Teenagers starting a business

ohwhatdoido

I fully appreciate everything you are both saying and all makes sense.

I don't think they'd feel comfortable on bikes unfortunately  

I do think this idea is unfortunately not going to work in our favour but we have got our thinking caps on again.

Any ideas welcome and very much appreciated 🥰
Desperate to keep them motivated 😍

teachfast

Not wishing to be flippant but they have a business: school and learning. Successful businesses take all the time and headspace of their owners, especially at the start. The very best thing the teenagers can do is focus on their studies and get excellent grades, supported by you.  That's the very best life chance they can be given. 

The usual jobs like paper rounds and waitressing are a good bet at their age if they want a bit of extra money and no wrap-around responsibility. If they really want something more entrepreneurial then a window cleaning round is sometimes possible, but insurances etc may still be an obstacle. When they hit 17 they can lifeguard in the local pool, which often pays better than other jobs, and they can work towards the qualification before they are 17 as well.

Manxman_in_exile

teachfast said:

Not wishing to be flippant but they have a business: school and learning. Successful businesses take all the time and headspace of their owners, especially at the start. The very best thing the teenagers can do is focus on their studies and get excellent grades, supported by you.  That's the very best life chance they can be given. 

The usual jobs like paper rounds and waitressing are a good bet at their age if they want a bit of extra money and no wrap-around responsibility. If they really want something more entrepreneurial then a window cleaning round is sometimes possible, but insurances etc may still be an obstacle. When they hit 17 they can lifeguard in the local pool, which often pays better than other jobs, and they can work towards the qualification before they are 17 as well.

I have to say I agree 100% with this.

I can't believe it's particularly wise or even sensible to be supporting (or perhaps encouraging) two under-15s to be going down this route to the extent that the OP appears to be doing.

It's simply not appropriate for two people so young to have to be introduced to some of the considerations that other posters have raised.  It's also not realistic in terms of gaining valuable experience if an adult (the OP or someone else) has to deal with those matters that the two children are both too young to deal with.  There are potentially serious third-party liability issues and I can't help but feel that there may be safety issues at play as well.

If the children need that much to earn money (do they really need to?) I'd have thought there must be far better ideas than this.  (And I think the OP has now realised this).

They need to be motivated to concentrate on their schoolwork to be as successful as possible - not focusing on ideas like this.

teachfast

I get the desire to learn about business, which is great, but learning it on an actual business affecting actual people isn't such a good plan.

Check out pages 14-16 of this metastudy for examples of how to learn this stuff in a sensible way:

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.careersandenterprise.co.uk/sites/default/files/uploaded/careers-enterprise-what-works-report-business-games-enterprise-comps.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwj64OL2-YfyAhUXi1wKHfZNB_E4ChAWMAB6BAgIEAI&usg=AOvVaw1k0EZO0XVcu4mvv34eq4EH

ohwhatdoido

Thank you both for your input.

They are working very hard on revision and I'm just trying to encourage their ideas in their spare time.

Maybe it is too early/they're too young/too much of a big thing to start something like this.

I just came on to bounce ideas off of other people.

Maybe it's something they can plan now and work towards.

Again thank you all for your thoughts, much appreciated 🙂

theoretica

When I was at school there were a number of entrepreneurial children.  Most sold things to other children - eg took orders for sweets on Friday, brought them in on Monday.  Or in the days before cheap internet shopping and delivery coordinated stationery orders.  The school may have policies about such things now.  Others made rather fine handicrafts and talked local shops into selling them. 

strawb_shortcake

My Son has done gardening jobs locally, my Daughter has recently got shop work which also provides a qualification which feeds into her chosen career path. All 3 have done leaflet delivery.

I have a friend whose Daughter makes and designs greeting cards, and another friend her Daughter makes horse treats.

There really is a lot of options out there for motivated youngsters, but as others above have said education should be primary focus. Whilst my elder children were still in school education had to come first, even now at 6th form we are quite careful to be mindful of their education.

Takeaway_Addict

teachfast said:

Not wishing to be flippant but they have a business: school and learning. Successful businesses take all the time and headspace of their owners, especially at the start. The very best thing the teenagers can do is focus on their studies and get excellent grades, supported by you.  That's the very best life chance they can be given. 

The usual jobs like paper rounds and waitressing are a good bet at their age if they want a bit of extra money and no wrap-around responsibility. If they really want something more entrepreneurial then a window cleaning round is sometimes possible, but insurances etc may still be an obstacle. When they hit 17 they can lifeguard in the local pool, which often pays better than other jobs, and they can work towards the qualification before they are 17 as well.

School that teaches you what happened in 1878 but doesn't teach many of the practical aspects of life.

OP- At the very least them researching everything is a positive step and one that even if it takes a few more years to realise a business will stand them in good stead.

Being an entrepreneur is not an age prohibitive thing as some would like to think.

https://www.entrepreneur.com/slideshow/337852

https://www.greatbritishentrepreneurawards.com/news/5-top-inspirational-young-uk-entrepreneurs/ 

kayleighali

One thing to maybe consider is the carer aspect of your benefits - if you are away all the time with the kids are4 you able to meet your caring responsibilities in order to qualify for your benefits?

Obviously I don't know your circumstances - and don't need to know - but just something to consider!

ohwhatdoido

kayleighali said:

One thing to maybe consider is the carer aspect of your benefits - if you are away all the time with the kids are4 you able to meet your caring responsibilities in order to qualify for your benefits?

Obviously I don't know your circumstances - and don't need to know - but just something to consider!

Yes all good, but thank you for checking 🙂