The Top 5 Fun Ways to Boost Your Sales Right Now!
Whether you are just starting or your business sales have stagnated, every young entrepreneur could use a little help. Across all fields and types of businesses, you need to retain existing customers while acquiring new ones. You don’t want to spend all your investment capital on advertising. But you do need to get the word …
Business Terms 101 for Ambitious Young Entrepreneurs
Young entrepreneurs are not made overnight. It takes a great deal of thought, planning, time, and energy to walk that path of entrepreneurship. Along the way, you’re likely to hear some common business terms thrown around. Whether you’re networking with potential investors, writing up a business plan, practicing a sales pitch, building your website, or …
What to Do When Your Parents Expect You to Join the Family Business
There are as many reasons to become a young entrepreneur as there are young entrepreneurs in the world. One reason might be that you intend to join your family’s business or otherwise improve it in some way. As a member of Gen-Z, you can probably look at the business built by your great-grandparents and see …
What to Do When Your Parents Expect You to Join the Family Business »
5 Types of People Every Young Entrepreneur Needs on Their Team
For aspiring young entrepreneurs, the journey from idea to business success may seem a bit daunting. We know there’s a lot you’re thinking about and a lot to get done. That’s why it’s so important to surround yourself with people who can help you along the way. You probably already have at least one of …
5 Types of People Every Young Entrepreneur Needs on Their Team »
The Best Inspirational Quotes on Leadership for Young Entrepreneurs
“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more, you are a leader.” – John Quincy Adams, 6th president of the United States “Where there is no vision, there is no hope.” – George Washington Carver, American scientist “You manage things; you lead people.” – Rear Admiral Grace Murray …
The Best Inspirational Quotes on Leadership for Young Entrepreneurs »
Why LinkedIn Might be a Young Entrepreneur’s Best Friend
Young entrepreneurs are no strangers to social media. Back in the earliest days of social media – before it was even called that – LinkedIn came on the scene to connect professionals around the world. A sort of online global networking party, if you will. Fast forward to 2020, and LinkedIn boasts over 690 million …
The Best Nighttime Routines for Maximum Success
“By helping us keep the world in perspective, sleep gives us a chance to refocus on the essence of who we are. And in that place of connection, it is easier for the fears and concerns of the world to drop away.” -Ariana Huffington Quality sleep is essential for your health and well-being. You know this. …
How Young Entrepreneurs Can Identify Successful Business Ideas
One reason why young entrepreneurs are so powerful and successful is that they’re full of ideas. You’re a natural problem-solver, and when you see a problem in your everyday life you have several ideas for how to solve it. Or you’ve seen someone struggle with the same issue every day and know how to make …
How Young Entrepreneurs Can Identify Successful Business Ideas »
5 Tips to Grow and Expand Your Small Business
Think back to when your dreams of becoming a young entrepreneur. What did you hope to get out of your journey? How far into the future did you write your business plan? Which goals did you set for yourself and your business? When just starting, young entrepreneurs may not be thinking about the growth and expansion of their …
The 10 Habits of Highly Successful Young Entrepreneurs
Most entrepreneurs aren’t born into success. Entrepreneurial success, however you define it, comes from hard work. Part of that hard work is developing habits that will guide you on the right path. Being a young entrepreneur means you are in an ideal position to define, develop, and adopt the best habits for your career. Some of these …
Why You Need to Take a Break Once in a While
Unlike their older entrepreneurial peers, young entrepreneurs have a lot more on their plate that needs constant attention. School. Friends. Activism. Homework. Your business. Your family. On top of all that, college-bound young entrepreneurs like you likely keep up with the news, which isn’t always positive. Social media can get overwhelming. And we’re all still dealing with …
5 Apps for Healthy and Happy and Young Entrepreneurs
No matter how busy you may be as a young entrepreneur, it’s important to prioritize your health and well-being. But where do even the smartest, most ambitious teens go to take better care of themselves? Apps, of course! Go beyond your school’s health classes and try these apps to maximize your well-being. Learn how to ignore …
How Young Entrepreneurs Can Make Good Decisions
