Teen Money Making Ideas » teen entrepreneurs

Dare to Dream: The Million Dollar Toy Boy

Amber — Tue, 18 May 2010 19:47:48 +0000

The following article is from TeenMoneyMakingIdeas.Com:Someone once said: “If you can imagine it you can create it. If you can dream it, you can become it”. And apparently Richie Stachowski took this advice to heart! He dared to dream and then he turned his dream into a reality. Today at 13-years-old, he is the founder and president of his own million-dollar company. Read and be inspired by this million dollar toy boy:

In most respects, Richie Stachowski, who lives in Orinda, California, is a typical, fun loving 13-year-old Richie Stachowski, who vastly prefers sports to school. On the other hand, Richie is the Founder and President of a company boasting about a half-million dollars in annual revenues. When he was 11, Richie’s family went on vacation to Hawaii. Richie was out snorkeling with his father, and was so thrilled by the numbers and colors of the fish he kept seeing that he wanted to be able to shout out to his dad each time he saw something new. Afterward, when Richie’s father, a registered diver, confirmed that no one had invented a simple way to talk underwater, Richie set about becoming that inventor.

Richie began sketching designs that very evening in the family’s hotel room. After returning home, Richie used the Internet to research underwater acoustics. Then he began building prototypes of an underwater megaphone, using the $267 he had in his savings account. First, Richie mounted a standard snorkel mouthpiece onto the tip of a conical, plastic soccer-field boundary marker. Then, in a series of tests conducted in the family swimming pool, Richie found that he could keep water from flooding the device by including a blow valve in the cone and a plastic membrane in the mouthpiece. After a month of further modifications, his invention was a complete success, allowing people to talk to each other underwater from up to 15 feet away.

Under the guidance of his mother, Barbara, herself an inventor-entrepreneur, Richie flew to Paramus, New Jersey to pitch his new “Water Talkies” to Toys “R” Us. Richie concluded his presentation by using a fish tank to ask, underwater, for a purchase order, and he got it—for 50,000 units. One of Barbara’s business associates helped arrange incorporation, patent and trademark search, and manufacture. Richie’s new company, Short Stack, LLC (named for Richie’s favorite breakfast, pancakes) soon concluded deals with Wal-Mart, K-Mart, and other large chain stores.

Water Talkies™ were a summer sensation in 1997, and for 1998 they were joined by two new inventions. Richie’s Scuba Scope™ allows snorkelers to see underwater and above water at the same time; his Bumper Jumper Water Pumper™ is a sit-down float whose paddle doubles as a water gun. Soon, Richie plans to expand the Short Stack® line even further, adding an underwater hockey game, novelty diving goggles, and an underwater pogo stick.

Although Richie’s achievements have won him a great deal of attention in the media, from CNN to the Christian Science Monitor, he remains a kid at heart. For example, Richie canceled a scheduled June 1997 appearance on NBC’s “Tonight Show” due to a conflict with a more pressing commitment: summer basketball camp.

That is as it should be, since not growing up too fast is the key to Richie’s success. As his mother puts it, “Kids are so creative. . . Their barriers haven’t been built up yet.” Richie Stachowski would probably agree with his mother’s theory, but in his advice to aspiring young inventors he prefers to use simpler terms: “If you think you have a good idea, just go for it!”

[story credit]

[photos]For more information like this, visit TeenMoneyMakingIdeas.Com.

Celebrate Spring with New Changes for the Hottest Teen Website Today

Erica — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 19:50:31 +0000

The following article is from TeenMoneyMakingIdeas.Com:

Over the years, TeenMoneyMakingIdeas.com has been passionate about educating teens and kids on business, money management and money making ideas in the global economy. Today, it is one of the forward-moving teen resources on the web that pushes for financial revolution through the means of social media. To date, it has helped inspire a lot of teens and kids to start their own businesses or find ways to earn money, whether online-based or home-based. And boy, is our community growing!

Better, Stronger, Faster: New Look
As you may have now noticed, just recently, the website underwent a major overhaul and has been updated with a new look: fresher, younger and even more vibrant! We hope you like it. This is for you guys, all our loyal readers and members who have subscribed – TeenMoneyMakingIdeas.com want to convey the energy and verve of the community through bright colors, and we thought green, yellow and orange suits us all well.

Be the Judge: Rate Our Articles
We are also encouraging everyone to help develop a more personal content by allowing you to rate articles depending on level of interestingness. You can either give us a thumbs up or down or rate us with stars . Of course we like all thumbs up and five stars, but that’s just us. You are free to rate as many articles as you like, and make sure to leave us comments, too! We love a healthy discussion on topics, and you can also give us more suggestion for articles, like if you need tips on one topic or advice on some issues.

