Business Leaders: How can you help your kid find their entrepreneurial confidence.
We all know that one person in our teenage years who seemed to have it all figured out. They were the ones with the amazing ideas and an abundance of confidence. But why is this the exception and not the norm? In today’s society and the emergence of a new, more independent economy, how do we as parents encourage teens to develop their entrepreneurial dreams?
For starters, the teenage years are filled with self-doubt and insecurity. It’s hard enough to feel like you belong in your own skin, let alone develop the confidence to start a business. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
If you think your teen has an entrepreneurial spirit, there are ways to encourage them to find the confidence to make business dreams a reality. Here are a few tips:
1. Help them find a mentor
For parents who have not started businesses themselves, one of the best ways to help a teen gain confidence is to help them find someone who’s already been where they want to go. A mentor can give them the guidance and support they need to get a business off the ground. Look for someone in your own network here on LinkedIn who has started their own business. Business owners are often willing to be a guide and support a young entrepreneurs dreams.
2. Encourage them to do the research
Another way to gain confidence is to arm them with knowledge and information. Help them identify books, articles, and blogs about entrepreneurship. Podcasts like How I Built This and Financial Feminist are great sources of information and inspiration for young entrepreneurs. Suggest they search entrepreneurship on TikTok, Snap and other social media platforms where they will find influencers who have started businesses and willing to share what they’ve learned.
3. Start small
If the thought of starting a business from scratch is overwhelming, encourage them to start small. There’s no need to go all in right away. They can test the waters by starting a side hustle in their neighborhood, like walking dogs or babysitting. Once they see some success, they’ll be more confident in taking the next steps.
4. Fail forward
Most successful entrepreneurs have failed at one point or another. And that’s okay! Failure is part of the journey. The important thing is to learn from mistakes and keep moving forward. If your teen is open to learning and growing, they’ll eventually find success.
5. Encourage them to believe in themselves
This may sound cliché, but it’s true: the biggest barrier to success is often our own self-doubt. If your teen has the entrepreneurial spirit, don’t let self-doubt hold them back.
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