Best business/self-employment ideas for a 16 yr old

[DrBanneker]

I have a kid that I mentor who is 16 and who is trying to make some money since his family really doesn't have means. I want to help him start a business and would help him some since I'd rather him do that than Burger King, etc. he has been applying to (and been rejected from). I was wondering if anyone had any experience or good ideas for a business a 16 year old can run that has:

1. minimum start up capital
2. can bring in a good regular amount of $ -- at this point he would be thrilled with $50-100 profit per week

I know of online options. I recommended Amazon selling but finding products with a decent margin is hard and Amazon has recently made regulations for selling food items (which could have worked since there are some specialty food company products he can sell) much harder without documentation of past business as a food retailer/distributor. Could other products work?

 

[The Coochie Assassin]

tell him to learn how to sell

• start his own personal website/blog/youtube and learn how to write content
• learn copywriting
• learn how to build an email list
• learn how to use social media

just making money should not be the #1 goal because let's keep it 100...he's just 16, he doesn't have any real skills yet....don't set him up to fail

those "this 16 year old runs a 1 million dollar business" stories usually have wealthy/connected parents behind the scenes --something this kid doesn't have

set him up for life with a skill set that will make him money forever -- sales

so I'd recommend getting a part-time gig while learning sales....would be great if the job is a sales position somewhere...let's him try out things he's reading in sales books

 

[Serious]

The easiest business I can think of is learning to detail cars. The initial supplies shouldn't cost more than $100.

-powerful portable vaccumm
-microfibril towels
-water less car wash spray
-car window cleaner spray
-tire shine
-interior detailing spray
-business cards

The rest just comes down to getting the word out and building clientele. At $20 a pop ,kid make a killing.

 

[DrBanneker]

tell him to learn how to sell

• start his own personal website/blog/youtube and learn how to write content
• learn copywriting
• learn how to build an email list
• learn how to use social media

just making money should not be the #1 goal because let's keep it 100...he's just 16, he doesn't have any real skills yet....don't set him up to fail

those "this 16 year old runs a 1 million dollar business" stories usually have wealthy/connected parents behind the scenes --something this kid doesn't have

set him up for life with a skill set that will make him money forever -- sales

so I'd recommend getting a part-time gig while learning sales....would be great if the job is a sales position somewhere...let's him try out things he's reading in sales books

I agree sales is key. I wasn't trying to create a killer business but something easy he could learn from. I will look at some sales books or classes though, you are right, building skills is key right now

 

[DrBanneker]

The easiest business I can think of is learning to detail cars. The initial supplies shouldn't cost more than $100.

-powerful portable vaccumm
-microfibril towels
-water less car wash spray
-car window cleaner spray
-tire shine
-interior detailing spray
-business cards

The rest just comes down to getting the word out and building clientele. At $20 a pop ,kid make a killing.

Hey that could work, though it needs to get a bit warmer up here before he can start.

 

[KamaroJonez]

Barber

 

[G8823048]

landscaping, gardening, mowing the lawn, washing cars, shoveling snow. $20 x 5 people = 100 or 10people x $10

 

[HearNoEvil]

Code Academy. See if he has aptitude for programming early.

 

[Amor fati]

• Carpet cleaner
• Decorator
• Podcast host

 

[Hahahaha]

Unless the household needs another source of income, studying or learning a trade/skill at a young age should be more important.

 

[DrBanneker]

Unless the household needs another source of income, studying or learning a trade/skill at a young age should be more important.

I agree and told him to focus on school. He said he felt left out b/c his other friends had jobs and I told him school is more important BUT if he had to make money I would rather him build skills for independence than doing just another burger flip job.

 

[Spin]

Unless the household needs another source of income, studying or learning a trade/skill at a young age should be more important.

I agree and told him to focus on school. He said he felt left out b/c his other friends had jobs and I told him school is more important BUT if he had to make money I would rather him build skills for independence than doing just another burger flip job.

Make sure it's a "trade/skill" that will payoff. If he learns to code now, he will be set by the time he's 18. If he doesn't like it, at least he will be aware it's an option. If kids are taught that coding can be mixed in with their current hobbies, they will more likely pursue it. Maybe the kid like stocks, he can create a trading algorithm.

I would advise for him to get some sales skills. Trying to sell something and getting rejected is an opportunity to grow. You will stop giving as much weight to any one interaction because you know you can talk to someone else 10 seconds later. It is a valuable life lesson.

 

[Hard Times Nakamura]

Definitely leverage his social network. I'm trying to get something started and it's hard because I am not in touch with kids that much.

Actually have him hit me up with his contact info on social media. I may be able to throw him a few dollars ($100-$300) based on the insight he can give me I'm looking for consumer behavior 1st hand data and habits of teens.

I'm trying to market a movement and I really need insight into gender relations in his age group and literally what their day-to-day youth experience is like. It is completely different from mine we barely had dial-up internet and dumb phones.

 

[Kenny West]

As good a gameplan as you can ask for:

1: Make money cutting hair
2. Start learning about amazon fba. Bonus points if you can get reliable access to a whip

Amazon FBA You can get started with 300 bucks or so. A car is gonna be useful so thats something you should be saving for with every other dollar you get.

If you're going to college, especially one with a lot of other black folks start learning how to cut hair now. You can use the bread from that to funnel into your fba business. Plus you can avoid the scramble for them shytty little on campus jobs

 

[Larry Lambo]

Unless the household needs another source of income, studying or learning a trade/skill at a young age should be more important.

I think getting work experience early is important, even if it's not in a field you want to pursue. People who don't work in high school will always be at a disadvantage when they get to college and have to compete with people that did. Plus it helps with overall maturity as well.

But ideally, you'd like to get some experience in a field you like.