Top 33 Business Ideas for 12-Year Olds [Updated for 2023] - Starter Story (2023)

Are you feeling inspired to start your own business? You're not alone! Many 12-year-olds are looking for ways to become their own boss and start their own business.

There are a lot of great business ideas out there, and we've gathered some of the best ones for you. So read on and see if any of these ideas catch your eye!

1. Start a party entertainer business

Do you want to start a business within the entertainment sector? Becoming a party entertainer can be a great opportunity for you.

Party entertainers thrive mostly at night and on weekends. You can work as an agency and represent entertainers for parties, or if you have the skills, you can become the entertainer.

Party entertainers can work at wedding and bridal parties, birthday parties, children’s parties, corporate parties, or even home-based parties.

2. Start a custom illustrating business

Many businesses use stock illustrations or images in their commercials. While stock illustrations provide a cheaper option, the visuals aren’t part of the product, so the brand message is diluted.

In a business world where more than 70% of social media and B2B marketers use visuals in their promotions, creating custom illustrations is highly on demand.

Ideally, custom illustration is an essential visual strategy helping businesses use clever, compelling visual content to effectively communicate with the target audience.

With major social media platforms dependent on visuals to create impressions, starting a custom illustrating business can be an opportunity to build a profitable business. Custom illustrations are a visual representation of any text and are considered art for beautifying elements.

To kickstart your custom illustration business, pursue a fine arts certification, where you will learn computer graphics, drawing, and painting skills. Then, identify your style, create a portfolio, then focus on building a client base.

3. Start a soap making business

Are you looking for an easy business you can start from home? Soap making is a relatively easy cottage business you can start today.

Soap is one of the products you will find in every household. Therefore, soap is a product that will remain in demand, making soap making business a lucrative idea.

To start a soap-making business from home, research the competition and choose the niche your business will focus on. You can make scented soaps mixed with essential oils or non-scented soaps for washing utensils.

Choose a business name and create a business plan indicating your entity type, mission statement, and soap marketing strategy.

4. Start an artistry business

5. Start a gift wrapping service

Gift wrappers use wrapping papers and other supplies to box up and decorate presents on behalf of their customers. Starting a gift-wrapping business does not involve considerable capital and is easy to manage. You can market your business online for free and request current customers to give recommendations.

6. Start a Greeting Cards Business ($50K/month)

People use greeting cards to mark births, deaths, graduations, anniversaries, and other parties or events. If you love helping people celebrate special occasions, starting a greeting card business can be a great business opportunity.

When starting a greeting card business, choose a potential niche and write a business plan. Then, find an ideal spot to sell the greeting cards. For instance, you can offer greeting card design and posting services, so customers can choose the best designs and post greeting cards online.

7. Start a pet sitting business

A pet sitter is a professional who provides daily care for pets while the pet owners are at work or on vacation. The pet sitter's duties include:

• Cooking special meals for pets as instructed by pet owners.
• Reporting any behavioral issues to pet owners.
• Playing with the pets to encourage their mental and physical stimulation.

One of the advantages of working as a pet sitter is that it's not a stressful career. You also get to work with different animals while enjoying a work-life balance.

8. Start a dog walking business ($54K/month)

Do you love dogs? If yes, you can turn your love for animals into a lucrative side hustle that can help you pay extra toward your mortgage, save for a vacation, or even clear that student loan.

If you offer dog walking services as a side hustle, you could earn an average income of between $10,000 and $30,000 per year. As a dog walker, sitter or boarder, you offer your services to dog owners looking for a caregiver for their puppy. Register on a legitimate dog-walking app and create a compelling profile to get started.

9. Start a leaf removal business

A leaf removal company provides lawn care to keep the yard clear of leaves through vacuuming, bagging, and removal of leaves. To start the leaves removal business, you need a high-quality leaf blower and leaf collection bags.

You can attract new customers by asking existing customers for referrals and ensuring positive reviews for your business. Hang flyers in coffee shops, and around estates, and ask friends for business referrals.

10. Start a candy making business

You will need a few essential ingredients and equipment to start a candy-making business. These include sugar, corn syrup, food coloring, flavoring extracts, and tools like a candy thermometer and a silicone candy mold. You will also need a kitchen or workspace to prepare and store candy.

