Ever wondered how to start an orchard but don't know where to begin? We got the chance to learn about Swans Trail Farms and how they started an orchard.  Nate Krause was kind enough to take the time to talk about how his family converted a dairy farm they purchased in 1984 into a favorite destination for picking your own apples, strawberries, and pumpkins.  They also host the Washington State Corn Maze, weddings, corporate picnics, and school field trips. This guide will walk you through the process of starting an orchard, including:

1. What is an orchard?
2. Types of fruit trees
3. Resources necessary
4. Orchard design
5. Planting, growing, and harvesting fruit trees
6. Licensing and legal requirements
7. Funding your orchard
8. Hiring Employees
9. Marketing

Let's get you on the path to starting an orchard.

1. What is an orchard?

An orchard is the intentional planting of trees or shrubs for the purpose of fruit or nut production. Large gardens may also be considered backyard orchards. Let's look at some of the common types of orchards.

2. Types of Fruit Trees

When considering how to start an orchard, the first thing you'll need to do is decide what kind of fruits, vegetables, and/or nuts you want to plant in the orchard. According to the USDA, the top fruits eaten in the United States per person are:

1. Apples
2. Oranges
3. Bananas
4. Grapes
5. Strawberries
6. Watermelon
7. Pineapple

Each of these has different soil and nutrient requirements. You'll need to have the soil analyzed in your area to establish which fruits will grow best, or better yet do it yourself with one of these testing kits. Here's a guide on the nutrient levels and other information needed for apples. Yara.us offers similar information for other fruit trees and crops.

3. Resources necessary when starting an orchard

The resources necessary when starting an orchard are mostly limited by your location. You'll need the following:

• Land
• Water
• Time
• Money
• Knowledge

Land

Planting an orchard will obviously require land. The cost of land varies dramatically based on location. You can find farmland at LandandFarm.com to get prices in your area if you don't own land for a small orchard yet. One of the most common questions about apple orchards is "how many apple trees should I farm per acre?" Apple farming will normally consist of 400-2500 trees/acre and a yield that varies based on the type of apple tree:

• Miniature trees: 1/4–1 bushel (1 bushel = 32 quarts = approximately 40-50 lb = around 126 medium apples)
• Dwarf trees: 1–4 bushels
• Semi-Dwarf trees: 5–10 bushels
• Standard trees: 10–20 bushels (all figures from Starkbros. The Stark Bros article includes statistics for other common fruits.)

That means an apple orchard yield per acre can range from 12,600-6.3 million medium apples per acre depending on the size of the trees and other conditions, like the weather.

Water

An apple farmer is going to need water because without it fruit trees won't grow and bear fruit. The water requirements vary based on the type of tree, but apple trees tend to need about an inch of rain a week. If you don't have enough rain, you'll need to water them. Make sure not to overwater them or it can create root rot, infections, or nutrient depletion. Nate told us this was a problem when he first started. Here's what he had to say: [su_quote]One of the biggest mistakes is not enough research when we first put in our trees. We planted them in a wet spot, and trees do not like wet soil, so we ended up losing half our crop.[/su_quote]

Time

Starting an orchard is not a get-rich-quick scheme. Nate told us: [su_quote]We started selling apples 4 years after planting the trees. Trees need a long time before making money. Our first real harvest wasn't until around year 8. Waiting for your first-year yield is the longest part of the process.[/su_quote] He also told us that he works "60 hours in the maintenance season and over about 75 hours during harvest." This is in addition to the rest of his family and the up to 200 employees he has during the fall. The orchard business is definitely a time-consuming business. Make sure you are prepared for that. See how long it took others to start and grow their farm here: [su_youtube url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0oJ7CtdhQAY"]

How much does it cost to start a fruit orchard?

Nate told us: [su_quote]Our initial budget was not that much. We spent about 1000.00 on trees the first year. Each year we would add more trees with the profit we made. We already had the land, and our fields had the right nutrients to grow apple trees. If you did not have the land or were having to recondition your fields, you would be looking at a larger sum of money. [/su_quote] [su_quote]We did not need to fund this part of our business because we started out so small and built off it every year. We never spent money we did not have. It is important to us not to get a loan. If we were to start off with the 5,000 trees we have now, we would have had to take out a loan.[/su_quote] He also estimates that if you are starting from scratch, you will probably need to invest around $70-80k  to start a fruit tree orchard. It doesn't sound like this includes the funds to cover living until your first harvest, so starting a home orchard may be a good first step in planting fruit trees.

Knowledge

I've wondered how to start an orchard because I love the taste of fresh fruit straight off the tree. My brother has an orange tree, and he brings me 10 every time he comes to Vegas, but I've never farmed, so I had to do some research to write this article. If you're in the same boat, you will definitely need to gain some knowledge. Some of the things you'll want to understand to get started include:

• Types of apple trees and other fruit trees- We discussed this some earlier, but make sure to use the links in the blog for more information.
• Apple orchard spacing- We'll cover this next.
• How to plant an apple orchard- keep reading as we'll cover this too.
• Soil conditions- We provide information earlier. You may need soil preparation tools or to supplement the apple orchard with other crops to provide nutrients. Alternatively, you can compost.
• The weather's impact on the orchard trees- Nature.com has a study with a lot of great references included. Make sure to utilize it.
• Recognizing disease- The University of California has some good resources on pests and diseases impacting orchards.
• The annual planting, growing, harvest, and storage process.
• The business aspects- USDA.gov is a great resource for the business aspects of farming.

4. Orchard Designing

Nate told us: [su_quote]Make sure you understand the basics of growing before you put them in the ground.[/su_quote] Because of that, I'm going to go into more detail on how to design an orchard. Penn State Extension (PSE) offers the following recommendations when planning a fruit tree orchard layout:

• Start with a site assessment
• Plant on the upper side of 4-8 percent slope on rolling or elevated land
• Avoid low lying areas because frost damage can occur
• Avoid tops of hills due to excessive winds
• Soil should have at least 3 feet of aerated loam for roots to grow and water to drain
• Plant North-South rows for best results
• Space trees in a manner where tree height is (1/2 row spacing plus 3 feet)
• Include grasses that prevent voles, broadleaf weeds, and soil-borne diseases. If planting the grass in the same year, leave 4 foot wide strips for trees. If planting grass 1 year in advance, you do not need the strips for planting the orchard's fruit trees because it gives the grass time to grow roots before having to compete with the trees for water
• Use wind-breaking plants like willows or alders because they develop leaves early and last throughout the harvest season
• Make sure the trees will be somewhere that gets 6-8 hours of full sunlight per day to maximize fruit production

The concepts can be applied to a home orchard, a pie tree orchard, little tree orchards, and even a backyard orchard layout.

5. Planting, Growing, and Harvesting Fruit Trees

Now that you are armed with the knowledge of how to start an orchard, it's time to start planting the fruit trees. What kind of fresh fruit will you be growing? Apples? Plums? Cherries? Peaches? Pears? No matter what kind of orchard fruit you choose, the process of planting fruit trees, growing them, and harvesting the apples or other fruit from the fruit trees is going to be a long process. Assuming you have followed all the other steps in this guide, you have already analyzed the soil, established what fruits will grow well with the local soil, and considered where to plant each orchard tree and other vegetation. According to the previously referenced PSE article, you'll want to order the virus-tested fruit trees 2-3 years before you plant them. This is good practice whether you are starting a home orchard or have a full farm because it gives the root system time to mature before planting the fruit tree in the local soil. Depending on your climate, you'll want to plant your fruit trees in the early spring, or even fall/winter if the local climate is mild on trees. The main thing is the trees need 6-8 hours of full sunlight, and to remember that they will struggle if the ground freezes. Once you are ready to dig the hole, you want to dig a hole that is approximately two times the depth and width of the roots. This allows you to fill in around the plant roots with the freshly dug up soil or compost that you will be filling the hole with. You'll want three stakes connected to the trees to help them grow and prevent the planted trees from being torn out of the ground by strong winds. After planting, you are going to be caring for the fruit trees until harvest time in the fall. During the first few years, I would not expect much fruit from a tree.

When does apple picking start?

Harvesting on an orchard will typically start around September. During harvest season, you'll probably need to hire some employees to assist you with the harvest. Looking through articles on how much a person can harvest in a day, I came across this article that claims new employees may only be able to pick about 3,000–5,000 lb per day, but that experienced pickers can pick between 12,000–20,000 lb per day. I think it is important to reiterate that Nate told us: [su_quote]We were able to start selling apples 4 years after planting. It is a very long process, and you don't start really making money until around year 8. Waiting for your first-year yield is the longest part of the process.[/su_quote]  That means you'll need other sources of revenue for the business until you can start selling fruit from the tree.

