40 Teenage Business Ideas

40 Teenage Business Ideas

Instead of working a part-time job and working for someone else, teenagers can start their very own business by providing a service or selling products either online or offline. After they’ve decided on an idea for a profitable business model, they will create a basic business strategy and begin developing a plan for startup costs, a plan for marketing, decide on product or service pricing, how to manage business responsibilities, and how to best set the business to be consumer-centric.

These plans and ideas will change and improve as time progresses. The first step is to JUST START brainstorming and create a preliminary blueprint for the new business. Teenagers who are short on ideas, or even teens with too many ideas, should discuss their thoughts with family and friends to gain feedback which will prove to be invaluable.

Working a part-time job in a restaurant or in a retail store can pay an income but operating a home business can provide a plethora of additional advantages, especially for teenagers. Here is list of some of those benefits:

• Create a flexible schedule that works around other school & life activities

• Learn business practices like investing, capital gains, and net worth

• Make more income than the typical minimum wage job

• Gain confidence as they make business decisions and work with customers

• Manage budgets and understand the true value of money

• Develop a love for entrepreneurship

• Focus on doing work they love

Teens starting a business or a side hustle at an early age is an excellent way to develop and foster an entrepreneurship mindset that will carry with them into their adult years. We definitely want to help our teenagers generate a variety of business ideas and encourage them to use their talents to create a long term income.

So, we know WHY a teenage business is a good idea, but WHAT is the right business? Deciding on the right business depends on a few factors. Since teenagers essentially work full-time at school, it would be opportunistic to choose a business that works best around their schedule. Financial resources, in terms of start-up capital, may play a big role in deciding on a business. And last, but certainly not least, is really honing in on the one passion that will launch the business into success.

There are so many great business ideas for teens. What would the ideal business be? I believe the ideal business would be something they can do from their home or at least locally in their neighborhood, if they are providing a service. Since teens may not have any start-up funds, the cost should be minimal. Many businesses won’t cost anything but their time. I’m going to share 40 different ideas, in a few different areas, that should ignite incredible business beginnings.

Home Based Service Business

1. Pet Sitting/Dog Walking

If teens love pets, they will love this. This is a fantastic neighborhood service that can help teens make money quickly. With some flyers, business cards from vista-print.com, and a little word of mouth networking, teens can make money with walking their neighbors dogs or pet-sitting when the locals go travelling. Marking on social media would be a big help too!

2. Child Care/After-School Program

Many working parents need help during their busy work week to help care for their children either during the work day, weekends, or during after-school hours. With crazy pandemic schedules, it would be a great idea for teens to market their services throughout the neighborhood. This would require kindness, patience, and passion for working with children. If they love working with kids, this is an excellent option.

3. Tutor

Neighborhood parents often seek teens to tutor their children in a variety of school subjects. Sometimes parents just need someone to help their children complete their homework. Teens can advertise on flyers, business cards (or word of mouth), or social media the subjects they are capable of tutoring. If a teen is super strong in one particular subject, this tutoring business could be a gold mine.

4. Babysitting

Sometimes babysitting is a perfect business for a highschooler who may only have nights and weekends available due to crazy school and sports schedules. Before embarking on babysitting, it would be beneficial to read a book or two on the subject. It would also be a bonus to be CPR and First Aid Certified. These are credentials that would make you highly valuable and marketable to neighborhood parents.

5. Party Entertainer

Imagine making money entertaining people at parties. Party entertainers are in high demand. A business that is marketed properly can be quite profitable too. These talents can include magic, juggling, clown/costumed character, and even a party DJ/MC. Teens can learn these skills and market their service around the town or on social media platforms.

6. Lawn Care

Many teens have been privileged with the task of grooming the family’s lawn by mowing the grass, weed wacking, watering the grounds, mulching, or throwing grass seed. Any teen with this type of experience can “branch” out into the neighborhood and offer lawn care services. They can use the family tools or maybe the parents can help invest in some new gear. You’d be surprised how many people may hire a local teen for this type of service. Get the word out, and start earning some great money!

