Getting Started - Helping Kids Start their Online Business

There are many different benefits and reasons for children to start their own business, and starting an online business is a simple and inexpensive ways for kids to get involved in business.  If you're new to the site make sure you sign up for our Free Parent's Guide to getting started for ideas and resources to help get your child onto the entrepreneurial ladder.

If your not sure where to start, here are a few ideas to help you on your way:

The easiest and most fun place to start in online business is for your child to build a website or blog centered around their interests or hobbies.  If your child is quite young or you don't want to make the jump to start a website, you can open a free blogging account at www.blogger.com and be ready to start within minutes.

You can monetize the website or blog by adding adsense advertisements and recommending products for an affiliate commission.  A simple way is to start a blog where your child can write book reports on his favorite books.  If you sign up as an Amazon affiliate, you can get referral commissions if someone buys from your link. Like most affiliate programs, Amazon requires you to be 18, but this a great joint project for a parent and child.

If you want to go experiment a little bit more you can start a mail order business.  Think of something fun and creative that works around your child's interest.  You can learn how to source this product and set up website on which to sell the product.  That's exactly what 15 & 14 year olds Tessa and Laura have done with great results. 

You can also read more kids in business success stories for inspiration and motivation.  These kids (with the help of their parents) are learning entrepreneurial skills, having fun and making a little extra cash in the process.  They've really inspired me and I'm happy to share these stories with you.

If you're not sure what type of internet business your kids should start, sit down and have a brainstorming session to help get the creative juices flowing.  Look through magazines or your child's favorties books and see what you can come up with together.  The idea you choose should be something that your child will enjoy or it will be difficult to keep him or her motivated.

You can also read through our Parent FAQ & Subscriber Questions, and if you have a question of your own, you can submit it here.  We're always happy to receive your questions and will do our best to help. 

Finally you can read through our growing collection of Kids Business Articles for advice, information and help.  And if you're still not sure of the benefits for children to start their own business, here's a great article - Why Start a Business?