This will not be another generic post about small business ideas for teens and how you should do dog walking or lawn care, throw that out the window in 2022.
Don’t let people put you down as idealistic, naive, or innocent just because you’re a teen. The truth is that you’re more than capable of making money online and becoming a successful entrepreneur, hell even more so than adults.
Compared to an adult who’s invested in a mortgage, family, and a job with no free time to even breathe, you have all the time in the world to create something amazing.
That in itself is already a huge opportunity, think about it, you don’t even have to pay rent, that’s huge!
It is no coincidence that the number of teenagers who start their own businesses has increased significantly in recent years, especially with the digitalization of local businesses.
More and more teens today are aware that entrepreneurship is an excellent way to escape the traditional 9-5 work routine where you’re just a cog in a system.
Entrepreneurship gives you the opportunity to build something from scratch, create your own life, and become financially independent at a young age.
Here are some of the most realistic ideas for teens to start their own business, ideas that actually work, create an income, and build into high-income skills later down the road.
What are the best small business ideas for teens in 2022?
Since content marketing is such a huge component in today’s business environment, you’ll want to enter one of the following three categories:
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Video content business
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Written content business
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Audio content business
| 1. Small business ideas for teens with video content
Video and media are taking over the internet, and that’s especially true for large-scale businesses and brands.
Obviously, since you’re just starting out you’ll not be one of these, but there is a huge demand for assistance, and this is where you come in.
Don’t know any of these skills?
YouTube is your best friend, sit down and go through tutorials for a week, practice and learn in another week, and voila you’ve now got a business skill that you can monetize in a mere two weeks.
Sure you’ll not be the best, but as with any skill you’ll improve along the way, learn a ton, and get some crucial feedback and reviews!
You can even create video content with the help of AI to make it a lot easier to start.
| Become a Video Editor
With YouTube being the second most popular search engine in the world, it is no surprise that it is a fantastic place to make money both for content creators and businesses.
YouTube has billions of users who are hungry for fresh content, and if you have the skill of making videos, you could start an amazing video editing business and earn some really good money.
People are constantly looking for new ideas to make their videos more viral, and there are tons of niche markets that are always in need of video editors.
You can do this online, or you can work for a company doing it. You can even get paid to edit your friends’ YouTube videos, just start somewhere.
| Start a YouTube Channel
A YouTube channel is a great way to build a business and a brand from the ground up.
It’s a way to develop a following, create original content, and make connections with potential viewers and future collaborations.
YouTube is the second-largest search engine in the world. That means there is a huge audience for your content – as long as you have high-quality videos and an engaging channel.
Once your channel is rolling and you become somewhat of a “social media influencer” you can monetize it either through ad revenue, sponsorships, and even affiliate marketing.
| Start a Graphic Design Business
Teens with a knack for graphic design can find a lot of success in the world of entrepreneurship.
Graphic designers are everywhere and they are always in demand, but there aren’t many people who have the skills to do it.
That means that there is a big market for teens who learn how to do it through freelance work or by getting experience at a company.
Freelancing on Fiverr and Upwork is a huge business, and as long as you have creativity and something to draw on, you’re on your way to making a healthy side income fast.
Another cool way is to reach out to YouTube channels and design better thumbnails for their videos. Combine that with video editing skills and you’re positioning yourselves really well.
This is exactly what Ali Abdal suggests if he would have to start again from zero, watch the video below.
| Start a Photography Business
A photography business can be a great idea for a teenager, it’s easy to start and it doesn’t require too many expenses.
You just need to buy a cheap camera (or use your brand new iPhone) and really learn how to use it.
It’s not so much about the gear, but more about the skills in this case.
Photography skills might require some time, but the most important thing is to have fun while improving.
Not only does it provide an opportunity for creativity, but also provides an opportunity to travel and explore new places and cultures around the world with minimal cost if you get sponsored.
The best part about this business is that no matter where you live or what your interests are, you can do this as a side gig or even full-time if you choose.
| 2. Small business ideas for teens with written content
| Start a Blogging Business
Blogging is one of the best business ideas for teenagers as the internet has made it so much easier to start and grow a blog.
And the best part about starting a blog is that you can do it from anywhere in the world with just an internet connection and a device.
When you start blogging, you will need to find your niche and create content that people will want to read.
There are many ways to monetize your blogging business including affiliate marketing, product reviews, sponsored posts, advertisements, selling your own products or services, etc.
| Start a Web Design Business
If you like to write or design websites, this is the perfect small business idea for you. You can either build your own website by yourself or with the help of an online course.
You can also offer web designing services to small businesses for a portion of their marketing budget.
This is a great idea because you will help them with their marketing efforts, and they will then repay you by giving you regular work.
As an added bonus, they will also provide feedback on your work so that you can improve professionally and come up with new ideas to stay on top of the game.
| Start a Tech Consulting Business
The demand for tech consulting services is on the rise. There are a lot of new businesses that have been started in the last few years by people with little to no experience with tech and marketing tools.
The tech consulting business helps people with their tech-related issues, troubleshooting, managing devices, and software tools, and providing general assistance.
It’s an excellent opportunity for young entrepreneurs to showcase their talent at a relatively low cost.
| Become a Proofreader
Proofreading is checking the accuracy of written material and it can be done in one’s free time or as a part-time job.
To be a good proofreader, one needs to have strong reading and analytical skills.
It’s also important to have excellent comprehension and grammar skills so that the work is not only accurate but also flawless in terms of language usage and formatting.