Teen entrepreneurs are in unique positions when it comes to making decisions. On the one hand, you’re old enough to know that decisions have consequences. You’re smart enough to realize you might need help. But you’re also young and inexperienced, which means you may not fully understand the consequences of your decisions. And you may …
The 4 Best Online Marketplaces for Young Entrepreneurs
Creating a unique, helpful, and life-changing product is only half the battle for young entrepreneurs hoping to make a name for themselves. You still have to sell that product. And selling online can overwhelming when it comes to choices. What’s the difference between Etsy and Shopify? Will you have to pay? If so, how much? Do you need to hire …
How “Impact Words” Can Level Up Your Marketing
Here at the Kantner Foundation, we know that if you’re probably bright, motivated, and ambitious. You’re a young entrepreneur with a successful future ahead and a knack for making positive impacts on the world. This is why we know you don’t turn in your English assignments with sentences like, “I read this book. It was good. …
Evergreen Business Ideas Young Entrepreneurs Must Consider
What does “evergreen” mean when it comes to business? The term comes from nature, from trees and plants that don’t change color in the fall. For young entrepreneurs, an evergreen business will stay relevant over a long period of time. Think of it like this: back in the early 2000s, the Nintendo DS became a …
Evergreen Business Ideas Young Entrepreneurs Must Consider »
How Young Entrepreneurs Can Network Like the Pros
Successful businesses don’t exist in a vacuum. Everyone needs help, from the planning stages to growth and expansion. For young entrepreneurs, especially, your connections might be the key difference between getting your business off the ground or not. Gaining connections means using effective networking practices. For those of you who have yet to work a …
Get Real About Your Startup Timeline
When you have a fantastic idea for a business, it may seem like waiting even a few days to see it succeed is too long. Why wait to show the world your brilliance and talent? While we here at the Kantner Foundation agree that young entrepreneurs shouldn’t procrastinate, we also know that success is built over time. Even companies …
7 Ideas for Fashionable Young Entrepreneurs
The world of fashion is a heady mix of art, style, and business. In 2019 alone, global sales of clothes and shoes topped 1.9 trillion dollars. Why shouldn’t you get your piece of that? Fashion and style are among those things that not everyone understands. Matching a dress with the exact right shoes can be a challenge. The average …
6 Inspiring Social Entrepreneurs You Need To Know
Social entrepreneurship is more than a passing trend. It’s a new way of life and of business. As more and more companies realize the importance of giving back, young entrepreneurs are having a major impact on the world of business. Thanks to Gen-Z, startups are becoming synonymous with community initiatives and charitable giving. Here at the …
Tight Ten: Your 10-Minute Sales Pitch
In the comedy world, there’s something known as a “Tight 5.” That’s a 5-minute set of prepared jokes and stories told in a way that makes sense and keeps the audience engaged. Young entrepreneurs can learn a lot about developing a set from comedians. Why? Because, like stand-up comics, you need to know what you’re going to say …
How Young Entrepreneurs Can Use Color to Boost Their Businesses
As you develop your marketing plan, one of the things you’ll need to decide is your company’s logo. And when designing that logo – or working with a designer – consider the power of color psychology. Plainly stated, color psychology is the subtle science of triggering certain reactions in people’s brains and bodies to get the desired …
How Young Entrepreneurs Can Use Color to Boost Their Businesses »
Why You Need to Stay Creative in Business
Apple. McDonald’s. Starbucks. Uber. We’re sure you know all these brands. But have you ever thought about how each of these major companies became household names? There’s a one-word answer for that: Creativity. As the world moved changed, each of these businesses adapted to it. Apple never made just computers. McDonald’s never sold just hamburgers. Starbucks…well, you get the point. The …
Create Your Best Personal Brand for Maximum Success
Your brand is the first point of contact between potential customers and your business. Creating and building a brand is an important task for any young entrepreneur who wants to be taken seriously. It should be at the top of your marketing plan so that you can attract the customers you want as soon as you launch. …
The Best Colleges for Young Entrepreneurs