How can my business earn revenue while I am waiting for the fruit tree to mature?

When wondering how to start an orchard, you may need to consider other sources of revenue for your business. The first 4–8 years, you have to wait before your first profitable harvest can be a challenge. Fortunately, Nate gave us some tips to grow the business while you are waiting for the fruit trees to produce enough fruit. Besides selling apples, strawberries, and pumpkins, he also has a thriving business hosting events like weddings, corporate events, and a fall festival. Events like these can bring in business before the harvest season and be great marketing for your business. Based on the website, it appears that the weddings and corporate events start at around $1,500/day and go up based on the services desired. The fall festival is where they make most of their money though. Nate told us: [su_quote]It accounts for about 80% of our income.[/su_quote] As you can see, there are plenty of ways to grow the business while you are waiting for the fresh fruit to grow.

6. Licensing and Legal Requirements

Now that you've learned about how to start an orchard, let's look at the licensing and legal requirements the business will need to comply with. Like every business, an orchard will need to meet certain requirements including:

• Business Formation
• Getting an EIN from the IRS
• Getting a state/local business license
• Unemployment Insurance
• Workman's Comp

We go into more detail on starting a business in our video: [su_youtube url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJ71lGDtSt4"]

Business Formation

You need to establish the legal structure for your apple orchard. For best results, hire legal representation that has experience starting a business, like an attorney, accountant, or tax specialist. They’ll help you get your business started quickly so you can focus on caring for your trees and other tasks.

Licenses, permits, and tax forms

Each location has different licenses, permits, or tax forms required. Use the SBA License and Permits page to identify what your business needs. Keep reading for information on different legal structures.

Sole proprietorship

A sole proprietorship is the easiest way to start an orchard, but the structure doesn’t protect the owner’s personal assets from legal issues. That means if something goes wrong, you could lose both your orchard and your home. I wouldn't recommend this structure as you have work and materials that can cause injuries to employees or customers. To start a sole proprietorship, fill out a special tax form called a Schedule C. Sole proprietors can also join the American Independent Business Alliance.

Limited Liability Corporation (LLC)

An LLC is the most common business structure used in the United States because the company protects the owner’s personal assets. It’s similar to partnerships and corporations but can be a single-member LLC in most states. An LLC requires a document called an operating agreement. Each state has different requirements. Here’s a link to find your state’s requirements. People may register in specific states due to the cost of doing business. Delaware and Nevada are common states to file an LLC because of their business-friendly laws. Here’s a blog on the top 10 states to get an LLC. This will typically be the best setup when starting a franchise due to the protection of legal assets and the ease of setting up the company.

Partnerships and corporations

Partnerships and corporations are typically for massive organizations or legal firms. Unless there is a specific reason you need a partnership, it is better to do a multi-person LLC. Investopedia has good information about partnerships and corporations here.

Apply for an EIN

Every business operating in the United States needs an employer identification number. It's like a social security number for your business. Apply for it on the IRS website. It's used on tax forms when filing taxes and to tie employees’ pay to the proper employer.

State/Local Business Licenses

Each location has different licenses, permits, or tax forms required. Use the SBA License and Permits page to identify what your business needs. Keep reading for information on different legal structures.

Unemployment Insurance

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has a ton of information on unemployment and also offers links to each state agency that handles state unemployment. You'll have to pay $420 per employee on a federal level plus any state UI.

Workman's Compensation

Workman's compensation is basically insurance against injury or disability. Each state has different requirements. Check your state requirements.

7. Funding Your Orchard

Funding an orchard can be done like any other business. The primary ways of funding are:

• Personal funds
• Loan from family or friends
• Business partner(s) - inc.com has a great blog on considerations about a partnership
• Grants for starting an apple orchard - USDA has a ton of resources for funding
• Business loans- Check out our partners

8. Hiring Employees

There is a ton of work to do on an orchard. Whether it is planting a new crop, fertilizing the land, harvesting, or making pies out of produce, you'll need some employees. You can find employees using different resources:

• Indeed
• Facebook
• Craigslist
• Help Wanted signs
• Pinning notices at local hot spots.

No matter how you look for employees, you'll want to make sure they understand what the job will require. Nate recommends pay for performance. This means paying based on the accomplishment of objectives. For instance, you might want to pay $16.67/1,000 lb picked. This helps tie performance and pay together. The good employees will stay, and the bad won't make enough to want to keep doing it.

9. Marketing

Nate told us: [su_quote]Our best form of marketing is having school field trips come out during the weekday. When the child is there, we give them a great experience, and they go home and tell their family what a great time they had, and more than likely, we will see them on the weekend.[/su_quote] Marketing can be done using a multistep process:

• Identify target market
• Find the best ways to reach them
• Market to them

Identify your target market

An orchard will have different target markets based on where they are and how they intend to sell their fruit. Some of the common target markets for orchards would include:

• Consumers (Nate's target market)
• Grocery stores
• Restaurants
• Distributors
• Other businesses

You can choose to target only one or you may choose to target multiple demographics.

Find the Best Way to Reach your Target Market

Each target market can be reached through different channels. As Nate pointed out, he found school field trips led to high conversion of customers. You can also go to farmers’ markets to sell your fruit. This works for consumers, but what about businesses? Kroger has a ton of information about how to become a supplier. Major corporations will normally have this information readily available if you search "How do I become a supplier for (company name)?" You can also use social media or Google Ads to reach your target market. I strongly suggest hiring a professional to manage them as there are a ton of strategies. Without a marketing background, you might spend a ton of money with little results. Check out Upwork.com to hire marketing specialists. It may be easier to find local businesses to buy your fruit. You can normally talk to the owner of a local restaurant pretty easily. You can let them sample your fresh produce and establish a supplier relationship. Just make sure when working with businesses that you can meet the contracts. The contracts will normally include price, quantity, delivery schedule, and payment terms. Check out this blog on supplier contracts.

Market to Your Target Audience

Regardless of who you market to and how you do it, you have to get the marketing in front of your audience. According to the SBA, you should expect to spend 8-10% of revenue on marketing to grow your business. Make sure to factor this into your costs. You'll want to make sure to have a website and social media so your audience can interact with you. You can get a website from the following companies:

• Wix
• Squarespace
• Weebly
• WordPress

To learn more about building websites, check out our blog about website design. You should also sign up with Google My Business so that people can find information about your orchard directly from Google. Just a heads up—this is an intensive process that takes several weeks due to the code that is physically mailed to you.

Influencers

Running an orchard can be hard work but highly rewarding. Follow these farming  influencers to learn how they succeed:

• Jerod McDaniel
• Will Evans
• Val Wagner
• Julie Robinson

Conclusion

Based on the research, starting an orchard is best for those who have land and some farming experience. If you don’t have experience and the land, it’s going to be a slow path to profitability. While running an orchard can be rewarding, you’ll need to make a living before the plants reach maturity, so don’t quit your day job too quickly. Once it reaches maturity, you’ll be able to make a great living though. We hope you've found the information helpful. Make sure to subscribe to our mailing list to get updated on other great business opportunities.

Growing a podcast means different things to each of us. Are you wanting to learn how to grow a podcast audience, reliable revenue, or another part of your podcasting business?

Below, we’ll share 35 strategies for growing a podcast. We’ll give you tips for navigating every part of the podcasting process. We start with the planning phase then progress through the recording, editing, distribution, and audience-building phases. Finally, we dive into growing and monetizing a podcast.

Once you’re done, you’ll have plenty of ideas for leveling up your podcast.

[su_note note_color="#dbeafc"]
Click on any of the links below to learn more, or just read on.

• What makes a successful podcast?
• How to plan a podcast growth strategy
• Check out the UpFlip Podcast on Apple Podcasts
• How to grow your podcast while recording
• How to build a podcast in editing
• How to build a podcast audience during distribution
• How to market your podcast
• How to grow a podcast fast
• How to grow your podcast listeners
• Keep learning how to grow a podcast[/su_note]

Get ready to learn how to grow your podcast.

What makes a successful podcast?