Connect and Make Friends: The Activity Area
And hey, another feature – the Activity area! Make friends and mingle through the new feature added to the site – sign up for a free account and get access to a big community of teen entrepreneurs who are eager to share business ideas and tips. By signing up, you are able to receive even more freebies as well as linger and connect with new people! Create a profile page, make friends with other members, post status messages in your home page, create social comments, share information and content – TeenMoneyMakingIdeas.com aims to function not only as an educational and information-sharing tool, but also as a internal social networking site for members. Your Activity area works just like Twitter:

Win $20: Join Our First Ever Contest!
For April, Teen Money Making Ideas is joining the world as we celebrate spring by kicking off with a contest entitled, “$20 for 20 by 20th: the Teen Money Making Ideas challenge!” We want to get to know better our new members and give you a proper welcome to the community. Fill out your profile and write 20 random things about yourself by April 30, 2010! The first five users to do this stand to win $20 each.

Consequently, a monthly contest will now be held at TeenMoneyMakingIdeas.com to foster a lively spirit of competition and interaction among members. Everyone is encouraged to join and participate in the community, as well as learn from articles, tutorials and tips dispensed on the website!

We hope you all like our new changes and we are so happy that you are a part of Teen Money Making Ideas! For more information like this, visit TeenMoneyMakingIdeas.Com.

On Skateboards, Life and Other Curious Things

Steve / moneywizkid — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 18:57:55 +0000

Warning: strpos() [function.strpos]: Empty delimiter in /home/teen/public_html/wp-content/plugins/seo-image/seo-friendly-images.php on line 202

The following article is from TeenMoneyMakingIdeas.Com:

Hello, my name is Steve. And yeah, you’ve probably seen me around here on Teen Money Making Ideas, as well as College Money Making Ideas, because I hang out on both sites a lot, even when you’re not looking. Heh.

I’m a writer for both blogs, just in case you were wondering. I’m eighteen. I love skateboards, and can drool about them for hours. They’re kinda the most amazing thing to happen in my life right now, aside from deciding that I want to be a full-time entrepreneur, of course. My latest goal so far is to earn enough money so I can buy this, and this, and THESE if they exist somehow, in this world. You can never have too many skateboards in this life.

I’m kidding. Maybe one too many is too much. Heh. Still – it’s free to dream. And here in Teen Money Making Ideas, we do a lot of dreaming and wanting and planning, if I do say so myself. Which is excellent. Which is absolutely awesome, if you ask me.

And it’s probably common knowledge by now, and I do admit I sound like a broken record, but aside from zombies, skateboards, action movies and music, I do love me some money making ways. I love being creative more so, earning money out of it is just a plus. My dad thinks I got the entrepreneur gene from him because he’s a chef, and chefs are known to be innovators and adventurers when it comes to the world of food. However, my mom thinks I got the entrepreneur gene from her because she’s a writer, and writers are the most imaginative people on earth, I would gather, and they’re a creative bunch, too.

Whenever this argument would insert itself in little family discussions around the table, here’s what I have to say: I love food, and I experiment with it when I have the time (peanut butter and mustard sandwich, anyone? My mom, by this time, is already choking up with disgust), so thanks Dad. I also love writing, and I fill up notebooks with my inane observations of life and what-if situations (what if humans were born without elbows? My dad, by this time, is already pretending to snore out of boredom), so thanks Mom. But being entrepreneur – and I would stress this with an emphatic shake of my head, for all its dread-locked glory – is not just from one person alone.

I would like to think I got it both from them, as well as my sisters and my grandparents. I was taught about the value of being creative from an early age by observing my parents, and I learned about the value of money by the long lectures of my grandparents. My sisters, meanwhile, always cheered me on to do what I want to do. So yes, I do think I got the entrepreneur gene, more so than the rest of my family.

I would like to connect with everyone here who has a business idea, or who wants to be an entrepreneur, or who just wants a job to keep them financially secure. We can talk, be friends, get into arguments (lively, but peaceful ones, I hope!) or just come up with ideas on how to be a better at managing our own businesses. I post motivational articles from time to time to help keep our spirits up, and I’m working with the other writers here on the site to come up with more write-ups that you guys will enjoy reading.

Elsewhere, you can also find me networking and making friends at the following places:

Don’t forget to add me! Looking forward to meet you For more information like this, visit TeenMoneyMakingIdeas.Com.

