You’re never too young to make money. That is, at least, my opinion. Having started my first business in high school and running two by the time I finished I advocate for the young to take things into their own hands. Now what I ran were not full formalised businesses but they did teach me a lot about business and life that still applies after many years of experience. If you’re a teen out there wondering what business ideas you can get into we have a list of ideas that are working well for other teens.

Apparel

Young people of course have the advantage of being close to and understanding other young people. Clothing and apparel make a good business idea for teens because it’s something that teens are willing to spend a lot of money on. Many teens have started businesses in apparel including Black Effect which was started by the owners as teenagers.

Food

Something else that teens don’t mind spending money on is food. Which makes food a good business idea for teens. The advantage of the food business is you do not need years of experience or training to come up with the right product, you just need to have the commitment and ingenuity. Zimbabwean teens started a business that sells decadent ice cream called uMaIcecream.

Media

There are a lot of opportunities in media. Music, video, podcasting, blogging, influencers and so much more it’s not an understatement to say the list is endless. If you have the right personality and skills you can carve a name out for yourself in the media space. And if you think I’m putting a lot of pressure on teens just remember that YouTube’s highest earner in 2020 was 9-year-old toy reviewer Ryan Kaji who bagged US$29.5 million in the year.

Tutoring

This one isn’t for every teen but some can find it works. At this stage of life, one of the most important things you do is go to school and take exams. A teen who has experience with passing exams could make a good coach or tutor for other teens. Being good at something doesn’t necessarily mean you can teach it. It takes a bit more to be a tutor.

Errand service

Youth is wasted on the young. Young people have energy and zeal, a luxury which those more advanced in their years. With the ability to get around that teens have they can extend this as a service to those who do not have the time or ability to get around and run their errands.

Graphic design

Graphic design is a serious undertaking that involves lots of education to become a full professional. Graphic design also requires a certain natural talent or aptitude. While it is highly unlikely a teen will have the tonnes of training you will certainly find teenagers who possess the natural talent.

Crafts

Sticking to matters of art there are also opportunities for those who incline the artistic can venture into craft businesses. This includes things like gifts, painting, sculpture and any other artistic expression that can be sold. Look at the NFT boom and how art has been at the centre stage of it.

Retail

For someone with sales skills or a great understanding of a product area, you can make a name for yourself in business as a teenager. It could be a matter of access to something other teenagers are willing to pay for that gives you the edge. The key is to find your thing and be good at selling it. Anything could work here; clothing, gadgets, cosmetics and so much more. This happens to be the avenue through which I found my second business as a teenager.

Delivery service

This business idea does not need much skill or experience and this makes it a very good target for teenagers. However, the business needs someone who is extremely organised and communicates very well with people. There are many expressions of the delivery service and you can choose to focus on fast food, groceries, fresh produce or other items. You can partner with product providers or work independently of them.

These are some great opportunities in Zimbabwe for teenagers who are willing to do the work. Business is not easy, that really should go without saying. However, if you are the right match for the business idea you can make a name and some money for yourself.