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Entrepreneurship: What advice do you give to a 16 year old entrepreneur with a start up idea?
YV
YV
Yvonne Vennila Roberts, $10M+ Saved | Director-Level Strategist answered:

Its never to early to start your journey of entrepreneurship. Absolutely love your drive! At 16, taking the leap into entrepreneurship is already a huge win. Here’s how I’d break it down to help you move forward with clarity:

1. Start with clarity on your idea and your “why”
Before building anything, get super clear on:

What problem are you solving?

Who are you solving it for?

Why does it matter to you personally?

This clarity will guide every decision, from your MVP to your team.

2. Build a simple MVP — keep it lean
You don’t need a fancy product at this stage. Your MVP should just prove your idea works.

If it’s a tech product, use no-code tools (like Glide, Webflow, or Bubble) to test it yourself.

If it’s beyond your current skills, then yes, hiring a freelance web developer for a small test project can be a great step — but make sure you’ve validated the idea with real users first.

3. Find a mentor before a co-founder
A mentor will help you avoid common early mistakes, connect you to the right people, and challenge your thinking. A great mentor at this stage is gold.

Look for someone who’s built something before or is in your industry.

Reach out with humility and curiosity — people love helping bold young minds!

4. Don’t rush into finding a co-founder
Find one only if they truly share your vision and bring complementary skills. It’s like a marriage — shared values, communication, and trust matter more than just talent.

5. Talk to users constantly
Real feedback beats guesswork. Share your idea with 10–20 potential users and ask:

Would you use this?

What’s missing?

What would you pay for?

And finally…
You’re 16 — that’s your superpower. People want to help. Be bold, be curious, stay humble, and keep building. You’ve already started something most people only dream of.

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