Top 10 Young Entrepreneurs Likely to be Millionaires in the Future

Erica — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 18:38:58 +0000

The following article is from TeenMoneyMakingIdeas.Com:Last week we showed you the top 25 teenage millionaires, as well as UK’s top 20 richest kids – now here are more young entrepreneurs who are hard at work at working their way to their first million!

Here is a look at ten young entrepreneurs who started their businesses early and managed to make a decent profit off of them while they were still young. Who knows what kids with this kind of drive and talent could end up doing throughout the rest of their lives?!

1. Anna and Sarah Levinson. These sisters were 14 and 17 when they launched a line of nail polish out of their home. The whole thing started as just a way to make some creative new colors for their own nails. The colors turned out to be interesting. The polish was popular with their friends. Before they knew it they realized that this could be a money-making home-based business. After a couple of years they managed to become a top-selling cosmetics company for their type of product. Their company, called Ripe, now earns over $200,000 annually.

2. Donny Ouyang. This Canadian guy launched several websites when he was still in high school which all turned out to be popular. At the age of 11 he wasn’t earning any income at all. He started making websites the following year and sold his first websites for $200. By the age of 15, he was earning nearly $80,000 per year. He’s written an ebook on how he managed to do this through e-business. His key tip for others is to do the part of a business that you are good at and to outsource all of the more difficult parts to experts who can do it all better and faster than you can. Smart kid. No wonder he’s making a fortune at such a young age and still enjoying the work that he does!

3. Josh Buckley. This kid is another one who has made a successful career out of the world of online business. He started making his own profitable websites while he was still attending school in England. Like Donny Ouyang he sold his first website for a mere $200. By the age of 14 he was earning four figures per month in the website business. At the age of 15 he sold a site called Menewsha.com for a sum that was almost six figures in size! He also won the Best Idea Award on the website Retire at 21 for his great website ideas. He wants to be a millionaire by the age of 21 and has a long-term goal of making at least one billion dollars and moving to California to enjoy it!

4. Adam Cohen. Adam Cohen was five years old when he first began to invent gadgets. At 15, he created something called an electrochemical paintbrush which is a miniature device used to etch information on microchips. It can etch lines of copper so small that they can spell out fifty words in the same amount of space as the width of a human hair. That’s tiny! And what it means is that he’s been able to amass a big fortune. He earned a $40,000 scholarship for his efforts. Today he has over 200 inventions pending. One of the main things that all of these young entrepreneurs seem to have in common (besides drive and ambition, of course) is that they are truly creative!

5. Krysta Morlan. If you have ever had to wear a cast due to a broken bone then you know that one of the most frustrating things about it is that it gets itchy. This young woman helped to solve that problem when she was in high school by creating a device that cools the cast and reduces the problem. She has since gone on to create other inventions and is considered a leading teen inventor. She says: “I discovered my positive attitude, problem solving skills, interest in science, and challenges due to my disability made a great combination of tools in the field of adaptive technology.” There doesn’t seem to be any information available online about just how much money she has earned from her inventions but she’s well-known as a female inventor who started off at a young age so it’s likely that she’s made a tidy profit while helping others with her creations.

6. Ben Casnocha. By the age of 19, this boy had already owned a start-up software company for five years and written a book about his experiences as a young CEO. He was named among the Top 25 in Silicon Valley by the Silicon Valley Business Journal and was also named a Top 25 Entrepreneur under 25 by Business Week. He is a radio commentator, a public speaker and the co-runner of an “intellectual discussion society for business and technology executives”. He may not be banking millions but he’s got to be getting close and it all started when he was still a teen.

7. Stephen Yellin. This kid started talking about and writing about politics at the age of 13. By 19 he was a well-known political blogger. He blogs at the Daily Kos which is a Technorati Top 100 blog. He is interested in politics at all levels and once believed that he might make his own way in the world of politics. However his extensive research into the business of politics has deterred him from that course. Instead he hopes to live the rather humble life of a college history professor. Despite these humble aspirations he is sure to do his job well and to make money at it in the meantime.

8. Andrew Sutherland. Back in 2005 this young man was 15. That was the year that he started Quizlet, a highly successful website designed to make it fun to learn vocabulary. It was initially a shoestring operation that was created out of the student’s own frustration with the boredom of learning vocabulary when studying a new language. It turned into a highly successful website which is now used by hundreds of thousands of people. Use of the site remains free but Sutherland has gained a lot of attention for his ingenious idea and is sure to be one of those people who always ends up making good money off of great ideas.

