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Young Entrepreneurs Build Their Personal Brand And Network On LinkedIn
Young Entrepreneurs Build Their Personal Brand And Network On LinkedIn

Forbes

time2 days ago

  • Business
  • Forbes

Young Entrepreneurs Build Their Personal Brand And Network On LinkedIn

Young entrepreneurs are discovering that strategic personal branding on LinkedIn can accelerate their business growth faster than traditional networking methods. Rather than relying on family connections or alumni networks, today's ambitious business owners can establish a digital presence that attracts opportunities, partnerships, and capital even before they graduate. LinkedIn allows users as young as 13 or 14 (depending on the country), so virtually any high school student can create profiles and start building a professional online presence. Young entrepreneurs face a credibility gap that previous generations didn't encounter. Investors and partners want proof of competence before meeting, and traditional markers—such as prestigious degrees, corporate experience, or family connections—aren't always available. This challenge becomes more pressing when considering that 91% of employers use social media, including LinkedIn, to screen job candidates. For young entrepreneurs seeking investment, partnerships, or customers, a strong LinkedIn presence often serves as the first impression. Successful young entrepreneurs on LinkedIn follow specific patterns that separate them from generic self-promotion: They solve problems publicly. Rather than posting about their achievements, they share solutions to industry challenges. This approach positions them as thought leaders while demonstrating their expertise. They document their learning process. Sharing failures, pivots, and lessons learned builds authenticity while showing resilience—a quality investors and partners value highly. They engage strategically. Top performers spend as much time commenting thoughtfully on others' posts as creating their content. This approach builds relationships while expanding their reach. Among LinkedIn creators generally, 91% post at least once every three days, and 20% post at least once per day, highlighting the importance of consistent engagement for brand growth—a lesson applicable to younger users building their professional presence. Young entrepreneurs who successfully leverage LinkedIn focus on three content categories: Industry Analysis: Breaking down trends, regulations, or market shifts that affect their sector. This demonstrates market awareness and analytical thinking. Process Documentation: Sharing behind-the-scenes looks at building products, securing customers, or navigating challenges. This content builds trust while showcasing practical skills. Community Building: Highlighting other entrepreneurs, sharing resources, or facilitating connections. This approach creates goodwill while expanding their network. Young entrepreneurs who focus on these content areas consistently experience higher engagement and more meaningful professional connections as a result of their LinkedIn activity. Among Gen Z adults (typically those aged 18-26), 67% believe it is important to have a strong personal brand, with LinkedIn serving as a primary platform for achieving this goal. This generation understands that professional relationships often begin online before moving to in-person interactions. Young entrepreneurs use LinkedIn strategically to: Showcase achievements early. Students and young adults highlight academic accomplishments, extracurricular activities, internships, and early work experiences, building credible personal brands before entering the workforce. Network with purpose. Young users explore university options, connect with institutions, and network with professionals in their fields of interest. Create valuable content. They share insights, articles, and reflections on their learning journeys, using LinkedIn to demonstrate expertise and thought leadership even at early career stages. Build authentic relationships. Engaging with others through commenting, sharing, and participating in groups helps young users expand their professional networks and increase their visibility. The most successful young entrepreneurs track specific metrics that correlate with business growth: Quality of inbound inquiries. Rather than counting followers, they monitor how many high-value opportunities come through LinkedIn. Partnership development. They track partnerships, speaking opportunities, and collaborations that originated from their LinkedIn presence. Media coverage. Many young entrepreneurs secure podcast interviews, article features, and speaking opportunities through their LinkedIn networks. A strong LinkedIn presence creates compound returns—especially for young entrepreneurs. Early connections made through thoughtful engagement often evolve into future collaborators, customers, or even investors. What starts as a simple comment or connection can lead to lasting opportunity. When young founders build their networks early, they lay the groundwork for professional relationships that grow in value over time. Unlike short-term marketing tactics, personal branding on LinkedIn is about playing the long game. I still hear from former WIT students who first connected with me in high school. Years later, they're running businesses, sending quick questions, or asking for warm intros to someone in my network. That's the power of early, authentic connection—and LinkedIn makes it scalable. Organizations focused on entrepreneurship education recognize the importance of teaching young people both digital and in-person networking skills. At WIT (Whatever It Takes), the program I founded in 2009, we've helped over 10,000 young entrepreneurs develop comprehensive networking strategies that combine LinkedIn personal branding with traditional relationship-building techniques. Through WIT's curriculum, students learn to leverage LinkedIn as part of a broader networking approach that includes mentorship relationships, industry connections, and peer collaboration. The program teaches participants how to leverage their online LinkedIn presence into real-world opportunities through strategic follow-up, meaningful engagement, and authentic relationship-building. This integrated approach proves particularly effective because LinkedIn serves as the initial touchpoint for many professional relationships that later develop through phone calls, video meetings, and in-person interactions. Students who master both digital and offline networking skills position themselves for sustained success in entrepreneurship. Many high school students hesitate to create LinkedIn profiles, thinking they lack professional experience. However, young entrepreneurs can showcase meaningful accomplishments that demonstrate leadership, initiative, and business acumen even before graduation. Profile Headline: Instead of simply writing "High School Student," craft a headline that reflects your entrepreneurial focus: "Aspiring Social Entrepreneur | Founder of Community Cleanup Initiative" or "Teen Business Owner | Digital Marketing for Local Businesses." About Section: Highlight your entrepreneurial ventures, volunteer leadership roles, or passion projects that solve real problems. Focus on impact rather than just activities. Experience Section: Include any business ventures, even small ones like tutoring services, lawn care businesses, or social media management for local organizations. List significant volunteer roles, internships, or part-time jobs that demonstrate responsibility and skills. Education: Beyond your high school, include relevant coursework, entrepreneurship programs, online certifications, or business competitions you've participated in. These show initiative in developing business knowledge. Skills and Endorsements: Add skills relevant to entrepreneurship such as social media marketing, customer service, project management, or specific technical abilities you've developed. Accomplishments: Include awards, publications, speaking engagements, or recognition for your entrepreneurial activities. Even school-level achievements can demonstrate leadership and initiative. The key is presenting yourself professionally while staying authentic to your current stage. High school entrepreneurs who thoughtfully craft their profiles often attract mentorship opportunities and early business connections that prove valuable as they develop their ventures. For young entrepreneurs looking to build their brand and expand their network on LinkedIn: Start with clarity. Define the specific problem you solve and the audience you serve. Generic positioning generates generic results. Engage authentically. Spend time daily commenting meaningfully on posts from potential partners, customers, or collaborators. Stay consistent. Regular presence matters more than perfect content. Posting weekly with authentic insights beats sporadic viral content. Showcase learning. Share reflections on challenges, failures, and lessons learned to demonstrate growth and resilience. As remote work becomes the norm and more businesses launch online, LinkedIn is playing a bigger role for young entrepreneurs. It's one of the few platforms where a teen entrepreneur can connect with partners, clients, and opportunities around the world. Young entrepreneurs who master LinkedIn's relationship-building potential gain access to networks that previous generations spent decades developing. The question isn't whether young entrepreneurs should build personal brands and networks on LinkedIn—it's whether they can afford not to.