If you’ve been reading the Kantner Foundation blog, you know that we love supporting young entrepreneurs. Since 1987, we’ve made it a point to encourage kid- and teen-preneurs to follow their passions, build their enterprises, and realize their dreams of business success across a wide spectrum of fields. As a scholarship foundation, we know that our young entrepreneurs are already planning for the future. Those …
12 Outdoor Business Ideas for Young Entrepreneurs
There’s nothing like fresh air and sunshine, is there? Not every young entrepreneur is meant to stay indoors looking at a computer screen all day. Some of you prefer to feel the grass under your feet, dirt under your fingernails, and a cool breeze on your faces. These jobs will make you money while you …
The Extracurricular Activities Every Young Entrepreneur Needs to Try
One of the benefits of extracurricular activities is that they look good on your college application. Colleges (and scholarship foundations!) want students who are well-rounded leaders among their peers and in their communities. But college applications aren’t the only reason young entrepreneurs should join certain extracurriculars. They can also help you network, build your business, and develop the …
The Extracurricular Activities Every Young Entrepreneur Needs to Try »
6 Things Young Entrepreneurs Can Learn from Social Media Influencers
Influencers. They’re everywhere! Do you even remember what life was like before they were a thing? When you think about it, influencers are a type of entrepreneur. They have brands. They market. They sell. The really successful ones wind up dominating their chosen fields. Not all entrepreneurs are influencers, but nearly all influencers are entrepreneurs. …
6 Things Young Entrepreneurs Can Learn from Social Media Influencers »
The 7 Best Podcasts for Young Entrepreneurs
Are there enough podcasts in the world? Maybe. Can some of them help young entrepreneurs like you? Definitely! Podcasts are a fantastic way to learn a lot of information quickly and in an entertaining way. The Kantner Foundation knows you don’t have tons of free time. We’ve sifted through the hundreds (thousands?) of podcasts out there …
Young Entrepreneurs Who Became Millionaires in Their 20s
Becoming a millionaire before you turn 30 is an exciting goal! Thanks to unprecedented opportunities, technology, and entrepreneurship programs, that goal is not impossible. Many of the twentysomething millionaires listed below started their enterprises while still in their teens. While reading this list, notice what all these inspiring young entrepreneurs have in common. Motivation. Drive. Passion. …
Why Young Entrepreneurs Need to Be Good Leaders
Entrepreneurship and leadership go hand in hand. Every young entrepreneur needs to understand the qualities of strong leadership if they want to succeed. Why? Because it’s highly unlikely you will never encounter other people while running your business. While it may not seem like leadership applies to customers and investors, trust us: it does. Leadership …
The 6 Things Every Young Entrepreneur Needs to Know About Finance
Financial know-how is one of the most important aspects of entrepreneurship. It’s right up there with passion, creativity, and leadership. A good grasp of finance helps you know what kind of investment you need, how to price your product, what to do with profit, and how to keep your business from going broke. However, financial skills don’t …
The 6 Things Every Young Entrepreneur Needs to Know About Finance »
Why Young Entrepreneurs Make the BEST Entrepreneurs!
Once upon a time, young people like you were expected to focus on school, go to college, major in something practical, and then get a steady job. From there you would work your way up the corporate ladder, get married, have kids, and retire at the age of 65. We don’t need to tell YOU …
6 Startup Ideas for Young Entrepreneurs Who Love Kids
As a child (not that long ago!) you might have known a young adult who made a massive difference in your life. Remember what it was like to think that teenagers were just the coolest? Remember what it was like to have someone older than you, who wasn’t an adult, give you attention? Not all …
How to Talk to Strangers (About Your Business)
There’s never been a better time to be a young entrepreneur! You and your generation are shaking things up, disrupting the status quo, and changing the way business gets done. With your energy and positive attitude, the Kantner Foundation believes in the power of young entrepreneurs to lead the world into a better future! However, youth can also come …
The Teen Bookworms’ Guide to Starting a Business
You’ll read anything, from the latest bestseller to the ingredients on a box of cereal. You’re on a first-name basis with your local librarian. You finish school-assigned reading overnight and then read five more books before the end of the week. You write book reports for fun. You’re a bookworm, and you’re proud of it. …