9. Garret Yazzie. This amazing entrepreneur is known as a “junk yard genius” because of his invention of a solar-powered water heater that was made from recycled materials taken from the junkyard. This invention would have been an impressive accomplishment coming from any thirteen year old but it was particularly impressive because Yazzie was a low-income Native American student who was living on a reservation and attending a school where the interest in projects like these was almost non-existent. His invention succeeded in winning first place at the 2005 Arizona American Indian Science and Engineering Fair and becoming one of only 40 finalists to make it all the way to the Discovery Channel Young Science Challenge. Perhaps more importantly, the invention itself could be used to heat his own home in an affordable and eco-friendly way. The attention that Yazzie got for his invention earned him an invitation to complete his education at an advanced college preparatory school where he has been able to create additional inventions. He may not be making millions but he is doing well for himself and his family.

10. Liam Goodwin. This kid was in his teens when he launched Filmonic, a popular UK movie blog that launched back in 2007. Earlier this year it squeaked on to a list of Top 30 money-earning blogs. It came in at number 30 with a monthly income of over $2200. This is a list filled with other great blogs including Mashable, TechCrunch, ProBlogger and Perez Hilton. This guy is doing great for himself with just this one website. Imagine what else he can do!

Written by Kathryn / [Source]

Time to get a-cracka-lackin’ and work for that first million! For more information like this, visit TeenMoneyMakingIdeas.Com.

100 Unique Ways to Market Yourself on a Shoestring Budget

Erica — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 23:40:10 +0000

The following article is from TeenMoneyMakingIdeas.Com:Whether it’s designing MySpace pages or WordPress templates or even selling your goods at an auction sites, you still need to find ways to market yourself and find customers who will pay attention to your business. What do you do when you don’t have that much money? After all, you’re just a young entrepreneur, hoping to break into the world of financial gain.

Well, don’t fret. Here at Teen Money Making Ideas, we always aim to make things possible for you. Here are 100 unique ways to market yourself on a shoestring budget:

Tell your family and friends. They are your first pool of support and moral boosters. Tell them about what you are up to during visits or even call them out of the blue to say hi and update them on what’s happening with you. Let them know how much you appreciate their help and make them feel that they are a big part of your growth as a budding entrepreneur.
Post on forums. Join boards and forums that are related to your business or go to online networks where your target market is. Start here in TMMI and sign up for a free account so you can have access to the community and share with them your big idea!
Connect with people online. Make friends and acquaintances.
Utilize your social media accounts like Facebook and Twitter by searching for topics related to your business, and connect with people who have listed these as their interests.
Join Facebook groups that share similar interests with your business.
Create a Facebook page for your business.
Utilize Twitter lists and group Twitterers of similar interests.
Hang out at your local neighborhood shops or malls. Strike up friendly conversations with strangers whom you think might be interested in what you do.
You can also hand out posters, handmade postcards, or flyers at the mall.
Put your flyers on the cars at the parking lots.
Drop your business cards in the customer drop box at restaurants or other establishments.
Create a free website for your business.
Post a blog about your big idea.
Put a link to your website in your social media accounts.
Put a link to your website as part of your signature when you post in forums.
Create YouTube videos explaining what you do as well as advertising your business.
Join YouTube memes and be creative – find a way to integrate it with your business. When people search for memes your video will be included and will consequently drive traffic to your site.
Put a link to your website in the YouTube description or even at the end of your YouTube video.
You can also put a link to your website at the end of every email that you write.
Find chat rooms under topics related to your business or the industry where it is in.
Find other blogs discussing your industry and leave meaningful comments as well as a link back to your website.
If you have home-based business, put out a sign outside your house.
List yourself in local directories.
Be an expert on your topic or industry. Offer advice to people who need help in relation to what you do.
Offer to be a speaker at schools so you can motivate them about setting up their own businesses.
Offer to be a speaker in other engagements to talk about your area of expertise.
Put up bumper stickers, signs or flags on your car so you are also advertising while driving. Just be careful not to be too much of a distraction to other pedestrians and motorists.
Design creative bumper stickers to give away that people can put on their cars too. For example “Baby in car” or “Student driver” – they are useful to a lot of people. You can design this with your website in a much smaller font at the bottom or at the top.
Join mailing lists and network with other people.
Make your email address as a form of marketing in itself by using your business name as a username.
Sign up for instant messengers, invite your friends to join, connect, then leave a link to your website in your message to them.
Offer to exchange links with other blogs and websites.
Offer to let other businesses advertise in your blog or website in exchange for them promoting you.
Offer a discount to your customers in exchange for promoting you or referrals.
Offer to do business-to-business with other companies (i.e. If you are a pet photographer, take photos of the dogs at the pet shop for free, in exchange for having a stack of your business cards displayed at the counter for anyone to see.)
Visit your local library and discreetly insert your business card or flyer in books related to your business.
Buy a popular but expired domain for a low price and then redirect them to your website.
Avail of free traffic exchanges. Hook up with a website that specializes on traffic exchange and sign up for a free account. Fill out your profile. After that you will given a list of websites for you to visit. For every site you visit, you will receive one visitor to your website or blog in return.
Consider paid traffic exchanges. Just like #38 but you will need to pay a small fee to guarantee even more traffic to your site.
Make use of Google Analytics to sort out your online data so you will have a better perspective of your online presence.
Make use of Google AdWords.
Offer many modes of payment in your website to attract more customers because of your flexibility.
Offer discounts during important events or seasons.
Advertise at a local classified ads.
Advertise on a billboard (rent is approximately around $8-15/day depending on location).
Network with local DJs and have them mention your name or business in exchange for discounts.
Network with online podcasters and online radios and have them promote you in exchange for discounts.
Go door-to-door in your neighborhood and let them know what you are all about.
Join bazaars and get known by the community.
Join trade shows and scope out your competition but network with other vendors as well. It is also a great opportunity to find out what your customers are particularly looking for.
Be visible in public events and network with people, make friends and let them know what you do.
Submit your blog posts or website individually in several bookmarking sites like Digg or Delicious.
Get custom apparel like bracelets, caps or shirts and wear them whenever you go out.
Offer to guest write in a blog in exchange for a short bio about you and a link to your website.
Offer to guest write in a newspaper or any local print magazine in exchange for promoting your business.
Always keep your blog updated with fresh content to draw more visitors.
Hold contests in your blog to keep readers interested.
Give out freebies in your blog to draw public attention.
List your blog in online directories.
Employ SEO strategies to keep your blog on top of online searches.
Write a free ebook on a topic of your expertise and offer it as a free download in your website.
Put a link to your website inside your ebook.
Upload the ebook in other ebook banks or directories for others to see and download.
Make a free magazine or zine to distribute at local bookstores.
Put a link to your website or blog in the free magazine or zine.
Avail of Google PPC ads.
Advertise in Twitter or Facebook.
Create flyers and put them in mailboxes in the houses in your neighborhood.
Strike a deal with the newspaper boy (offer discount, free service or pay a fee) to include your flyer in every newspaper that the delivers to every house.
Sign up for a virtual business card and link to all your social media accounts as well as your website and blog.
Get a LinkedIn account and network with other business people and entrepreneurs.
Put a flyer with the referral link to your website in the tear off tabs and put them up in public bulletin boards.
Join school organizations or attend events and tell people about your business.
Offer to sponsor an event in exchange for showing off your business name and logo.
Create a unique logo and register for a unique business name that will surely stand out.
Print your logo and website address to different office materials like pencils and notepads to give away to people.
Design calendars to give away and allot the final and first pages to putting information about your business and your website.
Make sure that all the pages in your website have your business name at the bottom of the page as well as a link to the home page.
Create a Contact page in your website and put all of your contact information there to make sure that you are easy to reach.
Create email newsletters that you can send to your subscribers.
Sign up for workshops, conferences or seminars related to your industry. Not only is it a great opportunity to better your skills but to network with other entrepreneurs like you as well who have the same skill set and might be useful to you in the future.
Create other focus-centric websites related to your business. Make them entertaining and easy to relate to, and put a link to your website in a prominent area. For example, if you are a graphic designer, you can create a separate blog talking about design then link back to your website.
Reset the homepage of the browser on a public computer (like in a computer shop, school or public library) to your website.
Use direct mail – get addresses from a phone book of individuals or companies who might benefit from your business and send them postcards that are personalized to give out information about you.
Write a press release about your business and submit them to press release databases online.
Advertise in other blogs or websites via a banner.
Create keychains or keyrings with your name and logo on it to give away at locksmiths, car shops, gasoline stations, etc.
Create a podcast about your business or a general interest, or even a topic that is quite popular and you have a lot of knowledge of. Then at the end of each podcast, advertise your business and your website link.
Have a garage sale. Every time someone makes a purchase, make sure that you include your business card in the bag or a flyer advertising your business.
Put an ad in Craiglist offering your services and your contact info if possible.

And now for ideas that are so outrageous, it just might work!

