TeenBusinessBlog.com

Talking business with teens ™

 

Invest in Yourself - learn about business™!

As a teen you are faced with many choices that shape who you are and who you will become. Learning about business and taking an interest in yourself and your future can be one of your smartest choices!

The information you are about to review is developed to challenge you in new ways and help you think about things and talk about things in more interesting ways.

 

 

06-12-09 Lessons During A Recession
These are difficult times for all of us. We know of people who have lost jobs. There is more stress in our lives and uncertainty about the future. On a positive note we can learn from difficult times.This a good time to;

04-14-09 Teachable Moments During Tough Times
It is difficult to find positive events in this world recession. It is a time we have to learn from to help us cope and prepare for the future. It is a time to learn from mistakes government and business have made. It is a good time to discuss what is going on rather then ignore it. If you have not been interested in politics or business, it is a very interesting time to lesson to government plans and read about what businesses are doing.

01/20/08 US President Obama
President Obama is an opportunity for all of us to rethink how politics should work. It is a time to challenge the old way of doing things and make necessary changes. This approach applies in business and every day life. Watch how it makes decisions and communicates his vision. He may not have the power to do what he wants but he has an approach we can all learn from.

12/10/08 Politics, business and the economy
As much as these are very troubling times for many people, it is an opportunity to observe and learn. Government and business people have made mistakes and are forced to take drastic steps to try and correct the recession. There are many conflicting views of what should be done. Should government get more involved in regulating businesses and should government loan money or give money in other ways to try and save jobs and possibly industries. Are businesses taking advantage of the opportunity of tough times to force the government to bail out their failing business. What are some jobs worth to us. Are we subsidizing jobs at a great cost and could the government money be better used in health care, education or creating jobs of the future.

10/27/08 Learning from the Financial Crises
This one of the best times to learn about business. Everyone is talking about the stock market, the economy, jobs and governments are taking action to add confidence in the economy. It is a good time to read the newspaper and watch financial news. You may not have been interested in what is going on around you but if you can begin to understand what is hapening in the economy it will help you in the future. In addition to school this is great way to learn things that really matter to you!

09/06/08 Learning from the Olympics
Many people around the world have watched the olympics in 08/08. People support their countries and like to watch amazing performances. Very few people become olympic athletes but all of us should set goals to be the best we can given our abilities and resources available to us. If you try to be "like an Olympic athlete" and work hard to reach your goals - you will succeed in new ways. You should also learn from and be inspired from olympic athletes. Respect the drive they have to be the best they can.

Summer break.

06/26/08 Business of Alternative Energy
The future of alternative energy, especially bio-fuels as a substitute for gasoline, is a topic you should explore. As you are becoming interested in business you can use this as an opportunity to begin to understand the many variables consider in this type of business. There is a demand for bio-fuel, the technology to make it is developing, car manufacturers need to produce cars that run on bio-fuels, gas stations will need to offer the fuel, the price will have to be attractive to consumers and government will have to make necessary regulations.

04/22/08 Business will change your daily priorities
Sorry for the long pause. I have been involved as a consultant in a very complicated business situation. Unfortunately, I have had to give up time for a lot of other things I would normally do. This is a lesson you can learn from as you get a job and responsibilities in a business, it will take time away from other important things. The key to succeeding in business is to what is necessary while the key to enjoyable life is to balance your work and other important things you like to do. If you can find a business you enjoy to work in then this balance is much easier.

03/23/08 Future Technologies - Germany
As you think about business and the opportunities for you in the future. Take a look at what Germany is doing in the evolving industry of alternative energy. As a country with no natural sources of energy (oil), Germany is investing and encouraging alternative technologies to generate electricity. You can learn from this by understanding future business opportunities and the idea of thinking about what the trends of the future will be.

02/28/08 Blu-ray Disc vs HD DVD
You are not old enough to remember the VHS vs Betamax technology market dominance case 20 years ago. This was the format movies were watched on before DVD technology. There was a choice of two types of machines people could buy and all kinds of complications for movie studios on which format to support. Sony learned their lessons from the failure of Betamax.They changed their business strategy for the Blu-ray technology to license the use to as many companies as possible to make friends to help their technology become the #1 of choice by movie studios and consumers. The lesson to learn is you can try and do it on your own like Sony did with Betamax or learn to work with others to help you succeed. Microsoft windows has been an exception to this rule.

02/04/08 Microsoft buying Yahoo
The fact that you are on this blog suggest you would like to learn about business. A great way to accomplish this is to begin to follow the business case of Microsoft announcing a hostile takeover of Yahoo. This might sound more like a new movie or view game but is is real life business at its best. This has all the great pieces for an interesting story about companies you know about and an industry you understand. You will be impacted by this business deal and you can learn from it in more ways then you can imagine. You will learn about the stock market, business growth strategies, competitive strategies, government relations, anti competitive issues, consumer protection, government lobbying and much more. To further explore this I am going to start a new section in our business cases at www.teachingkidsbusiness.com/business-case-studies.htm. This may be a good opportunity to ask us questions and work with us to explore this business case.