You’ll want to understand podcasting best practices to increase your podcast’s listenership. To grow your podcast audience, make sure you:

1. Start with an original podcast idea: Podcast creators provide their listeners value by entertaining them, educating them, or both. You’ll need to find a way to do one or both of these to have a chance of growing a podcast.
2. Plan your episodes: Every episode should have a specific purpose. Plan it out and make sure you provide lots of value.
3. Interact with listeners: The more you interact with your listeners, the more personal it feels. Do Q&As and make it easy for people to interact with you in multiple ways.
4. Tell a story: People love a good story. Whether it’s inspirational, sad, or full of murder doesn’t matter. Just look at the top 50 podcasts to see the types of stories people tell.
5. Be consistent: Post at the same time and date each week so your podcast audience knows when to expect your content. Try to keep the format the same across podcast episodes. If you want to try something new, consider starting another series.
6. Get an engaging host: Unlike video, podcasts only have sound, which means you need an enthusiastic host with a pleasant voice.
7. Invite fun guests: Podcast listeners enjoy hearing from more than one person in the podcast. Bring on people who can tell a good story about your subject matter.
8. Invest in podcast recording software: Your podcast quality matters. Invest in recording and editing software to make your podcast more appealing.
9. Use search engine optimization (SEO): Podcast SEO focuses on providing information that will cause your podcast to appear in search engine results.
10. Provide a clear call to action: For your podcast to become successful, you’ll eventually have to monetize your audience. That means you must get comfortable asking them to do what you want—from interacting on social platforms to purchasing product.

Ultimately, there are nine stages you go through when you create a new podcast episode or channel:

1. Planning
2. Recording
3. Editing
4. Distributing
5. Marketing
6. Monitoring
7. Growing
8. Monetizing
9. Optimizing

We’ll look at ways to encourage growth during each of these phases.

How to plan a podcast growth strategy

This section will focus on defining your podcast and preparing it for growth.

#1. Set goals and define metrics to measure your success

First, you want to decide how to define growth and the success of your growth initiatives. Some common podcast growth initiatives include:

1. New listeners: You might measure these by downloads, number of listeners, or listening hours.
2. Data collection: You might measure growth by the number of email addresses you have collected. Every email address you have allows you to increase interactions.
3. Revenue: You might want to focus on revenue growth once you’ve increased your listeners.

#2. Research your podcast audience

You’ll want to learn as much as you can about your target audience.

You can figure out where to find potential listeners by checking how many people are following competitors on different social media platforms.

You can also use analytics tools to establish ideal listener information, including:

• Demographics
• The most common time for your target audience to listen
• Locale

#3.‍ Target your specific audience

Detail who your potential listeners are and are not. Understanding who won’t be interested lets you exclude specific groups from your ads and targeting. It also helps you focus your messaging.

#4. Choose a great podcast name

A podcast needs a great business name. We’ve written plenty on choosing a business name here.

#5. Decide where you want to publish your podcast episodes

You’ll probably want to add the audio file you create for each episode to all the podcast directories and podcast apps to grow your podcast. You’ll want to hit the big ones, like:

• Google Podcasts
• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify
• YouTube
• SoundCloud

The most extensive list includes 41 other podcast websites and directories, too.

#6. Choose your podcast software

There is software to help you grow your business through every step of the podcasting process. It’s your job as a podcast creator to figure out which options meet your plan the best.

Research podcast recording and distribution software before you record, and check back for our blog on the 12 best podcast platforms (coming soon!) when you’re ready to start distributing.

#7. Create a podcast website

You’ll want to create a podcast website for your podcast community. You can host your podcast’s RSS feed on it, as well as show notes, a blog, merch or partner stores, and more. Your website can help you increase the number of ways your podcast appears in search results.

For example, the first 28 results when we search “UpFlip podcast” are all related to our site. That makes it much easier for people to learn more about us, and you can benefit from leveraging similar strategies—from having an interactive homepage to maintaining a blog related to your podcast topic.

Check out the UpFlip Podcast on Apple Podcasts

As one of the top 100 podcasts on entrepreneurship, we are always looking to deliver more value to our listeners. If you love the blogs and our YouTube channel, check out The UpFlip Podcast, too.

How to grow your podcast while recording

Some of the ways to grow a podcast happen while you’re actually recording. There are several key things you can do to provide the best quality recordings.

#8. Be prepared

When unprepared, you are likelier to overuse filler words like “um” and have pauses that will leave your listener wondering what’s going on. You might also find yourself "winging it," which is less than ideal when it comes to establishing authority and subject matter expertise. Create an outline of what you want to discuss before recording a new episode. 

Good news: You can also splice audio in editing, so it’s unnecessary to record the whole episode without stopping.

#9. Invite guests

Inviting a podcast guest onto your show is a great way to keep the show exciting and help the host and guest get exposure to new listeners. You can use platforms like PodcastGuests.com to search for guests by subject matter.

#10. Use separate channels for each person (and sound effects)

Podcast content can be hard to listen to when it’s recorded using low-grade equipment.

You’ll want separate microphones for everyone, a mixing channel for sound effects and music, and another mixer channel if you allow listener interaction while recording. That means you need at least four channels and possibly as many as 12 on your mixer.

#11. Record your call to action or offer

You’ll want to separately record your call to action, promotions, and contests. That way, you can easily share it on social media and input it in a couple of places throughout the podcast.

You might also want to record a couple of variations of your intro.

How to build a podcast in editing

Your podcast audience won’t hear your new episode before editing unless you live stream. That means you have the perfect opportunity to improve the podcast with editing software.

You should consider some of the following options to help grow your podcast during editing.

#12. Pull audio clips to share on social media

Target clips you found impactful and save them as separate files. You can use these as teasers on social media or combine this idea with the next one to help grow your podcast with reels and shorts.

#13. Add a video file

A YouTube channel is a great way to find podcast listeners. While YouTube offers podcast services, a YouTube video will get more views. You can create shorts (under 30 seconds) or long-form video that goes with your podcasts.

Once you have enough followers, you’ll get a share of ad revenue and other monetization features. Learn more about YouTube channels here.

#14. Include time for ad space

Many podcasts include space for advertisers. You can find your own or work with one of the best podcast advertising networks. Either way, you’ll want to pinpoint where you’ll include ads during the editing process so they fit in naturally.

#15. Remove distractions

It’s hard to grow your podcast audience if you have distractions in your podcast. Remove long periods of silence, filler words like “um,” and anything else that doesn’t keep the audience engaged.

#16. Balance channels for optimal levels of sound

If you’ve ever listened to a podcast or TV show where the sound levels jump all over the place, you know it’s super annoying. You should aim to keep the audio at -16 Loudness Units Relative To Full Scale (LUFS) for Apple Podcasts and -14 LUFS for Spotify Podcasts.

Go with these standards and your volume shouldn’t be disturbingly high or low compared to other podcasters.

How to build a podcast audience during distribution

This section is all about how to get your podcast out there. There are a variety of strategies you can use to grow your podcast while you distribute it.

#17. Create a trailer and teaser videos

People love sneak peeks! As a podcast maker, you should use a podcast trailer to grow podcast downloads and listens. Podcastle has a blog about podcasting best practices for trailers.

#18. Share to all podcast distribution channels

Every new episode should be released on as many distribution channels as possible. Depending on your podcast hosting platform and subscription plan, you may have to do this manually or you may opt for automatic distribution.

You absolutely need to be on the following podcast platforms because they make up 76% of U.S. audiences:

• Spotify: 25%
• Apple Podcasts: 20%
• Google Podcasts: 16%
• Pandora: 15%

#19. Share your latest episode on social media

You should have dedicated social media accounts to grow podcast brand awareness. You’ll want to share every episode to your social media channels. In your social media posts, consider using popular growth hashtags to achieve your growth goals.

Pro Tip: If you haven’t used it already, try a tool like best-hashtags.com.

#20. Experiment with overlooked opportunities

Just because most listeners are on the top four platforms doesn’t mean you shouldn't publish future episodes to other publication sites. It might actually be easier to entice listeners on less-used distribution channels.

For instance, did you know you can add your podcast information for distribution through voice assistants like Alexa?

How to market your podcast

#21. Start a Facebook group

Facebook groups are one of the ways other podcasters interact with their loyal listeners. Many small business owners spend 15 to 30 minutes each day in their Facebook groups interacting with their members.

