Teen Business Idea: Become a Tutor
Teens who excel in specific subjects in school may well consider becoming a tutor. Tutoring is a valuable part of an education and a great way to earn a few extra dollars for teens.
To get started first decide on a subject. You may excel in math or history. Consider your strengths and weaknesses before you sign on as a tutor. You don’t want to tutor a subject that you’re not familiar with. That would be counterproductive.
Check your local laws to make sure you don’t need a license or to procure one before you begin this venture. Once you have that done you are all set to begin. Price your tutoring accordingly with what others are charging for similar services in your local community. Most tutors charge by the hour but you could also do so many lessons for a flat rate if you so desired.
Alternative schools and homeschoolers are a great place to begin looking for students. There are many homeschool coalitions that work through school districts and other local businesses in and around most local communities. Your teachers may also have a few students in mind that could really use your help. If so, ask the teacher to call that students parents to arrange tutoring.
Call or stop in at your local school district and simply ask if they are hiring or looking for tutors. Even if they are not currently hiring chances are you will at least be able to leave your name and number in case they need you in the future. For this reason you will want to have some sort of resume on hand to give them so that they know what you specialize in. It doesn’t have to be fancy, just simple and to the point.
You can also post flyer’s in local libraries or other community locations where tutoring may be needed. Have a tear off sheet at the bottom of the page with your name, number and the subject you tutor in so that the person will know how to get in touch with you.
You could also take out a small ad in a local newspaper offering your professional tutorial services. Remember to let your friends know that you will be tutoring as well. At least one of your friends is bound to need some help in the subject you have chosen.
Take your time and build your clientele slowly. You don’t want to overwhelm yourself in your first week. Remember you need to keep up with your own studies too. Whether your sessions are half an hour or an hour make time for your own schooling.
There are a few different ways to tutor. You can simply assist a student in completing an assignment that they are struggling with such as math, algebra, history or such, or you can create a lesson for them to follow and help them through it. Which ever way you choose should be decided between you and the student.
As your student gains confidence and understands the subject they may not need your services any longer, this is the time to have a few more in the wings waiting to add in to your clientele. There is always the possibility this student will return at a later date so keep your options open.
Patience is the key in tutoring a student. What makes sense to one person may not make any sense at all to another. Learning to show the person how to complete a math equation step by step will go far in helping them understand the concept and come to the ultimate correct answer. If you lose your patience, you have likely lost your student.
As a tutor you will be well on your way to a career in teaching or a lifelong secondary job of tutoring to being in some extra income.
Start Your Own Profitable Car Wash
Teenagers always need money. Whether it’s the latest gadget, new clothes or funding a night out with friends, money is important. Instead of begging from your parents, why not start a car wash service to make money of your own? Learning how to earn money at an early age will benefit you for the rest of your life.
So, what do you need to start this new business? The first thing is a suitable location. The choice of where you’ll wash cars depends on a number of factors:
• The right location so you attract lots of passing traffic. Getting a car wash is often a spur of the moment decision.
• Once you’ve chosen a location, you need to make sure you’re allowed to use that space.
• Will you need a permit from your county clerk?
• Do you need to pay to use the space?
• It needs to have the right facilities.
• The main factor is whether you have access to water.
How many people are going to work in your car wash? The more the better, because it means you can wash more cars at the same time, or finish a car more quickly.
Age is no barrier. Naturally someone has to be in charge who is mature enough to manage the business side of things. But the people actually washing the cars can be as young as 12 or 13. If you plan to start a full-fledged business, you’ll have to confirm the minimum age in your region since there may be laws governing the age requirement. The county clerk would be a good place to check this information.
If you just want to hold an occasional car wash, the rules will be much more relaxed and you’ll likely be able to just set up shop and close up at the end of the day. It all depends on what your goals are.
The most economical way to run a car wash is for a group of friends to do it together. Then whatever net profit is made can be shared equally and some of it invested back into the business on supplies. Seek advice from a parent or teaching regarding keeping your financial records so everything is done legally. This is a low budget business so making a profit is easy if you get enough business. But you still want to do it right.
Let’s assume that you now have a great location. Maybe a closed down service station near the intersection of two main roads. You obtain the necessary permission and have checked that there are taps available for water. The next step is to decide exactly what services you will provide and the equipment you need.
