Instead of working at the local fastfood place for minimum wage, would you encourage your kid to start a biz?

Eddie Cacciatore, Private Eye: Instead of working at the local fastfood place for minimum wage, would you encourage your kid to start a biz?
Perhaps give your teen startup capital as a loan to start a business that could work in your town?

I did the minimum wage thing as a teen and, in retrospect, such workers, I feel, are exploited.

Answers and Views:

Answer by adorkable me
i would wake her up to the harsh realities of starting your own business at age 15. for starters, most executives aren’t able to cut themselves a salary for AT LEAST five years… and she needs those five years to save up money for college. if she wants to found her own business one day, fabulous, i’ll encourage her every step of the way. but let’s be practical, here.

when i was a teenager working a minimum wage job i used a different word: opportunity.

Answer by Cle
more fortune 500 ceos’ first job was at a mcdonalds.
minimum wage jobs are great for them.

no matter the job, their attitude is what allows them to prosper.

as for giving away startup money, i’ll take some 🙂

Answer by awkwardly balanced
The minimum wage job is a sure thing. If you are able to bail your kid out and provide needed college spending money, then the riskier venture thing would be a GREAT experience. Here’s a video so your kid doesn’t feel big for his britches – LOL!
https://www.metacafe.com/watch/730860/minimum_wage/

Answer by gazeygoo
Too complicated for most teens, too many tax issues etc. Just not worth it. Part of the work experience for teens is the learning experience, applying for job, interview process, working with others, being responsible for being to work on time, following the rules etc. Good preparation for when it is time to be on their own paying their own bills. I am also a supporter of students living on campus when off to college. Such a large part of the total college experience is lost for students that commute.

Mother of 9

Answer by Mistydawne
actually I would suggest that they learn about investing on the stock market as well. My 7 year old owns his own business (making custom t-shirts and coffee cups) he also has a stock portfolio and savings bonds.

Answer by R
I see your idea in theory but not every child is an business person for that matter neither is every adult. I personally have no intention of ever working for myself. I am currently deciding on what I want my masters to be in because I don’t want it to be in Social Work which is my BA. The reason is that the only advantage is that I will be able to do independent counseling and that is not appealing to me. I digress I think that is a good I idea for some children and in certain places. A small town would be much more beneficial for a teen doing a service or business then a big city. In one building where I have clients, all elderly people, one young man who lives there with his grand mother cleans apartments, walks peoples dogs, and just about anything for pay. Where I grew up that would not of worked for me. Also I think that the idea and drive needs to come from the individual for a business any business to work. Owing a business is hard work and one of the hardest things is that no one is looking over your shoulder or giving you deadlines so you need to be self motivated. Your average teen wants pocket money or to save for that first car but they are not terribly motivated. I know from working retail in college the high school kids called off, took off and overall slacked more then any other employee. One guy just no call no showed for three days and did not understand why he was fired. You can’t do that when you run a business because you will loose customers and have a bad reputation.
Also I think many of those low level jobs you are exploited like you say. A person learns how to talk up for themselves and how to maneuver the work world sot that is a bit of a long run benefit to a job like that

For the right kind of teen and for a good idea I would encourage this but not every teen

Answer by ĿỉŁF™16 – makin’ babbys
I think every teen needs to experience a french fry deep fryer or pushing carts at least once in their life. It’s humbling if nothing else…then when they are ready, help them start a biz. They’ll appreciate it more if they’ve at least experienced the minimum wage job.

Answer by Rusty
I think Adorkable has the best answer and I couldn’t agree more. I think encouraging a teen to be an entrepreneur while in his teens and giving him the start up money is a recipe for disaster. It’s a struggle for men and women with experience to be able to survive until the profits come, I’d say impossible for a teen. Your teen would feel like a failure and you’d lose your money. I also disagree that minimum wage workers are exploited, at least in the case of teens. They don’t want or need to start a career before they’re even out of school, but they do usually want some money of their own. If you think this new venture is worthy, start it yourself and let your son have some involvement………….good life lessons without the responsibility for success or failure on his/her shoulders.

Answer by Sue C
Eddie, I honestly feel YOU would be the one who would completely end up running the whole business! Is this a new “venture you’d like to get involved in along with your MANY other projects? I doubt it!