Comments on: Fostering an Entrepreneurial Spirit

By: Daniel

Daniel — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 11:56:59 +0000

I couldn’t understand some parts of this article Fostering an Entrepreneurial Spirit, but I guess I just need to check some more resources regarding this, because it sounds interesting.

By: Homestead Mama

Homestead Mama — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 23:24:17 +0000

First of all…. YEAHHHH! It is so cool to find other parents that want to foster the business building/investing lifestyle for their kids. I think that homeschooling is such a great first step – - – as we are able to avoid some of the worker bee pitfalls that come with school. Here are some of the things we do:

Play Cashflow
They have started an ATM business
We welcome failure as a part of the path to success
We have regular family discussions about what is going on with the economy and various markets and where opportunities might be found.

GREAT TOPIC!!!! It is so important for our kids to be prepared for what the world will actually look like when they become adults.

By: Justyna

Justyna — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 17:31:45 +0000

I share Sandra’s ambivalence. My husband and I own a bicycle retail tore, which is, and has always been, our main source of income. Our kids are still fairly young (7 and 11 this month), but we would never deliberately push them into the business. For one thing, I believe that being self-employed is something one has to come to alone and for one’s own reasons. I don’t believe in leaving my kids the “legacy” of running our store.
Having said this, they do have th opportunity to observe us each and every day. They see that on the one hand, we have the freedom to not go into work at set times every day or to go out of town pretty much whenever we like, and on the other hand to have work days that seem to never end or to have any problem, no matter where it originates, end up in our lap. They experience first hand the feast-or-famine nature of our highly seasonal business. They observe us interacting with our employees and vendors, and witness the complex relationships that unfold every day. They watch us discussing, planning, and occasionally arguing over financial matters. Sometimes they think that we don’t work at all, or at least not very hard. Other times, they see us so focussed, that we growl at the smallest interruption.
Maybe when they are a little older, and want to try working at our store, we will let them.
I do, with all my heart, hope to plant entrepreneurial seeds in my children. I want them to pursue their guiding light, for better or for worse, the way my husband and I have pursued ours. They may learn that from us. More likely, though, I think they will have to get there on their own.

By: Carol

Carol — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 02:07:01 +0000

I have several tax clients that are teenagers in business. They mow grass, design websites, play harp at weddings, etc. My dd gives piano lessons, tutors math and does bookkeeping for one of my small business clients. Neat stuff these kids are doing.

I’m planing on teaching a Entrepreneurship class to high school students at my homeschool co-op in the fall. Right now I’m looking at possible curriculua. There’s not a lot out there…4H has an affordable book called Be the E that looks promising. Maybe someday I’ll write a book myself!

Until then visit my website http://www.CarolToppCPA.com and view a powerpoint presentation I did for teen entreps and my article ion teens and taxes. That will get you started!

Carol Topp, CPA
http://www.CarolToppCPA.com

By: Sally

Sally — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 04:53:00 +0000

I would be very interested to see what others are doing — I hope you will get lots of comments and do that post! We have four girls, and we are not planning on doing the college thing. I would love to give my girls a good foundation in entrepreneurship (is that a word?) but I don’t even have an idea, or know how to get started once we decide on something. Please give us some options that have low start-up costs, that can be done from home without a lot of space, and that will eventually build up to some income. Exciting, fun, easy, and VERY lucrative would also be nice, but not essential. )

By: Sandra

Sandra — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 03:11:34 +0000

Thanks for the reminder to consider encouraging an entrepreneurial spirit in the kids.

I tend to be fairly ambivalent on this subject. I grew up working long hours in the family’s retail business, and I want to make sure that my children have the freedom to play.

Still, there is great value in encouraging creativity and perserverance, and heck, the ability to earn money.

Three things that I have done to encourage E.S.:
1. Encouraging my daughter to fully engage in the annual Girl Scout cookie sales program.
2. Giving her the Beyond the Lemonade Stand book when she was looking for get rich schemes.
3. Let both kids work in my parents’ store for a day.

I would love to discover more suggestions. Thanks again!

By: Work Ethic, the Stock Market, and Deschooling « Just Enough, and Nothing More

Thu, 31 Jan 2008 01:19:43 +0000

[...] at Leaping Out of the Box pontificates on the value of working in a family business as an important part of a child’s growing work ethic. What do you think? How important is it [...]

By: Renae

Renae — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 20:22:45 +0000

I am very interested in this topic, as well. My husband has a side job cleaning at a local church. Our son helps him by taking out the trash. While that is good time with his dad, our son wants to do more. He is always coming up with ideas to sell things to the neighbors. Maybe one day it will pay off.

By: Barbara

Barbara — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 16:25:28 +0000

Found you at the Carnival. This is great. I always need the reminder to encourage that spirit in my children. Long term I want them to continue in the way they are starting now. Sometimes it feels like more work for me now and I want to just “do it all myself”. It seems they have all naturally developed a “What can I sell?” bent and so I will continue to work with that desire instead of against it. Thanks for the reminder!

By: Life on the Road | The Carnival of Homeschooling - “Leaving a Legacy”

Tue, 29 Jan 2008 14:40:10 +0000

[...] talks about Fostering an Entrepreneurial Spirit at Leaping From The [...]