Helping young entrepreneurs thrive: From the classroom to their first business

For young entrepreneurs, the path to becoming tomorrow’s business leaders, innovators, and trailblazers doesn’t have to wait until college. In fact, for many motivated students, the road to success begins much earlier. While a business degree is a valuable stepping stone that can help open doors later on, there are many ways for young entrepreneurs to gain real-world experience and build their skills as high school students.

For those with big ideas, starting a thriving business before graduation isn’t out of the question. Entrepreneurship for teens can begin with something as simple as a bake sale or a small service business, with plenty of room to grow. Digital platforms have also transformed entrepreneurship for teens, giving young people the chance to reach a global audience from home and turn even the smallest ideas into something much bigger.

Teenage entrepreneurship fosters independence and confidence, helping young entrepreneurs develop the skills they need to succeed in all areas of life. Parents of young entrepreneurs also play a critical role, providing the guidance and mentorship needed to keep students on the right track. Keep reading for tips and ideas on what teens in business can do to explore, experiment, and thrive, and how parents can best support their teens’ interests and ambitions.

Best high school classes for future entrepreneurs

In general, high school offers the first opportunity for students to choose classes and explore their interests beyond a set curriculum. Teens can branch out into advanced science, math, and language courses and take fun electives like art or choir. Young entrepreneurs might benefit from exploring these high school courses:

• Statistics: Teaches students how to collect, analyze, and interpret data. These skills are important for understanding trends, making business decisions, and solving real-world problems.
• Economics: Introduces students to markets and trends, supply and demand, and the factors that influence consumer spending. It provides a foundation for understanding how businesses operate and make financial decisions within a broader economic context.
• English: Develops reading, writing, and communication skills, which are essential for pitching ideas, writing plans, and persuading others.
• Foreign language: Covers the grammar and vocabulary of a second language and the culture of those who speak it. Knowing another language can open doors for an international business career and working with multicultural teams.
• Computer science: Focuses on problem-solving, coding, and logical thinking. These skills are useful for creating tech-based projects, apps, or digital tools.
• Psychology: Explores human behavior, motivation, and decision-making. Understanding people helps entrepreneurs design products, market effectively, and become strong leaders.
• Business: Covers planning, management, and entrepreneurship basics. It gives students an introduction to running projects and understanding how companies operate.
• Finance: Financial literacy is one of the most important skills for teens in business to master early. A course in personal finance can help you learn the basics of budgeting, saving, investing, and managing money effectively.
• Accounting: Teaches how to track money, maintain records, and understand financial statements. These skills help students manage budgets and measure the success of business activities.
• Marketing: Introduces strategies for promoting products and reaching customers. Learning how to build a brand and communicate value is essential for any business.

Alternative opportunities to learn business

Of course, every school is different, and not all will offer every class on this list. Many schools offer advanced courses, like psychology or computer science, through AP or IB programs. Other schools may only offer more “standard” courses, like statistics, economics, English, and a foreign language. On the other hand, schools with Career & Technical Education (CTE) programs may offer a wide variety of business-related courses geared toward young entrepreneurs not found in a standard high school curriculum.

If your school doesn’t offer any courses in business, consider taking an online business course specifically designed for young entrepreneurs! Online classes in entrepreneurship for teens give students access to essential lessons, tools, and mentorship that they otherwise wouldn’t encounter. You could also see if your school has a partnership with a local community college that offers any dual enrollment business courses.

After-school business clubs and activities

Regardless of the classes they choose, young entrepreneurs must get involved and engage with business concepts hands-on. One option?  Extracurricular clubs:

• DECA: Provides opportunities for students to explore marketing, finance, hospitality, and business management through real-world projects and collaborative experiences. Members develop leadership and teamwork skills while applying business concepts in practical ways.
• Future Business Leaders of America: Focuses on building leadership skills and business knowledge. Students participate in school-based initiatives and workshops that help them develop a strong foundation in common business practices.
• Business Professionals of America: Supports professional development through team projects and activities that teach essential business skills. Students gain experience in leadership, teamwork, and student-led service.
• National Business Honor Society: Recognizes students’ academic achievements in business courses and provides young entrepreneurs with leadership opportunities and a connection to peers who share a passion for business.
• Youth Entrepreneurship Association: Connects young entrepreneurs nationwide, offering mentorship, networking, and guidance on developing business ideas. Students can share their projects, learn from others, and participate in unique entrepreneurship development programs.