Water is the logical first necessity. You need hoses to connect to the taps. They need to be a decent length so you can work on more than one car at a time if need be. Then you need some buckets, sponges and rags to wash and dry the cars, and some window washing tools like a long handled squeegee. You also need a decent soap to use for cleaning the cars.
Your plan should be to do exterior washes only for now and see how well the business goes. If successful, you can look at doing interior cleaning as well. If your team doesn’t have the money to buy the necessities, either borrow from family or friends, or see if someone can loan you the money until you earn enough to pay them back.
Once you have the key ingredients, it’s time to do some marketing. Make up several large signs to attract passing cars. Run an ad in the local paper, put notices up in shop windows and on community bulletin boards, email everyone you and your friends know and offer them a special deal to get the ball rolling, put ads in the school newsletter and on online forums, and ask your family and friends to tell everyone they know. Word of mouth is a powerful marketing tool. Use it to the best of your ability.
Apart from everything else, you and your team should practice so you can clean cars efficiently and quickly while meeting a high standard. Offer to do your parents’ cars so you can practice teamwork. Decide who is better at washing, using the hoses and drying off. Divide the work equally and time yourselves so you know how long an average car takes to wash.
A car wash can be a fun and rewarding way to learn new skills such as teamwork, business management, and advertising. It can also teach you a good work ethic for when you start applying for other jobs in the future. And most importantly, it can help you earn the money you want right away!
How to Start your Own Digital Photo Business
If you’re a teen looking for a quick way to earn some extra money, grab your family’s digital camera and start taking photos. You can start your own digital photo business with as little as a digital camera and a computer that has photo editing software on it.
Since digital cameras are all the rage now, photography has become easier than ever. Whether you’re looking for part time income or a full time business, selling digital photos is a great way to go.
Since you probably love to hang out with your friends and family, anyway, taking your camera along to take photos is a natural. If you go to a concert or other public event, grab the camera and take it with you. Even if you’re not allowed to take the camera into the event, you may still be able to snap a celebrity photo outside, or at the very least some pics of the crowd before and after.
A digital photography business is easy to start and can become very lucrative. Digital cameras come in all price ranges and most households have at least one. Familiarize yourself with yours before you start shooting pictures to be sure you get the best quality.
As to what to take, there are all kinds of subjects. Nature photos, landscapes, still lifes, household objects, people, animals, and more. Take photos of your yard, the landscape around your home, or your siblings playing in the snow.
Take shots of local news and events, such as a car stuck in the snow, or photos at the high school football game, and submit them to your local paper. Local newspapers are often looking for pictures that were taken by residents. Whenever you get a great shot, submit a copy to your community paper. You can get, not only name recognition, but cash as well. And you’ll be making your name known to others who might need a photographer.
Another way to find business is to contact a real estate office and offer to take photos of the homes they have listed for sale. Take several different views and offer them for a nominal fee to the realtors. This, alone, could turn into as much business as you can handle!
Also consider offering your services for local events such as Santa visits, school plays, parties, etc. Parents love to have copies of their kids participating in such activities. The opportunities are unlimited.
Showcase your works on CD or a laptop before printing whenever possible to save the expense of ink and paper if no one is interested. With digital photography, the only expense is printing photos you actually sell.
For pricing, you can call other photographers in your area and ask out what they charge for photos as well as the sizes and packages offered. You can then price your services competitively.
If you don’t have access to a printer, you can sell the photos only on disk or by email. Though, once you get going, you’ll want access to a good printer, which you can get for under a $100. Then you can print as many copies as you need and charge accordingly.
Use some of your best photos to create a flyer and business card for your new business. Hand them out to all your friends and family members. Post them on bulletin boards around town, in grocery stores, libraries and other public buildings. Ask your family members to give them out to co-workers, and more.
Take photos at family members weddings and observe the wedding photographer and how many photo’s they shoot. Practice makes perfect and with a little practice you can learn how to do weddings and other formal portraits and create your own clientele.
You can also take photos of your friends and family, their kids and even their pets. Edit the photos on your computer and print them out to use as Christmas gifts. The more people see your work, the more chance you’ll have to sell photos. Before you know it, you’ll have a real following.
