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Summer jobs teach kids responsibility, provide them with some spending money, and most importantly keep them busy while they are out of school. A business that kids start on their own are more worthwhile, because a real business teaches them even more valuable lessons of all kinds.
There are many ideas for children to start their own part time business. Some common small business summer ventures are baking, car care, cameraman, lawn care and a design shop.
Before beginning, a few hours of planning can mean the difference between the success and failure of your child’s business. It is important to help your child work out a business plan. This can be a note written on a sheet of paper. The business plan can determine up-front const, ongoing costs, such as transportation, materials, and marketing, income potential, profits and the competition.
Most of all don’t be a know-it-all. Don’t do all the planning and decision making for your child. Part of the value of your child’s endeavor is for your child to get his or her first taste of running a business, that includes making mistakes.
It would be best to contact the office of the secretary of state, which will provide you with a list of legal and tax requirements. To market the service, your child could place flyers under doors or on cars during the week and solicit neighbors in person on the weekends.
Some of the more popular summer jobs are baking, car care, being a cameraman, lawn care or having a design shop. Baking opportunities depend upon your neighborhood. But there are probably more organized events in the area in the summer than you are aware of, fairs, park gatherings, softball leagues and much more. Your child could try for sales through local retailers, but this could be more difficult. In the beginning your child should choose products such as cookies, muffins and homemade breads. Cakes and pies are usually harder to make and harder to sell.
To begin they will need a stove, recipes and ingredients. If your child wants to bake bread, a bread-making machine might be a good investment. Loaves can be made for as little as fifteen to thirty cents per each. If you set up your own selling stand, you may require a vendor license; it is best to check with the even sponsor for information. There is an income potential of five to thirty dollars an hour. The profit margin on baked goods can be great since they cost so little to make.
If your child is more interested in car care, some kids just wash cars others wax and clean the interiors. To begin he or she will need a bucket, sponges, towels, soaps, wax and squeegee. The income potential ranges from five to ten dollars for washing a car. You can add another ten dollars for cleaning the interior. Waxing will add another fifteen to twenty dollars. Your child could charge thirty dollars for all three services on a car, and up to sixty to seventy dollars on a van or truck. Keep in mind that this business would have to be mostly in the evenings or on weekends since the clients use their vehicles during the weekdays. This schedule may inhibit a youngster’s social life and cut into his income potential, since someone who start working a 6 p.m. can not work an eight-hour shift.
Another interesting and fun summer job is being a cameraman. Many adults would like to film a party or graduation but don’t because then they can’t enjoy their guests or the proceeding. That creates a business opportunity. Your child will need a camcorder and tapes. He or she should also prepare a demonstration tape to show that they can perform quality work. The income potential is typically ten to fifteen dollars an hour, or he or she may want to charge a flat fee, which is sometimes as high as fifty to seventy-five dollars for taping an event that is several hours long. Make sure that your child delivers only unedited tapes. The venture can become too time consuming and costly if editing is performed.
Lawn care potential is the greatest if your child can use the client’s lawn mower. This job can also include removing debris when trees are cut, trimming and cleanup. The income potential is approximately fifteen dollars an hour, but not all is profit if you child has to supply gas and oil for the mower, which can cost up to seven dollars per job. Encourage your child to aim for at least twenty lawns per week. Suggest to your child that they walk the property before agreeing to take the job. The size, roughness, and terrain or contour can make some lawns more difficult to mow than the client may think. The child should provide an estimate of the time it will take to complete the job. If your child uses your mower, he should not work on lawns in terrible condition. Rocks, roots, and thin grass can damage your equipment.
If you own a computer a design shop is a wonderful idea. With a computer, kids can design invitations, announcements, cards, flyers, and more. The market for this includes schools, small businesses and clubs. The promotion piece should be a great example of your child’s work. The requirements for this summer business are a computer, a decent graphics program, and a color printer. Your child can make copies from your printer or through a local print shop. The income potential ranges from five to thirty dollars per hour.
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