7. House Sitting

People often go on vacation. Who will take care of their home responsibilities? Who will feed the dog, the bird, the fish? Who will check the mail? Who can water the plants? Who will make sure the house stays secure? …….You can!!! Market your services to the neighborhood, get hired, and watch your bank account grow as neighbors continue to hire you every time they go away.

8. Collecting Bottles and Cans

In many states, teens can redeem bottles and cans, at usually 5 to 10 cents a bottle. Often a deposit cost is built into the sale of the bottles and cans (at the retail store), so redeeming these empties is a great way to recycle and put a little change back in your pocket. Check your state to see if you can earn some money redeeming bottles and cans.

9. Shoveling Snow

Depending on where you live in the world, a snow shoveling business can prove to be very profitable. With a portable snowblower, a bag of salt, or even just a shovel and an ice scraper, teens can earn money quickly on those snowy days. Advertise that driveways can be cleared, sidewalks cleaned, and cars dug out. Making business cards and flyers to hand out before the snow season starts would be a great way to gain an edge over the competition.

10. Errand Running

Dropping things off, picking things up from the store, and delivering packages, are just a few reasons teens should start an errand running business for people in their town or neighborhood. Non-driving teens can ask their parents to transport them or ask a sibling, who drives, and then split the profits!

11. Sports Coaching

Starting a sports coaching business could earn a teen a small fortune. Obviously, in order to start a coaching business for a particular sport (i.e. soccer, basketball, football, hockey, baseball, lacrosse, volleyball, tennis, etc.) teens need to be fairly proficient. Teens can coach anyone who wants to learn the sport ranging from young children to older adults. Knowing and teaching the skills is just one facet of coaching. Coaches need to practice patience, use encouragement, be prompt, be responsible, and plan for lesson objectives and goals. The best part is teens can coach and earn money on their own schedule. Eventually, they can coach group lessons (multiple students at one time) which can increase profits exponentially.

12. Raking Leaves

While this teen job is seasonal, it can become a part of the main business along with other seasonal services like snow shoveling. This business has a very low start up cost, is fairly simple to start, easy to advertise to neighbors, and can earn a teen hundreds or even thousands of dollars in one Fall season. Teens will need to own a rake, a portable leaf blower (if they want to make things a little easier) and leaf bags to start earning income in their new seasonal service business.

13. Cleaning Service

What teen is unfamiliar with performing chores around their home? If a teenager cleans well and is attentive to detail, then this might be the right business choice. Cleaning services usually include taking care of the nitty-gritty chores around homes such as dusting, bathroom & kitchen deep cleaning, garbage removal, window washing, mopping, laundry, organizing, or whatever the client needs cleaned. Clients to seek out are; working professionals, the elderly, or anyone who just needs a little help straightening things up around their homes.

14. Seasonal Chores

While raking leaves in the fall or shoveling snow in the winter are certainly seasonal chores, this type of business can focus on decorating or designing for clients. Many people just don’t have the time, the energy, or the creative intellect to decorate for the seasons. Christmas/Winter is the most popular holiday/season when teens are hired to decorate. Then Fall/Halloween is a close second. Teens with a keen sense of design can also help their clients with the purchase and design for the decorations. What are other types of seasonal chores your business can offer?

15. Art Tutor

Teens who have a knack for art can use their talents to teach others. Art comes in many forms and can be created in multiple mediums. Niches like sculptures, oil colors, canvas painting, pottery, character designs, cartooning, animation, and pencil drawings are just a few of a thousand types of art that can be taught. Art therapy (classes for people looking to de-stress) are extremely popular, are fun, are profitable, and usually involve a peaceful landscape idea, a canvas, and a palate of paint for each student. 2021 is the perfect time to offer de-stressing art therapy classes for anyone looking to recover from 2020.

16. Music Lessons

Teenagers who play an instrument, at a proficient level, can make money teaching others how to do the same. Since “beginners” start with zero experience, teens should be confident in their ability to at least teach the very basics. When the student attains a level close to the teacher’s abilities, the teacher may be able to recommend other instructors.