#22. Run a giveaway

Running a giveaway is a phenomenal way to promote podcast episodes and grow your business. People love free stuff, and you can use giveaway hashtags like:

• #giveaways
• #giveaway
• #competition
• #giveawaytime
• #giveawayalert
• #contest
• #win
• #free
• #repost
• #freebies
• #follow

Giveaways are a great way to collect email addresses that can be used in email marketing campaigns.

Pro Tip: Want to learn more about how to get more podcast listeners with giveaways? Check out this blog post.

#23. Create a blog

Written content like podcast transcripts and show notes will help your podcast website rank higher for SEO. With AI transcription services, it’s easier than ever to create written content and answer podcast-related questions across your entire site.

#24. Cross-promote

When you invite guests on your show from other podcasts, both of you will benefit from someone else’s audience. To maximize this free marketing strategy, both people should share the podcast and tag the other person on social media.

This cross-promotion can work with brands and paid ads, too.

#25. Use email marketing

Email marketing is one of the best ways to promote podcasts. You’ll need a marketing workflow that looks similar to this:

1. Collect email addresses with permission.
2. Confirm the receiver wants to receive your emails.
3. Provide valuable email content.
4. Link them back to your podcast.

If you’re wondering how to get podcast listeners to listen more routinely, you can’t go wrong with email marketing.

#26. Attend conferences

Industry conferences are a great way to network with other podcasts and industry professionals. You might get leads for new episode titles or meet a relevant Facebook and Instagram guest to tag during a meet and greet.

#27. Create episode covers

A creative episode cover will attract attention on YouTube channels, an RSS feed, and when people are scrolling through podcasts to find one that interests them.

If you aren’t confident in your own design skills, consider working with a freelance designer who can create great podcast episode covers for you.

How to grow a podcast fast

You have to learn how to advertise a podcast if you want to grow the number of podcast listeners fast. We’ll discuss how to promote your podcast in the following sections.

#28. Buy social media ads

For those wondering how to increase podcast listeners quickly, consider using social media ads to get people to listen to your podcast.

#29. Purchase ad space in podcast apps

A podcast app often allows other podcasts to purchase advertising. Podcast Addict, Castbox, and Spotify Advertising are just some of the ways you can advertise your podcast.

Keep reading for more information about how to grow your podcast.

#30. Monitor podcast listeners

Don’t forget about analytics when considering how to grow a podcast following. Almost every website you’ll use to market your podcast will provide some type of analytics software to use. Some commonly used analytics include:

• Google Analytics: Google Analytics is the industry leader in measuring how to grow your podcast (or any website). It’s not as good at tracking engagement on social media, though.
• Facebook Audience Insights: Meta has so many data points on every person on the planet that they’ve been accused of knowing people better than their spouses. Use Audience Insights to figure out how to market a podcast on social media.
• Podcast Analytics Tools: Almost every podcast platform will provide some form of analytics for an audio medium, but some are better than others. You can also use software like Chartable to measure how ads you sell perform.

The data you collect can show you how to grow a podcast audience by developing better customer profiles. You can use these profiles across social media and other channels to target the listeners most likely to enjoy your podcast trailer and other assets.

How to grow your podcast listeners

If you’ve implemented everything we’ve covered up to this point, you have a good idea of how to start and grow a podcast. There’s still more about how to promote podcast episodes you should try, though.

Consider the following.

#31. Join Facebook groups

Even if you don’t run your own Facebook group, you can still promote your podcast in other groups. Just search for groups that have similar subjects to your podcast. Make sure the rules allow sharing the podcast, and share every time you release a new episode.

#32. Post frequently

Do you create three Facebook posts per day? How about posting 10 to 25 times on Twitter or Pinterest?

You can grow your business more by following social media best practices. Learn more about ideal posting times and frequencies for each channel.

#33. Repurpose content

Different people like different content formats. Some prefer listening to podcasts while others prefer reading blogs. Most people like either long-form or short-form video. Turn clips into short animated videos, or add presentations to podcast audio to make long-form video.

#34. Grow a podcast through monetization

Growing a podcast or any entertainment business requires careful consideration about how to monetize your offering. You’ll want to consider (and potential partners will want to know):

• How many listeners does a podcast have?
• What makes a good podcast ad placement?
• How much can you make from each monetization strategy?

Some monetization options you might consider include:

• Sell memberships
• Include ads and product placements
• Open an eCommerce store

Check out more ways to grow through monetizing below.

#35. Optimize your podcast growth strategy

Regardless of which strategies you use, there will be a learning curve before you approach the top podcasts by listeners. As you learn more, adjust to what your podcast audience wants while maintaining the integrity of the podcast and your vision for your content.

Keep learning how to grow a podcast

For those who wonder how long it takes to grow a podcast, here’s some perspective: UpFlip released its first podcast on November 6, 2021. In the entrepreneurship category on Apple Podcasts, we currently rank:

• #32 in Canada
• #86 in the UK
• #88 in the U.S.

Despite our high rankings, our podcast listeners hear minimal ads and limited product placements when listening to a podcast episode (I listen to them to share info in the blogs).

What strategies have worked best for you as you learn how to grow a podcast?

Most potential business owners actually start their businesses later in life, but for some, the entrepreneurial spirit strikes early. For those young adults who want to earn extra money and be their own boss, we’ve got you covered! We’ll help you find the best business ideas for teens.

We’ve talked to a lot of small business owners who pursued their ideas as teens, and many of them made millions before they ever reached 30! If you want to start your own business, you’ll love hearing about some of the local businesses they’ve started.

[su_note note_color="#dbeafc"]By the end of this article, you’ll have the simple business idea you need to become a successful young entrepreneur—and know the financial investment you’ll have to make to get going. Read about all of our small business ideas for teens, or click any of the links to jump ahead:

• 7 Small Business Ideas for Teens
• 6 Online Business Ideas for Teens
• 5 Small Business Ideas for Teenage Girls
• 7 Teen Business Ideas for Creatives
• 4 Entrepreneur Ideas for Teens
• 3 Marketing Business Ideas for Young Adults
• 6 Cool Business Ideas for Teens
• 5 More Small Business Ideas for Teens Online
• 5 Service-Based Business Ideas for Teenagers
• Business Ideas for Teens Serving Food
• How to Start a Business as a Teenager
• Learn More About Your Business Idea For Teens
• Are You Ready To Start Your Own Business?[/su_note]

Without further ado, here’s the list!

7 Small Business Ideas for Teens

Some of the best teen business ideas we’ve seen are:

1. Pressure Washing
2. Landscaping
3. Cleaning
4. Photography
5. Truck Driving
6. Construction
7. Car Washing

Many of these are local businesses that young entrepreneurs can start in their neighborhood to make some extra money, and they can become a lucrative business as they get older and learn more about how to run a business.

Find out how young entrepreneurs started each of the successful businesses below.

#1. Pressure Washing

• Average Annual Revenue: $64K
• Average Profit Margins: 8.8%
• Startup Costs: $200-$5K
• Time to Revenue: 3+ months
• Annual Market Growth Rate: 0.9%
• Best For: Those who like to work outdoors, those who enjoy working with their hands and using machines and tools

Three of the youngest business owners we have talked to started pressure washing companies. Stephen Rogers talked to us about how he started NW Softwash at 19 years old with just $1,500, and now he’s making $120K per month. Hear from him below.

Check out other interviews with Chase Lille, an 18-year-old who has been pressure washing for over a year, and Alan from Go Detail, who learned to run a business from YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H99wDmpnE_g

#2. Landscaping

• Average Annual Revenue: $272K+
• Average Profit Margins: 8.7%
• Startup Costs: $2K-$10K
• Time to Revenue: 1-3 months
• Annual Market Growth Rate: 8.1%
• Best For: Designers, gardeners, and people who like physical work and working outside

A landscaping or lawn care business designs, builds, and maintains gardens and landscapes. Landscapers usually require a lot of time, patience, and creativity to achieve the perfect garden for their clients. Most companies that do landscaping also do lawn care.

Find out how Mike Andes started his lawn care business as a teenager.

#3. Cleaning

• Average Annual Revenue: $74K+
• Average Profit Margins: 6.7%
• Startup Costs: $1K-$30K
• Time to Revenue: 1-6 months
• Annual Market Growth Rate: 1.2%
• Best For: Self-motivated, independent, and detail-oriented entrepreneurs

One of the easiest ways to make money is cleaning people’s houses. Almost anybody with a job and kids needs help keeping their home clean. Young people can start a small business by using the cleaning products at their parents’ homes and offering their services on social media.

If you are 18 or older, you can also use sites like Bark or Housekeeper.com to find clients.

