There are more than fifteen high school million students in the USA. Many of these students will decide to start their own business. Becoming an entrepreneur is dynamic and fun. It is also a respected career path. Below are eight tips for students in high school who want to become an entrepreneur.
Tip #1: Start Now
“To improve your own creative practice, you might develop your own list or set of reminder prompts,” suggests Wilma Koutstaal, Ph.D., who is a psychology professor at the University of Minnesota. “What are some verbs or action words that you could bring to mind to help you ignite –– or to perceive and notice –– new possible directions for experimentation and trial-and-error in your creative process?” The best time to start is right now. Write down the ideas in a notebook that has been swimming inside that mind of yours. From that list, select the best idea. Determine first what makes it the best idea. Discuss the idea with your peers. Get comments from your potential customers and your teachers, parents, and friends.
You could start with a simple business such as dog walking, yard work, or babysitting. Then make your business as legitimate as possible. You could register your business, get a business license, and obtain a tax identification number.
Tip #2: Look For Business Mentors
Finding a mentor is extremely important. And it is not that hard to get a mentor. Many successful people in business are very willing to share their knowledge and experience. You might feel intimidated by the idea of approaching someone. However, you should go and ask a local businessman if they can assist and mentor you in your business endeavor. “By far, the most important role of a mentor is to support and encourage young people, particularly as they struggle to overcome obstacles and solve problems,” notes Marilyn Price-Mitchell, Ph.D., Fellow at the Institute for Social Innovation at Fielding Graduate University in Santa Barbara. She explains, “Knowing they are not being judged helps young people think through decisions critically, sifting through the deeper values that will inform the adults they become.”
Tip #3: Find A Job
Finding a job might be contradictory to the notion of starting your own business. However, working for a company allows you to gain experience in interacting with customers and people. Gaining experience in this is very useful in creating a successful company. You can start gaining this type of experience by working at a local supermarket or a fast-food restaurant.
Tip #4: Learn To Accept Failure And View It As A Lesson
Everybody experiences failure. What is important is that you learn from your failures. The knowledge you gain from your failures can help you become successful. The most significant hindrance you will encounter is the fear of failing. Because of this fear, you might not even try. Try. And, if you fail, learn from the experience. And then try again using the lessons you have learned.
Tip #5: Leave Your Comfort Zone
Be true to yourself. Participate in an academic or sports club. Run for class president. Join the school paper. You have to learn how to market yourself. Becoming a leader and learning to market yourself is basically what being an entrepreneur is all about. You will gain valuable lessons from working with others on a team. “[I]n shying away from the challenges that would enable them to do so, they end up feeling frustrated and dissatisfied—not only with themselves but with their lives in general,” says clinical psychologist Leon F Seltzer, Ph.D., “But without being proactive in breaking through the barriers that are keeping them stuck, the pursuits that could lead to their greater happiness and fulfillment remain unexamined.”
Tip #6: Join A Theater Group
Joining a theater group helps you develop many useful skills. You learn to work with people. You learn to overcome your shyness, and you need this if you want to start your own business.
Tip #7: Take Your Math and English Classes Seriously
Math and English lessons are fundamental. With proper knowledge in Mathematics, you will not depend on a bookkeeper or an accountant when you are starting your own business. When your business succeeds, and you can afford a bookkeeper and an accountant, you will still need to be able to keep track of your finances.
English is also vital. You will need to be able to communicate appropriately. You will need to be able to persuade your potential customers.
Tip #8: Learn To Spot Opportunities
Look around your neighborhood and your community for opportunities. You could look for a problem that your neighborhood is experiencing. You could then try to come up with a business idea that will provide a solution to the problem.