Five Great Habits That Kidpreneurs Should Start Building Right Now

May 15, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Five Great Habits That Kidpreneurs Should Start Building Right Now

You’ve read the book, you’ve got your idea, but now you’ve got to start living the kidpreneur lifestyle to back it up. Whether you end up starting your own business or not, it’s important to build your life around good habits. Spending a weekend fragging noobs in Call of Duty, though tempting, isn’t going to get you any closer to your dreams.

Here’re some good habits that have worked for me. I very much hope that you’ll give them a shot.

5. Carry a Notebook

You’ll never know how many good ideas you have until you start writing them all down. Besides looking like a hardboiled reporter from the ‘50s, carrying a notebook and writing down your ideas gives you a chance to think over your ideas. Take an hour every week or so to read over your notes and then transfer your best thoughts to the computer and work them out as needed. All entrepreneurs will tell you that luck is a big part of their success, but luck is a combination of chance and readiness. Taking notes is an important aspect of that ‘readiness’ thing.

4. Be the Example

Group projects were always one of the roughest parts of school for me. I was always the kid who got stuck doing 90% of the work and I couldn’t ever figure out what to do with the guy who came down with an unexplained illness when we had to present our final product. As an entrepreneur, you’re going to be organizing people. Granted, you’ll have the freedom to pick your own team, but this is a perfect opportunity to spot talents that someone doesn’t know they have. Talk to the laziest person in your group outside of class and tailor their job to what they’re good at. I promise you they’ll be glad to contribute.

3. Donate Your Time

Charity is good. It’s good for the community, your resumé, and most importantly connects you with other good people. If you’re too young to get a job, you’re definitely capable of helping something out with a car wash or fundraiser. Organizing events is great experience for publicizing your product and connecting with your peers.

2. Read Early, Read Often

Reading is one of the only ‘active’ forms of entertainment there is. When you watch TV, you’re watching something entertaining. The parts of your brain that TV engages don’t require active thought. Training your brain to analyze something critically is an important skill you’re going to need in the future. Reading, aside from being one of the oldest forms of entertainment, is one of the best ways to engage the critical thinking and imagination muscles that’ll help you dream up the next great idea.

1. Make Your Dang Bed

Someone once told me that the state of a bed is a good indicator of what’s going on in your brain. If you can do something that takes about three minutes every day, then you can do more important stuff every day too. Making your bed seems like a useless chore, but it’s more about respecting what’s yours and the space that you live in. If you can manage that, I’m sure you can manage something much, much more awesome.

Filed Under: Kidpreneurs Blog Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Gary Vaynerchuk Endorses Kidpreneurs

June 19, 2012 By 1 Comment

Gary Vaynerchuk wants you to find that thing you love and start doing it, and when you succeed – let him know. His book Crush It explains that, using today’s social media, you can turn your passion into profits.

Although his business focus and his first expertise is wine, he is also considered an expert in using social media tools to create and build a business. He took over his parents’ struggling liquor store and turned it into a $20 million wine emporium.

Gary’s style is friendly and straightforward. He doesn’t dress or talk to impress. Instead he’s excited about possibilities and wants everyone to find success in their own way with their own dreams. He also admits that he madly loves it when people take the time to let him know if his ideas or books made a difference in their lives. The energy he gets from those people is a strong motivator for him to continue communicating what he’s learned to anyone and everyone who wants to listen.

In this video, Gary shares some of his views, including his not-so-secret desire to be 7 years old again so that he could follow the advice in Kidpreneurs and be “a millionaire at ten.” Take a few minutes and gain some valuable advice from Gary.

Filed Under: Kidpreneurs Blog, Kidpreneurs Interview Tagged With: , , , , ,

Be a Summer Kidpreneur!

May 27, 2012 By 1 Comment

With summer vacation here or around the corner, the thoughts of Kidpreneurs turn to… creating a summer business! If you’re ready to do more than play this summer and would like to earn some extra money, here are a few ideas that may work for you.

Doing web development or creating WordPress websites for local businesses: There are so many online courses and books that teach WordPress design, and there are so many business people that don’t have time to update their website or blog. That means for a relatively small investment of time and money, a Kidpreneur could make $20 to $40 per hour helping with web development projects and updating blogs.