Check out our interview with Austin from Spruse Clean to learn how he makes $62K a month.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mc2QKJaM9Mc

#4. Photography

• Average Annual Revenue: $50K
• Average Profit Margins: 7.3%
• Startup Costs: $1K-$10K
• Time to Revenue: 1-6 months
• Annual Market Growth Rate: 0.3%
• Best For: Visual artists and photographers, outgoing and social entrepreneurs

Photography is another field that offers business opportunities for teens. As a photographer, you’ll be taking pictures of people or products. The two types of photography that tend to have the highest booking fees are product photography and wedding photography.

To learn strategies that can turn a photography company into a multi-million-dollar revenue generator, check out our interview with Korbin and Whitney Korzan below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUcv1HAAbns

#5. Truck Driving

• Average Annual Revenue: $449K+
• Average Profit Margins: 5.5%
• Startup Costs: $1K-$100K
• Time to Revenue: 3+ months
• Annual Market Growth Rate: 0.9%
• Best For: Logistics experts, travelers and drivers, and vehicle repair and maintenance pros

Companies across the country are struggling with supply chain issues. One of the challenges is the lack of truck drivers and the fact that most of them don’t actually put in all the driving hours they are allowed.

Out-hustle the old guard and put in the full 12 hours a day to make a great living, like Mikael Sant. Hear how he does it below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8TnsjDRXUE

To hear even more tips from Mikael, check out our podcast.

#6. Construction

• Average Annual Revenue: $696K+
• Average Profit Margins: 3.4%
• Startup Costs: $1K-$100K
• Time to Revenue: 1-6 months
• Annual Market Growth Rate: -1.3%
• Best For: Contractors, builders, and makers, people with strong math skills who like physical work

Like working with your hands? Avanni Petras started Petras Homes and is making over $125,000 after working for a concrete company for six years in his teens. Find out how below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PpDwut_2Lw

Pro Tip: You can also read our blog on How to Start an $80M/Year Construction Company.

#7. Car Washing

• Average Annual Revenue: $73K+
• Average Profit Margins: 16.1%
• Startup Costs: $500-$5K
• Time to Revenue: 3+ months
• Annual Market Growth Rate: 1.0%
• Best For: Car enthusiasts, detail-oriented entrepreneurs, and those who enjoy working with their hands

There are many ways to make money as a teenager, and one of those ways is by starting a car washing business.

The idea of starting up a carwash is not only an easy way to make money, but it is also an interesting and enjoyable pastime.

It can be done either with or without machines. With low startup costs, you can start small and then grow the business to include mobile car washes and maybe even become a car wash chain.

6 Online Business Ideas for Teens

Check out these entrepreneur ideas for teens if you want to make extra money with an online business:

1. Podcasting
2. Online Tutoring
3. Blogging
4. Web Design
5. Tech Consulting
6. Graphic Design Business

#8. Podcasting

• Average Annual Revenue: $4M+
• Average Profit Margins: 27.1%
• Startup Costs: $500-$5K
• Time to Revenue: 1-3 months
• Annual Market Growth Rate: 6.4%
• Best For: Influencers and thought leaders; people with valuable expertise and online marketing/social media skills

Podcasts are an interesting online business where you can discuss things that interest you and broadcast it to the masses. At the very least, you’ll need recording software (I prefer OBS) and microphones.

Podcasts generate revenue through a variety of methods. To learn more, read this blog on some of the ways to monetize your podcast.

#9. Tutoring

• Average Annual Revenue: $18K+
• Average Profit Margins: 13.10%
• Startup Costs: $100-$1K
• Time to Revenue: 1-3 months
• Annual Market Growth Rate: 8.5%
• Best For: Educators and compassionate, empathetic, people who can explain complex concepts in simple terms

Tutors can make great money helping students who are struggling. Most tutors will charge $25 per hour, but some may be able to get rates up to $80 per hour.

You can find clients at your school, or offer services on sites like Tutors.com once you turn 18. What better way to start a business than to help others succeed?

#10. Blogging

• Average Annual Revenue: $46K
• Average Profit Margins: 14.6%
• Startup Costs: $100-$200
• Time to Revenue: 1 month to 3 Years
• Annual Market Growth Rate: -1.50%
• Best For: Teens with writing, graphic design, and other content creation skills, strong marketers

Anyone can blog. You just have to find something you enjoy writing about. This is one of the best business ideas for teens because you can start blogging on sites like Medium for free.

How do you make money blogging, though?

There are a few ways:

• Freelancing through Upwork and other sites
• Using affiliate links and earning commissions based on referrals
• Earning crypto by blogging on Publish0x
• Allowing Google to sell ads on your site

#11. Web Design

• Average Annual Revenue: $239K+
• Average Profit Margins: 5.3%
• Startup Costs: $100-$1K
• Time to Revenue: 1-3 months
• Annual Market Growth Rate: 1.4%
• Best For: Programmers with knowledge of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, visual artists and designers, detail-oriented entrepreneurs with strong time and project management skills

Using web and graphic design software can be a fun way for teens to make money. Develop the skills for one of the fastest-growing careers in the U.S.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics expects the need for web design to grow by 13% by 2031, and average wages are over $77K. Wages are typically less than one third of a business’s revenue, so that means a business could make over $225K per designer.

As a web designer, you might create the next cool website or app. Could you imagine if everyone in the world was using a website you created? You’d make millions of people happy with your small business idea.

#12. Tech Consulting

• Average Annual Revenue: $1.4K
• Average Profit Margins: 6.4%
• Startup Costs: $100K-$3.5M
• Time to Revenue: 6-18 months
• Annual Market Growth Rate: 2.2%
• Best For: Entrepreneurs with management or business expertise, people with strong analysis, problem-solving, and communication skills

Tech consulting can be an easy business for teens to start. Tech-savvy consultants can earn money through affiliate marketing and by advising people on the best way to achieve their desired results.

My brother started getting Apple certifications in his teens, and by the time he reached his 30s, he was one of the most highly certified Apple network admins around and had helped companies like Electronic Arts and Intel integrate Macs with Microsoft computers.

Check out this list of the top 100 software companies and find one you are interested in. Businesses are definitely looking for help with implementing software more efficiently and effectively.

#13. Graphic Design

• Average Annual Revenue: $123K+
• Average Profit Margins: 13.5%
• Startup Costs: $500-$5K
• Time to Revenue: 3+ months
• Annual Market Growth Rate: 2%
• Best For: Visual artists, entrepreneurs with creative skills

Graphic design is another easy business to start as a teenager. Graphic design is focused on creating artwork and product information for businesses, including:

• Logos
• Website imagery
• Product packaging
• Marketing materials

To find out more about different types of graphic design businesses, check out the blog post 8 Types of Graphic Design You Need to Know.

5 Small Business Ideas for Teenage Girls

The following small business ideas for teenage girls can also be done by guys, too, but many homeowners prefer letting girls help in their homes. Find business ideas below:

1. Babysitting
2. Pet Sitting
3. Pet Photography
4. Pet Grooming Services
5. Dog Walking

#14. Babysitting

• Average Annual Revenue: $143K+
• Average Profit Margins: 0.9%
• Startup Costs: $0-$1K
• Time to Revenue: 1-3 months
• Annual Market Growth Rate: 51.7%
• Best For: Those who enjoy childcare and like children

Every family with kids will need a babysitter occasionally. Start a business babysitting and make money watching the kids.

Ask your parents to tell their friends, print up some business cards and leave them at places you frequent, and check on social media for people looking for help. Finding clients shouldn’t be too hard. Almost everyone I know has babysat at some point in their life.

You could even go a step further and start full-time child care services, like Kristy Bickmeyer, who started Twinkle Toes Nanny Agency. Learn more about Kristy here.

#15. Pet Sitting

• Average Annual Revenue: $34K+
• Average Profit Margins: 16%
• Startup Costs: $500-$5K
• Time to Revenue: 3+ months
• Annual Market Growth Rate: 1.7%
• Best For: Pet owners, animal lovers, and those who like working outdoors

In the pet sitting industry, people are required to care for animals in someone else’s home or property. Pet sitters should have experience with animals and a passion for caring for them. They should also be responsible and trustworthy.

In order to get started, you should start by signing up to be a pet sitter on websites such as Wag or Rover.

These websites will then help connect you with people looking for a pet sitter in your area.