Young learners are naturally drawn to and inspired by young teachers. Honestly, the hardest part for the newbie instructor is mustering up confidence to get started. After a few lessons, teaching becomes easier and the new music lesson business will begin to expand as others hear about the service. Teens can make from $25 to $35 an hour. Where can a teen work and make that type of money?

17. Musician

Teens are often hired to play instrument at events. Teen pianists are often hired to play at ceremonies, weddings, and church functions. Teens who play just about any instrument can hire themselves to play at any type of function. Teens just need to know who their clientele are. Guitarists (who sing/or play classical guitar) can be hired to perform at parties. A teen who plays the bagpipes can be hired to play at funerals or weddings. A teen who plays the steel drums can be hired by a beach club. Again, these are just examples. With a little marketing and diligence, teenagers with the idea of earning money as a musician can become a reality.

Digital Service Business

18. Podcaster

Podcasting is an amazing avenue for teenagers to utilize to voice their thoughts. By using a podcasting service (i.e. Captivate), teens can upload their audio files to be broadcasted on many podcasting platforms including iTunes. Audio can be captured on an iphone, a usb mic, or other recording software. It can be a one-teen show or it could be a collaboration of a few people. Earning money won’t come right away as it will take some time to build a following. Once a following is developed, the possibilities are vast. My advice is...do it because you love it. The money will follow.

19. Niche Websites

Developing a niche (focusing on one specific area of interest) website is where profitable businesses are born. These websites are created because the creator has an intense passion for this particular niche/interest. Teenagers creating a niche website will need to focus on generating quality content, develop a following, engage with site members, post videos, photos, and be patient with creating income. The main focus will be inviting people to subscribe to the content and developing a large following. Niche websites have the potential of being quite profitable, especially with the proper implementation of affiliate marketing.

20. Graphic Designer

Graphic designers create visual concepts, using computer software or by hand, to communicate ideas that inspire, inform, and captivate consumers. They develop the overall layout and production design for applications such as advertisements, brochures, magazines, and reports. One popular online design platform that can help teens accomplish these tasks is called Canva.

Graphic designers create:

• Books, magazines, catalogs, newspapers.

• Visual identity such as letterhead, business cards, brand guides, logos.

• Marketing materials: flyers, brochures, postcards, one-sheets, posters.

• Product packaging and labels.

• Presentations.

• Shirt & Apparel designs.

• Reports.

• Illustrations & clip-art.

21. Web Design

This one can be tricky, but profitable, for any teen who knows how to design websites. Most people have no clue where to begin developing a website for their business. Website building platforms like Squarespace and Wix are making website building simpler. Fortunately for the web savvy teen, most people just don’t have the time needed to invest in learning how to build a website. Teens without experience can invest time to learn these platforms and then start a web design business. Offering services, at first, for free or at a low cost would be a smart move to begin building up a digital design portfolio.

22. Photographer

Everybody now-a-days believes they are a professional photographer or videographer thanks to smartphone technology. However, foundationally it’s not even about the camera. It’s about the artist. If teens are passionate and skilled at taking pictures of people, landscapes, or objects, the opportunities are endless. They can sell their digital photos on Stock Photo sites (i.e. Shutterstock, Getty, etc.) and also create and sell wall art using those photographs. They can also offer digital product photography for people who need professional looking shots for product websites.

23. T-Shirt Designer

Becoming a T-shirt designer has been a far-fetched dream for teenagers for many years. With the advancement of the internet and available online design tools in combination with merch platforms, this is very possible and can even be done for free. Teens can design T-shirt art on sites like Canva and then upload the designs to platforms like Redbubble and Teespring and begin selling their t-shirt designs immediately.

24. Live Streaming Gamer (Twitch)

Gamers looking to make money will need to be patient with this method. The key to gamers making money on Twitch is to develop a following of thousands of people. With any online teen business, generating money could take months or years. The secret is to start it, continue making great gaming content, love what you do, and be patient.