Finding extracurriculars outside of school

If your local high school doesn’t have one of these clubs, consider starting your school’s first chapter or even your very own business or entrepreneurship club! You can also explore national youth entrepreneur programs, both online and in person:

• The Nestlé Youth Entrepreneurship Platform gives students free access to resources, training, and mentorship to help young entrepreneurs explore business ideas.
• Through their local Boys and Girls Club chapters, teens can participate in youth entrepreneur programs that teach business basics and provide support for launching small projects.
• Beta Bowl offers a virtual youth entrepreneur program that walks students through creating their own startup and pitching it to mentors.
• The Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) is a global nonprofit that engages students through courses and competitions focused on real-world business skills.

These types of clubs, networks, and organizations offer amazing benefits. They help young entrepreneurs discover their strengths and test out ideas in low-risk, supportive environments. Another benefit to joining a business-focused extracurricular and building your business savvy? The opportunity to go head-to-head with youth entrepreneurs from around the world in student business competitions.

Entrepreneurship competitions and challenges

Competitions offer a hands-on, high-energy environment, making them one of the most effective ways to promote entrepreneurship for teens. They’re a great opportunity to develop ideas, get personalized feedback, and learn from other young entrepreneurs and professional mentors. Some competitions even directly promote teenage entrepreneurship by awarding seed funding to promising projects.

Both DECA and FBLA offer local, regional, and national conferences and events. These club-based competitive events test your business skills, helping you develop your strengths and feel confident in your ability to tackle complex problems, present your ideas, and collaborate with others.

The best part about youth entrepreneurship challenges? You don’t have to be part of a club to find them! There are numerous opportunities to participate in individual and team-based competitions hosted by international organizations and prestigious universities dedicated to supporting the next generation of innovators.

Want to get involved? Click here to check out our list of 20 awesome competitions for young entrepreneurs!

Summer programs for young entrepreneurs

Clearly, there’s a lot to explore in the world of entrepreneurship during the school year, but what about the summer? Summer break is one of the best times for young entrepreneurs to get involved in a program or activity 100% driven by their passion and interests.

Many summer camps focus specifically on fostering teenage entrepreneurship. From week-long, in-person boot camps to virtual month-long courses, you can find dozens of programs that fit your talents, lifestyle preferences, and learning style.

Learn business skills like investing and accounting, marketing, and how to develop effective business strategies. Programs centered around entrepreneurship for teens also teach you how to plan, launch, and grow a small business from scratch.

Summer camps for young entrepreneurs may be online, in-person, or residential, with courses typically running one to eight weeks. You can find pre-college programs at colleges and universities across the U.S. and abroad. Here are just a handful of sample youth entrepreneur programs to check out:

• LaunchX
• Teach Me Wall Street
• Oxford University Summer School
• Beta Bowl
• Boston Leadership Institute: Finance
• The Courageous Brand
• Summer Discovery: Dartmouth University
• Investment, Financial Planning and You
• Leangap
• National Student Leadership Conference (NSLC)
• EHL Pre-University Courses
• Bentley University Pre-College Programs

Ready to keep exploring? Visit our Business and Entrepreneurship listings page to explore more summer opportunities!

Turning ideas into action: Starting a small business in high school

Think you’re too young to start a business? Think again! These 15 success stories of teens in business prove you’re never too young to turn a great idea into a real company. (And these examples go far beyond simply running a small lemonade stand on your cul-de-sac!)

Entrepreneurship for teens often begins with curiosity as they answer an essential question: How can I transform my idea into a viable business? But what steps do young entrepreneurs take next? While building a business is complex, these three basic steps can make getting started feel a little more manageable:

• Determine your product or service: One of the best ways to build a business that adds value to people’s lives is by identifying a problem to solve or a gap in the market. Ask yourself: What could I offer that would make people’s lives easier? or What do people want but currently lack access to? If you already have an idea in mind, define the problem or need it addresses.
• Make a basic business plan: Keep it simple when you’re just starting. A business plan should outline your goals, your product or service, what you’ll charge, how you’ll promote your business, and the resources you need to launch. The plan is your roadmap — it doesn’t have to be perfect, but having one helps you stay focused and move your project forward.
• Test your idea in the real world: Time to put your plan into action and find your first customers! It’s okay to start small. Reach out to family, friends, or neighbors; consider offering them a free trial or discount in exchange for feedback. Remember, even the most detailed plan will hit a few bumps in the road — that’s perfectly okay and quite normal. Stay organized, track your finances, and note your successes and challenges. Then, use what you learn to improve and grow.