Create brochures for local businesses or offer to take their picture in front of their store to print and frame for them. Do the same with local athletes who’d like a photo of themselves in their uniform, holding a trophy, or carrying their golf clubs.
Between community jobs, go through your photos often, edit them, and publish them online with digital photo companies. There are many online photo sites that will offer you either a flat payment or a usage fee for your work. Webmasters and online businesses are always on the lookout for photos to enhance their Websites, and your photo has a great chance of being purchased or leased for such use.
Take as many jobs as you have time for, and be prompt and follow through on your task. Discover what your client wants whether it’s a portrait, natural poses, a formal pose, etc. Always be polite and produce your work in a timely manner.
With a little creativity, you can set yourself up in business and be earring a lucrative income in a very short time. Develop a positive reputation for yourself, and you could become the best known and most sought-after photographer in your hometown.
Make Money Selling Homemade Cakes and Cookies
If you’re looking for a way to make money, you might think babysitting or lawn care are your only options, but you can also make money baking and selling homemade cakes and cookies! The materials needed to complete are inexpensive and can be purchased at the grocery and dollar stores. And the profit potentials is very good.
The only skills needed are being able to understand a recipe, measure correctly and follow directions. A parent may be needed to supervise once you start baking your cakes or cookies, depending on your age and experience. And cleanliness is mandatory so you’ll need to be sure to keep your utensils and hands clean to avoid contamination. You might even want to wear gloves that are easily available when doing some tasks.
Start a Cake Decorating Business from Home
Before starting, bake us some cookies and/or cakes to be sure you understand the recipe and that they turn out well enough to sell. You can have your parents, siblings and friends be your “taste testers” and let you know what they like best. They’re likely to be your best critics.
Pick one or two recipes that most everyone likes and plan to start with those. You can even take a couple photos that you can use on advertising flyers later on if you want.
Ask a store owner if they’d allow you to set up a booth outside their store to let customers sample your wares. Ask for feedback from the customers. Write down all the positive and negative feedback, these will make great testimonials for your flyers. (Always use gloves when passing out samples and bagging orders.)
Keep a notepad handy to take special orders. The samples may be so good that the customers may want an order filled as soon as possible. And have some ready made items available for sale right then. Often, customers will want a snack as they’re leaving the store and that can make your biggest sales.
Set up a budget detailing what you plan to spend on supplies and materials to help your business succeed. If you don’t have cash on hand, ask your parents for a loan that you can pay back from your baking profits.
Purchase the ingredients you need to get started. Also buy some paper plates and plastic wrap, as well as notecards to keep track of customers and special orders. Whenever you take a special order, be sure to let your customers know when to expect delivery. Get customer names, addresses, phone, email as well as the items they order. Try to get payment in advance whenever possible.
For special orders, prepare your baked goods the day before you plan to deliver them so they’ll be fresh. Again, be sure to keep your work area clean and use gloves. Wash utensils often and don’t use the same utensil before cleaning it again. And never lick the spoon, bowl or your fingers!
Be sure to take change along when you deliver orders. Customers will often hand you a larger bill for their order, so you want to be sure you have the correct change available.
Call the customer who placed the order to be sure they’ll be home before you deliver. You don’t want to leave freshly baked goods on their doorstep. Bring a trusted friend or family member with you for security.
To find new customers and build your business, make us some catchy flyers. Be sure to include your name, phone number, email, if you want, and price. Also, include delivery options, if available, or any special instructions you need to make know such as pick-up only if you don’t have transportation.
Place the flyers on poles and ask store owners if you can place them inside the business. Hand out flyers to people you pass on the street or in your neighborhood. Ask your parents to hand out flyers to co-workers and friends.
If you can afford it, place a small ad in the newspaper. The more business you get, the better profit you’ll earn. You may find you have to have help to fill all your orders!
Baking and selling homemade items can turn into a great side business for a teen. Just do a good job, keep everything clean and professional looking and you’ll find people are happy to take your goodies off your hands earning a great profit for you!
Recommended Resource:
Start a Cake Decorating Business from Home
How to Start Your Own Lawn Care Services Business
Starting your own lawn care services business is a great way for teens to earn some money. Most teens have helped out in their own yard for years and are often in charge of the family yard. With this experience, you can start this service with existing equipment that the family owns with minimal start up costs. If you want to upgrade equipment, you can do so later with your profits.
