Early Life Investments, LLC
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Early Life Investments
Early Life Investments
A Family Financial Head Start

“The best time to build lifelong money habits is when you are young. The second-best time is today.”

Educational only: The author of Early Life Investments is not a Certified Financial Planner. The content here reflects the author's personal opinions and experience and is for general educational purposes only. Read the full disclaimer.

Kids' Corner — Young Boss · Created August 10, 2026 · 3 min read

Start a Small Business as a Kid

Find a want, know your costs, charge fairly, do it well — the four rules behind every business on Earth.

The Short AnswerPick something people already want (cold drinks on a hot day, weeded gardens, walked dogs), figure out what it costs you, charge more than that, and do a great job so people come back and tell their friends. That’s the whole secret — every giant company started this small.

How Do I Start a Business as a Kid?

  1. Find a real want. The lemonade stand works because hot people want cold drinks. Look around: what do neighbors complain about? (Weeds, leaves, bored dogs, dirty cars.)
  2. Know your costs. If lemonade supplies cost $6 and you sell 20 cups at $1, you made $14, not $20. The difference between money you make and what it costs you is profit — the only number that matters.
  3. Set a fair price. Check what others charge, then charge about that. Too high, no customers; too low, you work for free.
  4. Do it so well they tell people. Repeat customers and word-of-mouth are how a one-day lemonade-stand becomes an every-Saturday business.
What to say to your parent“I want to try a tiny business — here’s my idea, what it costs to start, and what I’d charge. Can you help me do it safely? And can we keep track of what I earn?”

Business Ideas by Age

  • 7–9 (with a parent nearby): lemonade or cocoa stand, decorated cookies for a family yard sale or your older sibling’s sporting event, friendship bracelets.
  • 10–12: pet care and dog walking for approved neighbors, plant watering, car washing, holiday gift wrapping, selling outgrown toys and games (with permission!).
  • 13+: babysitting, lawn care routes, tutoring younger kids, reselling finds, making and selling crafts online through a parent’s account.

What Do I Do With Business Money?

Three jobs, every time:

  • refill supplies (so the business keeps running),
  • save some toward your goal, and
  • keep a little to enjoy.

Write down what you earn and spend — real businesses keep books. A notebook works perfectly. If you would rather do it on a computer, we made you one: My Business Money, a free spreadsheet where you type what came in and what went out, and it works out your profit and splits it three ways for you.

Either way, keep it. (Tell your parents this part.) Written records of real earnings can unlock a special growing-account called a Roth IRA. That notebook could literally be worth a million dollars someday.

Safety rulesParents approve every customer, no going into strangers’ houses, no online selling without a parent running the account, and no “business opportunities” that ask you to pay first — that’s a scam, every time.

Parents: the tax and Roth side of kid earnings is in Documenting a Child’s Earned Income.

Where to go next: How to Make Money as a Kid — simpler ways to earn if a business feels like a lot; Money Words for Kids — profit, expense and the other words on this page; How to Save for Something You Want — what to do with what you make; and What Age Can Kids Get a Bank Account? — where business money should go.

More in Kids’ Corner — Earning & Saving: How to Make Money as a Kid · How to Save for Something You Want · How to Ask for an Allowance · Start a Small Business as a Kid · What Age Can Kids Get a Bank Account? · Bank Accounts for Kids: A Parent’s Guide · Can Kids Invest?. Everything starts at Money Questions for Kids.

References & Resources

  1. DOL: YouthRules! — What kids can legally do for work, by age.
  2. CFPB: Money as You Grow — Earning activities for kids.