How To Start Your $2,000/Month Side Job As A Teen
How To Start Your $2,000/Month Side Job As A Teen

Forbes

time15-05-2025

  • Business
  • Forbes

How To Start Your $2,000/Month Side Job As A Teen

Teen entrepreneurs are transforming simple ideas into profitable side jobs that outperform traditional summer jobs. While the average teen summer worker earns $15.68 per hour, up 36% since 2019, ambitious high schoolers are creating businesses that generate $2,000 monthly while offering flexibility, higher profits, and valuable experience for college applications. This entrepreneurial trend is growing rapidly. According to recent surveys, 66% of teens aged 13-17 say they're likely to consider starting a business as adults. At WIT (Whatever It Takes), we have guided over 10,000 young entrepreneurs since 2009, watching them turn passion projects into profitable ventures. These early business experiences build skills that translate directly to future success—teens with entrepreneurial experience develop resilience, problem-solving abilities, and financial literacy that serve them throughout life. Starting a side hustle gives teens significant advantages over traditional employment. First, there's no income ceiling. While conventional jobs cap earning potential at hourly minimums, business ownership removes this limitation entirely. Many WIT students have transformed small investments of $100-200 into businesses generating thousands in revenue. Equally important is the scheduling flexibility. Traditional summer jobs lock teens into rigid 20-40 hour workweeks with little room for adjustment. Entrepreneurship eliminates this constraint, allowing teens to design work schedules that complement rather than compete with academics, sports, and other priorities. College admissions officers increasingly value entrepreneurial experience. A teen who can articulate how they identified an opportunity, navigated challenges, and created something valuable stands apart in competitive admissions. Julia Howe exemplifies this potential. She created the Hitting The Wall podcast, which is focused on teenage female athletes and addresses mental health struggles and societal pressures young women face in sports. Her experience developing the podcast, reaching out to guests, coordinating community events, organizing paid partnership deals, and managing social media has built a platform that helps others and strengthens her college applications through demonstrating leadership and initiative. Most small businesses know they need social media content but lack the time or skills to create it. Teens with digital fluency can effectively fill this gap. To start, build a simple portfolio showcasing your video editing or graphic design skills. Select a specific niche—coffee shops, boutiques, fitness studios—and approach businesses with a concrete offer: "I'll create eight short-form videos for your social media for $300-400." Your competitive edge? Offer to handle everything: filming, editing, adding trending music, and writing captions. This comprehensive service appeals to busy business owners who know social media matters but don't have time to learn the platforms. Path to $2,000: Landing five to seven clients monthly at $300-400 each gets you to your target. This side job's scalable nature makes it particularly attractive—you can manage multiple clients simultaneously as your efficiency improves. Academic support remains in high demand year-round, and parents are willing to pay premium rates for quality assistance. Rather than generic tutoring, focus on specific needs: SAT/ACT prep, coding instruction, essay writing support, or math skill development. Specialization justifies higher rates and attracts more motivated clients. Create a simple website highlighting your qualifications, subjects, and hourly rate, then distribute your information to neighborhood families and local parent groups on social media. Path to $2,000: Charging $30-50 hourly and securing 10-15 weekly tutoring hours puts this goal within reach. The advantage of a tutoring side job is minimal overhead—just transportation costs and possibly workbooks or online resources. This translates to high profit margins, with almost all revenue becoming profit. Selling handmade or personalized products can be financially rewarding and artistically fulfilling for creative teens. Choose one specific product type—custom tumblers, digital illustrations, handmade jewelry, or personalized apparel. Initially, focus on quality and consistency rather than variety. Establish a dedicated Instagram account showcasing your process and finished products, and leverage local summer markets, craft fairs, and online platforms like Etsy or Depop to reach customers. Path to $2,000: Calculate your costs precisely. If each item costs $8 to produce and sells for $25, you must sell approximately 120 units monthly to reach $2,000. While this sounds substantial, focused production sessions and strategic marketing can make it achievable. Creating digital products offers exceptional scalability with minimal ongoing costs after initial development. Consider developing downloadable templates, study guides, printable artwork, or digital planners targeted at specific audiences. For example, one WIT student created custom study guides for AP courses, charging $75 per guide and focusing on five subjects she knew well. Path to $2,000: With minimal production costs, most of your sales become profit. Depending on complexity, pricing digital