4 Secrets to Entrepreneurial Success for Teens!
Today’s most influential startups might seem like overnight success stories. One day no one had ever heard of Uber, the next day they’re a household name. A young entrepreneur like you might wonder what these companies did to hit such a high level of success. Is there a secret to entrepreneurship? Something no one’s telling you? What’s the difference …
What Young Entrepreneurs Need to Know About Marketing Plans
Among the tools you need to become a young entrepreneur, you need a marketing plan. You may not have even heard of marketing plans. But we promise: a solid marketing plan could be the difference between your enterprise doing fine versus your enterprise blowing up the scene. A marketing plan doesn’t have to be long, …
What Young Entrepreneurs Need to Know About Marketing Plans »
4 Startup Struggles Most Young Entrepreneurs Will Face (And How to Deal with Them)
Starting a business from scratch can intimidate the most experienced entrepreneur. Throw in your youth, inexperience, lack of connections, and lack of funding and it can seem downright terrifying. Everyone has self-doubts. And everyone has very real obstacles they need to overcome before they find the success they deserve. Here are four struggles you could …
4 Startup Struggles Most Young Entrepreneurs Will Face (And How to Deal with Them) »
18 Ways Musicians Can Become Young Entrepreneurs
High schoolers who know more about music than about business can still become successful young entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurship is so much more than selling things. Following your passion is one of the best ways to become a young entrepreneur. By doing something you love, you are more likely to get others excited about it, too. And if you …
Easy Ways Young Entrepreneurs Can Make Healthier Food Choices
We know how hard you work (and play!) as a young entrepreneur. High achievers like you need to stay focused, creative, and alert for most of the day, right? When you have to balance school, family, friends, and your small business startup, you need all the energy you can get. One of the best ways to keep …
Easy Ways Young Entrepreneurs Can Make Healthier Food Choices »
8 Young Black Entrepreneurs on the Rise
Since 1987, the Kantner Foundation has supported the dreams, drive, and determination of young entrepreneurs. We’re proud to offer college scholarships to those high school students who demonstrate a passion for free enterprise and commitment to entrepreneurship. But it’s not just our own recipients we admire. Young entrepreneurship can be found across America. As part of our …
The 4 Entrepreneurial Secrets All Premed Students Need to Know
Just because you don’t have an M.D. after your name (yet) doesn’t mean you can’t get a head start in the medical field. National healthcare expenditure is expected to grow by about 5.4% per year through 2028. That means the best time for you to get in on the action is right now! Your dreams of becoming …
The 4 Entrepreneurial Secrets All Premed Students Need to Know »
How Much Money Do Young Entrepreneurs Need?
You have the dream and you have the drive. You know you have what it takes to become a successful young entrepreneur. Writing a business plan doesn’t scare you. Leading a team comes naturally. You can totally picture yourself as a Young Entrepreneur to Watch in Forbes Magazine. The entrepreneurial spirit thrives in you. There’s just one …
Young Entrepreneurs Can Have Their Best School Year Ever!
For young entrepreneurs such as yourself, the summer was probably anything but lazy and carefree. We know how hard you work. You may have networked at a summer internship. Perhaps you took summer classes to prepare for college. Or, you could have juggled several jobs at once, such as camp counselor, babysitter, and company CEO. Whatever your …
Quick Tips for Your Best Customer Service Ever
Finding success as a young entrepreneur means being responsible for quality customer service. You may have the best product out there or offer the most in-need service. But without happy customers, you have no income. You are the backbone of your company’s customer service practices. If you run your enterprise by yourself, then it’s all up to you. If …
The 10 Best Business Ideas for Graphic Design Entrepreneurs
Who says you need to be a business major to make it as a young entrepreneur? Are you a visual learner? Do you instinctively know exactly what colors go together? Do font choices keep you up at night? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may have a future as a graphic …
