Nowadays, it is no longer common to see teens wait until well into adulthood to join the workforce. With the rising influence of social media and e-commerce, more teens are creating side hustles that have made them financially independent and have given them a priceless life experience.
From managing social media accounts for local businesses to operating online stores, teens are really challenging our mentality regarding work and entrepreneurship.
The most common teen side hustles are running social media agencies, setting up drop-shipping businesses, and reselling items online. For instance, teenagers skilled at using Instagram and TikTok offer their services to small businesses by way of creating engaging content and highly targeted ads.
What started off as a casual interest in social media has blossomed into countless business opportunities. Drop-shipping has become one of the most popular go-to’s for entrepreneurial teens.
Retailers can create an online store by using Shopify and other such platforms, and can work with suppliers that also handle inventory and shipment. This ideal business model minimizes the risks that one would have to face in the initial stages of creating a business and, overall, helps beginners learn e-commerce.
The teens who enjoy more hands-on work find themselves trying their luck at reselling. They can resell products on platforms like eBay or Depop by sourcing items from thrift stores or wholesale sources. Besides e-commerce, they learn valuable business skills, such as inventory management and customer service.
Teen side hustles mean much more than just earning money. They are a great way for teens to learn lifelong entrepreneurial skills.
Key Biscayne resident Roger Lallemand is a senior at SAS (School for Advanced Studies) in Miami Dade College, having transferred from MAST Academy.