensive. To get started, all youngsters need is a smartphone. Video editing, which must be done on a computer, is the most difficult aspect of creating a YouTube channel. It takes a long time to edit a video, and the typical video might take several hours. Basic video editing is a skill that kids may master, but they’ll require software, which ranges in price from $100 to $300.
8. Reselling Items on eBay & Amazon
Kids may start earning money by reselling goods they discover at garage sales, flea markets, and around the home on eBay and Amazon. Because the majority of the market consists of selling old things, eBay usually gives the best resale opportunities. Amazon, on the other hand, might be a terrific place to resale good-condition secondhand electronics.
When an item is sold on eBay, the fee is 10% of the final selling price; Amazon’s costs vary but are often 15% of the final sale price. The amount of money that children may earn on each website varies substantially based on the products sold and the price at which they were acquired. Furthermore, if a child learns how to resale stuff online, he or she may charge relatives and friends a fee to resell their belongings, providing two streams of money.
“We began by allowing our young children to participate in garage sales and eBay auctions of things they no longer needed. They recently used Letgo to sell several American Girl Dolls. It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
“At first, they attempted grouping all the dolls and clothing together to sell for $400 in order to buy a trampoline. We agreed, but only if they were able to earn the money. It wasn’t selling at $400, so they dropped it to $250 and started negotiating with a potential buyer. One customer even failed to show up to pay and pick up the item. They’ll remember these teachings for the rest of their lives.”
— Mike Kawula, Dinner Table MBA Co-Founder
9. Use Etsy to sell handmade items
Etsy.com is a great place for kids to sell their homemade things and art, such as jewelry, knitting, scarves, wood signs, and soap. Etsy is a marketplace for individuals who specialize in selling one-of-a-kind, handcrafted, and customized items.
Gaining popularity and making sales on Etsy might take some time. Customers typically browse at businesses they like and leave feedback after purchasing items. Etsy will start boosting a store’s products higher in its search results if it has received enough favorable ratings on its site. Kids may be able to utilize their social media profiles to advertise their Etsy items to obtain their first sales. They may talk about their handcrafted things and link to their internet shop in their postings.
Opening an online shop on Etsy is free, however, listing an item costs 20 cents plus a 5% transaction fee. A payment processing fee of roughly 3% is also charged.
10. Commercial photography
Commercial photography is a business that doesn’t need a lot of gear. Because they incorporate more camera technology than computer technology, the newest smartphones are commonly referred to as “smart cameras.” Customers may shoot high-quality images if a child has one of the most recent cellphones (less than a few years old). Additionally, cellphones include built-in editing capabilities that may enhance the color and brightness of photographs.
Clients who run small businesses are excellent candidates for children’s photographers. They usually want photos for social media and their website, but they lack the financial resources to hire a professional photographer. For a picture session, a child might earn anywhere from $30 to over $200. An online course covering iPhone or Android photography may be one expenditure that youngsters will need to pay before launching this company. This course will show students how to make use of all of their smartphone’s free features.
11. Service Providers for Dogs
The number of homes having a dog has increased by 58 percent in the last 30 years. This provides a fantastic chance for teenagers to perform dog-related activities including walking, sitting, and grooming. Many dog owners are separated from their pets for more than 10 hours every day. A student who gets out of school early may start a company walking dogs for people who are gone for long periods of time. Kids may earn up to $20 for each stroll they do.
Once a child has formed a bond with a dog owner, they might volunteer to look after the dog while the owner is away. They may get up to $50 each night by keeping an eye on a dog. They may also give grooming services to the dog owner to help them expand their business. Kids may make $15 to $50 offering dog grooming services, depending on their expertise and the size of the dog.
“Pet-sitting is a terrific business concept for youngsters. My children have always been interested in starting their own businesses since they were little since I am a company owner. So, when they were around ten years old, I assisted them in creating fliers to distribute across the neighborhood. The fliers contained some information about each of them as well as the fact that they were available for pet-sitting, yard maintenance, and even bathing dogs by bringing their own soap and brushes.
“They ended up receiving a lot of calls from our neighbors and were doing a brisk business!” As a pet sitter, children learn a lot about responsibility since the animals rely on them to show up and care for them.
“Of course, kids learn the importance of working and earning money, then spending it as they see fit.” My kids almost always had a goal in mind: they would save aside a specific amount of money to purchase whatever hot-ticket item they desired at the moment.”
— CorpNet.com CEO Nellie Akalp
12. Computer Setup & Repair
A tech-savvy child may start a side business assisting adults with the setup of their new laptops. Simply assisting a client with installing the appropriate software in order to get a computer up and running is a feasible service. Furthermore, if a computer gets infected with a virus, virus removal software may be used to clean the machine and restore its functionality.
Working with computer software is a more difficult side job, but it is doable for a youngster who is acquainted with computers. Purchase an older computer for them to practice on so that they may practice downloading software and backing up a computer’s data before working on a customer’s PC. Working on computers is an excellent skill for children to master since the problem-solving abilities they develop will serve them well into adulthood.
Teens may charge anything from $15 to $65 an hour to help someone set up or fix their computer, depending on the skills they provide. Purchasing an outdated computer and anti-virus software to fix infected machines might cost several hundred dollars to start this company.
Having a Side Business and Paying Taxes
If a side company generates more than $600 in revenue, it is obligated by law to declare that income to the IRS (IRS). When youngsters make money from a side business, it’s critical that they set aside at least 25% of their earnings for taxes. Unless they owe the IRS more than $1,000 in taxes, they will not be required to make a quarterly income tax payment. If they owe more than $1,000 in taxes, they might face a fine of up to 10%.
Conclusion
Starting a company as a child is an excellent learning opportunity. They discover that they may make money by providing a service or creating a product. After achieving some entrepreneurial success, children might begin to scale their operations by employing other children as workers. They’ll also get valuable money management skills by controlling revenue and spending inside the company.
When young entrepreneurs wish to expand their firm outside their immediate area and circle of influence, they will require a website to establish a Google presence. In addition, they may use the website as a marketing tool. DreamHost is a website builder that allows you to buy a domain name, secure hosting, and create a WordPress website without writing any code.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can a 12-year-old start a small business?
One way to do this is by opening up a convenience store. You could also start an online business that generates a large amount of money, such as selling items on eBay.