The 10 Best Business Ideas for Graphic Design Entrepreneurs »
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: 18 Eco-Friendly Business Ideas for Young Entrepreneurs
Social entrepreneurship is on the rise, thanks in large part to young entrepreneurs like you who want to do more than start a business just to make money. A big concern for many social entrepreneurs is climate change. Thanks to you and your generation, the business landscape is changing for the better. There are green initiatives. More environment-friendly …
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: 18 Eco-Friendly Business Ideas for Young Entrepreneurs »
How Yoga and Meditation Can Help Young Entrepreneurs
Yoga and meditation may seem like more self-care trends or passing fads. Maybe the idea of yoga gives you a mental picture of a fit soccer mom carrying a yoga mat to a high-end studio after dropping her kids off at school. Perhaps when you think of meditation, you think of a cross-legged, long-haired person …
When the Going Gets Tough: 50 Quotes on Overcoming Failure
Starting your own business can be exciting, fun, and challenging. In fact, it should be all those things! Yet even the most successful entrepreneurs in the world have dealt with setbacks and failures. Here are their words of wisdom based on what they learned. Let these quotes inspire you when you feel like giving up, or when the …
When the Going Gets Tough: 50 Quotes on Overcoming Failure »
How Young Entrepreneurs Can Avoid Burnout
As a bright, driven, and high-achieving young entrepreneur, you might already be aware of the symptoms of burnout. Exhaustion Feelings of isolation Irritability Loss of self-confidence Headaches or other body aches Lack of interest in things you normally enjoy Poor self-care, including hygiene and nutrition Depression Sometimes the pressure for teens to succeed and achieve can …
6 Fun Business Ideas for Animal Lovers
One of the best things about being a young entrepreneur is that you get to take something you love and make a business out of it! For those of you who love animals, starting a business can be as fun as it is rewarding and profitable. As with their children, many adults are willing to …
The 7 Best Post-Covid Business Ideas for Young Entrepreneurs
As the world stretches and yawns and blinks back into existence, entrepreneurs everywhere are asking themselves, “What’s next?” As the young, up-and-coming generation of startups, you have an enormous say in what the new normal will look like. Don’t forget that it has been young entrepreneurs who stepped up and made a difference in 2020. Now …
The 7 Best Post-Covid Business Ideas for Young Entrepreneurs »
Is Your Business Emergency-Proof?
Any young entrepreneur who has paid attention to the news recently knows that small businesses were among the hardest hit during the COVID lockdown. Sadly, not all those businesses survived. Those that did had a few things in common. They pivoted. They got creative. They saw opportunities to solve some of the new problems that grew from …
8 Ways to Get More Free Time
Time management is one of those skills that most people have to learn as they go along in life. Through trial and error, you develop a sense of how much time you need to complete a certain task, whether it’s finishing a paper for school or your morning routine. For young entrepreneurs, time management is an especially …
Stop Procrastinating and Start Making Things Happen!
Ah, procrastination. The fine art of putting off today what can (maybe?) wait until tomorrow. We’re all guilty of it, even young entrepreneurs. Sometimes procrastinating is harmless. A project’s due in six months and you start it tomorrow instead of today. Maybe something more urgent came up and you had to set your first project …
The Value of Internships
Of all the elements in your college and scholarship applications that can help you stand out from the crowd, an internship may be the single thing that shines the brightest. Yet they are so much more than just resume and application padding. Take a look at some of the ways the right internship can help you realize your dreams …
Inspiring Books Every Young Entrepreneur Needs to Read
Successful teens like you know that it takes more than luck and good grades to get ahead in school. You know how hard you have to work and the hours of studying you need to put in. Here at the Kantner Foundation, we love to see bright, motivated teens become outstanding young entrepreneurs. Part of achieving …
What Does Success Look Like?