Pay a homeless guy to stand at the street all day and hold a sign with your website on it.
Have a pilot fly by with a sign in the sky.
Create a stunt on the street that will draw attention, like play magic trick with a dog if you want to advertise your magician business or even pet sitter business (works both ways).
Put up signs in public restrooms – lots of people go there and are bound to stay for a few minutes, thereby giving you a chance to catch their interest.
During halloween, when kids go trick or treating, give them candy and slip them your business card as well. They might not be interested in it, but their parents might be! (i.e. Perfect for babysitting services)
Find dirty cars or windows and write your information there. Take photos and distribute them online as well. (i.e. Perfect for carwash business and other cleaning businesses)
Ride public transportation like trains and buses and engage the passengers with a spiel about your product.
Walk around a busy street or neighborhood in a costume and give out flyers or business cards.
Get a lot of balloons, tie your information on the strings, and let them all just fly away. It can even work on kites.
Get some friends and yourself to avail of some body paint and put your name across. Attend sports events and get noticed by the camera!

We hope you take a chance with these and that one or two (or three! or more!) ideas will help you out For more information like this, visit TeenMoneyMakingIdeas.Com.

Teen Entrepreneurs Can Change the World

Steve / moneywizkid — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 19:40:59 +0000

The following article is from TeenMoneyMakingIdeas.Com:Here are some uplifting and informative videos that I found that talks about entrepreneurship and how it changes lives, and more so, the world. If you are a teen entrepreneur who feels a little left out or misunderstood sometimes, then read this post all the way through. Watch these videos and be inspired. Get motivated to pursue your ideas, no matter how silly they sound at first. Here at Teen Money Making Ideas, you can always rely on us to cheer you up, offer constant advice and ideas, and be the community that you need in order to always keep you going!

If there’s one video that you should watch, watch this one RIGHT NOW. It’s my favorite out of all the bunch, and it made me really inspired to go out there and do my thing, and most of all, BELIEVE IN MYSELF.

Remember: teen entrepreneurs can change the world!

The Call of the Entrepreneur

Donald Trump: Thought on Entrepreneurs

Entrepreneur State of Mind

The Most Important Lessons Learned as An Entrepreneur
For more information like this, visit TeenMoneyMakingIdeas.Com.

Do You Think You Are an Entrepreneur?

Steve / moneywizkid — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 19:21:36 +0000

The following article is from TeenMoneyMakingIdeas.Com:We have gotten a lot of comments and emails in the past asking us how one person knows if he or she was meant to be an entrepreneur. Let’s face it – not every one was born with a silver spoon in their mouths, but somewhere along the way one or two gets lucky and becomes instantly rich. I’ve known a few friends who just happened to be at the right place at the right time – and now they are advertisement models, traveling out of the country, etc. But should we rely on luck and wait for the apple to fall from the tree, or do we take matters on our own hands and make our own fortune? But how do you know if you should just stick to finding a good desk job and making the best out of it, or if you’re better off being a businessman, even if it means risking a lot?

Here’s a great article for you to read and ponder upon:

Should You Be An Entrepreneur? Take This Test
by Daniel Isenberg

Some of your friends are doing it. People who do it are in the front pages and web almost every day. Even President Obama is talking about it. So should you do it? Should you join the millions of people every year who take the plunge and start their first ventures? I’ve learned in my own years as an entrepreneur — and now an entrepreneurship professor — that there is a gut level “fit” for people who are potential entrepreneurs. There are strong internal drivers that compel people to create their own business. I’ve developed a 2–minute Isenberg Entrepreneur Test, below, to help you find out. Just answer yes or no. Be honest with yourself — remember from my last post: the worst lies are the ones we tell ourselves.

1. I don’t like being told what to do by people who are less capable than I am.
2. I like challenging myself.
3. I like to win.
4. I like being my own boss.
5. I always look for new and better ways to do things.
6. I like to question conventional wisdom.
7. I like to get people together in order to get things done.
8. People get excited by my ideas.
9. I am rarely satisfied or complacent.
10. I can’t sit still.
11. I can usually work my way out of a difficult situation.
12. I would rather fail at my own thing than succeed at someone else’s.
13. Whenever there is a problem, I am ready to jump right in.
14. I think old dogs can learn — even invent — new tricks.
15. Members of my family run their own businesses.
16. I have friends who run their own businesses.
17. I worked after school and during vacations when I was growing up.
18. I get an adrenaline rush from selling things.
19. I am exhilarated by achieving results.
20. I could have written a better test than Isenberg (and here is what I would change ….)

