kids-in-biz.com

“I am 13 and pretty busy at school and live in the country areas. I love: beauty products [hair stuff, shower stuff etc.], stationery, pink things, designing and I am a night owl. What should I do and where should I start? I’ve tried making chocolates for neighbours but I don’t have many and don’t know how to advertise! I live in N. Ireland…HELP!”

The good news is that you have taken a good look at what you like to do! That’s a great start. Congrats! Being in a very rural area can make it difficult to find people to sell to, but luckily internet marketing has changed that. I know, because we live in a very small town. Don’t forget about school friends and people you meet through after school activities. Those people you know the best can often be your best customers.

You can also ask a parent to team up with you and help you join a direct sales business or even start your own website or blog. If you love designing, I highly suggest you learn the software needed to customize blogs and websites. There are many of us online who need help with this and would gladly pay!

If you have a green light from your parents, why not start a blog? It’s easy to start and you can begin for fun, writing about products and things you enjoy. A pretty pink site would be a great place to begin! Please remember not to use your real name and address and ALWAYS use good sense online. Here’s a great article on teen blogging safety: teen blogging. Once you feel comfortable with your blog, you can add product recommendations and begin monetizing your site.

Since you are in Ireland, check out iamawahm.com. Although it’s geared at work-at-home-mums, it will have some good information for you to check out.

We got this question today:

What if I can’t do a dog walking business alone, and I had to have a partner. There is a girl that lives across the street and we are good friends, but lately shes been kind of snooty and different. If I choose someone else she’ll get REALLY upset. What should I do?

Finding a partner that you can get along with all of the time is a really difficult thing, even for adults. It sounds like you’re learning one of the hardest lessons in business at an early age. I know it isn’t fun. Somehow one partner always seems to do more of the work or has more energy for the business. Sometimes just being friends can be tough, never mind working together!

Perhaps you can have a “business meeting.” Tell her that you’d like to get ready for summer or spring break and iron out a few things ahead of time. Agree to discuss all aspects of the business – what you’d like to charge, hours you’d like to work, how many clients you’d like to have, how you plan to get the word out, etc. Dog-walking can be a lot of fun but is also a huge responsibility. Suggest that you enlist another friend or two to help out – either as partners or as subs. Don’t forget to hear her side – does she have any questions or concerns? Ideas on how to make the business better?

What happens if you have a dog-walking appointment and one of you gets invited to the beach, the mall or a sleepover this summer? Do you have a back-up plan? Remember that you should always have an emergency back-up, even if it’s your mom or dad.

I suspect this really isn’t all about business. Sounds like she might be afraid of losing you or what you two have together. Is there anything that you can do to calm her worries? We have plenty of room in our hearts for lots of friends. It doesn’t have to be either/or.

Only you can decide whether you should continue the partnership. I always find that talking about it helps and I often get a piece of paper and write out a list of pros and cons. Sometimes putting it down on paper can really help.

Best of luck!

Treece