Crafts: If you are the creative type, you can quickly set up an online shop with sites like Etsy and eBay and start selling your creative artsy ideas!

T-Shirts: We all seem to like cool T-Shirts. Sites like Threadless have enabled several creative T-shirt designers to make some money. You simply submit a design which then gets voted up or down by the rest of the community. The T-shirt designs that are most popular get printed by Threadless to sell online and in their Chicago shop. If your design is successful, you will get paid for your creative work! There are several easy to follow tutorials on Threadless to walk you through the process.

Dog walking/Pet sitting: When people are working, away on holiday or simply busy with other projects, the opportunity opens up for their pets to be taken care of and, of course, taken for walks. If you love dogs, this may be a great $10/hour summer job!

Online social media marketing: Most teens these days are pretty tech-savvy. With your Facebook and Twitter knowledge, you could approach local businesses with the idea of updating their online presence. This can be a nice money maker for teens who know their social media!

Computer set-up and troubleshooting: Many parents and grandparents aren’t as tech savvy as their kids or grandkids. This opens up the opportunity for teens to help with things like setting up anti-spam and anti-virus upgrades and other easy-to-do services. You may even be able to do a little technology tutoring!

Print-on-demand publishing: Teens can use print-on-demand websites such as Lightningsource.com or even a FedEx/Kinkos location to produce and sell everything from books to scrapbooks to fun magazines. Consider offering to organize family photos and create an album for the aunts, uncles, grandparents or others far away. Most adults don’t have time to do that and would really value the help.

Lawn mowing and yard care: This one is an oldie but a goodie! It’s one of the more time-tested teen business ideas. You can charge per yard and also rake leaves and maybe even do easy landscaping projects. Another option is helping to set up and maintain gardens for fresh produce.

Babysitting services: Another traditional arena for teens, but why not expand your thinking? Pool your efforts with other teens and provide a babysitting resource for parents in the area. Look into training such as basic first aid from the Red Cross. Have each teen put together a bag of games and activities that are fun and also promote learning during the summer months to use when babysitting. Offer to provide one or more babysitters to entertain the small ones at parties or other events so that the parents can relax. Create a fun name and logo and advertise your business in the community, stressing the extras your babysitters offer. With premium sitters, you can charge a higher price!

Errand-running: If you have access to a car or even with just a bike, in many neighborhoods you can easily reach various stores or other places of business. With their kids out of school, moms and dads will often appreciate having the option of making a call and having you deliver that forgotten gallon of milk or loaf of bread. A basket or saddlebags will enable you to easily manage most errand items on a bike.

These are just a few possibilities to think about – some traditional and others more out-of-the-box. If you want to earn money with your own business this summer, maybe these suggestions will help. And if you have business plans of your own, be sure to share them with us in the comments section. We’re always excited to hear about your ideas!

Filed Under: business for kids, entrepreneur kids, entrepreneurship for kids, kid business, kid entrepreneur, Kidpreneurs, Kidpreneurs Blog Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Making a Cool Thing Cooler: Greyson MacLean of BrickStix

February 15, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Greyson MacCleanDo you like LEGOs? Who doesn’t?! But one enterprising Kidpreneur knew that as cool and fun as LEGOs are, there was room for improvement. That kid is Greyson MacLean, and his idea for BrickStix is the best thing to happen to LEGOs since… well probably ever!

We had a chance to catch up with Greyson recently, and he agreed to answer some questions for us. His answers give some great insights into what it really means to be a Kidpreneur, and what it takes to be successful

Kidpreneurs: You came up with the idea for BrickStix at the age of 9. Did you think of the idea with the hopes of making a business out of it or just for fun? How did the business grow to where it is today?

Greyson: I actually came up with the idea just for fun. I just wanted something that could be put on my LEGO bricks to add detail without ruining them. I never expected it to grow into a company. BrickStix were something I wanted to play with. We figured out how to make it happen. It started off as a bit of a joke. But after a while, we realized we could figure it out. It took a year and a half from my idea to the first three sets. But, we did it! It was a huge team effort. I did not do it alone.