Leveraging the internet

Thanks to e-commerce, teenage entrepreneurship is easier to get into than ever before. Countless tools, resources, and platforms can help young entrepreneurs plan, market, and deliver their goods or services to customers worldwide. You can also join online communities or forums to connect with other young entrepreneurs, share ideas, and get advice. 

However, always practice safe online habits: never share personal information like your address or phone number, avoid suspicious links, and ensure all transactions use secure, trusted platforms.

Investing in social entrepreneurship

Teenage entrepreneurship can also include social impact ventures that benefit your local community. You could:

• Start a neighborhood food rescue program
• Organize a local clothing swap or thrift pop-up
• Collect and redistribute unused school supplies or sports equipment
• Run a tutoring or mentoring service with a sliding pay scale
• Partner with local parks for clean-up days or tree-planting drives

What matters most isn’t whether you’re making a huge profit or building a national brand. If you’re using business skills to tackle real problems and help others, you’re already a social entrepreneur!

If you want to learn more about how to start a business, check out this list of business resources from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and Youth Entrepreneurship 101: Turning Ideas Into Businesses.

How parents can support their teen’s interest in business

If you have a business-minded kid, you can also help them learn, grow, and put their ideas into practice. The key? Giving them space to explore their interests while providing the right mix of encouragement, guidance, and independence.

Here are six practical ways to support your teen’s entrepreneurial journey:

1. Listen to their ideas

Teenage entrepreneurship often starts small, with projects like tutoring, crafting, or neighborhood services. If your kid comes to you with a business idea, no matter how small or grand, hear them out. Encouraging them to articulate their thoughts, questions, and dreams nurtures confidence in themselves and their ideas.

2. Encourage hands-on experience

Create opportunities for your teen to test their ideas in real-world settings, like setting up a small stand at a local market, offering a service to neighbors, or trying out an online shop. Hands-on experience shows young entrepreneurs what it really takes to run a business. Even small steps, like designing a flyer, tracking earnings, or delivering an order, can build confidence and problem-solving skills.

3. Help them learn business basics

You don’t need to be a business expert to be a resource to young entrepreneurs. Encourage them to consider the cost of raw materials, conduct market research to price their products or services, and develop strategies for tracking profits and expenses. These small lessons in budgeting and planning can cultivate valuable, lifelong financial literacy skills.

4. Focus on effort, not perfection

Remind your teen that entrepreneurship is a learning process. Mistakes are part of the journey — and every setback is a chance to grow. Celebrate their initiative, creativity, and persistence, even if their idea evolves or doesn’t immediately succeed. The confidence they gain from trying something new is one of the greatest rewards.

5. Expand their network

Another key component of teenage entrepreneurship? Mentorship. If you’re not a business owner yourself or lack experience starting a business, connect your teen with local entrepreneurs who do. Networking builds confidence and perspective, and it doesn’t have to be formal, either. If you know another parent who runs a business, invite them to chat with your teen. Visit a local shop together and encourage your teen to ask the owner how they got started.

6. Let them take charge

Seeing your teen excited about creating something might make you want to jump in and help. While you may become your child’s first customer or investor, supporting teens in business doesn’t mean giving your teen money or doing the work for them. Instead, focus on empowering them to take action, solve problems, and learn through their own experiences.

Young Entrepreneurs - Takeaways

From mastering the basics to feeling confident about how to start a business, there’s ample opportunity for business-minded teens to get a head start in high school. By balancing the right coursework, clubs, and teenage entrepreneurship programs (during the school year and summers), young entrepreneurs gain exposure to real-world challenges, connect with mentors, and discover their true business passions.

Exploring different industries and testing their own ideas gives young entrepreneurs an edge, equipping them with the insight, confidence, and practical skills needed to thrive in whatever career they pursue. Most importantly, they cultivate a mindset of initiative and resilience, preparing them to keep exploring, creating, and reaching their goals. For more info and insights, check out our Guide to Business and Entrepreneurship.