• Are there any problems in your school, home life, or community that a kid-owned business could solve?
• Do you already have an idea for a kid business?
• Do you have any unique talents that can help someone?
• Can you provide a service to people?
• Is there something that you could sell at a stand?

Our handy Idea Generator worksheet helps kids think outside the box, consider problems or needs that could be solved with a kid business, and settle on a business idea.

Once she has her business idea, the next step is for your child to create a rough business plan. These details are many of what Mia helps her classmates with in Mia Madison, CEO! Her plan should include:
• The problem her business will solve.
• How her business will solve the problem.
• A description of her products or services.
• Who will buy her products or services?
• A quick description of how people will find out about her business.
• How much her products or services will cost.
• What her start-up costs will be.
• A list of competing products, services, or businesses.

Our KidBiz Business Map makes it easy for kids to map out their businesses before starting.

Once she’s settled on a business and mapped out the details, the next step is to develop concrete ideas for getting the word out about her business. She should be sure to think about the following:
• How many products or services does she want to sell over a defined period of time?
• Who will be interested in buying her products or services.
• Which marketing ideas will work best for her audience, and if she’s willing to take these actions.

Our Buzz Builder worksheet walks kids through the process of coming up with marketing ideas that are practical, safe, and make sense for their customers.

After developing her marketing plan, it’s time to create a logo and marketing materials! When developing her logo, she should keep in mind:
• Who she’s hoping to sell to, and what they will be drawn to.
• Colors, images, or words that relate to her business.
• How she wants her business to make people feel.

Once she has a logo, she can use it to create an eye-catching poster. Our Logo Maker and Poster Producer walks kids through designing a logo and a fun poster to woo potential customers.

Now it’s time to make the magic happen! Once all of the planning is done, budding entrepreneurs should be ready to follow the business plan, distribute marketing materials, interact with customers, and, with any luck, make money!

Once she implements her plan, she’ll probably realize that running a business is harder than expected. This is exactly how Liam feels in Mia Madison, CEO. Until he meets Mia and gets some much-needed help. Entrepreneurship is about trying things and improving them with every subsequent try (Entrepreneurs like to call this “iteration.”) Even the most successful entrepreneurs strike out sometimes, but they succeed because they keep going. Parents can help budding entrepreneurs reflect on what worked well and can be improved by fostering a growth mindset.

There’s a reason why the lemonade stand is the quintessential kid business. It doesn’t take much to get it going; everyone loves lemonade! But kids can think outside the box and offer other types of beverages, baked goods, or snacks. They could also use a stand to sell crafts or other products if they're not interested in food or drinks.

• Yard and outdoor services
Car washing and lawn mowing/leaf raking are popular with kids. (As long as they’re old enough to handle a mower safely!) These businesses usually have minimal startup costs.

• Babysitter or parent’s helper
This idea is a wonderful business for older kids because there’s virtually no startup cost beyond marketing. Kids can start by entertaining kids while their parents are home or helping with household tasks like folding laundry and putting away toys and dishes. When they’re ready, they can watch kids while the parents are out. Many cities even offer free or low-cost babysitting courses that teach kids what they need to know to keep their charges safe.

• Tutor
Kids can share their talents with others and actually make money doing it! They can help with reading, math, music, computer or tech skills, photography, or art skills. The sky’s the limit! These kid businesses are great because they usually require little to no money to get started.

In Mia Madison, CEO, Sun Valley’s premier kid-trepreneur, mentors kids that walk dogs, sell handmade bracelets, and more.

Encouraging girls to become kidtrepreneurs and future leaders is not just about financial gains; it's also hugely empowering. It can help girls develop financial literacy, creativity, and leadership. Above all, being a kidtrepreneur can nurture confidence and self-esteem. How? Let's delve into the details.

Teaching girls financial literacy through parental conversations is an excellent way to ensure they make sound financial decisions later in life. Still, it can be challenging for some to grasp the theory. But when girls count their incoming dollars and calculate how much they need to pay for small business investments, they'll learn the value of money, and crucially, doing so will give them financial confidence.

Why is this important? An international survey reveals a global financial literacy gender gap — 35%¹ of males are financially literate compared to 30%¹ of females. Education, gender wealth disparity, and harmful stereotypes are significant reasons behind the gap, but confidence is another.

A recent Lego study suggests that girls are at risk of not fulfilling their creative potential due to the pressure of perfection and everyday vocabulary: Two-thirds² of girls (age 5-12) surveyed are reluctant to share ideas, and over three in five² feel the pressure of perfection. Running a kid's business can mitigate these feelings and boost girls' creativity by giving them a platform to problem-solve and innovate. This is what Mia does throughout Mia Madison, CEO.

Motivating girls to become kidtrepreneurs may also help narrow the gender leadership gap - women only occupy 33%³ of leadership roles globally. Running a business can teach girls essential skills like goal setting, planning, communication, and time management. This last one is a major theme of Mia Madison, CEO. By implementing her plans, girls can gain confidence and strength, build self-esteem, and boost their potential to become leaders.