Raising an Entrepreneur – The Ultimate Summer Vacation for the Mini-preneur
Starting a business provides a unique and invaluable life experience to anyone who starts the path. Thus, I am a BIG proponent of raising my children to have entrepreneurial minds, bodies, and spirits.







​                                                                                Thus, rather than overloading them with sports camps and wasting their days on video                                                                                 games, here’s are a few tips to create a positive, entrepreneurial summer vacation for                                                                                   your child.  

                                                                               Choose a business: let them pursue their passion.
                                                                               It’s important that your child is passionate about what he or she is doing. You want                                                                                      them to enjoy the experience, and not lose interest and be back on the couch by the end                                                                                of June. 

If your child doesn’t already have a specific business idea in mind, have them make a list of their favorite things to do. If they love animals, they could start a pet-walking or pet-sitting business. Maybe they want to make candles and sell them on Etsy. They could hold an acting workshop for younger kids in the neighborhood, teach music lessons, or even design a mobile app. 

It’s okay to think outside the box.
Zappos founder Tony Hsieh started a worm farm at the age of nine, with the goal of becoming “the number one worm farmer in the world.” Resist the urge to say things “that won’t work” or “there’s no way anyone would pay for that.” This process is a learning experience; the end result doesn’t necessarily matter. 

Set goals and make a plan.
Have your child think about all the nuts and bolts needed to turn their idea into a reality. What kind of equipment, supplies, or training do they need? If they’ll be mowing lawns, what do they need? A lawn mower, gas for the lawn mower, etc. If they’ll be babysitting, should they take a CPR or first aid course beforehand? 

They should write down their goals for the business, including both financial goals and anything else they want to achieve. It will be fun and educational to revisit these goals in September.  

Introduce the concept of money management.
A summer business is a great way to introduce kids to basic money management skills as well as complex topics like calculating gross profits and managing overhead. Teenagers can keep track of income and business expenses. Younger kids can practice adding up price totals and counting change.

You may need to give your child money to kick start their business. If so, have them itemize all their upfront costs, so they know exactly how much is needed. You could offer to fund a certain amount, as long as they contribute some of their own birthday money or allowance. You could even hold an investor meeting where your child pitches their idea to you and outlines their financial needs. 

Work on customer service and communication skills.
Being an effective communicator and empathetic listener are essential building blocks for entrepreneurship. Help your child develop how to succinctly explain their product/service, and understand their business’ value proposition. Stress the importance of customer service, and encourage your child to listen to and accommodate special requests when needed. 

Manage the legal requirements.
Child business owners are subject to the same rules and legal requirements as adults. You can find out if any local licensing or permits are needed by checking with your local city/county clerk’s office. 

In some cases, you may actually want to create an official company structure – but only if you’re concerned that the business will take off or put your family’s assets at risk. For example, our oldest son loves designing apps; if it seems that an app will be commercially successful on iTunes, we’ll decide to roll it under our holding company. And, if we didn’t already have a holding company, we’d form an LLC (Limited Liability Company) for it. But, you can decide the scope of your child’s business and your family’s liability protection needs. 

Pay taxes.
If your child’s earnings are greater than $400, they’ll need to file their own tax return. Most likely, they won’t be in a position to owe any income tax, but they will need to pay self-employment tax (so prepare them for this ahead of time, perhaps setting aside 15% of the earnings for tax time).

They’ll report their business income and expenses on Form 1040 Schedule C, and self-employment tax is reported on Schedule SE. And in case you’re wondering, yes, you can still declare your child a dependent even if they file their own return.  

Have Fun.
The most important thing to remember is that the process should be fun. Entrepreneurship is a labor of love, not just labor. It’s also about taking chances, making mistakes, learning from those mistakes, and doing it all over again. Keep those messages front and center throughout the journey.