Teenagers who are 17 year olds have reached adulthood. They are full of energy, creativity, and ambition. It’s a perfect time to plunge into entrepreneurial endeavours. Whether you want some extra money, want to gain new skills, or seek to turn your hobby into a thriving business idea, starting a small business from scratch is an attractive experience with immense rewards. Being a teenager means you don’t need advanced academic qualifications or huge investments to begin your journey towards being an entrepreneur. That way, it becomes possible for one to start a successful small business while still in school.
Here is a curated list of the best 10 business ideas for 17 year olds, including suggestions on how to start them up, income expectations, and strategies for growing them over time.
1. Online Tutoring
Online tutoring can be a profitable and rewarding way of making money for 17-year-olds, especially for students good in subjects like maths, science, or English. You will typically find that parents are willing to pay someone who can help their children with extra lessons. In addition, if you have flexible schedules accommodating school hours then you can work at such times.
How to Start:
- Identify Your Strengths: Determine subjects within which you are strongest and most assured when teaching those subjects
- Set Up a Profile: A profile on websites like Tutor.com or Wyzant will help in hiring yourself out as an online tutor. Alternatively, use social media as a tool for advertising your services.
- Pricing: Occupy competitive prices like $15-$30 per hour depending on the subject taught and expertise level
- Marketing: Spread the word through word-of-mouth advertisements, post flyers at school noticeboards or even share them on social media.
Expected Income: For instance if you do 5 hours of tutoring each week charging around $20 per hour makes it about $400 each month which is pretty good part-time money!
2. Social Media Management
Small enterprises could benefit from savvy 17 year old teenagers who usually have an inherent talent for blogging posts. Also, managing local businesses’ social platforms is essential but this aspect remains challenging in most cases.
How to Start:
- Learn the Basics: Start off by gleaning the intricacies of platforms including but not limited to Instagram, Facebook, Twitter as well as TikTok.
- Create a Portfolio: As a point of entry, handle social media accounts for some friends/family businesses; this way you will build a case study.
- Approach Local Businesses: Always offer your expertise towards small scale enterprises announcing how you can help them with their online presence.
- Set Your Rates: Commence with a low price such as $100-$200 for every client per month, and as you gain new skills your charging will go up.
Expected Income: By managing only three clients who pay an average amount of $200 each per month, one can earn $600 every month.
3. Freelance Graphic Design
If you are good in the art of design and understand how to use tools like Adobe Photoshop or Canva, then freelancing as a graphic designer would be an ideal venture. You could be designing logos, social media graphics, custom T-shirts or anything else.
How to Start:
- Building Your Skills: Enroll in online courses or follow tutorials that will help improve on your design skills.
- Create a Portfolio: It could be for friends, school projects or mock designs which you can make just to show off your work
- Register on Freelancing Websites: Platforms such as Fiverr, Upwork and 99designs where you can start getting clients.
- Pricing: It is recommended that prices begin at affordable rates such as $50-$100 for logo designs and then go up as their reputation builds.
Expected Income: If ten $100 jobs were done weekly, then what you are looking at is $800 monthly income.
4. Pet Sitting or Dog Walking
Pet sitting or dog walking for 17 year olds can be a thrilling way to get cash while having fun if you are an animal lover. Many pet owners prefer hiring trustworthy local teens to take care of their furry friends when they’re at work or on vacation.
How to Start:
- Get Experience: Ask friends and family for opportunities that will help you gain experience and references.
- Promote Locally: Create flyers and post them in local stores, or advertise your services on community bulletin boards and social media sites.
- Determine Your Charges: You may choose to charge $10-$20 per walk or $15-$30 daily for pet sitting services.
What You Could Earn: With 5 dog walking clients at an average of $15 per walk, you might earn as much as $75 weekly, which translates into about $300 monthly.
5.Yard Work Services
Several homeowners are ready to pay for duties with their yards like mowing grass, collecting dry leaves or removing snow during winter. It is an ideal method of making money and staying active at the same time for 17 year olds.
How to Start:
- Investing in Basic Tools: In case you do not own a lawnmower, rake or shovel; it may be necessary that you borrow or buy one.
Create Flyers: You can distribute flyers showing your services in your neighborhood or post them on community boards. - Pricing: Charge by the task done – for example $20-$50 depending on the size of the yard as well as the nature of work done.
