50 business ideas for teens

50 ideas

• Nothing to startFrom 12

  Lawn mowing

  Cut grass for neighbours on a schedule they don't have to think about.

  First dollar: One weekend, if you borrow a mower.

  Full guide
• Under $50From 12

  Snow shovelling

  Clear driveways and walks before people leave for work.

  First dollar: The first storm.

  Full guide
• Nothing to startFrom 13

  Dog walking

  Walk dogs whose owners are at work all day.

  First dollar: A few days, once one neighbour says yes.

  Full guide
• Under $50From 13

  Car washing and detailing

  Wash, vacuum and wipe down cars properly, at the customer's house.

  First dollar: A weekend.

  Full guide
• Nothing to startFrom 13

  Tutoring

  Help a younger student with the subject you're best at.

  First dollar: A week, usually through a parent you know.

  Full guide
• Nothing to startFrom 13

  Tech help for older adults

  Phones, printers, passwords, photos, video calls. Patience is the product.

  First dollar: A week.

  Full guide
• Under $50From 13

  Yard waste cleanup for dog owners

  The job nobody wants, done weekly, priced accordingly.

  First dollar: A weekend.

  Full guide
• Under $50From 14

  Window cleaning

  Ground-floor windows, inside and out, done properly.

  First dollar: A weekend.

  Full guide
• Under $50From 13

  Babysitting

  Look after kids for neighbours and family friends. Take the course first.

  First dollar: Two weeks, after the course.

  Full guide
• Nothing to startFrom 12

  Leaf raking and fall cleanup

  Six weeks of the year when every yard needs the same thing.

  First dollar: The first Saturday in October.

  Full guide
• Nothing to startFrom 12

  Garden weeding and watering

  Weekly upkeep for people who like their garden but not the work.

  First dollar: A week.

• Nothing to startFrom 13

  Plant and pet sitting while people travel

  Feed the cat, water the plants, bring in the mail.

  First dollar: The next long weekend.

• Under $50From 14

  Bike tune-ups

  Chains, brakes, tires and gears, in your garage in spring.

  First dollar: Two weeks.

• Nothing to startFrom 14

  Photography

  Team photos, pets, small events. Your phone is enough to start.

  First dollar: A few weeks.

• Nothing to startFrom 14

  Video editing

  Cut clips for small businesses and creators who hate editing.

  First dollar: A few weeks.

  Full guide
• Nothing to startFrom 14

  Social media for a local business

  Post for a shop that knows it should and never does.

  First dollar: A month. Start with one you already buy from.

• Nothing to startFrom 13

  Posters and flyers

  Design for clubs, teams and small businesses using free tools.

  First dollar: Two weeks.

• Under $50From 13

  Baking

  Cookies and squares for offices and events. Food rules apply — check first.

  First dollar: Depends on the rules where you live.

• Under $50From 12

  Clearing snow off cars

  Apartment and office lots, early, before anyone's out the door.

  First dollar: The first storm.

• Under $200From 15

  Pressure washing

  Driveways, decks and siding. Rent the machine before you buy one.

  First dollar: A weekend.

• Under $200From 14

  Furniture flipping

  Buy tired furniture, fix it, sell it for more.

  First dollar: A few weeks per piece.

• Under $200From 14

  Reselling clothes and shoes

  Thrift, clean, photograph, list. Margins live in the photos.

  First dollar: Two weeks.

  Full guide
• Under $200From 15

  Phone and console repair

  Screens, batteries and joysticks. Practise on dead ones first.

  First dollar: A month.

• Nothing to startFrom 14

  Sports lessons for younger kids

  Teach the skill you've spent years on, to eight-year-olds.

  First dollar: Two weeks.

• Nothing to startFrom 14

  Music lessons

  Beginner lessons on the instrument you play.

  First dollar: Two weeks.

• Under $50From 15

  Putting up holiday lights

  November work, plus taking them down in January.

  First dollar: One November weekend.

• Nothing to startFrom 14

  Garage and basement cleanouts

  Sort, haul and dump. Priced by the job, not the hour.

  First dollar: A weekend.

• Nothing to startFrom 15

  Moving help

  Boxes and furniture on the last weekend of the month.

  First dollar: End of any month.

• Under $50From 15

  House cleaning

  Weekly or biweekly, for people whose time is worth more than the fee.

  First dollar: Two weeks.

• Nothing to startFrom 14

  Errands and grocery runs

  For neighbours who can't drive or can't get out easily.

  First dollar: A week.

• Under $50From 12

  Handmade jewellery

  Markets, school and online. Cheap to start, hard to stand out.

  First dollar: A month.

• Under $200From 13

  Candles and soap

  Craft markets and holiday gift season.

  First dollar: A month.

• Under $200From 14

  3D printed parts

  Replacement parts and custom pieces. Use a school or library printer first.

  First dollar: A month.

• Under $200From 15

  Small woodworking

  Cutting boards, planters, shelves. Shop class counts as your workshop.

  First dollar: A month.

• Under $50From 13

  Sewing and repairs

  Hems, patches, buttons and crests, for people who never learned.

  First dollar: Two weeks.

• Under $50From 14

  Car interior cleaning

  Vacuum, wipe, shampoo mats. Parents' cars are your portfolio.

  First dollar: A weekend.

• Nothing to startFrom 15

  Simple websites for small businesses

  One-page sites for trades and shops who have nothing but a phone number.

  First dollar: A month.

• Nothing to startFrom 14

  Resume and document formatting

  Make other people's documents look like they were made by someone competent.

  First dollar: Two weeks.

• Under $50From 13

  Scanning old photos

  Turn a shoebox of family photos into files that won't burn.

  First dollar: Two weeks.

• Nothing to startFrom 14

  Game coaching

  Teach someone to actually get better at the game you're good at.

  First dollar: A month.

• Nothing to startFrom 13

  Running car washes for teams

  Organise the event, take a cut, hand the rest to the team.

  First dollar: One Saturday.

• Nothing to startFrom 12

  Bottle and can collection

  Collect returnables from neighbours who won't make the trip.

  First dollar: A weekend.

• Nothing to startFrom 14

  Farm and barn help

  Real work, in rural Ontario, where the help is genuinely short.

  First dollar: A week.

• Nothing to startFrom 14

  Stacking and delivering firewood

  Autumn work, priced by the cord or by the hour.

  First dollar: A weekend in September.

• Under $200From 16

  Eavestrough cleaning

  Ladder work. Only with training, gear and an adult present.

  First dollar: A weekend.

• Under $50From 14

  Kids' party help

  Games, face paint and crowd control at birthday parties.

  First dollar: A month.

• Under $50From 12

  Market stall

  A real stall at a real market, not a table on the driveway.

  First dollar: The next market day.

• Under $200From 14

  Printing and laminating

  For clubs and teams who need twenty of something by Friday.

  First dollar: Two weeks.

• Under $50From 15

  Backyard rink building

  Build and maintain rinks for families who want one and have no time.

  First dollar: Early December.

• Nothing to startFrom 12

  Flyer and menu delivery

  Paid per route by local restaurants and shops.

  First dollar: A week.