If you answered “yes” on 17 or more of these questions, look at your paycheck (if you are lucky enough to still get one). If the company that issued the check isn’t owned by you, it is time for some soul searching: Do you have debts to pay? Kids in college? Alimony? Want to take it easy? Maybe better to wait. Do you have a little extra cash in the bank and several credit cards? Do you have a spouse, partner, friends, or kids who will cheer you on? If so, start thinking about what kind of business you want to set up. It doesn’t matter what age you are: research by the Kauffman Foundation shows that more and more over–50s are setting up their own businesses. Talk to people who have made the plunge, learn how to plan and deliver a product or service, think about that small business you might buy, talk to people with whom you would like to work, and talk to customers.

“I like to take risks” is not on the list. People don’t choose to be entrepreneurs by opting for a riskier lifestyle. What they do, instead, is reframe the salary vs. entrepreneur choice as between two different sets of risk: the things they don’t like about having a steady job — such as the risk of boredom, working for a bad boss, lack of autonomy, lack of control over your fate, and getting laid off — and the things they fear about being an entrepreneur — possible failure, financial uncertainty, shame or embarrassment, and lost investment. In the end, people who are meant to be entrepreneurs believe that their own abilities (e.g. leadership, resourcefulness, pluck, hard work) or assets (e.g. money, intellectual property, information, access to customers) significantly mitigate the risks of entrepreneurship. Risk is ultimately a personal assessment: what is risky for me is not risky for you.

“I want to get rich” is not on the list either. All else being equal (and all else is rarely equal in the real world), on the average, people who set up their own businesses don’t make more money, although a few do succeed in grabbing the brass ring. But the “psychic benefits” — the challenge, autonomy, recognition, excitement, and creativity — make it all worthwhile.

Daniel Isenberg is a Professor of Management Practice, Babson College.

[Source]

For more information like this, visit TeenMoneyMakingIdeas.Com.

Learning Via a Home School Entrepreneur Course

Erica — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 18:33:08 +0000

The following article is from TeenMoneyMakingIdeas.Com:Have you always wanted to learn about entrepreneur but don’t know where? Do you often read about having your own business but would like a more in-depth knowledge about it? Sometimes, what we get from school is not enough. And, as much as we would like to “learn on the job,” when setting up a business it’s really important that you know a bit more of what you’re getting into.

Well now you don’t have to worry because there’s a 9-Week Home School Entrepreneur Course that you can avail of to get more skills.

The HSLDA Homeschool Marketplace is the most credible source of curriculum for the home school high school:

“The course covers many areas of interest including setting up a business plan, marketing strategies, setting prices, and much, much more! The course provides step by step instructions including worksheets and many hands-on activities. It’s a great resource to provide [a] budding entrepreneur with information he/she needs to launch a business while learning simple accounting, business skills, and advertising acumen.”

(Blog post, September 15, 2008. HSLDA High School Marketplace, Dianne Kummer, Becky Cooke)

This 9-Week Home School Entrepreneur Course provides you with a lot of resources that you can use for your business, like ebooks, video and audio tutorials, and other stuff that you can view online.

The best thing out of all this? You can study from the comforts of your own home. You can study after school when you come home, or during the weekends. You can learn in your room, or wherever you feel is a comfortable place to hang out.

82% of high school students surveyed said they would like start a home business someday…but only 75% of those had any idea of how to do it.
Learning how to start a home business is a perfect course for the homeschool high school. [Source]

I think this is one of those opportunities that you shouldn’t miss!For more information like this, visit TeenMoneyMakingIdeas.Com.

Inspirational Words for Teen Entrepreneurs

Steve / moneywizkid — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 12:06:30 +0000

The following article is from TeenMoneyMakingIdeas.Com:Last week I shared with you some inspirational clips from Hollywood movies that were all about life and motivation. Everybody needs a little pick-me-up every now and then, and when you are a teenager wanting to make some money, this world can be a bit difficult, cruel and even confusing a lot of times. But don’t despair – here are some inspirational words for teen entrepreneurs from people who have been through what you’re going through right now. These are words of wisdom that only seek to validate and encourage your dreams. I hope you learn from these and that they make you feel better. Know that if you put your mind to anything, you will succeed, and that ideas, no matter how small, can be the seedlings of a great future.

Inspirational words from Robert Kiyosaki

Inspirational words from Zig Ziglar

We’re All in This Together

The Don’t Quit Poem
For more information like this, visit TeenMoneyMakingIdeas.Com.

Online Games for Teen Entrepreneurs

Erica — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 21:56:38 +0000

The following article is from TeenMoneyMakingIdeas.Com:I have a confession: I love games. I love to play games of any kind. Sometimes I think I’m even addicted to it, and I have to watch myself because I won’t be able to do anything else but play games all day! I love board games and play them with my family on weekends when we’re staying in, like Scrabble and Monopoly. When I’m having friends over, we play Twister or Rock Band or games like Mortal Kombat, Street Fighter, Tomb Raider and GTA IV.