It’s not just a matter of hanging out with cats and dogs while their owners themselves are away. Pet sitting requires proper knowledge about animal behavior, nutrition, exercise, and basic first aid skills.

This is not an easy job, but it can provide numerous business opportunities for teens who want to make some cash while enjoying the company of furry friends.

Check out our blog about a pet sitter to learn more.

#16. Pet Photography

• Average Annual Revenue: $50K
• Average Profit Margins: 7.3%
• Startup Costs: $1K-$10K
• Time to Revenue: 1-6 months
• Annual Market Growth Rate: 0.3%
• Best For: Visual artists and photographers who love animals or own pets themselves

If you love animals and photography or just have a lot of time to spare, then you could consider starting your own pet photography business.

There are plenty of online courses that can help you learn the skills needed to start this type of business. You can also use your creativity to come up with different ways to make money with your photography skills.

#17. Pet Grooming

• Average Annual Revenue: $72K+
• Average Profit Margins: 11.5%
• Startup Costs: $1K-$100K
• Time to Revenue: 6-18 months
• Annual Market Growth Rate: 1.1%
• Best For: Pet lovers and experts, salon and grooming professionals, empathetic and detail-oriented entrepreneurs with strong customer service skills

Starting a pet grooming business can be a great way to make money for teenagers or young adults.

The best way to start this business is by getting certification through the National Dog Groomers Association of America and asking prospective clients about their desired groom style.

It’s also worth considering what type of services the potential clients will need—whether that’s basic bathing and clipping or something more elaborate, like shampooing, hair trimming, nail clipping, or ear cleaning.

#18. Dog Walking

• Average Annual Revenue: $34K+
• Average Profit Margins: 16%
• Startup Costs: $500-$5K
• Time to Revenue: 3+ months
• Annual Market Growth Rate: 1.7%
• Best For: Pet owners, animal lovers, and those who like working outdoors

A dog walking business requires picking up after the dog and getting an animal from place to place. That means dog walkers may need a vehicle or access to public transportation.

To become a successful dog walker, one should be patient, dependable, and comfortable working with other people’s dogs. They should also be able to work flexible hours.

7 Teen Business Ideas for Creatives

If you want some business ideas for creatives, consider these ideas:

1. Holiday Decorating
2. Proofreading
3. Greeting Card Writing
4. Event Photography
5. Art Instruction
6. Music Teaching
7. Jewelry Making

#19. Holiday Decorating

• Average Annual Revenue: $168K+
• Average Profit Margins: 10.6%
• Startup Costs: $1K-$100K
• Time to Revenue: 1-3 months
• Annual Market Growth Rate: 1.2%
• Best For: Those who like to organize, clean, and declutter, those who like to socialize and help people

Offering an attractive and memorable holiday decorating business can be a great way to earn some extra cash during the holidays.

The major holidays that people or businesses tend to have decorative festivities for in the U.S. are:

• Valentine’s Day
• Easter
• St. Patrick’s Day
• Cinco de Mayo
• 4th of July
• Halloween
• Thanksgiving
• Christmas
• New Year’s

Check out our interview with Martin Skarra, who runs a window cleaning business and hangs Christmas lights during the winter.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=026-JhWv520

This is a unique option on the list of business ideas for teens because it is creative and lets them focus on their studies and other activities while they are still in school.

#20. Proofreading

• Average Annual Revenue: $25K+
• Average Profit Margins: 9%
• Startup Costs: $100-$1K
• Time to Revenue: 1-3 months
• Annual Market Growth Rate: 1.9%
• Best For: Grammar and writing experts, people with a sharp eye for detail

Another good business for teens is offering proofreading services. There are plenty of students who need help with their grammar and punctuation.

One upside is that your clients will be convenient to you. You’ll find them among the student body of your high school or college.

Students might not have the most money, but your social network will grow as students become professionals and need other quality control jobs performed.

#21. Greeting Card Writing

• Average Annual Revenue: $712K
• Average Profit Margins: 14.6%
• Startup Costs: $100-$200
• Time to Revenue: 1 month to 3 Years
• Annual Market Growth Rate: -1.5%
• Best For: Creative entrepreneurs with strong communication skills

Another passion that creative teens can turn into a small business is greeting card writing.

Teens can sell their own greeting cards through sites like Shopify using the print-on-demand company Card Isle. Alternatively, they can try freelancing for Hallmark.

#22. Event Photography

• Average Annual Revenue: $50K
• Average Profit Margins: 7.3%
• Startup Costs: $1K-$10K
• Time to Revenue: 1-6 months
• Annual Market Growth Rate: 0.3%
• Best For: Visual artists and photographers, outgoing and social entrepreneurs

Photography is a growing industry, and both seasoned and young photographers can offer event photography services. The main responsibility of the event photographer is to capture the essence of the event they’re commissioned to photograph.

The demand for event photography has increased over the last few years because of its many use cases. Check out our interview with a wedding photographer who makes $2 million per year.

#23. Art Instruction

• Average Annual Revenue: $18K+
• Average Profit Margins: 13.10%
• Startup Costs: $100-$1K
• Time to Revenue: 1-3 months
• Annual Market Growth Rate: 8.5%
• Best For: Educators and tutors with creative skill and imagination

Another fun, creative career is providing art lessons. If you want to provide art lessons and earn some good money, you should know the following:

• You will need a set of materials and tools to use in your lessons.
• You will need your own studio or space to teach from.
• You may need to create a website or social media page where people can learn about the class.
• You may even want to register as a business with the local government.

As your business grows, you can start doing more lessons and offer group sessions.

Once you reach the age to legally serve alcohol, you can even do wine and arts nightlife events. Every event like this I’ve ever been to has been a blast. It’s definitely a fun business to be in.

#24. Music Teaching

• Average Annual Revenue: $18K+
• Average Profit Margins: 13.10%
• Startup Costs: $100-$1K
• Time to Revenue: 1-3 months
• Annual Market Growth Rate: 8.5%
• Best For: People with a keen ear for sound and music

What better way to start a new business than with something you enjoy?

A music teacher can provide music lessons to both children and adults. Most of these music lessons are done in person, but they can also be done via video chat.

If you want to start it as an online business, many talented musicians provide Masterclasses or create YouTube tutorials.

Check out our interview with Jacques Hopkins to learn how he earns $480K a year teaching piano lessons with his course:

#25. Jewelry Making

• Average Annual Revenue: $114K+
• Average Profit Margins: 10.3%
• Startup Costs: $500-$250K
• Time to Revenue: 3+ months
• Annual Market Growth Rate: 2.0%
• Best For: Fashionistas, designers, and artists with strong sales and marketing skills

If you like arts and crafts, many small business owners find success making their own jewelry.

This consists of buying raw materials and turning them into a piece of jewelry. Then you can sell them in online stores or at craft fairs. The business events platform 10times has a list of almost 25,000 events in the U.S. where you can sell your goods.

4 Entrepreneur Ideas for Teens

These businesses aren’t especially difficult but will teach you skills that are valuable to almost every business. Consider:

1. Errand Running
2. Delivery
3. Packing Business
4. Recycling Business

#26. Errand Running

• Average Annual Revenue: $131K
• Average Profit Margins: 3.6%
• Startup Costs: $100-$9.5K
• Time to Revenue: 3+ months
• Annual Market Growth Rate: 6.7%
• Best For: Drivers, those who like to socialize

An errand running service enables teens to work as a personal shopper and a courier at the same time. This is a great business to combine with driving Uber or Lyft.

The job is simple: You’ll go to a grocery store and buy all the items that correspond with the list of items a customer has sent. Then you’ll deliver the goods.

The customers can pay for these services through PayPal, Venmo, or your own payment processor.

#27. Delivery

• Average Annual Revenue: $131K
• Average Profit Margins: 3.6%
• Startup Costs: $100-$9.5K
• Time to Revenue: 3+ months
• Annual Market Growth Rate: 6.7%
• Best For: Drivers, those who like to socialize

The food delivery industry is a booming market, with companies like Uber Eats and Grubhub making it easier for people to get their favorite food delivered to their doorstep.

Food delivery services are perfect for teens who want to make some money on the side. As a teen, you can start your own courier service where you pick up orders from restaurants and deliver them locally.

