# Advice For 16 Year Old Starting Small Buisness



## Countryboy94 (Nov 23, 2010)

Hey everybody,

I'm new to the forums, my name is Ben im from Omaha, Neb. I'm tired of sitting in school all day, and then just working odd jobs in the afternoons and evenings [scrap metal removal, blowing snow in the winter, mowing lawns, even have experience as a mover using my dad's truck and trailer].

I've taken it upon myself to start my own small buisness focusing on Lawn Mowing and Snow removal. I'm 16 years old and what I lack in experience I promise I make up for in my determination to be successful. I know I can juggle school and my life, I'm willing to do whatever it takes to make an honest living for myself; I'll break my back for a buck. I'm also going to start taking buisness classes online, some of it during study halls at school. 

So anyway, do any of you have advice to pass along to me? Anything at all that I should know, or useful information? Thank you for taking your time.

God Bless America, 
Ben


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## Mike's Plumbing (Jul 19, 2010)

This country needs more people like you.

You don't need any advice my friend, just keep that positive attitude and you will have a bright future.

Mike


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## Heritage (Mar 20, 2007)

You have the rest of your life to worry about work & making money.

You only get to be a young man once 

Take your time because life is not a race & the value of getting an education right now/next few years will last a lot longer than any sum of money you manage to accumulate.


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## Rob PA (Aug 30, 2010)

your on the right track...just keep learning..never think that you know more than the next guy

dont let bad customers ruin your day

and wear knee pads...as i run my bad knee


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## Doubleoh7 (Dec 3, 2009)

Good for you! This country needs more 16 year olds that WANT to work. Not sit home getting fat, playing video games, and listening to the Beetles on their record players.

Two pieces of advice I offer are:

1. Don't let school suffer too much. If you have not already, you need Algebra, Geometry, and Trigonometry, if you plan on being in the construction trades.

2. Get insurance for ANYTHING you do. Since you are a minor, your folks would be on the hook for liability. Talk to your dad and make an appointment to see his insurance agent.

Good luck and welcome aboard!


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## AJAX (Sep 12, 2009)

I started a snow removal biz when I was 16 kinda by accident. I worked part time at a car wash and my manager had a CJ5 with a plow on it and some accounts he wanted to sell. We got along real well and worked out a deal. It was more fun than work to me but, it grew into a very successful biz which evolved into grass cuts etc. that I worked on for 10 years then sold.

Do you have any accounts for snow right now? What do you have for equipment?

If you have any specific ?'s just ask...


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## greg24k (May 19, 2007)

If you tired of sitting in school all day and you only 16, what makes you think you not gonna get tired from breaking your back all day when you're 30? 

There is a dime a dozen of kids like you out there, who got this big plans and drop out of school...and most end up working for a minimum wage and they're pi$$ed at the world and everyone else. Your thinking is good, you have a strong mind and if you don't get ahead of your self you could have a bright future. You will get a good advise here, most here are Old School. Like most here I started to hassle when I was 15, I've done well for myself, but that was then, and this is now...a totally different age and time to do what some did then and making it OK today... For you and for today is Education...that should come first before anything, especially when you 16.

On that note, stay in school and get education, learn something that you can fall back on, just in case you find out that a back breaking thing is not for you... 

You got all the time in the world to do what you want...get education first while you young and you still have a fresh clear mind... therefor, fill the space between your ears with knowledge,before you burn yourself out with labor...

Good luck and you can thank me later :thumbsup:


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## TxElectrician (May 21, 2008)

Doubleoh7 said:


> Good for you! This country needs more 16 year olds that WANT to work. Not sit home getting fat, playing video games, and *listening to the Beetles on their record players.*
> 
> Two pieces of advice I offer are:
> 
> ...


 

Beetles....record players?????????

This kid has no idea what you are talking about old man:laughing:


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## MALCO.New.York (Feb 27, 2008)

This is a Bogus post!

It is too "Middle America Perfect" to be real!


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## Hmrepairs (Sep 11, 2010)

Yeah, this is nice and everything, but I thought the forum was for professional contractors. Let the whipping begin.


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## mikeswoods (Oct 11, 2008)

Relax,Hmrepairs---This forum has a landscape section--and plenty of room for one more young ambitious kid asking polite questions-----

I made a bit of pocket money shoveling snow as a kid---nice way to build confidence and learn how to sell and deal with customers.