BrickStix

Kidpreneurs: What has been the biggest business challenge you’ve had to face, and how did you overcome it?

Greyson: I have to say that our biggest challenge was figuring out how to get BrickStix in the hands of kids. We had to make lots of phone calls and meet with lots of people to figure out how to make it. Then we needed to design all of the sets. Then we took it to Toy Fair. None of us knew exactly what we were doing. Mom always says, “We make it up as we go.” Luckily, we have a good family friend in the toy business who has helped us along the way. We just keep going. We don’t give up.

Kidpreneurs: Are your parents entrepreneurs? What have they taught you about running a business?

Greyson: My mom, not long before the idea for BrickStix came about, came up with Loopteeloo with my sister. They are a decorative accessory to hold girl’s tees in place. What I learned from watching and listening was all the parts that go into getting a product made. It’s more than the idea. There are legal things, testing, patents, vendors and so on, that need to be figured out. My dad has started a business, too. I have watched them work hard. I knew it would be a lot of work.

Kidpreneurs: What’s it like to have the attention you’ve gotten for inventing and successfully marketing BrickStix? Is there any pressure, or is it mostly a lot of fun?

Greyson: The attention feels kind of strange at times. I don’t feel any different than any other 6th grader. Luckily, my friends treat me the same. I have had some really incredible opportunities, and I really do appreciate them. I could not have done any of it alone. The whole team works really hard. Though there is pressure at times, most of the time it is pure fun. Sometimes I worry about deadlines and interviews, but everything always turns out fine. My favorite part is researching new themes and helping design the stix with my uncle.

Kidpreneurs: What advice do you have for Kidpreneurs interested in starting their first business?

Greyson: It pays to be patient. It took over a year to get BrickStix manufactured and into stores, so don’t expect instant results. Most important, if you don’t believe in yourself, don’t expect others to believe in you.

Kidpreneurs: What are your plans for the future? (What do you want to be when you grow up?) :)

Greyson: I’d like to be in a creative job that also uses my skills in math, science and art.  I’m thinking I would like to be an architect, or another sort of engineer.

Filed Under: business for kids, entrepreneur kids, entrepreneurship for kids, kid business, kid entrepreneur, Kidpreneurs, Kidpreneurs Blog, Kidpreneurs Interview Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Kidpreneurs Interview: Joshua and Zachary Neyens of Buggie Bag

September 12, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Zachary & Joshua NeyensAs we often say here at Kidpreneurs, “It’s never too early!” And we recently met a couple of Kidpreneurs who prove that point. Twin brothers Zachary and Joshua Neyens invented their breakthrough product, Buggie Bag, when they were just six years old. Since then, the product, which is a designer dust cover for dune buggies and other recreational equipment, has really taken off. Josh and Zach have been all over the news, and their customers love the product and can’t get enough of them.

Now nine years old, these brothers are an inspiration to any Kidpreneur out there who wants to start his or her own business. They’ve proven that age doesn’t have to be a factor in your success, and that great ideas are in no way limited to adults. Enjoy the interview, and be sure to congratulate the guys in the comments section!

Kidpreneurs: You came up with the idea for Buggie Bags at the age of 6. Did you think of the idea with the hopes of making a business out of it or just for your own use? How did the business grow to where it is today? 

Josh: At first we just wanted to make one for our dune buggy, but then everyone wanted one. Then we wanted to do it for a business. Our dad is a marketing king, so he helped.

Buggie Bag

Kidpreneurs: What has been the biggest business challenge you’ve had to face, and how did you overcome it?

Josh: Keeping up with the demand for our product. We can’t make them fast enough! But our grandma Lodi and grandpa King loaned us money for making bags.

Kidpreneurs: Are your parents entrepreneurs? What have they taught you about running a business?

Josh & Zack: Well, our mom and dad are both creative people. My dad was a rock singer and in the movie business, and my mom is in the music business. We learned that supply and demand is important, and about the value of money, and that board meetings are called that because they are really boring – omg!

Kidpreneurs: What’s it like to have the attention you’ve gotten for inventing and successfully marketing Buggie Bags? Is there any pressure, or is it mostly a lot of fun?

