Teens Start Their Own Businesses

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.