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## MOTB (May 13, 2009)

*create yourself an inexpensive website for marketing*

Good to see your entrepreneurial spirits. I started my first lawnmowing business when I was around 12 so I understand your passion to make your own money. One person made a suggestion which is to make sure you do not pass on your youth so make sure you keep yourself well rounded and do things that teenagers do, in addition to earning whatever you can on your own. From a business perspective, why not create yourself a 'very inexpensive' website, take some pictures of the properties you mow, then also create 'very inexpensive' business cards with your website. You will slowly be able to learn about marketing concepts and be able to always show off your first business, which may help you establish creditability as you go onto to the next things in life. Also, a few people in the forums may not be as constructive as you may like, so just fight the urge to reply and stay positively focused. This alone is a thing you need to learn on how to move forward positively in life and do not get pulled back by negativity. Wishing you the best of luck in your endeavors and business growth.
Brian Javeline
MyOnlineToolbox.com


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## JohnFRWhipple (Oct 20, 2009)

Time and time again I love your posts Joe.

This is great advice... I worked full time 40 plus hours a week since I was 14. I still do.

I wish I chilled out and enjoyed my final few years in High School and left the job market till much later. Give yourself options (invest in your mind and your studies - save your back and your knees), have fun and instead invest your free time with your buddies, your girlfriends and just having fun.

It it will be memories you can cherish up until your 30 something and when the sad reality of this "Work Thing" is not going to go away any time soon you always have those old stories to recall and laugh about.

I'm 42 - my wife and I still recount times from our "Glory Days"...



Heritage said:


> You have the rest of your life to worry about work & making money.
> 
> You only get to be a young man once
> 
> Take your time because life is not a race & the value of getting an education right now/next few years will last a lot longer than any sum of money you manage to accumulate.


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## Countryboy94 (Nov 23, 2010)

quote=Mike's Plumbing;1052534]This country needs more people like you.

You don't need any advice my friend, just keep that positive attitude and you will have a bright future.

Mike[/quote]

Thanks, ill remember that. 



Heritage said:


> You have the rest of your life to worry about work & making money.
> 
> You only get to be a young man once
> 
> Take your time because life is not a race & the value of getting an education right now/next few years will last a lot longer than any sum of money you manage to accumulate.


I understand. are there any specific classes, in HS, NS, online seminars or what have you that you or people you work with took that helped with the challenges of contracting/buisness/landscaping/snow?



Rob PA said:


> your on the right track...just keep learning..never think that you know more than the next guy
> 
> dont let bad customers ruin your day
> 
> and wear knee pads...as i run my bad knee


I'll keep that in mind, thanks!



Doubleoh7 said:


> Good for you! This country needs more 16 year olds that WANT to work. Not sit home getting fat, playing video games, and listening to the Beetles on their record players.
> 
> Two pieces of advice I offer are:
> 
> ...


I appreciate it. As far as the insurance goes my parents have medical insurance for me, does that cover job-liability/injurys? 



AJAX said:


> I started a snow removal biz when I was 16 kinda by accident. I worked part time at a car wash and my manager had a CJ5 with a plow on it and some accounts he wanted to sell. We got along real well and worked out a deal. It was more fun than work to me but, it grew into a very successful biz which evolved into grass cuts etc. that I worked on for 10 years then sold.
> 
> Do you have any accounts for snow right now? What do you have for equipment?
> 
> If you have any specific ?'s just ask...


That's my overall plan is to sell it once I get comissioned hopefully with Army ROTC in 2015-17, depending on what I get schooled in.



greg24k said:


> If you tired of sitting in school all day and you only 16, what makes you think you not gonna get tired from breaking your back all day when you're 30?
> 
> There is a dime a dozen of kids like you out there, who got this big plans and drop out of school...and most end up working for a minimum wage and they're pi$$ed at the world and everyone else. Your thinking is good, you have a strong mind and if you don't get ahead of your self you could have a bright future. You will get a good advise here, most here are Old School. Like most here I started to hassle when I was 15, I've done well for myself, but that was then, and this is now...a totally different age and time to do what some did then and making it OK today... For you and for today is Education...that should come first before anything, especially when you 16.
> 
> ...


I fully intend to finish High School and get some sort of a degree, but I still understand how my grades could suffer. I'll make sure to keep them up, thanks again!



TxElectrician said:


> Beetles....record players?????????
> 
> This kid has no idea what you are talking about old man:laughing:


Haha my dad listens them.



MALCO.New.York said:


> This is a Bogus post!
> 
> It is too "Middle America Perfect" to be real!


Who would take the time to write out all this bogus stuff? 



Hmrepairs said:


> Yeah, this is nice and everything, but I thought the forum was for professional contractors. Let the whipping begin.


Who better people to ask then professionals?

I was thinking about that though after posting, if there is a better section, I'll post my question there and if a mod could delete this one I appreciate it 



mikeswoods said:


> Relax,Hmrepairs---This forum has a landscape section--and plenty of room for one more young ambitious kid asking polite questions-----
> 
> I made a bit of pocket money shoveling snow as a kid---nice way to build confidence and learn how to sell and deal with customers.


Should I post this over in landscaping?