Expected Income: You could earn $320 a month if only two customers each paid $40 weekly.
6. Photography Services
Having a smart mind on photography and a good camera at your disposal can help 17 year old youngsters start providing photography services for voyages such as birthday parties, graduations or local sports events.
How to Start:
- Practice: Use some time learning camera techniques and getting your skills to hone on friends and family members.
- Create a Portfolio: Promote best pictures on social networks or by using own website in order to get clients’ attention.
- Start with Competitive Price: Charge less money in the beginning (for example, $50 per hour) and rise it when you gather more experience.
Expected Income: Four photoshoots during month charged at $100 each sum up to $400 someone may earn within a month if he/she does so.
7. Handmade Crafts or Jewelry
17 year old teenagers can earn money from craft hobbies by selling various handmade products such as jewelry, candles or artworks. Sale of one-off hand-made products, particularly online, is booming.
How to Start:
- Create Your Products: Concentrate on making high-quality things that capture your own heart.
- Start Up an Online Store: Utilize some of these platforms like Etsy or Instagram where you can sell your creations.
- Pricing Considerations: The rates for your pieces should depend on how much money went into buying the materials and how long it has taken for you to make them, for instance, a bracelet made at $5 can go for $15.
Expected Income: A profit of ten from every sale could add up to two hundred Dollars monthly when you sell twenty pieces per month.
8. Online Content Creation (Blogging/Vlogging)
Online content creation can be both enjoyable and lucrative if you love writing, producing videos or expressing your opinions. You could set up a blog, YouTube channel or even podcast that revolves around subjects that fascinate you.
How to Start:
- Select Your Niche: Pick an area of specialization that you’re passionate about like gaming, beauty or lifestyle.
- Regularly Generate Content: To grow your audience, consistency is crucial.
- Monetize Your Material: After setting up your following; income can come through adverts, endorsements and affiliate marketing.
Expected Income: Earnings ranges widely but most successful bloggers and Vloggers earn somewhere between $100s to $1000s every month.
9. Freelance Writing
Freelance writing can be an excellent way to earn money if you’re a skilled communicator. Diverse industries require content writers, and many companies are willing to pay for it if the articles, blog posts or social media content is good enough.
How to Start:
- Build a Portfolio: Write articles for school publications, personal blogs or friends first.
- Sign Up on Freelance Platforms: You can find clients through sites like Upwork, Fiverr and Freelancer.
- Set Your Rates: Starting points for amateurs could be $0.05-$0.10 per word and rise with experience.
Potential Earnings: If you had just 5 orders per month, which were worth $100 each, then that would mean earning $500 every month that way.
10. E-commerce Reselling
Product reselling industry has gained popularity due to the high returns it provides in terms of investment, which may be an attractive feature for potential investors. For instance; clothing, electronics or collectibles if acted upon appropriately can provide enough profits within the given timelines. The best way to launch a successfule-commerce business venture is by starting small and later growing bigger.
How to Start:
- Source Products: Tap into your belongings that you don’t use anymore as a starting point and then go scouting in garage sales as well as thrift stores or consumable products sold over the internet.
- Configure An Online Store: Other than your online shop, Platforms such as eBay, Poshmark amongst others allow easy listing and selling of different commodities
- Pricing: Ensure that one matches their prices with the industry standards by checking on similar items being sold over the Internet.
Estimated Gains: If you had 10 sales in a month yielding profits of $20 per sale, that would give you a total of $200 each month.
Tips for Success in Your Small Business Venture
For teenagers who are 17 year olds, commencing a small enterprise can be both fruitful as well as burdensome at once. Herein is how to succeed:
- Begin small: Resist any urge that requires you to instantly begin with a large-scale enterprise but instead start from your immediate resources.
- Stay organized: Manage the money you have, your timetable, or your clients’ details.
- Ask for guidance: Do not hesitate to seek help from parents, teachers or mentors around you.
- Study and work life balance: Balance between learning in school and running a business.
- Be persistent: Overnight success is a myth, concentrate on improving your skills and remain focused.
Conclusion
Conclusion: Having a small business at seventeen years only is not impossible and it can also prove very rewarding. There is always an idea that suits every individual whether it is offering tutorials, handling social media accounts or even engaging in online retailing. Remember that success can be defined by doing what one loves with diligence while keeping an open mind towards gaining more knowledge every day. Explore all possibilities available to you then transform these ideas into reality!”