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MenuWhat are some potential low-cost businesses that can be started and operated by a teenager?
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Congratulations on the credentials you've earned to date and I admire your ambition. I started my first company at 13 and was hired by Apple (in part because I had started my company first) by 15.
Especially in today's economy, I would suggest that you seriously explore learning to program. There are excellent online programming courses offered by a number of reputable vendors.
However, if that seems too daunting, you might look at other IT related services. For example, offering local IT support services (targeting senior citizens) helping fix things that you might already know how to do.
Best of luck in your ventures and happy to help if I can.
Hello-
Great start, now here's the hard part...Converting that $1000, drive, and knowledge in to a profitable business!
When I was a freshman in business school--I was super broke, like really broke. I was waiting tables at Chilis, and I knew I could do more with my time.
I lived in a part of town where there were quite a few older residents, and I realized a lot of them had flaky/outdated/weathered decks and docks. Most of them didn't want to take the time or energy to revive it, so I started doing it!
I used the money I had($400), and I went and bought a pressure washer(from sams club), hose(lowes), and wood treatment(lowes). With that, I did one deck for free, and took some great photos of it on a nice sunny day.
I posted the photos, rates, and contact details on bulletin boards around town(know your audience), as well as craigslist. In a week, I had 7 people wanting their decks, docks, and even parking lots sprayed and treated/stained.
The business was super profitable(and easy). You can watch a 5 minute video on youtube and learn both pressure washing and staining. I charged people by figuring out the stain/treatment cost, and multiplying by 3.5.
Takes a couple of jobs to work out the kinks, and drill down on the costs. But, once you do--You're set. At one time I had 5 friends working for me making $10 an hour, and it still had 30% margins. I was able to pay tuition, rent, bills, and "be my own boss" for a few years before selling equipment and client list to a regional player. It was pretty awesome, you should give it a shot!
If you have any more detailed questions, just let me know.
Thanks and good luck!
Related Questions
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Business partner I want to bring on will invest more money than me, but will be less involved in operations, how do I split the company?
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How do you deal with the emotional ups and downs of starting a business?
After founding one company on my own, and co-founding several others with teams, I've written and spoken extensively on this topic - it's an under-recognized risk and challenge of entrepreneurship. You can read one of my more popular articles at http://lp.co/perspective, but I'll summarize it here... Entrepreneurship can be a very lonely endeavor. Even when you have others on your team, no one else is in quite the same "boat" that you are. Looking to other entrepreneurs for support can be deceptive. Most entrepreneurs are always "on" - showing only the best side of their business - and it's easy to understand why. As an entrepreneur, you're constantly selling yourself and your company to potential customers, employees, and investors. As a result, you compare yourself with others who are only showing their best side (and only sharing the good news), while you know that your own pursuit is a daily struggle. Raising money (if you are going that route) is an exercise in perpetual rejection. It's a real test of your self confidence to be told over and over why your idea won't work and isn't worth an investment. If you're not raising money, you may deal with this same challenge when trying to find your initial customers or employees. I've found three primary ways to counteract these forces and stabilize my own perspective: 1. Find some peer entrepreneurs with whom you can build some truly deep and transparent relationships, where the masks come off. Share your insecurities and vulnerabilities with them, and allow them to do the same. 2. Find mentors, advisors, and coaches who have experienced the same ups-and-downs you are facing. Listen to their stories, soak up their wisdom, and most of all, realize and remind yourself that they survived it, and so can you. 3. Recalibrate your perspective by taking time off to help others who are less fortunate than you are. Volunteer with an organization that supports a cause that you care about. The side effect of focusing on others is that you will be reminded that the challenges you are facing are not the worst problems in the world.KK
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How do I start a successful business for a beginner with a low budget? Buying wholesale then reselling? What products to start with and where to sell?
Budget is definitely important for a successful business, but it is not everything! As a young entrepreneur, I started a similar business earlier in my career selling eyeglasses on eBay. I created an eBay store, worked on advertising, and was fortunate with my results. I would love to speak with you about starting a website and marketing effectively to consumers with a very small budget. The biggest recommendation I can provide is to test different services at a low budget to see what works. Rather than spending thousands of dollars on a marketing agency, there are many services that can help your iPhone case business in marketing effectively. Feel free to reach out to me!JS
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Should I find a new brand name?
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Is it possible to start a Social Media Marketing Agency with not much experience in Social Media and not much money?
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