Learn more about starting a delivery service below:

#28. Packing

• Average Annual Revenue: $168K+
• Average Profit Margins: 10.6%
• Startup Costs: $1K-$100K
• Time to Revenue: 1-3 months
• Annual Market Growth Rate: 1.2%
• Best For: Those who like to organize, clean, and declutter, and those who like to socialize and help people

A packing business is the perfect business idea for teens looking to get started in the world of entrepreneurship. They can start this enterprise on a small scale and eventually expand it into a larger-scale company.

Some of the benefits teens get from starting this kind of business include:

• Working from home, making it an easy venture for all family members to contribute to
• Providing job opportunities to other family members who might not be able to work anymore but still want some income
• A limited capital requirement to start because they are labor-intensive rather than capital-intensive

#29. Recycling

• Average Annual Revenue: $52M+
• Average Profit Margins: $52M+
• Startup Costs: $500-$3.5M
• Time to Revenue: 6-18 months
• Annual Market Growth Rate: 1.9%
• Best For: Materials and construction experts, businesspeople who like physical work

Recycling is one of the most important things that we can do for our planet. It’s also one of the easiest things to get into.

There are plenty of ways to make money with recycling, but it may be best to start with a simple idea like running a recycling dropoff business.

What you’ll need:

• A space for storing and sorting recyclables
• A website or Facebook page to advertise your service
• Recycling bins for customers to use when dropping off materials at your business
• Deals with recycling centers to send the recycled goods to be processed

Two areas that are often overlooked when recycling are electronics boards and construction materials. Both can make hefty returns if you start a business in an area that doesn’t offer disposal of these things.

3 Marketing Business Ideas for Young Adults

Think you might enjoy marketing? Consider a business idea from this list:

1. Sports Promotion
2. Social Media Marketing
3. Social Media Influencer

#30. Sports Promotion

• Average Annual Revenue: $60K-$160K
• Average Profit Margins: 8%
• Startup Costs: $500-$2K
• Time to Revenue: 1-3 months
• Annual Market Growth Rate: 10.5%
• Best For: Bloggers, influencers, and digital marketing and social media experts

The internet is a vast space, and there are business ideas for teens in most niches. Starting a business in sports promotion is a great idea for a teenager who loves sports and has the time to dedicate to it. You’ll be marketing sports or athletes.

This article can teach you more about the field.

The most important thing about starting a business in sports promotion is being aware of the different obstacles that come with this type of business.

For example, you have to know how to promote yourself on social networking sites, have connections with people in the sports industry, and be assertive when interacting with consumers.

#31. Social Media Marketing

• Average Annual Revenue: $817K
• Average Profit Margins: 6.9%
• Startup Costs: $100-$10K
• Time to Revenue: 1-6 months
• Annual Market Growth Rate: 1.3%
• Best For: Social media experts, writers and content creators, people with search engine optimization (SEO) expertise

Social media is a powerful marketing channel that every business should take advantage of. It’s the easiest way to get in contact with your target audience, build your brand, increase sales, and attract new customers.

A social media business posts content regularly to help engage with followers. It doesn’t have to be big content, either! Open questions, polls, and Q&As are great ways to engage consumers.

Helping out a business with their social media management is a natural fit for teens who are already familiar with the ins and outs of social media platforms. Your customer list could include any small or large business that simply doesn’t have the time or bandwidth to manage its own accounts.

#32. Social Media Influencer

• Average Annual Revenue: $817K
• Average Profit Margins: 6.9%
• Startup Costs: $100-$10K
• Time to Revenue: 1-6 months
• Annual Market Growth Rate: 1.3%
• Best For: Social media experts, writers and content creators, and people with SEO expertise

When it comes to marketing, social media influencers are the new celebrities. They can reach millions of people with just one TikTok or tweet. Once you become one, businesses will hire you to promote their selling digital products online.

Influencers on social media are not just people who have a ton of followers. They are usually people who have something valuable to offer on their channels, whether it be their creativity or their expertise in a topic.

Start sharing more about the things you love, post regularly, and build your following.

6 Cool Business Ideas for Teens

Consider some of these businesses.

1. Cake Making
2. Magazine (e-Zine) Publishing
3. Craft Fair Vending
4. Window Washing
5. Art Sales
6. Soap Making Business

#33. Cake Making

• Average Annual Revenue: $1.52M
• Average Profit Margins: 5.4%
• Startup Costs: $100-$3M
• Time to Revenue: 1-6 months
• Annual Market Growth Rate: 1.1%
• Best For: Food lovers and creative entrepreneurs with strong customer service skills

One of the most fun businesses for teens to get into is cake making—or any other food-related business.

If you enjoy cooking, baking, and decorating cakes, then it might be a good idea for you to start your own cake-making business in your free time.

You can sell them to your friends and family members, or in some cases, you can even open up a shop in the local area.

Another option is to create an online bakery where people can order cakes through the website and have them delivered on-demand with additional customization options depending on what they order (flavor, toppings, etc.).

Check out this video about how this bakery owner started his bakery.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2_xwBgyFFU&ab_channel=UpFlip

#34. Magazine (e-Zine) Publishing

• Average Annual Revenue: $712K
• Average Profit Margins: 14.6%
• Startup Costs: $100-$200
• Time to Revenue: 1 month to 3 Years
• Annual Market Growth Rate: -1.5%
• Best For: Creative entrepreneurs with strong communication skills

Starting your own magazine can be a difficult endeavor. But with the right knowledge, you can help ensure the success of your project.

The first thing to know about publishing a teen-oriented magazine is that it has to be relevant and tailored toward teens in order to make it interesting for them. Good thing you are one.

Don’t make the mistake of having old people tell you what to write about, ‘cause we have no clue! There are plenty of great examples out there of successful teen magazines that have been created by teens themselves.

#35. Craft Fair Vending

• Average Annual Revenue: $114K+
• Average Profit Margins: 10.3%
• Startup Costs: $500-$250K
• Time to Revenue: 3+ months
• Annual Market Growth Rate: 2.0%
• Best For: Fashionistas, designers, and artists with strong sales and marketing skills

One of the more common entrepreneurship ideas for teenagers is selling at local craft fairs. That makes sense, since good business ideas for teens are low-cost and can be done mostly from home.

A craft fair vendor is a great opportunity because you can sell your arts and crafts projects or simply purchase goods for reselling.

#36. Window Washing

• Average Annual Revenue: $64K
• Average Profit Margins: 8.8%
• Startup Costs: $200-$5K
• Time to Revenue: 3+ months
• Annual Market Growth Rate: 0.9%
• Best For: Those who like to work outdoors, those who enjoy working with their hands, machines, tools

If you’re wondering how to start a business as a teenager with no money, consider a window-washing business.

The world loves to be able to see through their windows, and a teen can start this business with a roll of paper towels and the window cleaner they can find for free in their cleaning closet.

When you run out of paper towels and free window cleaner, you can easily buy more after the first job.

If you really want to get creative, use a squeegee and develop your own cleaning products that you can sell to your clients.

As a teen, this is great because it combines low costs with lots of opportunities to increase your skill set.

Check out our interview with Martin Skarra, who bought a window cleaning business:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=026-JhWv520&ab_channel=UpFlip

#37. Art Sales

• Average Annual Revenue: $68K+
• Average Profit Margins: 6.8%
• Startup Costs: $1K-$100K
• Time to Revenue: 3+ months
• Annual Market Growth Rate: 0.5%
• Best For: Salespeople, those with marketing skills, and those who like to travel and socialize

There are a ton of ways to sell art.

Here are some tips for success while selling art:

• Decide what kind of art to sell: original, commissioned, or prints.
• Find a niche for your art. Digital art? Watercolor paintings? Photographs?
• Create a website or blog where you display your work and provide contact information for potential buyers.
• Showcase your work at galleries, small art festivals, and local events. Keep in mind that the goal is to have people see your work and want to buy it.
• Consider using social media sites like Facebook and Instagram as marketing platforms.

#38. Soap Making

• Average Annual Revenue: $1.4M+
• Average Profit Margins: 5.7%
• Startup Costs: $500-$250K
• Time to Revenue: 3+ months
• Annual Market Growth Rate: 1.2%
• Best For: Makeup artists, beauty influencers, cosmetic chemists, and hair and skin care experts

Everybody has to clean themselves. Creating different fragrances of soap can be a fun way to make money. In fact, the U.S. spends nearly $43 billion per year on soap. Get a piece of your local market, then go national.