25. Social Media Management

Who has time to post content to multiple social media accounts and interact with an audience? Not many people. Businesses usually need to focus on bigger priorities, like their bottom line. Many businesses will hire social media savvy teens to manage their Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and other accounts. A teenager can be paid hundreds of dollars per month, per business. Teens who are savvy in growing social media account followers can get paid thousands of dollars per month.

26. Audio Editing/Recording

Logic, FL Studios, Pro Tools, Garageband, Ableton Live, and Audacity are just a few of the popular audio/recording/mixing programs used by teenagers today. Teenagers with knowledge of these programs could be hired as music producers and earn between $30 to $50 per hour (to start). They could record singers, bands, podcasters, voice-overs actors, etc. By the way, Audacity.com is a free “open-source” audio mixing, recording, and editing software.

Online Star / Influencer

27. Social Media Influencer

Teens with many thousands of followers on sites like Instagram, Youtube, Facebook, Linked-In, and Pinterest, are considered social media influencers. An influencer is someone who has a large following and has the ability to “influence” their audience based on their authoritative position. If they say “jump”, their followers say “how high?” Any teenager able to attain this type of social media success can earn a substantial amount of money through affiliate marketing, selling their own products/services, and are often sought after and paid to post “shout-outs” for other users.

28. Blogger/Vlogger

Another great way for teens to profit from their interests or passions is through blogging. Anyone starting a blog/vlog(video blog) will need to approach this like running a marathon. Successful teenage bloggers begin with a niche idea, start out with a well thought out plan, post relevant content often, engage with readers, and build the framework for a long-standing business and income. Learn more about starting a blog business in class 5 of the course on www.eteenlab.com.

29. Youtube Star:

Starting a video blog on YouTube is a fun way to make money through ad revenue, brand sponsors, and affiliate marketing. A teen can take a hobby or interest and turn it into an online show. For example, many gamers screencast their video games to share on YouTube. Other YouTube stars sing, provide beauty or fashion tips, deliver comedy, share lifestyle tips or insights, provide exercise tips, and more. Or, if video seems like too much work, podcasting is another option.

30. Instagram:

Similar to YouTube, teen Instagram influencers tend to focus on a passion or interest, such as beauty, fashion, food, pets, or life in general. Instagram is an entirely visual platform. Unlike Facebook, which relies on both text and pictures, or Twitter, which relies on text alone, Instagram's sole purpose is to enable users to share images or videos with their audience. Teenagers with large followings can earn money through “shout-outs”, affiliate marketing, or by selling their own products. To gain attention to their posts, instagrammers post often, use hashtags, and stay relevant to their theme.

Selling

31. Selling Candy

Business savvy teens who want to earn money quickly can run to the local Walmart or Costco and purchase a bulk box of candy, like chocolate bars (individually wrapped), and sell them where-ever possible. The profits can be fairly high because while each piece can be sold for 1 or 2 dollars, they were purchased for a fraction of that price. The trick is to buy wholesale and sell retail! If planning to set up consistently at a location, parents may want to check with the town/city hall to ask if permits are required.

32. Selling Handmade Crafts

Teenagers who make handmade crafts can either sell online or offline. Crafts are often sold online on sites like Etsy, Ebay, Craigslist, or Facebook Marketplace. These websites will direct more eyeballs to the crafts but competition is much harder. Sometimes selling locally at flea markets or craft shows can earn crafty teens a quick buck. Some popular crafting products are; pet tags, candles, keychains, magnets, jewelry, headbands, coasters, bath bombs,, pillows, etc.

33. Flipping Sneakers

Flipping shoes and sneakers is a great business for brand savvy teens. Many teenagers know which styles and brands are popular. These shoes can often be sold for much more money than they were originally purchased due to supply and demand. As the supplies of those shoes decline, the demand increases, and then the price increases. As an example, a pair of Nike’s can be bought for $175.00 today but in 2 months could sell close to $300.00. Shoes can be flipped on Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, Mercari, Shoe Flip, etc.

Here are some of the top selling shoes in 2020:

• CLOT Air Force 1 Rose Gold

• Travis Scott Nike SB Dunk Low.