products between $15 and $80 means selling 25-135 units monthly. The key advantage is creating once and selling infinitely—your income isn't directly tied to your time investment after the initial creation. Service-based businesses like pet sitting, lawn care, or car detailing provide reliable income with low startup costs. Summer is peak travel season, creating high demand for pet care. Create a simple one-page business plan outlining services and rates. Advertise on neighborhood apps like Nextdoor and leverage family connections for initial clients. Charge $25-30 per day for dog walking (two 30-minute walks) and $50-75 daily for overnight pet sitting. Adding premium services like plant watering or daily photo updates can increase rates. Path to $2,000: Securing 5-6 regular dog walking clients (at $150/week each) plus weekend pet-sitting gigs ($300/weekend) puts $2,000 monthly within reach. The key advantage is the recurring nature of these services—once you prove reliable, clients tend to book repeatedly. Before launching any business, teen entrepreneurs should ask themselves these critical questions: What problem am I genuinely passionate about solving? The best teen side jobs start with real interests rather than what might impress college admissions officers. Genuine interest helps teens continue when challenges emerge—a critical skill since colleges increasingly value resilience and initiative in admissions decisions. What skills do I already have, and which ones will I need to develop? Young entrepreneurs often underestimate their existing talents. List your current abilities, then identify what you still need to learn. The entrepreneurial process itself teaches many necessary skills. How will this fit into my current commitments? To prevent burnout before launching your side job, create a realistic schedule with specific times for business work. Who can support and guide me through this process? Every entrepreneur needs advisors. Before starting, find potential mentors who can help navigate challenges. Organizations like WIT and entrepreneurship competitions connect teens with experienced business owners who offer valuable ideas. What does success look like to me, beyond money? Financial returns matter, but focusing only on profits often disappoints teen entrepreneurs. Define personal success measures that match your values, whether building leadership abilities, gaining confidence, or creating positive change. The difference between teens who talk about making $2,000 monthly and those who earn it comes down to execution. Here are the practical implementation steps that successful teen entrepreneurs consistently follow: Start with a minimal viable product (MVP) - Rather than perfecting your offering, launch a basic version quickly to test market response. For lawn care, start with just mowing before adding edging and landscaping. For content creation, offer a single-video package before developing comprehensive plans. Implement consistent marketing blocks - Dedicate 30-60 minutes daily to promoting your services. This might mean sending five direct messages to potential clients, posting on community boards, or creating content showcasing your work. Consistency matters more than duration. Develop systems immediately. From day one, create simple templates for client communication, scheduling, and payment tracking. These systems allow you to scale efficiently as demand grows. Use technology strategically - AI tools can help with everything from content creation to market research. ChatGPT can help draft professional emails, create social media captions, or develop pricing strategies. Tools like Canva simplify design work, while simple spreadsheets track finances and customer information. Schedule weekly implementation sessions - Set specific times to work on growth initiatives. Even 30 minutes twice weekly can drive substantial progress when focused on the right activities. Limited startup funds - Begin with service-based businesses requiring minimal investment, or use the "pre-sale" model where customers pay before you create products. One WIT student funded her custom apparel business by pre-selling designs before ordering materials. Parental concerns - Address worries by creating a simple business plan showing how you'll manage commitments. Outline safety measures for meeting clients and handling money. Involve parents as advisors where appropriate. Pricing confidence - Research competitors but avoid underpricing. Remember that reliability, quality, and personal service justify premium rates. Client acquisition - Start with your immediate network—family, friends, neighbors, and school connections. Ask satisfied customers for referrals and testimonials. Offer incentives for referrals that convert to paid clients. The entrepreneurial journey doesn't require perfect preparation or extensive funding. The most essential step is to begin with available resources and refine your approach through experience. By solving real problems, maintaining quality service, and building genuine customer relationships, teens (and even adults!) can transform simple ideas into profitable side jobs $2,000 monthly or more. The skills developed along the way—resilience, financial literacy, marketing, and problem-solving—provide lasting benefits beyond monetary gain, creating advantages in college admissions and future careers. The most important step isn't perfecting your business plan—it's taking that first action toward bringing your idea to life.

