My small group of teen entrepreneurs with BIG DREAMS, BIG HEART and BIG POTENTIAL is at it again and based on what they have scribbled down on the timeline for Q1 2010, things are definitely not slowing down anytime soon. I am ECSTATIC to report that in November 2009 the Top 4 Producing Renegade CEO’s (under my direct care) with an average age of 17.5 were ‘balling big time’ - having grossed nearly $100k combined in their respective businesses. They are igniting the energy and living through their entrepreneurial endeavors which is motivating the others. They represent a variety of traditional, service and technology related businesses and some even had to do the old school handshake big dollar contract get up. How is that for Keeping It Renegade?
So how did they do it? Same as just about everybody else - They built their “big idea” starting with zero dollars, zero business knowledge and a lot of determination. I would have to say in my experience in collaborating and sharing with these teen entrepreneurs, the difference between them and most people is they LISTENED……………………..to themselves. It’s an art in itself.
And what was my role in all this?
I cared …………and connected with them, oftentimes when nobody else did. Nothing more, nothing less. I ask the same of you and will continue to ask it of others I meet along the way.
Just because the majority of teens do not have money or a recognized name especially when they are trying to launch an idea whether it is business or otherwise, does not mean they don’t have value.
Alas, their life circumstances dictate that they are teens by default . But let it be known, they are Renegade by choice .
Stay tuned as we decide on the best way to introduce them and their respective stories.
@teenbizcoach
Comments (0) Posted by admin on Tuesday, December 8th, 2009
Without nay hesitation nor second thought, 2010 is going to be the Year of the TEEN Entrepreneur! You heard it hear first folks. Entrepreneurship for young people is an evolutionary phenomenon that stemmed from the Internet (continue reading to learn how this came about).
Teens are often "lumped in" with another category of people older or younger than them and don’t really identify with either of those groups or they are just mulled over. People have high expectations of them yet give them every road block when they try to move forward- SORRY TEEN, I would love to work with you but the problem is you don’t have enough EDUCATION….MATURITY….EXPERIENCE….Sound familiar? They have had to take a back seat for far too long and they are tired of being labeled and told they are unmotivated and apathetic. They don’t need >> to calm down, shut up and listen, to hear you tell them what it ‘all’ means. Nor do they want to be spoken of in future tense. They are present now. They are successful now. They are making impact now. They are making contributions now and they need and want to be given credit and recognition NOW.
What can you do NOW? Open the space up for them. How will you know if you have succeeded? They will have a ‘real conversation’ with you and will return to you at some point in the near future and start another one. And if they really love you, they’ll even tell their friends!
Teen Entrepreneurs are claiming their space in the universe and owning it! And it’s about time. It takes about 15 years for a movement to evolve to something much greater than that. So it’s time! There are many a tell tale signs that is built on what has been evolving over the past decade and additionally, the number and types of inquiries we are getting from teens across the globe tells a story in itself. Not to mention, in the month of November three more teens surpassed the $10,000/mo revenue mark….whooop!
If you want a logo for your business and you reach out to one of the best design agencies in your city, what would your reaction be when you get to know, that only a logo would cost you $1000? There are people who get shocked after knowing the prices and instantly think of getting the logo designed by a freelancer who would get the job done in mere $10. They don’t even realize that going to a cheap logo designer might be a complete waste of money and time.
I agree that there are both small and large scale companies, who want to have a strong identity for themselves. However, not all of them have the budget to approach the top logo design agencies to create their logos and that’s the reason they question, why are these top agencies so costly?
In case you missed it Teen’s Turn to Summer Startups was featured in this week’s Wall Street Journal. The article talks about how teens have started resorting to getting their entrepreneur groove on since summer work is difficult to come by because the economy is soft and unemployment is so high. Essentially adults are now competing for many of the jobs that were once difficult to fill (think fast food, retail cashiers, etc). Imagine that- starting a teen business is now vogue.
Ok, so what’s wrong with this picture here?
I’m a teen and I need a job. But the jobs are hard to come by because so many people (Translation ADULTS) are out of work. So let me start a feel good ‘hobby’ business where I now have to work even harder to scrape together a few bucks because everybody is going to try and start one and use the same resources to figure their ideas out. And on top of that I am going to try to sell to a CONSUMER (Translation ADULT) who is as broke as me, hence why they took my job in the first place. But never mind any of that, my parents who once thought the idea of me starting a business as a teen was bananas is now going to be totally on the bandwagon because the WSJ said it is all on the ‘okie dokie’ because everybody else’s parents are doing it. Having said that, if you need a micro investment for your business, print the article and show it your parents
So I decided since this summer folks are going to be cuckoo for cocoa puffs and parents are going to be seeking out your favorite haunts and resources, I would share some of my favorite tips of How Renegade Teen Business Owners can break from the rat race and stay in a league all their own.
But before I get to the tips in recognition of National Autism Awareness Month I wanted to give a shout out to Renegade CEO, Danielle Herb, 15, Founder of Drop Your Reins. Her company does ADD/ADHD and Autistic Training Programs through natural horsemanship. This summer she is doing her 1st Annual Level 1 Mastery Certification Course in N. Florida. Only 10 spaces remain and the course costs $3,995 per person for 1 week of Natural Horsemanship Training (and IT WILL SELL OUT). She is also giving away one full scholarship valued at $3,995. If you are a teenager and those numbers are hard for you to wrap your brain around…guess you haven’t been reading my blog posts in full and/or spending enough time with me…I’m just sayin’ there is a reason why I only post once a week ;-)
If you want to learn more about Danielle Herb’s Natural Horsemanship course peep her site at: http://www.adhdkidsscholarship.com/ (HURRY! Scholarship Deadline Ends 4/30)
Does anyone know what the word “help” means? Being that it is overrated and used so freely I am not even sure anymore. So I have been trying very hard not to use it as of recent months. I am eliminating it from my vocabulary.
Help is a sad little pathetic word. It means I have exhausted all resources and I am desperate for anything you have to give me. It puts you, ‘the asker’, in an inferior role. Help is a desperate plea that results in a reactive answer. Some adults and companies especially those in America have asked for ’help’ and they got ‘help’. Now what are they asking for? Naturally, more help.
I want you to start being in tuned to people who use that word. How do they use it? How much do they use it? Do you see a pattern with the people who are using that word? Ask them what are they asking for.
I am also requesting (with much gratitude) that the teens and adults in both my personal and professional networks eliminate the word “help” from their vocabulary. And know if you ask me for ‘help’ the answer will be a resounding NO. Start replacing that word with words like: empower, empowerment, inspire, inspiration, motivate, motivation, encourage, encouragement, uplift, uplifting, enable, enabled, assistance, facts, information, advice, assistance. Ask a question with a word that will result in a proactive response vs. a reactive one. Renegade Mom Marianne St. Clair says it best - “when you eliminate the broad term help, it forces you to think about what you are asking for and craft your request in such a way that you specifically ask for what you want”.
So if you are in need of my guidance and support, tell me what you need (what is a necessity) and what you have to work with. Not what you want or what you don’t have. If you are having a difficult time or a brain cramp do you need inspiration to create new ideas? Do you need information to make a well-informed decision? Do you need encouragement to get through a challenging time? Do you need assistance in connecting with someone to evolve a project that you are working on? I am always willing to give you the support and resources to those requests and in abundance!