There are certain characteristics that all young entrepreneurs have in common no matter what field they are in, what their business model looks like, or what their goals are. All young entrepreneurs want to feel confident. You want to make a difference. You want to be seen, heard, and respected. And you want to succeed. It’s …
Good Athletes Make Great Young Entrepreneurs: Here’s Why
On the surface, entrepreneurship and sports may not seem that similar. And that’s true – mostly. Look closer and you’ll see that there is tremendous overlap between sports and entrepreneurship. Both fields require focus, dedication, and persistence. Athletes often talk about the “mental” game, whether it’s strategy, pushing through “the wall,” or mental pep talks. …
6 Things Your Customers Want (And Why It Matters)
As a young entrepreneur, you probably want your business to be successful. And a successful business relies on customers who will spend their money to buy your product or hire your service. Therefore, it is to your benefit to make your customers happy. But who are these “customers?” And how can you know what they …
Go from Gamer to Young Entrepreneur
Video games have come a long way since the days of Atari and Pac-Man, haven’t they? Esports is the latest Gen-Z disruption to take the world by storm. Teens and young adults are forming teams and competing professionally in gaming tournaments around the world. Gaming is much more than a form of entertainment. It’s become a way …
Shift into Your Entrepreneurial Mindset with These 5 Tips
What is an entrepreneurial mindset? It’s when you not only decide to start your own business, but you set yourself up for the success of that business. It’s the difference between teens who start a website and hope it works, versus young entrepreneurs like yourself who want to achieve something wonderful. With an entrepreneurial mindset, you will …
4 Business Goals for Young Entrepreneurs
So you’re starting a business. That’s great! You have your dream, you have your investors, and you have the energy. But do you have goals? We’re not just talking about “I want to be rich,” or “I want to cure cancer.” We’re talking about realistic, achievable, and specific business goals. Before you could run you had to learn …
Destroy Imposter Syndrome Now!
Ever win a prize but feel like you didn’t deserve it? Have you justified success by reducing all your preparation and perseverance? You may have what’s known as “Imposter Syndrome.” It’s quite common. Thankfully, there are ways to overcome this self-defeating thought pattern. WHAT IS “IMPOSTER SYNDROME?” Imposter syndrome, or “IS,” makes you feel like …
Self-Care Tips for Busy Entrepreneurs
1. Plan for Health and Wellness As a young entrepreneur, you already know the importance of making a plan. You know that you need an overall goal to focus on reaching as well as micro-tasks that will help you take the necessary steps to reach that goal.Your health and well-being should be no different. Although …
Why Learn Entrepreneurial Skills?
One hundred years ago, what did your great-great-grandparents do for a living? What about your grandparents back in the 1970s and 80s? Chances are they had a career that either no longer exists, or has changed so drastically that they wouldn’t recognize it today. According to BBC Business news, in the 1920s the average lifespan …
Tips for High School Entrepreneurs
You young entrepreneurs have the unique ability to take advantage of the extra time you have on your hands to figure out how to be successful at a startup. Here are a few tips we’ve compiled to help you on your way to becoming a successful high school entrepreneur: 1. Get comfortable taking risks. Face it—nobody …
The Three W’s of Youth Entrepreneurship
So you have a big dream and lots of energy to get started running your own business. That’s exciting! In the U.K. alone, the registration organization Companies House has seen a 35% increase in company directors aged 16-24 since 2014. It’s a great time for young people to become entrepreneurs!If you’re ready to make your …
Advice for Young Tech Entrepreneurs
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Computer and Information Technology Occupations are expected to grow 11% by 2029. Every aspect of tech jobs will need leaders and creators, from network engineers to database administrators. Why not you? Young entrepreneurs such as yourself can make a huge impact in the tech industry, regardless of …
Public Speaking for Teens
No matter how introverted or shy you may be, chances are pretty good that at some point in your life you will have to talk to people. That is, people other than your immediate friends, family, and your teachers. It’s true. That’s why young entrepreneurs need to learn the art of public speaking. Effective communication is a skill that can …
12 Inspiring Female Entrepreneurs
While it may seem obvious now that female-identified belong in every aspect of every business, this wasn’t always the case. For far too long, business was dominated by men. Women were expected to take care of the home and family. Those women who dared to enter the world of business had a hard time getting started and …
Should You Start a Business with Your Friends? The Pros and Cons.
Best friends are one of the greatest joys of life. If asked about your best friend right now, you’d probably smile, right? There are so many reasons you chose your best friend, and they chose you. The two of you have inside jokes, secret languages, and an easy way of being together that you don’t …
Should You Start a Business with Your Friends? The Pros and Cons. »
Get Inspired Today: How to Come Up with Business Ideas
It happens to the best of us: your brain simply won’t generate new ideas. Perhaps you’ve been drawing upon your creative juices more than usual lately because of school projects. Or maybe you’ve been forced to deal with a lot of problem-solving lately (another form of creativity). Is it finals season? Finals on top of …
Do You Need Brand Ambassadors?
