Thinking about starting a business is exciting but can be a little scary, too. It’s a huge step to decide to start this journey, but we have to figure out the “what” and “how” of your new business.
What kind of business are you going to start?
And how are you going to start it?
Finding experts to learn from is the best way to get this new business off the ground, define the vision, bring in sales, and avoid making common mistakes that could lead to headaches later on.
Let’s discuss some entrepreneurship books geared towards teens and young entrepreneurs written by business owners who have been wildly successful in starting their dream businesses! Be sure to check out our library of articles on teen entrepreneurship too.
Teen Entrepreneur Toolbox: The Small Business Guide for Teens by Anthony O’Neal
Skills Learned from this Guide
- Behind the scenes look at what being an entrepreneur is all about
- Finding a business idea that is fun AND profitable
- Creating a marketing plan that gets results
- Strategies for learning customer service basics
- How to make good financial decisions with money earned from the business
Intended Age Group
Young Adult/Teen
About Teen Entrepreneur Toolbox
A step-by-step guide that walks teens through the process of starting a business with 8 practical steps. This kit includes business ideas that almost anyone can begin fairly easily, like mowing lawns, babysitting, pet sitting, and Etsy selling homemade goods. Thought-provoking activities inspire ideas and uplifting stories of successful entrepreneurs provide motivation!
About the Author
Anthony O’Neal is hugely passionate about teaching teens sound money advice and how to start successful businesses. He is a former Ramsey personality and most known for his podcast “The Table with Anthony O’Neal”, bestselling books, and speaking engagements. His focus is to help people reach their mental, spiritual, and financial freedom goals. He encourages young adults and singles to live their lives with intention and purpose. Ambitious and purpose-minded business owners flock to O’Neal, and he has been featured on Good Morning America, CNN, Tamron Hall, Success, and Live with Kelly and Ryan. He believes in fully engaging with life and that the “caliber of your future will be determined by the choices you make today.”
Strictly Business: How to Crush it as a Young Entrepreneur by Brendan Cox
Skills Learned from this Guide
- Mindset for successful entrepreneurs and how to develop it
- Actionable steps for working through hardships of being a young entrepreneur
- How to handle stress, anxiety, and competition
- Failing gracefully and bouncing back
- Targeting opportunities that produce maximum output
Intended Age Group
Young adult
About Strictly Business
This book is written by a young entrepreneur and gives a behind-the-scenes look at the journey from a 9-year-old newbie to a young adult that runs 10 successful businesses. How badly do you want to succeed, and what are you willing to sacrifice to get there? This book will guide you through developing the mindset of an entrepreneur and the logical ways to navigate through your own journey.
“Instead of hiring a graphic designer I watched YouTube videos and taught myself how to use Photoshop to make phone case designs, promotional flyers and social media posts.” – Brendan Cox on his success with Kicks Cases, a phone case company that he launched as a teen that helped him develop design skills to later launch Cox Visuals, a graphic design company that works with startups in the clothing design industry.
About the Author
Brendan Cox is a 22-year-old entrepreneur that became addicted to entrepreneurship after making a profit from selling Dollar Store packs of gum at his school at a young age. He taught himself how to create graphics and run social media accounts to sell later for a profit after making money continuously as the accounts grew from advertisements and brand deals. Each business that he built has used skills developed during his previous ventures. He focuses on branding, social media, press, content, management, and strategy in his current business roles.
Start it Up: The Complete Teen Business Guide by Kenryn Rankin
Skills Learned from this Guide
- How to identify the best business opportunity for you
- Creating a business plan
- Selling your products
- Basic marketing
Intended Age Group
12-18 years
About Start It Up
Teaches middle schoolers and teens about turning a passion or hobby into a business that produces income in a fun and engaging manner! Stories from entrepreneurs that have already been successful in cake baking, house painting, website design, and other creative business ideas share their lessons learned so teens can make the best business decisions for their own startups. This guide offers an A-Z approach to business that is comprehensive and easy to follow.
About the Author
Kenrya Rankin is an award-winning author, journalist, and 20-year editorial consultant that has been featured by New York Times and the Huffington Post. She has also co-hosted The Turn On podcast and has authored 5 books in many genres. She has a passion for advocacy.
How to Start Your Very Own Business by Julie Merberg and Sarah Parvis
Skills Learned from this Guide
- Cool ideas for kid-friendly businesses
- Keys to success for any business idea
- Learn to calculate expenses
- Maximize profits
- Brand building strategy
- Marketing goods and services
Intended Age Group
9-12 years old
About How to Start Your Very Own Business
This book is featured in Warren Buffett’s Secret Millionaires Club and aims to teach kids financial literacy from a young age. Going beyond the basics of saving and investing, focusing on exactly how to think like an entrepreneur and then bringing in that first dollar. Thoughtful worksheets that are simple exercises bring business to life in a fun, simple, and approachable way without anyone’s eyes glazing over due to boredom. A Square credit card reader that is plug and play is included with this book, so you can get started immediately as soon as you open the book!
About the Author
Warren Buffett used this book as a launching point for young entrepreneurs ages 8-13 with an annual “Grow Your Own Business Challenge” to present winners with a $5000 prize to start a business of their own! Buffett is the CEO of Berkshire Hathaway and is known as the “Oracle of Omaha” because he is widely considered the most successful investor of the 20th century. His personal net worth is approximately $60 billion, and his investment strategies have defied traditional investment trends.
Julie Merberg and Sarah Parvis are successful children’s authors in their own right that have brought educational resources and entertainment to young children in many different genres.
“If you buy things you don’t need, you will soon sell things you need,” – Buffett on how to avoid debt when building businesses and investments as a young person that is just getting started in life.
Be a Young Entrepreneur: Be Inspired to be a Business Whiz by Adam Sutherland
Skills Learned from this Guide
- Choose a business that’s right for you
- Find and keep great customers
- Grow and expand your new venture
- Effectively harness new ideas
- Network with fellow entrepreneurs
- Problem solving
- Budgeting, traditional marketing, and publicity
- Market research
- Mission statements
- Social media marketing
- Additional resources for more information
Intended Age Group
9-12 years
About Be a Young Entrepreneur
This book guides young entrepreneurs through the process of developing an effective business plan (or game plan) by encouraging thinking that’s outside of the box. Creative thinking about big decisions teaches independence through real-world experience. Stories shared by other like-minded entrepreneurs who have learned how to problem-solve for their own businesses impart wisdom through storytelling, a proven teaching method that engages with the audience.
About the Author
Adam Sutherland specializes in writing books about many different possible careers to give kids a behind-the-scenes look at careers they are considering for their future. He has been writing books for 20 years and has recently written about big companies like Nike, Apple, Facebook, and Google to showcase how these companies became successful in their industries. He has focused on world-changing entrepreneurs like rapper Jay-Z and Steve Jobs to showcase how innovative thinking empowers bold ideas.
Many teens have started successful businesses and are willing to share their experiences with others to bring about innovation and creative thinking. The mindset of an entrepreneur is vastly different from that of traditional employees. It involves shifting from “normal” to what is considered “abnormal.”
But, this journey doesn’t have to be complicated and doesn’t have to be taken alone. Finding mentors and resources that limit the learning curve can prevent us from making too many mistakes and help us to learn from the mistakes that we do make.
These are the top 5 business and entrepreneurial books for teens, but there are much more available that bring clarity, define the business process, teach about mindset, outline how to determine necessary expenses, effective marketing, and many more business lessons that teens can benefit from on your journey! Want more book recommendations? Head over to our main teen money book library!
