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I received a copy of Teen’s Guide to Making and Selling Upcycled Arts and Crafts: How to Start and Grow a Reduce-Reuse-Recycle Side Gig free of charge for review purposes and was compensated for my time. All opinions expressed in this post are my own and I was not required to post a positive review of this product.
As a homeschool parent, when April roles around I start counting down the days to our summer break just as much as the children do! I’m looking forward to working in the garden and catching up on some reading. For my kids April looks a little different. While they are grateful the end of the school year is just around the corner, my teens are looking for summer jobs. Any business ideas are welcome and up for discussion, but these kids are turning to their creativity for ways to earn money this summer.
Teen Entrepreneurs
I’ve had many Scouts work on Personal Management merit badge recently. One of the requirements is to create a budget and track their income and expenses for 90-days. More often than not, these teens tell me they don’t have an income because they don’t have a job. They tell me no one wants to hire them because they are a kid. Or if they do have a job, they say the hours are inconsistent and they can’t create a budget because one week they may work 16 hours and another only three.
Teens want to work and make money, but they are often frustrated by the options available to them in their community. Things that may have worked when I was in high school, such as babysitting or having a paper route, just aren’t viable anymore. Teens need to get creative when looking for work, and many are turning that creativity into entrepreneurial opportunities.
They are no longer applying to every shop and fast food restaurant within walking distance from home. These teens are opting to be their own bosses and start their own businesses even at a young age.
How do I start a business?
No matter the type of business you are looking to start, you always want a guide to see you through the process. Sometimes that mentor is an actual person you meet with, and sometimes it can be an incredible resource like the Teen’s Guide to Making and Selling Upcycled Arts and Crafts: How to Start a Creative Reduce-Reuse-Recycle Side Gig by James Dillehay.
In this guide, you will learn the basics of starting your own business covering everything from how to price your work to where to sell it.
Dillehay walks you through how to set up your business legally, how to promote your business, and how to build a customer base. He even shares ideas on how to source materials.
Whether you want to know about pricing, social media marketing, or even selling at craft shows all of it is covered in the Teen’s Guide to Making and Selling Upcycled Arts and Crafts.
Brainstorming Art-Related Business Ideas for Teens
- logo design
- create note cards
- create wedding or event invitations
- create images to use as wall art
- addressing wedding or event invitations
- creating wall art
- writing up menu boards at local restaurants
- portrait photography
- create hair bows and clippies
- fuse glass to make suncatchers
- work as a photographer for a blogger
- turn your photos into note cards or calendars
- print photos to be used as wall art
- create your own paint party business
- sew tote bags
- create cos-play costumes
- sew small items like cosmetic bags or scrunchies
- make jewelry
- make no-sew blankets
- quilt blankets
- make wreaths
- weave potholders
- paint ornaments
- make seed paper decorations
- make party favors
- create resin coasters
- press flowers for bookmarks
- make soaps and bath products
- make candles
- create scented wax melts
- upcycle thrift store finds into something new
- create holiday centerpieces
- sew pillowcase dresses
I bet if you are a creative type you can probably brainstorm even more business ideas than I have on this list. Add them to the comment section below and I’ll edit this post and add them.
Start Your Business Today
Don’t wait until you think everything is perfect to start your arts and crafts business. The end of the school year is just around the corner, and you can get things going now to have a successful summer job where you are your own boss.
Pick up a copy of Teen’s Guide to Making and Selling Upcycled Arts and Crafts, decide what items you want to make and sell, and then start planning for your success!
While you wait for your book to arrive (don’t worry it only takes a few days) you can also check out this FREE ebook, Blueprint for Selling Handmade Products to get the planning process started even sooner.
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