KSrelief humanitarian projects launched in Yemen and Sudan
KSrelief humanitarian projects launched in Yemen and Sudan

Arab News

time06-05-2025

  • Entertainment
  • Arab News

KSrelief humanitarian projects launched in Yemen and Sudan

Riyadh's latest group game spot encourages social connection RIYADH: As Saudi Arabia encourages more active and social lifestyles, a group of young Saudi entrepreneurs in Riyadh has created a space that blends movement, mental challenges, and social connection. Opened in 2024, Pixel Games is a locally developed gaming center designed to engage people both physically and mentally. It is also a testament to the vision and drive of young Saudis, who are shaping the Kingdom's entertainment landscape. Pixel Games adds to Saudi Arabia's capital's growing roster of homegrown gaming concepts. (Supplied) Riyadh has no shortage of entertainment options, and Pixel Games adds to the city's growing roster of homegrown concepts. While the founders would like to keep a low profile, they are working behind the scenes to address the local appetite for interactive social spaces that go beyond traditional arcades or seasonal pop-ups. FAST FACTS • Activities at Pixel Games range from strategic puzzles to movement-based games, all designed for groups of friends and families to enjoy together. • Each session lasts an hour, and visitors can reserve private rooms for a more personal experience. The center features nine themed 'moving rooms,' with more than 40 group-based physical and mental challenges. Riyadh has no shortage of entertainment options, and Pixel Games adds to the city's growing roster of homegrown concepts. (Supplied) Activities range from strategic puzzles to movement-based games, all designed for groups of friends and families to enjoy together. Each session lasts an hour, and visitors can reserve private rooms for a more personal experience. Visitors have responded positively to the experience. Nawaf Aloggayel, a recent guest, said: 'The place is beautiful, the games are different and fun, and the prices are reasonable. Pixel Games adds to Saudi Arabia's capital's growing roster of homegrown gaming concepts. (Supplied) 'I advise people to come … it's the best entertainment place in Riyadh so far.' Ahmed Al-Ahmed, marketing representative for Pixel Games, said: 'Pixels is an entertainment center that gathers challenges and fun into a group of different movement activities. 'Groups can enjoy a private room, which makes it more exciting and comfortable.' What sets it apart is its year-round availability, making it a go-to spot for spontaneous plans or scheduled outings. It provides a safe and stimulating environment where children can burn off energy, develop problem-solving skills, and socialize with their peers. Whether you are looking for a quick group activity, a family outing, or a way to try something new with friends, Pixels offers a low-key alternative for playful competition and connection.

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