• Nike x Air jordan 1

• Adidas x Yeezy QNTM BSKTBL

• OFF WHITE x Air Jordan 4 “Sail”

• Nike SB x Ben & Jerry's “Chunky Dunky”

• Nike SB x Instant Skateboards.

34. Bake Sale

Who doesn’t love brownies and cupcakes. Any teenager who knows how to bake definitely has to be one popular teen. Besides being popular, these teens can also earn a ton of money when they start a home baking business. Yes, they can sell their goods at local bake sales, but they could also offer to sell their goods in local bakeries too. They also won’t be short changed if they offer to bake or make desserts for special events like weddings, birthday parties, bridal showers, kids events, etc.

35. Vending Machines

Did you know you could own a vending machine business? This is similar to the concept of selling candy, buying wholesale and selling retail. Businesses allow your machines to be located there with the expectation that they are filled regularly and in working order. They are appreciative of the convenience for their employees and you can reap the benefits. It’s best to pair up with a parent on this venture! The challenge is keeping the vending machines stocked. The parents can take care of all the backend business and the teen can ensure the machines are fully stocked and making money!

36. Selling Jewelry

Crafty teenagers who make their own jewelry can sell their products in many places. Locally, jewelry can be sold at flea markets, garage sales, and even town events. Selling online can also prove to be very profitable. Sites like Etsy, Ebay, Craigslist, and Facebook Marketplace are popular sites where teens sell crafts. With a little ambition, teens can even open their very own ecommerce store on sites like Shopify and sell either their own jewelry or sell products not their own. Teens can purchase very inexpensive jewelry wholesale on Alibaba or Aliexpress and sell at retail prices on their very own online store. They can even create their own brand! How exciting!

37. Selling Ice Cream or Popsicles

This business is fairly simple to understand and can be very profitable during the hot months of summer. Teens would purchase wholesale from stores like Costco, Sam’s Club, or Walmart, and sell at retail prices outside. Permits may or may not be necessary. Give the town hall a call to find out what the regulations are. However, teens can open-shop directly in front of their homes (on their property) with no issues at all!

38. Selling Bottled Water

It doesn’t get easier than selling bottled water. Teens would purchase a few cases of water from wholesale stores like Costco, Sam’s Club, or Walmart, and then can sell each water for a dollar or more. Teens can profit at least $20 per case! Teens shouldn’t have any problems selling water at private events or even when out at the park. Permits may or may not be necessary. Give the town hall a call to learn of any regulations. Remember, selling anything on your own property is fine.

39. Retail Arbitrage

Retail arbitrage just means that teens would buy something at a low cost and then sell it for a profit. This can be accomplished with anything, either online or offline. The most common type of retail arbitrage technique is purchasing highly discounted items or items on clearance at stores like Target and Walmart and then re-listing these items on Ebay or Amazon at a higher price.

Amazon’s FBA (Fulfilled By Amazon) program is very popular for teens who engage in retail arbitrage. Using the Amazon Seller’s App, Teenagers scan a product’s UPC Barcode. Amazon then calculates if the item is profitable. If the item is profitable, the seller/teen purchases the item and sends it into an Amazon warehouse to become a part of Amazon’s inventory. The product is tagged with the seller’s account information. When a customer purchases from the teen’s Amazon listing, Amazon will remove their fees and the seller earns a profit.

40. Selling On Ebay

Teens can sell just about anything on Ebay…..Anything. The minimum age to use Ebay is 18, however if a teenager younger than 18 is interested in this, a parent can open the account and the teen can do the work. To get started, search around the house for unused items and just practice listing them. If you are unsure of how much to charge, just look on ebay for similar items. Getting started on Ebay is fantastic practice for young entrepreneurs. Once they get the hang of things, they can purchase items at garage sales, thrift stores, or flea markets that can be flipped for high profits.

Re-Cap:

If you’re looking to help your teen make a little money, these 40 business ideas for teens can be a great place to start. By starting a business, teens will get a headstart on picking up skills that will be useful wherever life takes them.