Why Your Teen Should Start Her Own Company

As a mom of two teens I know that they need money and constantly asking me or their dad for it got old fast. There is no better time like the teen years to start a bank account and put the economic theory of supply and demand into practice. Even if your teen spends time training at a sport or volunteering in the community its behooves her to start learning how the economic system works. So here are three reasons your teen should never take a minimum wage job and start her own business. Feel free to cut and paste then post on their Facebook page or some other social media site that would get her attention. The minimum wage mindset. Drive through any McDonald’s or Burger King at any given time and you will see plenty of teenagers hard at work earning minimum wage. These jobs are plentiful – well at least in today’s economy. The problem lies in the ‘minimum’ part of this equation. Being a teen doesn’t mean minimal, subservient, less than, not good enough. Some teens are world champions and Olympic athletes! I get humility but at what price? Marketing made easy. A simple flyer/brochure handed out to your neighbors and you’ve got the beginnings of a marketing campaign for a lawn mowing, landscaping, babysitting, dog walking or music service. Your neighbors would love to help your teen out especially if they know he is saving for college or some other noble pursuit. You can make more money as a business owner. My neighbor’s 10th grader took a job working for her local pet boarding kennel for minimum wage. I hired her to play her harp for a reception I was giving and paid her $75.00 for one hour. I pay the boy who cuts my grass $30.00. You do the math. Granted I’m a sucker to help out a teenager. Really there are so many ways to make more money than minimum wage. Action: Okay Teenager: List the ways you can be of service to your neighbors – see #2 above. Make a brochure. Start charging $10/hour but know you can earn as much as you are willing to ask for!