Teens Start Their Own Businesses
Author: Carol Topp, CPA
Filed under Blog, Featured, Startup, True Stories
Eric Cieslewicz has spent the last couple of months drumming up business.Faced with dismal employment prospects at traditional teen-friendly employers, the 18-year-old has turned his passion for percussion into a money-making venture.
The Milford, Ohio, high school senior set up a website promoting his services as a drum instructor, printed business cards and spread the word that he was open for business.
He has eight students, ranging in age from 8 to 50. He hopes to pull in more than $400 a month from lessons, as well as earn more money from performing.
Drum instructor Cieslewicz says he’s learning his share of lessons — such as how to keep an organized schedule and save receipts for tax write-offs — as he earns money for college.
“The hardest thing is lack of experience,” he says. “It’s all trial and error.” Yet, he also says he’s gleaning more than he would at a typical summer job.
“This is just the foundation for learning how to be a businessman,” he says. “I couldn’t learn this just working at a restaurant.”
Eric’s story is a great one. Did you hear him talk about all that he has learned? That’s one of the hallmarks of a micro business:
Learning a lot while earning too!
I know several teenagers who give piano and violin lessons. My own daughter taught up to seven piano students while in high school. Emily figured out that she made more per hour teaching than she could from working at a fast food restaurant.
Can you love people and God with your micro business?
Author: Carol Topp, CPA
Filed under Running a Micro
Are you a teenage that can relate to this statement?
A Kingdompreneur:
- Follows all the laws of the land
- Treats employees and everyone that comes into contact with their business with the love of God
Do you see your business as a place to show love to people or your love for God? Why not?
This podcast on Blog Talk Radio called My Fathers Business has pretty helpful information for using your business to further love and faith.
Here’s some of their recent topics:
What is a Kingdom Entreprenuer?
Qualities of a Kingdompreneur-Courage
Qualities of a Kingdompreneur-Perserverance
Micro Business Idea: Sign Spinning
Author: Carol Topp, CPA
Filed under Blog, True Stories, You Can Do This
Here’s a unique idea for a micro businesses: Sign Spinning.
Have you ever seen a group of kids advertise their youth group’s car wash by holding up a sign on a street corner? It’s a pretty good way to get attention. Two teenagers, Max Durovic and Michael Kenny, were hired to be teenage sign holders. But they got bored and came up with stunts where they spin and throw their signs like batons, strum them like guitars, paddle them like canoes and ride them like horses. Sound like fun? Maybe, if you are part clown, athlete and actor! It’s like earning money doing an extreme sport.
“Sign spinning is a lot like ballroom dancing, except your partner has no life of its own,” Brown says. “Giving the sign its life and personality is a spinner’s true task.”
Read the Entrepreneur magazine article about the business these teenagers started here.
You have got to see the videos of the guys spinning signs! AArow Advertising.com
There’s also several videos on You Tube
It’s no longer a micro business. They have 18 franchises (copies of the business in several cities) and have 500 employees!
I think that you could find a local restaurant or store that needs some more customers. See if they will hire you to be a sign spinner for an hour or two and you are in business!
Never Say These Things to Your Customer
Author: Carol Topp, CPA
Filed under Blog, Marketing
Adapted for teenage micro business owners from:
15 Things Retailers Should Never Say
Negative Customer Service Phrases to Avoid
By Shari Waters
Shari has a great list of 15 things to never say to a customer. Most apply to a retail business, like a store in a mall, so I edited her list to those that most apply to teenage micro business owners.
1. I Don’t Know
Customers don’t expect retailers to know everything, but when it comes to answering a product question or other inquiry, they do expect the salesperson to be confident enough in their knowledge of the business to provide an answer.
Better: “That’s a good question. Let me find out for you.”
3. Calm Down
There may not be a more infuriating phrase in customer service than this one. If a customer has reached a boiling point and is ranting away, the best thing to say is nothing. Let the customer finish. Once he or she has gotten everything out, they will begin to feel better and may be more receptive to a solution.