MOTB said:


> Good to see your entrepreneurial spirits. I started my first lawnmowing business when I was around 12 so I understand your passion to make your own money. One person made a suggestion which is to make sure you do not pass on your youth so make sure you keep yourself well rounded and do things that teenagers do, in addition to earning whatever you can on your own. From a business perspective, why not create yourself a 'very inexpensive' website, take some pictures of the properties you mow, then also create 'very inexpensive' business cards with your website. You will slowly be able to learn about marketing concepts and be able to always show off your first business, which may help you establish creditability as you go onto to the next things in life. Also, a few people in the forums may not be as constructive as you may like, so just fight the urge to reply and stay positively focused. This alone is a thing you need to learn on how to move forward positively in life and do not get pulled back by negativity. Wishing you the best of luck in your endeavors and business growth.
> Brian Javeline
> MyOnlineToolbox.com


I will definetly look into this, and I completely understand if people are not as constructive, sometimes I could use the motivation!



JohnFRWhipple said:


> Time and time again I love your posts Joe.
> 
> This is great advice... I worked full time 40 plus hours a week since I was 14. I still do.
> 
> ...


 Sounds like great advice, thanks!


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## AJAX (Sep 12, 2009)

Countryboy94 said:


> I understand. are there any specific classes, in HS, NS, online seminars or what have you that you or people you work with took that helped with the challenges of contracting/buisness/landscaping/snow?


In school understand everything you can about Math, i.e. Geometry, Calc., Trig. The english language as well, so you can understand legal documents. Spanish so you can communicate with your workers:laughing:. Then take whatever classes your drawn to, just keep feeding the brain. 

Also, Sales because you can take that where ever you go. Work ethic IMO is alot about the school of hard knocks - OJT, on the job training. It's something you don't learn in school or the internet, you have it or you don't. But, people really notice when you do!

I like that you stated you wanted to "ask the professionals"(there's a joke in there somewhere) but, your very generalized. I think your getting ahead of yourself. You probably already know the answers to your questions, your just not listening close enough. You just need to go out and Do It! MAybe you just need a little push.

Now go and make some fliers and biz cards and go door to door and SELL YOURSELF! The rest will follow.


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## Mike's Plumbing (Jul 19, 2010)

One bit of advice that I would do is learn how to save money, invest it, and stay out of debt. These three things when followed correctly can be life changing.

If you start saving and investing now life can be so much easier in the future. If you have fun and live it up too much it can do a lot of damage. If you meet a girl, get married and have kids you will want to be in good shape for that.

You can start by saving first and avoiding anything having to do with debt. Do some investigating of mutual funds for starters and plant a little seed money in them. At your age you can knock 20 years off retirement, many people don't start until late 20's or early 30's.

Just imagine a 10 year start, wow, I wish I had that time back again.

Mike


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## eliteconcrete (Nov 6, 2010)

> You have the rest of your life to worry about work & making money.
> 
> You only get to be a young man once


Remember the old adage: youth is wasted on the young 

Don't forget to enjoy your early years!

It's great that you want to be a young entrepreneur, this is how your neighbor Warren Buffet started.

Always keep up with school, this free education is vital to future success, and if you need to have future education it will cost much more and be much more time consuming.


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## mc handyman (May 17, 2009)

*Have Faith!*

I admire your audacity to become a true entreprenuer! I was in high school when I first started business. I was 17 and I was already making more than my mother was making. One year after graduation I was making more than both my parents combined. Why do I tell you this? I tell you that because what motivated me to become an entreprenuer was not money, not a fancy car to take the girls out, nor was it status. My motivation was to break generational curses that plagued my family for many years. Money doesn't buy you much nor does it give you time. But I will tell you one thing I have found out- it sure makes things allot easier especially when you can help your parents out when things get tough.

Remember this simpl formula:
Needs x Faith= Motivation

I needed to help my family, and I had the faith that if I do the work good things will come. It is simply the law of sowing and reaping. I am so glad that I have made the decision at a young age to be my own boss. I am only 23 now and I own a marketing business that grows every month and I own three home repair branches that keep a steady flow of income for me. If you take one thing at all from me just take this;
Don't listen to the chicken little. Dont listen to the people who say you are crazy or the people that say that it is time to throw in the rag or the people that say you have no idea what you are doing. Study entreprenuers and understand what makes them click. Pick up a book and read it especially any books by Og Mandino, John Maxwell, and Stephen Covey. Your business will grow only when your mind grows.

Dream Big!!!


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## jbfan (Apr 1, 2004)

TxElectrician said:


> Beetles....record players?????????
> 
> This kid has no idea what you are talking about old man:laughing:


Someone is listening.
I-tunes sold 1/4 mil. Beatles album/songs(not sure which) since they started last Tuesday.:whistling


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## Mellison (Aug 3, 2008)

Avoid the Clap.


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