Entrepreneurship 101: Your Teen’s Guide to Outsmarting Automation

Your Teen's First Gig: Thriving in the AI Economy

As summer approaches, I've been reminiscing about my youthful summer adventures—those first jobs and initial attempts at entrepreneurship. I'll dive into my teenage entrepreneurial journey in another post. Given the dramatic shifts in work and entrepreneurship today, I’ve been pondering the opportunities available to our teenagers and even younger adolescents. Many families are looking forward to much-needed rest and vacations, but if you’re among the parents navigating this rapidly evolving work landscape and aiming to ensure your children thrive and remain happy this summer, this post is for you.

While we trust schools to guide our children, they face their own unprecedented challenges. They're planning year-end activities and grappling with how to strategically incorporate AI into education—more planning than ever before. However, as your child's first and most influential teacher, the responsibility ultimately rests with you. Parents must step up more intentionally than ever, guiding and creating meaningful opportunities for their children's growth. To be frank with you, schools should be seen as consultants, because no one knows your child's best opportunities better than you.

Let’s consider a scenario many families might encounter this summer. Admittedly, this won't reflect everyone's reality, but imagine a typical middle-class family, with attentive, hands-on parents who are also navigating the complexities of AI-driven changes. Let’s call our budding  teen Richard.

Scenario: Richard, the Creative 15-Year-Old

Richard is 15 and has lived in the same condominium in the Bronx, New York, since birth. His family typically enjoys middle-class comfort, but recently faced financial challenges that many are confronting as a result of the disruptions with AI technologies. Richard's father, who held a middle manager role was recently laid off from UPS, and his mother, a tax attorney, has taken on extra hours at work. Richard is hesitant to burden his parents financially this summer.

Richard’s younger sisters may attend a Bronx summer camp, but this is uncertain. The highly desirable Bronx summer camp, costing nearly $7,000 for just him and one sister, seems financially out of reach, even with a scholarship based on need. Richard has had no luck securing a summer job or program, facing fierce competition. Only one of his friends managed to snag a job at local festival events. Moreover, Richard genuinely feels the camp won’t fully support his artistic ambitions. While he would love to participate in a summer music program being offered by Juliard. It was not possible this year.

Nevertheless, Richard has unique creative talents. He passionately plays the piano, composes original music, and recently started exploring vibe coding online—thanks to his mother, who read about this emerging trend. Richard also aspired to a summer music program at Juilliard, but it wasn’t feasible this year.

Richard's forward-thinking parents encourage him to cultivate his talents, envisioning a summer filled with meaningful experiences that build character and perhaps provide some income.

Recognizing the need for practical yet enriching summer options, Richard’s parents reached out to our Educating for Complexity community for tailored suggestions that fit their financial constraints this year. So let’s see what we have to consider for Richard.

Summer Suggestions for Richard

1. Digital Music Lessons:
Richard can offer piano lessons or create online tutorials, monetizing his musical talent via Zoom or YouTube. This initiative can build his brand and online portfolio, creating a soft income stream that could grow with effective marketing. Beyond earning, he'll strengthen his identity as an artist.

2. Collaborate with Community Organizations:
Engaging with local libraries or community centers, Richard could provide music or vibe coding workshops, potentially earning stipends or valuable volunteer experience. Volunteering can help him collect meaningful testimonials using simple online tools like Google Forms, enhancing his digital portfolio for school graduation requirements, college applications, and even social media storytelling.

3. Freelance Music Production:
Richard could sell his vibe coding or original compositions on platforms like Fiverr or SoundCloud, gaining exposure and income through creative freelance gigs. Additionally, he might monetize his music via social media platforms like TikTok, YouTube, or Instagram, benefiting from ads, sponsorships, or brand partnerships.

Full disclosure: I believe every kid should explore entrepreneurial concepts beginning around fifth grade. Running a business teaches invaluable skills often not encountered elsewhere, such as vulnerability, grit, and perseverance. While this is not an exhaustive list, these activities could help Richard enjoy a fulfilling, financially savvy, and creatively rewarding summer, laying a strong foundation for future success.

What do you think of these suggestions? Please share your feedback—I’ll feature the poll results in our next edition or the special feature on Friday.