To operate your candy-making business, you must develop various tasty candy recipes. The candy may require trial and error, as well as research on popular flavors and techniques. Once you have a solid selection of recipes, you can start taking orders from customers and creating candy to their specifications.

To market your candy-making business, you can set up an online store or sell your products at local markets and events. You can also consider partnering with local companies, such as coffee shops or gift stores, to sell your candy on their premises.

Starting a candy-making business requires creativity, dedication, and attention to detail. With suitable recipes and marketing strategies, you can turn your love of candy into a successful and sweet business!

11. Start a home bakery

12. Start a lawn care service

Are you ready to begin your lawn care business and be your boss? A lawncare business offers lawn aeration, Seeding, fertilizing, soil acidity tests, and controlling weeds, among other services. If you love creating amazing landscapes, consider starting a lawn care company.

To start lawn care legally and run it profitably, you must register the business legally. You can get into a franchise or start a business from scratch. Decide what lawn care services you will offer and your target clients.

To offer effective service, purchase lawn care equipment, and hire skilled lawn care personnel.

13. Become a lemonade seller

Demand for lemonade has increased as consumers’ knowledge of its health and nutritional benefits have grown. According to research, the lemonade market is growing at a CAGR of 5.7% and will surpass $2.651 million in the next few years.

If you are interested in starting a lemonade business, consider putting up a stand at a busy location.

A lemonade stand is a low-barrier-to-entry business you can start in a day and generate good profits. You can make lemonade from home and sell it to customers at a drive-through stand.

14. Start a car washing and detailing business

The carwash business is already a multi-billion-dollar industry with room for growth.

With the number of vehicles per household increasing daily, starting a car wash and detailing business could be a profitable idea.

If you have a piece of vacant land in the right location, you can get into the carwash business. You can set up an in-bay automatic carwash, self-washing carwash, touch-free carwash, or a wide range of other options.

15. Become a face painter

Popular at children's parties, weddings, and even some corporate events, face painting is a great creative activity that sparks joy among people of all ages.

If you love making people happy and helping them celebrate different events in life, consider starting a face-painting business.

If you are planning to start a face painting business on a professional basis, it would be wise to take an introductory training course to learn the basics of face painting and the safety and health precautions involved in the business.

16. Become a dance choreographer

Dance choreographers create compositions and plans and arrange dance movements and patterns for dances, especially ballets. Choreographers also develop different interpretations of existing dances for an individual or group of dancers.

To become a dance choreographer, you will need to take training lessons. You may pursue a degree in musical theater and take relevant dance coursework. The training enables you to master different dance types and learn how to create dances.

17. Mobile pet grooming business

18. Become a cake decorator

Cake decorators order baked cakes and decorate them for birthdays, weddings, and other special occasions.

The primary role of a cake decorator is designing the graphics and using cake molds and other decorating elements to create a unique appearance.

19. Start a youtube channel

For anyone looking to start a successful YouTube channel, there are plenty of YouTube channel success stories that can be used as inspiration and encouragement. In addition, YouTube has an established monetization system and boasts incredible popularity, making it a potential platform for revenue generation.

In this article, we'll look at different approaches you can use to help promote your channel and grow your viewers. While there's no quick and easy way to success, you can take these tips to build your own YouTube Channel Success story. If you love content creation, you can capitalize on YouTube's popularity to earn extra income.

If you want to join the Youtube partner program to monetize your channel, you will need to reach a minimum of 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours in the previous 12 months.

20. Start a book seller

21. Start a garage sale business

22. Become a tee shirt designer

If you love to create different and creative fashion, the field of tee shirt design could be a great opportunity. Some tasks include fitting model garments, maintaining size uniformity, and applying design and aesthetics to create cute tee shirts that capture customers' attention.

23. Become a musician ($3K/month)

24. Start an organic gardening business

Are you looking for a fun and easy home business? Would you love to try something totally different? Do you love the idea of growing your own food? Then starting an organic gardening business might be for you!

