It started with a lemonade stand.
When she was five years old, Riley Kinnane-Petersen set up her annual stand and decided to add some necklaces she had been making from cast-off jewelry parts. When her dad John posted the baubles on his Instagram account, his followers were smitten—could they buy her creations?
"Then Dad created a little website and put them on there," Riley tells Shopify about the origins of her brand, Gunner & Lux. Her creations were a hit with her newfound customers. "Then, Barney's called."
Riley has since collaborated with J. Crew and West Elm Kids, sold her jewelry in more than 500 stores, and landed features in several publications including Teen Vogue and Forbes—all while juggling homework.
Entrepreneurship is a fun family activity that has learning built in—Riley still runs her business with her dad. It's a way for kids to make money to save for college (or Nerf Blasters) and discover new passions.
Empower your little ones to start their own business with these 23 unique business ideas for kids.
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Benefits of helping kids start their own business
When kids start a business before they graduate high school, they gain advantages on college and job applications. Starting a business early also benefits children in several other important ways:
Foster their interests
Introducing children to entrepreneurship early is an age-appropriate way to connect their interests to countless career options.
Take Simone Hufana, the young entrepreneur behind Color Herstory. Simone channeled her desire for representation into a series of coloring books celebrating influential women of color. She now works at a nonprofit with a mission to empower young girls of color—while still running Color Herstory.
Build soft skills
Kid-run businesses fill in gaps in formal education with business and life skills that help children succeed. Through entrepreneurship, kids develop valuable skills like communication, problem-solving, marketing, and web design.
Find a learning style that sticks
Entrepreneurship gives kids a hands-on way to learn. A child who struggles with workbook exercises might connect with math and reading through building a website or managing inventory. In this way, entrepreneurship can reveal abilities or interests that were previously hidden.
When Lily Harper left school due to bullying, her mom struggled to get her to learn the curriculum through homeschooling. "We realized that studying from a book was really hard for her," Lily's mom, Chloe, tells Shopify. "She wanted to just get up and run around and do things. I called my mom and she said to me, 'Build boxes. Make a pretend store. Just learn through play.' So we did."
Through that process, the two launched a business together, World of LLA, helping Lily thrive with a learning style that suited her energetic personality.
23 creative business ideas for kids
- Inventor of the next big thing
- Magnificent maker
- Online content creator
- Peer-to-peer tutor
- Costume constructor
- Pint-sized pop-up shop owner
- Plant or pet sitter
- Coding wizard
- Entertainer extraordinaire
- Budding artist
- Tiny tech support
- Social impact champion
- Festival or beach vendor
- Skateboard repair tech
- Neighborhood helper
- Recycling collector
- Kids' book author and illustrator
- Baking boss
- Summer camp CEO
- Reseller
- Professional gamer
- Greeting card designer
- Babysitting boss
Ready to help your kids start their first business venture? Here's a list of ideas that appeal to different personalities and interests. Each kid-friendly business idea includes skills your child can develop through their entrepreneurial journey:
1. Inventor of the next big thing
With some guidance, kids can invent products they make by hand or have manufactured to sell online. The best inventions often start by identifying common problems facing their generation and developing creative products to solve them.
Gabby Goodwin's business, GaBBY Bows, began when she wanted better hair barrettes—ones that wouldn't constantly slide off. Teaming up with her mother, she created a double-snap barrette that securely holds hair in place until intentionally removed—perfect from the dance studio to the soccer field.