Brand ambassadors are to Gen-Z what celebrity endorsements were to previous generations. They’re more than a passing trend: as far back as 2017, “brand ambassadors” have been celebrated as the future of marketing. They are yet another great example of how young entrepreneurs like you are changing the face of entrepreneurship for the better. WHY ARE THEY SO POPULAR? > Brand ambassadors …
Mental Health Care for Young Entrepreneurs
We can probably all agree that the past year or so has been…challenging. For everyone. However, for high schoolers, the challenges of the global pandemic may have acted like a spotlight on already stressed-out teens. In fact, studies show that Gen-Z (that’s you) is more stressed out than previous generations were as teens, and more stressed out than adults right now. …
Learning Entrepreneurship in High School
Your school experience should be much more than the memorization of statistics, facts, and dates. You are at the exact perfect time in your life to learn essential skills to become a successful young entrepreneur. Besides biology and English lit, what other skills can you develop in high school? Which skills will fuel your entrepreneurial journey to the top? …
The Young Entrepreneur’s To-Do List
Young entrepreneurs – and teens in general – are bombarded with plenty of distractions and ways to procrastinate. The Kantner Foundation knows that you are busier than ever. School alone may take up an enormous amount of your time. Now you want to start a business (or have one going already) and make yourself an entrepreneur. We say go …
All About SEO
Now that you have a small business up and running, what comes next? A simple answer to that question would be to maximize your website’s SEO, or search-engine-optimization. This means carefully crafting your website to be as search-engine-friendly as possible. Potential customers will see your website come up first when they search on Google, Bing, or other …
Young Entrepreneurs to Watch in 2021
Global business is powered by the hard work and creativity of young entrepreneurs. The energy of youth keeps industries from stagnating by constantly finding new ways to disrupt the status quo. An ever-changing world demands forward-thinking solutions. Young people are perfectly suited to keep up with technology and create a future in which anyone with a dream can …
7 Success Tips for Young Entrepreneurs
Every entrepreneurial journey is unique, including yours. Yet there are a few qualities that every young entrepreneur must embrace to maximize their chances of success. These qualities have been collected from the experience of countless successful entrepreneurs of the past. And though your ideas are no doubt innovative and forward-thinking, here are a few tips …
Create a Prototype of Your Product
Having a great idea for a new product is the first step for teens hoping to become young entrepreneurs. The next step for those of you creating a physical product to sell (rather than a service to offer) is to make a prototype of that product, which we’ll call a widget. A prototype is “the original or model on which something is …
The 9 “Soft Skills” Young Entrepreneurs Need for Business
You may have heard the term “soft skills” before, but perhaps you aren’t sure what they are or whether you have them. Soft skills are non-technical and relate to your personality and disposition. They are how you engage with others. Even though soft skills are harder to measure than hard skills such as coding or data processing, they are just as vital …
Should You (and How to) Create a Mobile App for Your Business
Statistics don’t lie: everyone is spending more time than ever on mobile apps. According to App Annie, in 2020 (and partly due to the pandemic – but only partly) there were: 218 BILLION new app downloads $143 BILLION spent on app stores 4.2 hours on average spent on apps These numbers aren’t just for Gen-Z, either. The numbers above include Millennials, Gen-X, …
Should You (and How to) Create a Mobile App for Your Business »
How Gen-Z is Changing Entrepreneurship for the Better
Stand back, everyone: Gen-Z (those born from the mid-1990s to the early 2010s) is on the rise and ready to take over the world. And that’s a good thing. A very good thing. Every generation has their young people who set out to change the world, from Henry Ford building the first assembly line factory to Steve Jobs bringing …
6 Bad Habits You Need to Break
There is plenty of advice out there for young entrepreneurs on developing good habits: self-care, timelines, and to-do lists are just a few examples. Good habits help you stay healthy and strong so that you can be the best version of yourself as you finish high school, apply to college, and start your entrepreneurial journey. Yet bad …
The Art of the Newsletter
For young entrepreneurs, a scheduled email newsletter campaign is probably one of your best marketing tools. It’s free or cheap, it’s easy, and it keeps your business in front of customers’ eyeballs. Unlike social media, a newsletter allows your customers to read at their leisure and not miss something posted hours, days, or weeks ago. Newsletters don’t require likes or upvotes to …
Entrepreneurial Programs for Teens
One of the best ways for young entrepreneurial hopefuls to get started on their journey, meet like-minded peers, find mentors, and develop the necessary skills to run a business, is by completing a program specifically designed for teen entrepreneurs. The programs listed below range from competitions to summer programs away from home. Some are free; …
Be Prepared for These 5 Common Entrepreneurial Risks
Young people are ideally suited to starting a new enterprise. They are naturally energetic and creative, seeing solutions to common problems that older generations might miss. Yet, the generations of entrepreneurs who came before you had to deal with risk before they found success – and so will you. Being an entrepreneur means taking risks to achieve your dreams. Some …
What Type of Young Entrepreneur Are You?