And when I have no one to play with, I turn to the internet and play World of Warcraft, just like everybody else! But here’s another confession: I also love playing other stuff, especially online games for teen entrepreneurs. I love the ones that GameHouse offers in their very big list of fun, cool games! It’s a guilty pleasure – I just love these games because I imagine that I’m doing them in real life, like opening a shop, operating a grocery, managing the hotel. It’s great! (If you love games like me, here’s where you can play 900+ FREE games with FunPass!)

What’s even more exciting for me is these online games for teen entrepreneurs teach me a lot of things that can be applied in real life. For example, if you work really hard to please your customers then your restaurant will be successful. If you stock up on supplies, then people will like your supermarket even better. If you use your thinking skills, then you won’t have to get fired by Donald Trump!

Here are some interesting games from GameHouse that I think you should check out:

Little Shop – City Lights
- - Earn enough big city experience to renovate a run-down theater by helping shoppers in a variety of all-new locations including an Espresso Shop, Newsstand, Spa, and more! Each destination in Little Shop – City Lights is a vivid scene of cleverly hidden objects for you to find. Featuring two fun game modes, trophies for excellent play, an all-new Bonus Round, and loads of new surprises, Little Shop – City Lights is eye-popping fun for the entire family
Fix It Up 2 – World Tour
- - Open car shops around the world in this energetic Time Management sequel
- - Purchase cars, fix them up, paint them, rent them and sell them for profit!
- - Repair over 20 car types in environmentally friendly buildings
- - Earn coins to create the mansion of your dreams
Hotel Dash™ – Suite Success™
- - Roll up your sleeves and restore DinerTown’s landmark hotels
- - Deliver luggage, drop off room service and more to earn big tips
- - Serve fussy customers and overcome mysterious mishaps
Build It – Miami Beach Resort
- - Build the spectacular tourist destination from the start
- - Begin with simple bungalows, adding hotels, diners and other attractions
- - Handle repairs, deliveries, remodeling and more
- - Bring in the tourists and cash in on the beauty you create
Cinema Tycoon 2 – Movie Mania
- - Mr. Pickwick, once a great movie mogul, has fallen on hard times since the big theater chains moved in. Help Mr. Pickwick outwit his competitors and make his theater business number one at the box office! Hire and fire employees, buy and sell movies, stock up the snack bar with delicious goodies, set ticket prices, and more in a variety of locations! Use your earnings to buy exciting upgrades like valet parking, an arcade, and other new surprises.
Farm Frenzy 3
- - Travel around the world and manage five bustling farms
- - Raise wacky new animals and produce unique goods
- - Upgrade buildings and vehicles to earn trophies and higher profits
- - Work your way up to president of the Farmer’s Union
Profitville
- - Once home to a bustling main street, Profitville’s shops have fallen to ruin since the MegaMarts moved in. Help return Profitville to its former glory by making sure the high-quality goods at each shop are shipped to its waiting customers in time
Ice Cream Craze – Tycoon Takeover
- - A Variety of Business Owners with Amusing Personalities
- - Quirky Customers with Unique Tastes and Behavior
- - Titan of the dessert industry, BigCo, has long held a monopoly on delicious treats in your city. But that was before you came along! Cruise around town in your truck, partner with local business owners, expand your operations by completing unique challenges, and earn new features and upgrades to turn your enterprise into an empire! When you’re ready, take on BigCo in a battle for ice cream supremacy!
Lemonade Tycoon
- - Build your own backyard empire in this exciting simulation of every school kid’s first foray into the world of business
- - Building a successful business is a tricky thing, though, and you’ll need to plan carefully – check the weather forecast, pick the best location, change your recipe. Of course, if you’re still having trouble getting customers you have a few tricks up your sleeve – try hiring a lemon-juggling clown! Like Grandpa always said, when life gives you lemons…
Build-a-Lot – Town of the Year
- - Develop your own real estate empire in this eagerly anticipated sequel featuring new towns, new mayors, and new surprises!
- - The Town of the Year competition is in full swing and eight exciting locations are in the running. Use your resources to construct homes, parks, shops and more! Apply a coat of paint, landscape the yards, and upgrade your properties to add appeal and maximize your profits. When you’re finished, cast your vote for Town of the Year and play thrilling bonus rounds!

(All game descriptions are courtesy of GameHouse)

Have fun playing!

For more information like this, visit TeenMoneyMakingIdeas.Com.