5 home business ideas for teens

Let me guess. You’re stuck at home, bored to death. There’s nothing to do at home…or is there? Don’t let this pandemic drag you down – capitalize on it! This quarantine is the perfect opportunity to start your own business! You have the time and talent to succeed, so go ahead and make some money!

Here is a selection of 5 businesses that you can start from the comfort of your own home. There is so much potential in these businesses that you can even customize them to better serve your local community.

1. Tutoring younger students

It’s perfect if you’re passionate about a particular subject, like math or French. Hey, you might even be a tutor for a musical instrument!

Besides, it’s almost summer. While this may not seem like the ideal time for academic tutoring, it’s a great tutoring opportunity for students who want to get a head start on next year’s schedule.

Making the effort to become a good tutor is crucial if you want to attract and dungeon clients. Youtube and WikiHow are great resources for learning how to be an empathetic and approachable tutor. A good rule of thumb is to treat your student like your favorite teacher treats you.

Online tutoring is a great business to start from home – just set a (reasonable) price per hour/lesson and start advertising. Platforms like NextDoor and Wyzant are great for getting your business out there.

2. Sell handmade products

If you are an artist, this business concept is perfect for you! No matter what you’re making, whether it’s friendship bracelets, pottery, or tie-dye hoodies, there’s a market for handmade goods.

This is the perfect time to master your trade and build up a stock. Then set a reasonable price, post online, and let the money roll in.

Platforms like Etsy, Redbubble, and Society6 make it easy and efficient to post and sell your products. Did you know there are nearly 40 MILLION Etsy shoppers worldwide?!

To inspire you, here are some ideas of goods you could sell for a profit:

  • Digital prints
  • Tie dye clothing
  • Vase
  • bath bombs
  • Jewelry
  • Knitted/Crochet Pieces
  • Painted canvases
  • Shrinky Dink Craft
  • painted rocks

The sky is the limit for this one!

3. Babysitting Zoom

This company is perfect for you if you love small children. Another bonus – it’s totally in demand right now! Parents all over the world are trying to juggle work and childcare while they’re stuck at home. They wish you could take the kids away from them for a while.

But beware, this business comes with its own set of challenges. Parents may need Zoom babysitting for long periods of time, so it can be time-consuming. This type of babysitting will also only work with slightly older children (over 5).

This business can also be very rewarding! Who wouldn’t love getting paid to spend time with adorable kids?

To start a successful Zoom babysitting business, all you need is a Zoom account. It doesn’t hurt to have pre-prepared activities on hand that you can get the kids involved with. For example, offer games you can play on a screen or interesting storybooks to read to them.

Set that up, and all you need are child clients!

4. Grow fresh produce and flowers

It’s not your grandmother’s daily gardening. If you love being outdoors and have a garden, take advantage of it! Growing and selling vegetables, herbs and/or flowers is a great way to earn money, especially as summer approaches!

People locked at home would like to have local freshness delivered right to their doorstep, especially in these dark times. It’s a great way to spread good vibes.

And your business may have an unexpected benefit – chances are you’ll sell your products for less than local supermarkets. This makes you a great (and affordable) source for buying fresh produce. During this global economic recession, people will appreciate your business for saving them a few dollars. It’s a win-win; you get lots of customers and customers get cheap but fresh products!

Setting up this business definitely takes time – you need to plant, grow and harvest your goods before you can start making money. You also need to consider your growing capacity and how many people you can serve based on that. Finally, you need to find a delivery system that works for you and your neighbors.

However, it is also very rewarding. Who wouldn’t love to spend their days outside and spread the joy to their neighbors at the same time? This business model offers plenty of opportunities for growth – you could get into selling flower arrangements or pre-cut salads depending on the vegetables you grow.

5. Virtual Trainer

This one is for all fitness enthusiasts. If you like to exercise and help others get moving, this is the perfect home business model for you!

Being cooped up at home won’t do people’s bodies much good, and most people lack the motivation to exercise on their own. This is where you can intervene!

To create this business, there are only a few steps to go through.

  1. Develop a workout plan – get creative and use household objects (like sofas) as tools to help you exercise. If you want to be more personalized, you can do this step later with your client to create a workout better suited to them.
  2. Establish a price per hour/session.
  3. Start advertising! You want to expand your network to attract as many customers as possible.
  4. Talk with each client to set a schedule that works for both parties. Platforms like Zoom or Twitch will likely be best for virtual workouts.
  5. Start exercising!

Bonus: Content Creator

Now, that’s not exactly a foolproof business, but it’s possible to start making money from content creation. Without a doubt, it will be fun!

Pick something you’re passionate about and brainstorm some “publishable” ideas about it. Then all you have to do is choose a platform (Instagram and Youtube are usually the easiest) and a catchy handle. Then you are ready to start creating content!

Some niches where you can create quality content include:

  • Photography
  • Bullet journals
  • Makeup/Beauty
  • Art
  • Music (your own, covers or remixes)
  • Student life (study tips or productivity tips)

You can earn money with this through referrals and brand endorsements. On Youtube, you will eventually start making money per view (from ad revenue).

Making money with content creation will take A LOT of time and effort, but if you have a passion, go for it! This quarantine is the perfect opportunity to realize your dream of becoming a (rich) famous Youtuber!

And it’s a wrap! This list is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to home business ideas. This current quarantine lends itself perfectly to so many business opportunities! And as a teenager, you have so much potential – take these businesses and make them bigger and better! If you (or someone you know) end up using any of these concepts, please let me know how it goes in the comments below! Ciao!