You’ll need to have a lawn mower, gas, or if the lawn mower is electric, a long extension cord and permission from clients to plug in and use the client’s electricity. If the lawn mower doesn’t have a bag attached, be sure to bring a rake and some garbage bags so you can clean the yard up when finished.
You may opt to include weeding, mulching and gardening services along with the lawn care services you provide. In addition, you can provide services such as watering and fertilizing a yard.
In order to set competitive pricing, call other local lawn care service providers and ask what they would charge for various sized yards. Set your prices competitively, but slightly below the prices of your competitors.
Your prices should vary according to your duties also. If you are in charge of the yard, weeding and other clean up, you’ll be able to charge more than if you’re only mowing the yard on a bi-monthly basis.
Consider setting a flat rate that includes specific services such as mowing, raking and bagging up yard debris. As other services such as watering and weeding are included, adjust the price upwards accordingly.
After you’ve made sure you have the proper equipment and have figured out your pricing, you’ll need to find ways to advertise your business to get clients.
If you have access to a computer, you can make your own business cards. Add your name, a business name if you have one, the services you provide, and a way to get in touch with you such as a phone number and email address.
Flyers are another great way to advertise your new business. Simply create flyers similar to your new business cards and post them on bulletin boards around town. Bulletin boards are often located in supermarkets, libraries, city halls, banks, and other public facilities.
If you have a few dollars you can add to your advertising budget, you may want to place an ad in your local newspaper. Often elderly people read these ads and you can read them easier than with a flyer on a local bulletin board.
Be sure to tell your friends and family that you’re starting a lawn care services business and ask them to let their friends and family know and refer them to you. You might even provide them with a few business cards and flyers to hand out for you.
Ask your friends and family to have potential customers tell you that “Uncle Al” sent them (or whoever it was that referred them), and you can give the referrer a small discount on his own yard. Sometimes a small incentive will help spread your name faster.
When you get a new customer, ask them specific questions so you know exactly what they expect of you.
• Do they want you to mow behind the shed and garage?
• Do they want you to bag up and remove yard waste such as grass clippings or do they just want you to bag it up and put it in a composting area or out by the trash can?
• Should you use your mower or theirs?
• Etc.
Knowing what your customers want and providing that service will build a good reputation for you and ensure repeat customers.
Show up when you say you will, or call and let your customer if you’re delayed and when you’ll arrive.
Be honest.
Be prompt.
Follow through on your commitments.
Providing your customers with the best lawn care services you can provide will gain you a valuable reputation and ensure your continued success in this and future businesses you may start.
Babysitting as a Part-Time Business
Babysitting is one of the best ways for a teen to earn money. In order to get started, you’ll need to decide what age child you’d like to care for. It’s also important to know if the parent requires transporting their children at any time. You’ll have to decide on what type of family you’d like to work with as well.
Taking a CPR class can really help because you’ll want to be prepared if an emergency arises. You can also take a babysitting course at the American Red Cross. This will let parents know you’ve taken time to get the training needed to babysit their child. And it will help them feel comfortable knowing that their child is in good hands.
When it comes to licenses, each state differs. If you plan on babysitting in someone else’s home, a license is usually not required. But you’ll want to call your local business license office to be sure.
Set a price on what you’ll be charging for your babysitting services. Once a price is determined, don’t lower it just because you know the parent. This is a business and your goal is to make money.
Write out a contract on what your services are, including the price. Have the parent sign it, you sign it, and each keep a copy. This will help if a parent decides not to pay for your services. Everything they agreed to will be written out for them.
Plan on games and activities you can do with the children to keep them busy. You may even want to buy some games, crayons, markers, and activity books of your own. You can also make a poster board that you use each time you babysit. Put a star beside the child’s name if they’re good and they listen. After so many stars, give them a prize. This will encourage better behavior which will make your job easier.
Ask your parents if they know of anyone who needs a babysitter, or check with parents of your friends who have younger siblings. If no one comes to mind, then you can start advertising.
Make a simple flyer advertising your business. Be sure to include the age of children you’ll watch, your phone number, credentials obtained such as CPR licensing, and your price if you want. Also note if you will babysit special needs children.