The path to entrepreneurial success isn’t straightforward. There are sharp turns, detours, switchbacks, and dead ends. Knowing what type of entrepreneur you are can help you stay on track. Your type depends on what motivates you and what kind of energy you have. It’s sort of like picking electives at school based on your natural disposition, goals, and interests. Generally speaking, …
Why It’s Awesome to Be a Young Entrepreneur!
Members of Gen-Z make great entrepreneurs! Access to infinite online resources, the ability to instantly network with peers around the globe, and countless examples of successful entrepreneurship before you. Who says you have to be a fully grown adult to become an entrepreneur? Go out there and seize your dream right now! 1. You Are Eager to …
Master Your Sales Pitch
While most of your business plan exists behind the scenes, your sales pitch is in the spotlight. Marketing strategy, web design, and production all exist behind the scenes; that’s for you and your team. However, your sales pitch will be one of the first things to go public, so take the time to learn and master this important craft. …
Pricing Your Product: A Young Entrepreneur’s Guide
You’ve got your business idea and know it will work. You’ve created a prototype of the product, and it’s even better than you’d hoped it could be. You’ve written out your business plan and created a marketing strategy. There’s just one problem: how much are you going to ask for your product or service? There is no easy …
Make Viral Marketing Work for You
What is Viral Marketing? While growing up with social media, you no doubt have seen or heard about something “going viral,” whether it’s a Tweet, a TikTok video, a meme, a hashtag, or an idea. You’ve probably helped something go viral, too, by sharing it across all your social media platforms. Sometimes going viral can be a …
6 Essential Skills Young Entrepreneurs Need to Succeed
Launching a new enterprise can seem overwhelming, even intimidating. There is so much to think about: marketing, sales, financial management. But never fear, young entrepreneurs! We’ve assembled the six skills that are most essential to entrepreneurship. No matter where you are on your business journey, these six skills can help you rise above the competition, …
10 Ways to Raise Capital Without Leaving the House
You may have a wonderful business idea, but most startups require at least a little bit of money–or capital–to get off the ground. Aside from asking friends and family to invest in your business, what’s a young entrepreneur to do to raise money for things like website hosting and product production? Here are ten simple things …
What is Entrepreneurship?
Here at the Kantner Foundation, we celebrate young entrepreneurs. But what, exactly, is entrepreneurship? How can you get started? The Center for American Entrepreneurship defines entrepreneurship as: “…the process of starting and developing a company, with the aim of delivering something new or improved to the market, or by organizing the means of production in a superior way.” …
Follow Your Heart, Start a Business
For too many previous incarnations, running a business meant focusing on profit and growth. Social issues, community involvement, and sustainability were thought to be the exclusive purview of the non-profit sector. Thankfully, these days that is no longer the case. While Ben & Jerry’s ice cream has been successfully balancing social initiatives with business profits …
Marketing Ideas Anyone Can Use
One of your most important keys to success as a young entrepreneur is marketing yourself and your business. While online ads may be outside your budget, there are a few things you can do that are inexpensive yet effective. In fact, some of these ideas cost nothing but a little time and energy – and don’t require any special training on your …
Morning Habits for Young Entrepreneurs
Mornings are important, especially for young entrepreneurs. How you wake up and get started can set the tone for the entire rest of your day. Make sure you are prep for success by creating a regular morning routine and following it. While it might appear that we’ve listed a lot of things to remember in the …