The idea of starting an organic gardening business may seem like a dream for many people. That’s because there are many requirements in starting a business involving time, effort, knowledge and capital. However, you shouldn’t stop dreaming now – organic gardening is a booming industry and it has no signs of slowing down.

Here is a guide for starting your organic gardening business:

• Learn about organic gardening
• Select a crop you want to work on
• Name your business
• Decide on a marketing strategy

25. Start an online clothing business

Starting an online clothing business is an exciting and promising venture. The concept is simple: create an online platform where customers can browse, purchase, and receive their fashion items directly to their doorstep. The beauty of an online clothing business is that you don't have to worry about the overhead costs associated with a physical store, and you can reach a broader customer base.

However, running a successful online clothing business takes more than just setting up a website and listing products. Here are a few tips to ensure your business thrives:

• Find your niche: The fashion industry is vast, and it’s essential to find your niche and target market. Identify what type of clothing you want to sell and to whom. For example, if you’re passionate about sustainable fashion, you can focus on selling eco-friendly clothing for the eco-conscious consumer.

• Build a strong brand: Your brand is your business’s identity, and it’s crucial to create a strong brand that resonates with your target market. Choose a catchy and memorable business name, and create a consistent visual identity across all platforms, including your website, social media, and packaging.

• Invest in excellent product photography: The quality of your product photography can make or break your business. People can’t touch or try on clothes online, so the photos are their only reference. Invest in professional photography to showcase your products in the best light possible.

• Prioritize customer service: Good customer service is vital to building customer trust and loyalty. Respond quickly to customer inquiries, and make it easy for them to contact you. Offer free returns, and consider offering a loyalty program to keep your customers returning.

• Stay on top of trends: The fashion industry is ever-evolving, and it’s crucial to stay on top of the latest trends. Keep an eye on what’s popular and what's coming next, and consider incorporating trendy items into your product offerings.

Starting an online clothing business may seem daunting, but it’s an exciting and fulfilling venture. By finding your niche, building a solid brand, investing in excellent product photography, prioritizing customer service, and staying on top of trends, you’ll be well on your way to running a successful and lucrative online clothing business.

26. Become a music teacher

27. Start a snow removal service

Snow plowing is a high-margin scalable business with low overhead costs. Although seasonal, you can earn a decent living by plowing snow in winter. Entrepreneurs with a dump trailer and snow plow can serve commercial and residential customers and stay busy during or after a snowstorm.

28. Start a balloon artist business

A balloon artist creates balloon decorations for various types of parties and events. Also known as twisters, balloon artists can earn a decent hourly pay depending on the event type. Balloon art is a low-overhead business and offers a high-profit margin potential.

More business ideas

• 29. Start a coloring books business

• 30. Start a coffee magazine

• 31. Start a bicycle rental business

32. Start a podcaster community

More business ideas

• 33. Start a costume business

Frequently asked questions

Can a 12-year-old have their own business?

Yes, a 12-year-old can have their own business. However, the process can be a bit complicated, as most business requirements include conditions, terms, and even permission from the legal guardian (for minors).

Now, while such things can get complicated, there are ways for a 12-year-old to earn money from different things. As long as the business isn’t something like a large-scale, you likely wouldn’t have to go through some tedious process.

Is it possible to make money as a 12-year-old?

Yes, making money as a 12-year-old is possible. There are many ways to earn and make money, and most of these ways only require doing and finishing simple tasks that even a 12-year-old can do.

One thing to note is that making money as a 12-year-old is good, but it doesn’t mean you’ll spend most of your time with it and discard essential duties like studies. As always, a 12-year-old should prioritize studying, and making money should only be a side hustle or a hobby.

What businesses can you start as a 12-year-old teenager?

As mentioned earlier, there are plenty of business ideas that even a 12-year-old can start. But, of course, these businesses can be as easy as doing simple tasks or selling simple products or services.

Also, it would be best to start a small-scale business, especially if you’re only 12 years old. While it’s possible to do something large-scale, it takes a lot of time and responsibilities.

Further, a large-scale business isn’t ideal for a 12-year-old since the entire thing can take up lots of time, affecting important stuff like school and study time.

Conclusion

I hope this list of ideas for 12-year-olds has helped you at least a little to get an idea of how you can make money at this age.

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