Ask store owners to let you place flyers in their stores. Post flyers on poles. Give them to people you see on the street. Explain your business and ask if they know of anyone who needs a babysitter. If so, give them your information.
Place an ad on Craigslist and other free online services. You can also place a small ad in your local newspaper under Services Offered.
Once you start getting children to babysit, you’ll want to meet with the parents. Ask them to give you a daily schedule for each child. For instance, a parent may want you to give the child a snack at a certain time. Ask about what they can eat, what they may be allergic to, how to handle discipline and what to do if the child misbehaves. The parents should also give you numbers to contact in case of an emergency.
You’ll want to stay calm and cool when babysitting. Most children will misbehave at some time. When that happens, try putting the child in time out for a few minutes. If they continue to misbehave, and the parents haven’t give you other options, call the parent. Whatever you do, never hit or spank a child!
Babysitting can be a fun, rewarding business if you enjoy children. It’s easy to find clients, and it pays well. Learn all you can, maintain a good attitude, and you can build a great part-time business watching other people’s children.
Start a Scrapbooking Business
If you’re love art and crafting, making collages and preserving memories, all while making money, then a scrapbooking business could be the perfect opportunity for you!
The first step in starting your own business is to check with your local business tax office to find out what licenses you may need before you begin.
Once all that’s taken care of, you need to learn as much as you can about the various scrapbooking techniques, trends and materials, which you can do in a variety of ways.
You can read books and magazines about scrapbooking, subscribe to newsletters or browse the multitude of Websites on the subject. You can even take a class or seminar, if you choose. The more knowledge you have, the better off you’ll be.
Next, you’ll need to purchase supplies. What you buy depends on the type of scrapbooking you intend to do: digital, traditional or both. Digital scrapbooking only requires software, a printer, photo-quality paper and colored ink.
Traditional scrapbooking requires a wide range of scrapbooking materials and supplies, including kits, embellishments, stickers, fibers such as yarn, buttons, brads and more. You’ll also want to make sure you have some good sharp “normal” scissors, along with several pair with different shaped blades to create a variety of page edgings and effects.
If you chose the traditional method, you’ll ideally want supplies that cater to a variety of themes such as birthdays, holidays, graduations, weddings, new baby, etc.. You never know what kind of pages your customers will ask you to complete.
If you plan on using a digital method, you’ll need scrapbooking software. Scrapbook MAX! is one option. The website for the software also has a forum where digital freebies are posted. Actually, many Websites offer freebies for download, so be sure to bookmark your favorite sites.
One thing you should be careful to avoid is copyright infringement. Any supplies you purchase come with special use requirements. If you have any questions about how your supplies can be used, contact the scrapbook designer before adding the item to your page. Disney, for instance, is very strict about what you can do with their characters, such as Mickey Mouse or Donald Duck. It’s better to be safe and clarify terms of use in advance.
Once you’ve gained the knowledge needed, and you have your supplies on hand, it’s time to begin working and test what you’ve learned! Use your own family photos as a starting point to create some scrapbook pages. Not only will it give you experience and a way to showcase your work, it’ll also give your family a wonderful gift that they’ll treasure forever.
After you’ve created some sample pages, you can begin advertising your skills. With the advent of sites like Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and Craigslist, the possibilities for advertising your business to a wide range of people is unlimited.
If you’d like to take it one step further, you could even start your own website. You can then create an online portfolio of your work for potential customers to see. Simply scan some of your pages and post them online as samples.
Other ways to advertise your business include posting flyers on bulletin boards, handing out business cards and submitting your business information to various work-at-home or crafting Websites. You can send out emails or newsletters to family and friends and ask them to pass your information on. Word of mouth is a powerful tool in establishing a successful business.
Once you have your first client, discuss with them what their expectations are. Communication is important, so be sure to make yourself available for your customers who may have comments or concerns. The happier your customers are, the more customers you’ll gain.
For your own personal safety, you might want to get a PO box for any mail you’ll receive for your business. It’s better to be safe than to give out your home address to strangers.
If you follow all of the above steps, you’ll be well on your way to running a successful scrapbooking business. The rewards will be much more than just financial… you’ll be creating works of art and memories that will last your clients a lifetime!
