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Growing up it can be hard to know where you want your life to take you. Knowing what you want to spend the rest of your life doing when you are a teenager can feel like a mammoth decision. More often than not the youth are encouraged to pigeonhole themselves into a career choice. To choose a field of study that will enable them to go on to perform a particular role or job type. Yet, there is little advice and encouragement when it comes to entrepreneurship. Quite ironically really given that more people than ever are opting to set up their own business, convert side hustles and be their own boss.
So it begs the question, why wait until you have tried and tested a career to go it alone? If the youths in your life have an aptitude for innovative thinking or initiative, or perhaps they have mastered how to bypass school wifi or started an online shop that is turning over a profit already then perhaps they have what it takes to be an entrepreneur. If you have a budding entrepreneur with a flair for business then here are some ways you can help to draw out the best in them.
Photo credit; Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels
Involve the entire family
When it comes to career choices and decision-making, more often than not young people will turn to their families for advice. This should be no different when it comes to entrepreneurship. If a family can support young entrepreneurs from the outset it can be one of the most influential factors in developing that entrepreneurial flair.
Use mentors
A mentor is a great asset to any young entrepreneur. It will allow them to connect to a larger network and learn firsthand from someone who has done it before them. What is more, a mentor is someone a young person can look up to and learn from. A good mentor will be an invaluable asset to the development and confidence of any budding entrepreneur.
Foster independent problem solving
As an entrepreneur you cannot ask your boss for advice, you are the boss, and the decisions and responsibility rests with you. To help give a young person the best chance of problem-solving and decision making encourage them to do so at an early age and to do it independently.
It can be hard to leave a child, friend, or relative to their own devices especially when you know you can swoop in and solve the dilemma but if they are forced to come up with the solutions themselves it will give them the confidence and creativity later in life. This is one of the skills required of great entrepreneurs and the earlier you can promote this behavior the better placed your child will be to face problems head-on in later life.
Embrace challenges
When starting a business there will inevitably be challenges and obstacles along the way. To be able to succeed in business (and in life) you have to be able to respond positively to and learn from any challenges and obstacles that get in your way.
You can help to achieve this by talking to your child about the issues they face, why they occurred, and what they can learn from them. You can also help them to brainstorm ways to overcome the challenge and how they might deal with similar situations going forward. These experiences are all the building blocks that can help to create successful entrepreneurs. It will show your children that obstacles can be overcome and help give them the confidence to face future challenges.
Celebrates the wins and loses
Should your child do something that translates into a win or job well done then this should be recognized and rewarded. It is important as it serves as motivation going forward and helps them to appreciate what they have achieved. Similarly, if your child has experienced a business or personal loss then it is equally important to recognize that failure or disappointing outcome. As an entrepreneur, you will make countless mistakes along the way but the important thing is to learn from them, not to be put off. If they don’t take the risk for fear of it not working out the way they hoped they are unlikely to achieve entrepreneurial success. Teach children that it is ok to make a mistake or get things wrong, it is part of the process. It is how you respond to that situation that makes you a successful entrepreneur.