Better: “I apologize.”
8. I Can’t Do That
This is another negative customer service phrase that should be banned from all store staff.
Better: “What I can do is ___.”
14. I’m Busy Right Now
Have you ever said, or heard, the following? “If it weren’t for customers, I could get some work done.” If you are in retail, chances are you’ve at least thought it. The truth is, without customers retailers wouldn’t have a job.
Better: “I’d be happy to help you.”
Is the term “micro business” demeaning?
Author: Carol Topp, CPA
Filed under Blog, Running a Micro
The New York Times Small Business section recently opened a discussion:
Is the Term ‘Small Business’ Demeaning?
Do you consider yourself a small-business owner? Or does that phrase make you cringe? Often, the terms entrepreneur and small-business owner are used interchangeably — but that’s not quite right either. Clearly, not all entrepreneurs are small-business owners and not all small-business owners are entrepreneurs. Still, there has to be some way to distinguish big businesses from, uh … not big businesses.
Is there a better term? Anyone got a suggestion?
Here are some of the comments:
Does it really matter what people call as long you are getting satisfaction from what you are doing and you are convinced that you are making a significant contribution to the economy?
When people ask me what I do, I do not say I own a small business, I say I own my own business. Nobody really cares if you own a small or big biz, they only care what you can do for them on a personal level.
the term small business is not demeaning; I think many people would rather be self-employed. I think society would be better off if there were more small business owners.
Entrepreneur in French has 2 meanings:1) It means being “un chef d’entreprise” or the head of a business. 2) It defines somebody who undertakes. From the verb Entreprendre.So all business owners are Entrepreneurs both by being business owners and undertakers.
I also agree the term is just way too broad. I suggest a new name for really small businesses (say, self-employed or freelancers up to 5 or 10 employees) be referred to as micro-businesses.
I really like that last comment about micro businesses!
No way is the term micro business demeaning!
Most people admire you when tell them that you started and run a micro business. They will probably ask you how you did it. Be sure to send them here!
10 Commandments of Customer Service
Author: Carol Topp, CPA
Filed under Blog, Marketing
I love these customer service tips and I have edited them a bit for teenager’s running a micro business (that’s why there’s not 10!).
The Ten Commandments of Great Customer Service
From Susan A. Friedmann, for About.com
Know who is boss. You are in business to service customer needs, and you can only do that if you know what it is your customers want. When you truly listen to your customers, they let you know what they want and how you can provide good service.
Be a good listener. Take the time to identify customer needs by asking questions and concentrating on what the customer is really saying. Listen to their words, tone of voice, body language, and most importantly, how they feel.Identify and anticipate needs. Customers don’t buy products or services. They buy good feelings and solutions to problems. The more you know your customers, the better you become at anticipating their needs. Communicate regularly so that you are aware of problems or upcoming needs.
Make customers feel important and appreciated. Treat them as individuals. Always use their name and find ways to compliment them, but be sincere. People value sincerity. It creates good feeling and trust. Thank them every time you get a chance.
Know how to apologize. When something goes wrong, apologize. It’s easy and customers like it. The customer may not always be right, but the customer must always win. Deal with problems immediately and let customers know what you have done.
- What can you give customers that they cannot get elsewhere?
- What can you do to follow-up and thank people even when they don’t buy?
- What can you give customers that is totally unexpected?
Business Ideas from College Humor
Author: Carol Topp, CPA
Filed under Blog, Startup
Need some business ideas for your micro business?
Do not get these guys to help you-they’re pitiful! But at least they’re funny. I hope you enjoy a couple of good laughs at their lame ideas.
Hardly Working from College Humor A series of million dollar eBusiness ideas. Write these down if you’re looking to become really rich.
What is on-line paper? You can do better than Jake & Amir, right?
To get some micro business ideas, sign up for my newsletter and I’ll send you an article “New Biz on the Block,” that has 16 ideas for a micro business a teenager can start right in their neighborhood.
Carol Topp, CPA