Zack: We’ve been in lots of papers and on the news since we were 6, so it seems normal to us. We have lots of fun watching people use our product. It’s so cool, and our dad only makes us do what we want, and he does the rest. We think it’s cool to have or own business.

Kidpreneurs: What advice do you have for Kidpreneurs interested in starting their first business?

Zack: Go for it! It’s fun, and your mom and dad will help you. There are so many new things to come up.

Josh: Do something you like to do so it’s fun for you.

Zack: Don’t be afraid to try. It seems scary, but it’s not.

Kidpreneurs: What are your plans for the future? (What do you want to be when you grow up?) :)

Zack & Josh: We want to run our Buggiebag business always, till we make enough money to buy a bakery and buy a huge house in Las Vegas – maybe when were old like 16 or so.

Jay Neyens (Dad): I think both boys have really benefited from the experience of taking an idea in the garage one day to making that idea a product on the shelf. They have respect for money and understand you can achieve anything you want, as long as you have a plan and the motivation to achieve it. Not only are our family and friends proud of the boys accomplishments, but people stop us on the street a lot and tell us we have showed them the American dream can still come true. It also gives the boys confidence to try anything. Sometimes you will win, sometimes you will lose. The reward is in trying at all. They sell their product around the world and have the most innovative product in the storage industry. Good for them!

Filed Under: business for kids, entrepreneur kids, entrepreneurship for kids, kid business, kid entrepreneur, Kidpreneurs, Kidpreneurs Blog, Kidpreneurs Interview, kids business book Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

The Maverick 4th of July Family Freedom Celebration

May 6, 2011 By 1 Comment

Kidpreneurs is all about giving kids the opportunity to learn about and express their entrepreneurial spirit. Of course as kids aren’t 100% self-sufficient, their entrepreneurial pursuits often become a family affair – and we think that is fantastic! What better way to bring a family closer than by supporting each other to reach the dream of business ownership?

So when we were asked to present a group of powerful, educational sessions at the upcoming Family Freedom Celebration, hosted by Yanik Silver of Maverick Business Adventures, on July 4th weekend, we couldn’t have been more excited! Not only is this one-of-a-kind event going to be an outstanding opportunity for families to bond in the spirit of entrepreneurship and freedom, it’s also going to be a blast! Because this is a Maverick event, there is a perfect mix of learning and adventure for everyone involved.

Maverick 4th of July Freedom Celebration

We’re getting together in Park City, Utah on Wednesday, July 1st, and the fun and adventure last until Tuesday, July 5th. If you remember, Utah was host to the Winter Olympic Games in 2002, and the training and competition facilities from the games are still there and available for use. It’s not happening in winter, but you don’t need snow to enjoy unforgettable, exhilarating experiences like Summer Comet Bobsled rides at 70+ miles per hour, the Quicksilver steel alpine slide, and the world’s steepest zip-line, which will take you on an incredible ride, at speeds up to 50 miles per hour!

In addition to the adventure side of the event, there is, of course, a focus on entrepreneurship. On day two, we will be speaking to Kidpreneurs between six and twelve years old with an introduction to entrepreneurship and business thinking. This is something we love to do, more than just about anything. There’s such amazing opportunity in business ownership, both from a personal standpoint as well as financially, and today’s schools simply don’t prepare kids for the excitement and challenge of becoming entrepreneurs. So we’re really looking forward to helping these lucky young entrepreneurs get started on their entrepreneurial journeys the right way.

There are also incredible sessions planned for the older kids (13+), and for the parents, you’ll experience sessions presented by the likes of Richard Eyre, the bestselling author of Teaching Your Children Values, the first parenting book in fifty years to reach #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. Richard is speaking in a session entitled “Avoiding the Entitlement Trap with Your Children,” and it promises to be very enlightening.

There truly is something spectacular planned for every member of the family at this year’s Maverick 4th of July Family Freedom Celebration. We hope you’ll bring your family to join us for this long weekend of fun, excitement, and learning. Your entire family is sure to experience an adventure you’ll never forget!

Filed Under: business for kids, entrepreneur kids, entrepreneurship for kids, kid business, kid entrepreneur, Kidpreneurs, Kidpreneurs Blog, kids business book Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,