5 More Small Business Ideas for Teens Online

Didn’t get enough ideas above for businesses you can run online? Consider some of these:

1. Online Reseller
2. Data Entry
3. Tech Support
4. Transcription
5. Retail Arbitrage Business

#39. Online Reselling

• Average Annual Revenue: $60K-$120K
• Average Profit Margins: 5-15%
• Startup Costs: $100-$10K
• Time to Revenue: 30-90 days
• Annual Market Growth Rate: -9.3%
• Best For: Thrifters, collectors, hobbyists, and craftsmen

Starting an online reseller business is a good idea for teens who want to earn some money and explore their entrepreneurial spirit.

It can be as simple as buying clothes, collectibles, or any other item from local stores and reselling them on your own website or on eBay.

Check out our interview with Mike Wilson, who makes $1K to $30K+ per month selling on eBay:

#40. Data Entry

• Average Annual Revenue: $35K-$50K
• Average Profit Margins: 10.5%
• Startup Costs: $100-$200
• Time to Revenue: 1-3 months
• Annual Market Growth Rate: 1.9%
• Best For: Detail-oriented people and those with administrative, clerical, or similar experience

Companies need a ton of data entry. You could start a small business helping other small business owners enter their data.

This is a job that can be done from home with remote access, or you can go to local companies and do the work on site.

As long as you can type, data entry should definitely be on the list of teenage business ideas.

#41. Tech Support

• Average Annual Revenue: $35K-$50K
• Average Profit Margins: 10.5%
• Startup Costs: $100-$200
• Time to Revenue: 1-3 months
• Annual Market Growth Rate: 1.9%
• Best For: Outgoing and social entrepreneurs, those with strong scheduling, time management, problem solving, and technical skills

If you have a knack for technology, have a positive attitude, and are great with people, then you should consider starting a tech support business.

You might not realize that there’s a huge demand for tech support. In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statistics found that there were currently 110,000 jobs in this field.

#42. Transcription

• Average Annual Revenue: $25K
• Average Profit Margins: 20.50%
• Startup Cost: $500-$5K
• Time to Revenue: 1-3 months
• Annual Market Growth Rate: 4.4%
• Best For: Fast typers who are excellent listeners and have strong time management skills

Transcribing is documenting what is said during a meeting. Plenty of businesses need this service, and NYtimes Wirecutter found that humans are still better than AI at transcribing.

You can combine both human and AI tools in your business to help you serve multiple clients at once.

Transcription may be a slowing field due to technological advances, but if you know how to leverage the technology, it can be a great business for teenagers.

#43. Retail Arbitrage

• Average Annual Revenue: $60K-$120K
• Average Profit Margins: 5-15%
• Startup Costs: $100-$10K
• Time to Revenue: 30-90 days
• Annual Market Growth Rate: -9.3%
• Best For: Shoppers, collectors, and thrifters

Finding products that are being sold for less than market value, buying them, and making a profit is a great way to make some extra money. You’d be surprised how easy it is.

We interviewed a former delivery driver who makes $35K doing this and selling on eBay.

5 Service-Based Business Ideas for Teenagers

Maybe you like helping people accomplish tasks they need to complete. Then these businesses might be right for you.

1. Laundry Services
2. College Prep
3. Leaf Removal
4. Tech Tutoring for the Elderly
5. Makeup Artistry

#44. Laundry Services

• Average Annual Revenue: $311K+
• Average Profit Margins: 22.1%
• Startup Costs: $100K-$3.5M
• Time to Revenue: 6-18 months
• Annual Market Growth Rate: -0.1%
• Best For: Customer service pros with high attention to detail

Running a laundry service is a great way to make money, and it can be very profitable. A ton of people are too busy to do their laundry and would be happy to have someone come to their home and do it for them.

As your business grows, you can get a location where customers can just drop off the clothes on the way to work and pick them up on the way home.

You’ll need more than one washer and dryer to have a location with drop-offs to serve the client, though. You will most likely have to buy or rent them from a company that provides laundry equipment for entrepreneurs.

You will also need to get the supplies, such as detergent, fabric softener, bleach, and other things needed for washing clothes. After you have purchased the necessary supplies, start marketing to more people in the area.

Check out our interview with Ferndale Laundry to find out how lucrative a laundromat can be.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVCJ-_VpGrY

#45. College Prep

• Average Annual Revenue: $234K+
• Average Profit Margins: 5.8%
• Startup Costs: $100-$1K
• Time to Revenue: 1-3 months
• Annual Market Growth Rate: 1.1%
• Best For: Teachers and people with in-demand or niche skills and knowledge

College is becoming more expensive every year, so it is no surprise that many teenagers are looking for entrepreneurial opportunities to make extra cash. And some of the most popular businesses for teens are college prep courses.

These types of courses help high school students prepare for college, whether they want to attend a four-year university or go into trade school.

College prep courses can be a profitable business, but they also require a lot of time and effort on the part of the teen business owner.

#46. Leaf Removal

• Average Annual Revenue: $272K+
• Average Profit Margins: 8.7%
• Startup Costs: $2K-$10K
• Time to Revenue: 1-3 months
• Annual Market Growth Rate: 8.1%
• Best For: Designers, gardeners, and people who like physical work and working outside

A leaf removal service is a small business that offers to remove leaves from a client’s property during fall or year round.

For example, if you live in a city and have a lot of trees around your house that shed leaves all year round, you can see success in cleaning up the leaves every week or two.

#47. Tech Tutoring for the Elderly

• Average Annual Revenue: $18K+
• Average Profit Margins: 13.10%
• Startup Costs: $100-$1K
• Time to Revenue: 1-3 months
• Annual Market Growth Rate: 8.5%
• Best For: Educators and people who are compassionate, empathetic, and can explain complex concepts in simple terms

Technology is the future, and yet it can be overwhelming for the elderly.

One way to make technology more accessible to the elderly is to provide tech tutorials for people who are not familiar with technology.

#48. Makeup Artistry

• Average Annual Revenue: $18K+
• Average Profit Margins: 13.10%
• Startup Costs: $100-$1K
• Time to Revenue: 1-3 months
• Annual Market Growth Rate: 8.5%
• Best For: Makeup enthusiasts, artists interested in beauty

Another great business idea is starting a makeup artist business. Anyone can start their own business doing makeup, but some states may have licensing requirements that require an apprenticeship or school.

You can book clients online, teach them how to apply their own makeup, apply people’s makeup in person, and also be an online fashion reseller for your favorite products. You can be a valuable resource to people wanting to beautify themselves.

Business Ideas for Teens Serving Food

If you want to work with food but don’t want to work as a server or in fast food, consider running an…

#49. Ice Cream Cart

• Average Annual Revenue: $279K+
• Average Profit Margins: 3.7%
• Startup Costs: $100K-$3.5M
• Time to Revenue: 6-18 months
• Annual Market Growth Rate: 0.7%
• Best For: Friendly, creative, fun-loving, and detail-oriented entrepreneurs focused on customer service

An ice cream cart is another great small business idea for teens.

If you live near a park, just get an ice cream cart and some of your favorite treats that you can get at low cost from the grocery store, then sell them individually for 3x as much as you paid.

Make sure you have a little radio with the ice cream man music playing, and your job’s done.

All the kids will rush your ice cream, and you’ll be ready for your next journey to the grocery store. If you want to hire your friends to work jobs at other parks, the growth can compound quickly!

How to Start a Business as a Teenager

Many business ideas follow the same basic seven-step process. When you want to start a teenage business idea, follow these steps:

1. Choose a good business idea.
2. Write a business plan.
3. Choose your business structure.
4. Get everything to start your business.
5. Follow industry best practices, regulations, and tax laws.
6. Run your business.
7. Keep learning and improving.

If you are a teen under 18, you may need your parents to help you start the business legally.

If so, make sure that you trust the adult who signs the contracts to be honest and fair. Greedy parents have ruined lives. Don’t let people steal the gains you make as a teen entrepreneur.

Use your resources. Adults love seeing teens develop their skill sets and are happy to give input on their areas of expertise.

The whole world is going to social media marketing. No matter what business you are in, start developing your status as a social media influencer. It will make the process easier in any industry.

Always encourage people to help you get more business through word of mouth.

Learn More About Your Business Idea For Teens

Check out some of our most-viewed videos and blogs to understand different aspects of starting a business:

• How to start a cleaning business
• Most profitable businesses

Are You Ready To Start Your Own Business?

If you have started a business as a teen, we’d love to hear from you about how you started your business.

If you decide to start one after reading our blog or watching our videos, we definitely want to keep track of how you’re doing. Let us know so we can follow your journey.