My husband and I have built businesses across multiple industries, both separately and together. So, with our kids, business concepts are part of everyday conversations. We often discuss the cost of goods, profit margins, and customer value.
But even more than that, we’ve always believed that if our kids wanted something beyond the basics, they could absolutely work for it and then be able to pay for whatever they want for themselves.
We don’t pay for chores because our family is a team, and chores are part of being a team. However, if they want a pair of Jordans, a video game console, or anything else, we support them in building a business and managing their money. That gives them autonomy and ownership, and it teaches lessons no allowance ever could.
When my youngest son, who was 7, told me he wanted to make money, we got right to business and discussed what he wanted to do. He had done lemonade stands before, so we brainstormed ideas like painting curbs or selling kindness rocks, and he chose recycling.
He built the business himself with a little help and a wagon
He had made a ton of lemonade signs before, so he got to work on a poster board for his new business. We created a flyer based on what he wanted to include, and we discussed what he would say at each door to make it an easy pitch. He grabbed one of our wagons, filled it with bins and bags we bought at the dollar store, and started walking down the street.
I stayed a few steps behind as he knocked on doors, introduced himself, and asked our neighbors if they’d set out their recycling each week so he could collect it. Some said no. A few weren’t home, but plenty of people said yes. Watching him pause at each door and then start talking, I saw his confidence grow with every neighbor. Each “yes” was a celebration, and every “no” was a surprise and a lesson.
He made a list of every customer and their contact information so he could keep track of pickup routes. He provided the bins and bags each week and collected the recycling on a set schedule. Then we’d load up the car and drive to the local redemption center behind the grocery store, where he would sort cans, bottles, and glass to be weighed and cashed out.
He even created a give-back plan and stuck to it
My son also wanted to give back to the community. So he decided to split his earnings evenly: one-third to spend, one-third to reinvest in the business, and one-third to donate.
Related stories
Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know
Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know
When I asked him where he wanted the money to go, he said he wanted to help the homeless. With my help, he chose a local outreach program that provides job training and housing assistance to help people get back on their feet.
From tracking inventory to handling rejection to learning how to follow through, his business taught him so much more than how to make money.
He stuck with it for years, and when his interests evolved, so did his ventures. He learned how to clean high-end sneakers and offer new laces as an upsell, launched a car wash and offered vacuuming as an additional service, started walking dogs, and recently created a business called Capo Helpers to assist neighbors with yard work, weeding, and more.
Entrepreneurship is important in our household
Now, at 12, he has had years of experience earning income and taking pride in his work. He often texts me to say he’s picked up a dog-walking job and will be back soon.
He sometimes brings friends along, but he’s learned that not all of them are willing to do the work, which has helped him choose partners more wisely.
What I love most is that these businesses haven’t been about us pushing him. They’ve been about supporting his ideas and giving him the freedom to learn, try, and grow. With every idea and new effort, he’s learning that he can create whatever he wants for himself.