But with the support of AI grammar tools, you can do this almost effortlessly.
| Start a Freelance Writing Business
Freelance writing is a way for teens to make money and the best part about this business model is that you can do it from anywhere as long as you have a laptop and an internet connection.
There are many ways of making money as a freelance writer, so don’t think of it as just an avenue for getting paid to write content.
You can offer business and services such as:
| Become a Virtual Assistant
Working as a virtual personal assistant (VA) is a viable small business idea for teens. This type of work can be done from any location and at any time, which makes it an appealing career option.
It allows you to earn money and learn skills that will be useful in the future.
Virtual assistants provide administrative and organizational support to clients without actually meeting them in person.
They make the client’s life easier by performing tasks such as scheduling appointments, managing email correspondence, or handling social media marketing and accounts on their behalf.
| Start a Self-publishing Business
Self-publishing is the quickest and perhaps most direct route to earning a side income as a teen.
You can sell your self-published book on Amazon or other major retailers all across the globe, the distribution is insane.
The only downside is that having the manuscripts written for you by ghostwriters is becoming more and more expensive, unless you write it yourself of course then it’s cheap.
If you have no budget whatsoever, write books yourself to start out with (15k words), get a cover made on Fiverr for $10, and put it out there with the help of some promotion.
Once you start making some profits, roll that back into the business until you can afford to outsource the writing and scale from there.
| 3. Small business ideas for teenagers with audio content
| Start a Podcast
Starting a podcast is a great idea for any teen, and it doesn’t require too much to get started. You just need to find a topic that you’re passionate about and then start exploring that in depth.
Once you have your topic in mind, the next step is finding a way to record and edit your audio. The easiest and cheapest way to do this is usually through free software like Audacity or Garage Band.
Monetizing a podcast mainly happens through sponsorships (main income for a social media influencer) once you get traction, including ads in your broadcast, and even affiliate marketing as well.
Last but not least, be consistent! Most podcasts fail because they stop after a few episodes or even seasons.
Keep going no matter what.
| Start an Audio Narration Business
Audio narration is a great business idea for teens because it doesn’t require any specialized skills, and it’s something that anyone can do as long as you can speak and read.
Anyone who has a decent voice should try becoming an audio narrator as the audiobook niche is exploding right now, and publishers are looking for great freelancers who can narrate their work.
This type of business also offers more flexibility than others as well as the possibility of making $40/hour or more if you’re really good at it!
| Start a live stream gaming business
Starting a live streaming business can be a profitable and fun way for teens to make money as gaming is a huge industry.
The most popular streamers on Twitch and even YouTube achieve thousands of views each day.
But before diving into the details, there are some important things you should know about streaming on Twitch and YouTube.
The most important thing is that you have to set realistic goals, It’s going to take time and effort to build an audience.
You’ll also need equipment with high-quality audio and video – as well as a reliable internet connection to handle the bandwidth requirements of high-definition video.
This is of course not an issue if you’re already a gamer as you most likely already have a nice gaming setup at home.
| Bonus business ideas for teens
| Create a T-shirt and clothing business
T-shirts are a very inexpensive way to create a clothing line, especially with print-on-demand services, but there are some other things to consider.
The artwork: Unless you have a serious knack for drawing or designing, you’ll want to spend some time with shirt design software like Placeit.net to nail the design process, as you’ll likely have to compete with quantity over quality.
| Start a handmade goods business (Etsy retailer)
Starting a handmade goods business is a great business idea for teens. They can make items that are unique and they don’t have to worry about the cost of buying items wholesale.
With this, they can work on their skills and make money while still in school and sell it on Etsy.
| Start an academic tutoring business
Starting an academic tutoring business can be a great way to make money. You do not have to have a college degree to be successful in this business.
You just need the right skills, knowledge, and experience.
A great way is to start with your friends and let them know you are available for tutoring.
If they are interested in your offer, they will refer their friends, family members, or classmates in school that needs help with their academics.
3 Simple Ways to Find the Perfect Small Business Idea for You
1. The first step is to think about what you’re interested in.
What do you enjoy doing?
What do you know a lot about?
What are your hobbies and passions?
2. Write them down.
Even if they sound silly or don’t seem like a good choice at the moment. They might eventually turn into something great!
3. What business vehicle to use?
Try to see where your interests could fit in with the small business ideas listed above.
For example, you might be super passionate about day trading cryptocurrency, you could either start a podcast on that as you learn or even a 1-on-1 consulting business!
Think about what would be the best delivery of your knowledge and passions.
Narrow the list down and pick one business idea that feels right for you, and go all-in on that until you make consistent income!
3 Businesses You Can Start With No Capital Investment
With the introduction of the internet, there are now more opportunities to start businesses than ever before.
It is easy to start a business these days without any cash whatsoever (as long as you own a laptop).
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Self-publish ebooks on Amazon by writing books yourself.
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Create a YouTube channel and film with your iPhone.
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Create a clothing brand with print-on-demand services.
Frequently Asked Questions
| Can you start a small business at 14?
This is a great time to start your own business. Teenagers are often overlooked when it comes to new ideas for small businesses, but they can be just as creative and ambitious as any adult.
For some, the best way to get started might be to partner with their parents or other adults who can help them get off the ground.
It’s great if you want to make money while you’re still in school or if you need money for something like college.
You’ll also get more work experience that will help you later in life when you’re trying to find a job.
The best thing about this idea is that there are many opportunities available on the internet, which makes it easy for teens with limited budgets to have a business online.
And you don’t really need to create an LLC until you make a substantial income.
