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| The author's son started a small business in the neighborhood. Courtesy of Chris Rosenberg |
In our house, business is part of everyday life. My husband and I have built companies across multiple industries, both individually and together, so conversations about cost of goods, profit margins, and customer value flow as naturally as talk about school or sports.
We’ve always held one belief firmly: if our kids want something beyond life’s essentials, they can absolutely work for it — and then buy it for themselves. No handouts, no endless negotiating. Instead, we guide them through the process of building a business, managing their earnings, and making decisions with the independence that comes from ownership.
Chores, we’ve decided, aren’t tied to paychecks. They’re part of being a family team — just like in any household where everyone pitches in. But the moment our children want something big, like a pair of Jordans or the latest gaming console, we roll up our sleeves and figure out how they can earn it. Those moments are opportunities for lessons no allowance can match.
The First Pitch
When my youngest son was 7, he came to me with a simple request: “I want to make money.”
We sat down and talked through ideas. He’d run lemonade stands before, but this time, he wanted something new. We brainstormed — painting address numbers on curbs, selling kindness rocks — and then he landed on recycling.
Once he’d chosen, we treated it like any startup. He pulled out poster board to make a sign, and together we created a simple flyer with the information he wanted to share. We talked through what he would say at each door so his pitch would be short, clear, and confident.
Then came his first investment: a dollar-store purchase of bins and bags for collections. He loaded them into one of our wagons, and off we went — me a few steps behind while he knocked on neighbors’ doors.
Some people said no. A few weren’t home. But every time someone said yes, I could see him stand a little taller. Each “no” became a lesson in resilience; each “yes” felt like a small victory.
The Business Model of a 7-Year-Old CEO
He kept meticulous records — names, contact information, and pickup routes for every customer. He delivered bins and bags each week, collected recycling on a schedule, and then we’d load the car to head to the local redemption center. There, he sorted cans, bottles, and glass before watching the scale tally his efforts into cash.
But the part that impressed me most was his decision to create a give-back plan from the very start. Without prompting, he decided to divide his earnings into three equal parts:
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One-third to spend.
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One-third to reinvest in the business.
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One-third to donate.
When I asked him who he wanted to help, his answer was immediate: the homeless. Together, we found a local outreach program that provides job training and housing assistance — a cause that matched his vision of helping people “get back on their feet.”
Growth, Pivots, and New Ventures
From managing inventory to handling rejection, from sticking to a schedule to keeping his promises, he learned lessons most adults don’t master until much later in life. And he didn’t stop there.
When his interests shifted, he pivoted his businesses, each time building on the skills he’d learned before:
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Sneaker cleaning — with a laces upsell for customers wanting a fresh finish.
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Car washing — with vacuuming offered as a premium add-on.
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Dog walking — taking on multiple clients in the neighborhood.
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Capo Helpers — his latest venture, offering yard work, weeding, and small jobs for neighbors.
Now, at 12, he’s had years of hands-on experience not just earning money, but also managing his time, choosing reliable partners, and taking pride in delivering a good service. He’s learned that not everyone shares the same work ethic — and that choosing the right people to work with is part of building something that lasts.
Why It Matters
What I love most is that none of this came from us pushing him. We didn’t hand him a business plan and insist he follow it. We simply supported his ideas, gave him the tools to try, and stepped back to let him own the process.
With every venture, he’s learned that he’s capable of creating the life he wants — not just waiting for someone to give it to him. He’s learned that confidence is built one conversation at a time, that rejection isn’t personal, and that giving back can be as rewarding as making the sale.
In the end, this was never just about making money. It was about showing him that even at 7 years old, he had the power to turn an idea into something real. And once a child learns that? They carry it for life.
