Mobile Dance Academy

What a great idea and a great teenage micro business!

Amiya Alexander was only 10 years old when she started a dance studio in a pink school bus!

The Amiya Mobile Dance Academy’s (AMDA) mission is to further the art of dance in an extended cultural community which will provide dance training and community programs for all youth.

Watch her story:

Watch CBS News Videos Online

http://www.amiyasdancebus.com/newsandevents.htm

If she can do this, you could so something like it too! Offer dance lessons from your house or go to a neighbors house and teach what you know!

My book Starting an Micro Business will get you started!

Ten Tech Teenagers & Their Micro Businesses

Need some inspiration? Here are ten teenagers that had brilliant ideas for their micro businesses:

Ten Teen Entrepreneurs To Watch

Kids these days. It seems like they’re writing HTML before they learn how to talk. And a lot of them are starting companies before they graduate from high school.

Here’s a list of some of our favorite teen entrepreneurs.

Jessica Mah, 19, is currently the CEO and Co-Founder behind Indinero, a Mint.com for small businesses. Mah started her first startup at 13. Last year, she founded internshipIN.com, a site to help high school and college kids find internships in their area. Now, at 19, Mah is finishing up her Computer Science degree from the University of California, Berkeley, as well as being the CEO of Indinero.

Ashley Qualls, 19, started WhateverLife when she was 14, a site designed to give MySpace users free Myspace layouts and HTML tutorials. She employs both her mom, and her friends who do graphics for her. Qualls started WhateverLife in 2004 as a hobby, and now has turned into a business, with her site getting anywhere from 150,000 to 360,000 daily page views.

(more…)

Don’t feel intimidated by their stories. Remember, you don’t have to invent something new or even launch a website to have a successful micro business.  All you need is to see a need and meet it. That can be as simple as caring for children or as complex as the micro businesses mentioned in the story.

Love horses? Turn your love into a micro business!

I have met a lot of teenage horse lovers that have created a micro business related to their horse passion:

Libby offers riding lessons to children on her family farm (Check with your parents and an insurance agent before starting this)

Abby sells custom made saddle pads to horse lovers at horse shows and to people she knows from 4-H.  She leaves a sample fabric swatches at her local stables, so customers can pick a favorite design.

Victoria Kasten was only eight when she started writing novels that featured horses. She has now written more than 9 books.  The books covers above are Victoria’s books. See her books at http://www.epicscrolls.com/

Heather gave my 10-year old, horse-loving daughter six riding lessons one the summer. Sarah learned how to groom a horse and muck out a stall too!

Jessica set up a website devoted to horses, Learn About Horses, and gathers income from the ads placed there. See her work at: http://www.learn-about-horses.com/index.html

Let your interest in horses make you some cash!  Start a micro bsuiness related to horses.

Teen entrepreneurs offer tips to peers

USA TODAY polled some successful teenage micro business owners for advice. Here’s what they said:

• Expand upon your interests. “Find a task (or) work you like and that is in demand,” says Lucas Rice, 18, who runs a successful landscaping business in Loveland, Ohio. “With my business, I like to be outdoors and to work with my hands, which was one of the reasons I chose landscaping.”

• Price wisely. “Feel around and see what other companies are charging,” then price competitively, Rice says. “When you’re starting out, go a little lower on price in order to start capturing some customers.”

• Make taxes less taxing. Save every work-related receipt. Those expenses could become tax write-offs. IRS.gov has details on dependents, such as children, filing tax returns.

• Don’t overinvest in supplies/equipment. “Allow your business to grow, and then grow your equipment into your business,” says Rice, echoing advice he was given by others. He invested in his first riding mower at age 12 (bought at a yard sale with savings from a newspaper route) and as his customer base grew, he conservatively bought more equipment.

• Promote your business and yourself. “Seek business; do not wait for it to come to you,” says Rice. “I go and welcome new people in the neighborhood and offer my services and give out business cards.” Archer promotes herself and her products on the Web, as well as through fliers she places into shipments to customer

Lucas is one smart kid.  I know him personally; he’s one of my business clients!

Chess into $$

Turn a hobby or passion into a money making micro business.

I heard about Jonathan Hilton at a graduation party where I met his mother.  She told me how Jonathan made money from chess. “Do you mean prize money?” I asked. “No,” she explained, “by writing magazine articles and books.”

Jonathan is selling his knowledge about chess and people are willing to pay for what he knows!

The 19-year-old college freshman holds the title of National Master from the United States Chess Federation.

He writes articles relating to his experiences at playing chess abroad and has co-authored  “Wojo’s Weapons: Winning With White,” with International Master Dean Ippolito.

For those who might be interested in learning about chess but fear it just isn’t “cool,” Hilton has these thoughts: “Chess is something that transcends all ages and cultures. I’ve been in situations where I didn’t speak the same language as the other player, but yet I was still on such good terms with them because we could play, we could analyze and we could learn some things. Chess unites people because you have a common experience and a common passion.” http://www.uc.edu/spotlight/student/jonathan_hilton.html

You may not hold a national title, but you may know something about some thing, right? Start writing it down!  Start a blog, write some articles and see if magazines are interested in paying you for your knowledge and perspective on life. Maybe even consider writing a book. Other teenagers have done it, why not you?

Crafts into Cash

Stephanie over at Crafts for Kidlets has some helpful advice on creating cash from crafts.

Two things that I love are seeing people who are passionate about crafting, and children with an entrepreneurial spirit.

I know that most of the crafts that I have posted here have been geared toward the younger kids.   But what if your tween/teen wants to turn their crafting hobby into profit?

Perhaps your child has a passion for:

• jewelry making
• woodworking/painting
• knitting/crocheting

just to name a few things.    I know out here on the East Coast, Spring and Fall are huge for craft fairs and the Summer is a great time for Yard Sales (Tag Sales as we refer to them!).

If your family, friends or neighbors are having a tag sale, perhaps your child can set up a table with his or her goods to sell.

Now the other places that I mentioned for selling your crafts are:

• Etsy – You can set up your own site with customized banners. It costs 20 cents to list an item for 4 months.
• eBay is another place to list your items. There is a cost associated with it, depending on the amount of the sale.
• Lily’s Craft Store Mall is one other place you can list your crafts. You pay a monthly fee for the website, but the actual craft listings are free.

Do any of you use the sites Stephanis lists for selling your crafts? Tell us how its going for you. Drop a comment.

iPhone Apps as a micro business

My name is Jonah. I am 13 years old and I met you last year at the Cincinnati Homeschool Convention. My mom and I attended your talk. You mentioned that I could get in touch with you if I any questions. Here’s my question:

I am looking to start up a micro business by creating iPhone Apps for people. In order to do so, Apple requires one of the following:

• Articles of incorporation
• Business license
• Certificate of Formation
• Charter documents
• Operating Agreement
• Partnership papers
• Reseller or vendor license

I was wondering how I would be able to get one of those since I’m just starting up a micro business.

Eggcellent business idea!

This teenager runs a micro business selling eggs. He even created his own logo and packaging.

Teen is a business high-flier

A WORCESTER teenager who runs his own business enterprise has received county-wide

EGGS-TRA SPECIAL: 17-year-old Daniel Lloyd runs his business selling eggs from his grandparents’ house in Kempsey. Picture by John Anyon.

recognition for his achievements.

Daniel Lloyd, aged 17, of Warndon Villages, who suffers from cerebral palsy and uses a mobility scooter to get around, has been recognised for his personal achievement in Worcestershire County Council’s Tryangle Awards.

He found his business niche selling eggs and he runs the business from his grandparents’ house in Green Street, Kempsey, near Worcester, where he keeps his own chickens.

The Tryangle Awards reward young “tryers” in categories such as personal development and sports.

A council spokesman said: “He has been recognized for taking the initiative to start this business, from keeping the chickens and making contacts with people to make the business successful.”

Daniel, a pupil at Regency High School in Warndon, sells his eggs at school and has designed his own business logo and boxes.

His mum Kate said: “He was so chuffed when he got the certificate .

“He’s got it all sussed out, it’s his own little enterprise.”

Mrs. Kate, we like to call them “micro business!” not “little enterprises,” but we know you’re proud of your son.

Learning how to start a business in a group

Here’s a neat story about a group of teenagers and their adult mentor who decided to learn how to run a business.

Learning in a group setting is a great idea. Why not try something like this among your friends?

http://www.teenbusinesscentral.com/about/

We are a group of teens and one adult from Bonham, Texas.  We met at church and during a book club.  We started talking about making money and the adult decided that we should do something about it.

We talked about how to make money online and the adult (his name is Lyle, by the way) said we should take this ‘journey’ together.  He said that he loves teaching teens and there is not a lot out there for teens who really want to do something with business.  He even pointed out that the Bible has a lot to say about business and finance.  That figures, since he is a youth minister.

We started in November 2009.  Each of us will have a blog (see blogrolls to left) where we will each have our own voice and here in the middle the best of business and money will rise to the top just for you.

These kids have been adding a lot to their site.  Take some time and look around.  You will learn what they are learning!

TeenBusinessCentral

PBS wants your story!

I was contacted by a TV producer from PBS’s Biz Kid$.  She is looking for teenage entrepreneurs to showcase on the show. If you are reading this blog, she wants your story!

Here’s what she wrote:

Hi Carol,

I came across your website while researching stories about young entrepreneurs. I am a TV producer currently producing Biz Kid$ – an award-winning PBS series where kids teach kids about money and business. The series helps young people understand the basics of making and managing money, and how to start their own business.

Biz Kid$ is produced by the creators of Bill Nye the Science Guy and has aired on over 90% of PBS stations, reaching over 115 million US households.

Biz Kid$ includes short profiles of young entrepreneurs from across the country. We are always looking for interesting business stories about young business owners. I would love to enlist your help in reaching out to teen entrepreneurs, and possibly showcase their business stories on Biz Kid$.

Please visit our website for more information: www.bizkids.com. I look forward to hearing from you.

Regards
–
Shilpa Singru
Associate Producer
Biz Kid$, Seattle, WA
www.bizkids.com
425-286-3567

So can you help Ms. Singru?  Are you a teenager with a business?  PBS might put you on their show.

Contact her directly or email me and I’ll forward your story to her. Be sure to tell me if you get picked for the show!

Go check out an episode (or several) now.  You’ll learn a lot and maybe get encouraged by what other teenagers have done.

Biz Kid$ shows

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