01/28/08 Walkstation - new product
The workplace you will work in will be very different then it has been for the last generation. As you learn about business think about the ideal office enviroment - the space and the equipment you will use. One idea to consider is the new Walkstation from Steelcase. This will allow you to walk on a tread-mill while you work on a computer or phone.

01/25/08 online Video Games
Most kids have played a video game on a play station or Xbox. It is big business and you know why. Your generation has seen the rise of the video game business and dramatic changes in technology. The latest business model from Electronic Arts is free online games. This business decision is to generate revenue from advertising instead of game sales. This is an attempt to deal with the huge issue of pirated copies of games. This is an interesting case to think about - when you play a game - think about the issues of lost sales from illegal copies and the idea of advertising within games and as you enter gaming sites.

01/18/08 Music Program at TeachingKidBusiness.com
We just developed a program to connect with teens through music. To learn from music in new ways with new types of music. To get teens involved in writing, composing, performing and producing music. A lot can be learned and you can grow in new ways. Use your love of music to work on a project to learn an enjoyable way. Be part of a new wave in music. See our music program to get started.

01/12/08 Video Game Controversy
We have all played video games and realize videos are a big business. Once something becomes a huge business success it is common to challenge if it good for people. Selling lots of games does not necessary mean they are good for kids. One interesting issue with video games is the fact that they teach kids skills that are not necessarily good skills for every day life and success in business. Many games teach and reward "fight and flight" verses teaching you how to consider reasoning. Should kids really be taught to fight and run when put in difficult situation? Like anything you try as a teen- don't take it to seriously if it is a game - play it for fun and don't let it change you as a person. Don't live the life of a game!

12/17/04 Learn to manage problems
Your success in business will be related on your ability to mange situations or problems. You will need to learn to deal with things, to step back and think and come up with a solution rather then adding to the problem. This is a skill and it is something you should work on now. The next time you are faced with a problem - stop and say if this is the biggest problem I have today then I am fortunate. Many people are without food so your problems may not be so bad if you think about it. Once you have given thought to the problem and not over reacted of made the situation worse - you can now try and find a solution. Every body wants to hire people who can provide solutions and not someone who is going to make matters worse.

12/04/07 Pay Phones phasing out
A pay phone was what people used to make phone calls while away from their homes or business. Pay phones were often mounted within a telephone booth for privacy and protection from weather. Many of you probably have not used a pay phone as cell phones are so widely used now. The pay phone was invented in 1878. In the US there were 2.6 million pay phones in 1998 and the numbers have been falling yearly. The business lesson is that products will often become replaced by new technologies. Businesses have to advance their products to keep them competitive with new products. As soon as you have the great new product - someone is trying to replace it with something better. Another example of this is the typewriter that was replaced be computers.

11/27/07 Conform in your daily life and in business
We are all expected to act a certain way in school, follow rules, and often do things to fit in with friends. This is what conform means - keep to rules or general custom. Businesses tend to expect the same from people who work for them. There are exceptional companies who try and let you be the person you are but the customers may expect something and therefore you may have to act a certain way to keep customers happy. My point is - you learn to conform at an early age - you may rebel rules and customs but at some point you will have to learn to conform to some extent to keep a job. Part of being a teen is challenging things and defining yourself. Consider the need to conform now as a good training for conforming later in work.

11/14/07 Kids Sell Products in Advertisements
It should be no surprise to you to see a trend of kids pitching products in advertisements. You have a big influence on things your parents buy. In many cases you take the time to do the research on purchases and therefore add a lot of input to what should be purchased. This trend also means that you are more aware of businesses selling to your household. Your awareness develops an understanding and knowledge of these businesses. You are doing more business then you realize and you are more knowledgeable about business then you might think. Use these experiences to relate yourself to these businesses. You may find things that interest you in business and future opportunities.

11/05/07 Don't be late - a great life skill and business skill
Being late is an attitude. If you don't care about something then you will not be there on time for it. This is the message being late sends to other people. Yes, there are lots of reasons for being late - someone else's fault. Once you agree that it is important to be on time then you will think of how you will succeed. This simple change of attitude can truly change the stresses in your life. If you plan properly, you can arrive on time and get things done in advance of due days and be more relaxed. How often are you late for your favorite TV program? How does this happen?

11/05/07 Learning business skills from cooking at home
One easy way to learn some important business skills to take charge of preparing some meals at home. Firstly you learn to take responsibility from start to finish for a project - the meal. You can learn planning skills by determining what you will need to prepare the meal, budget the costs, purchase the food and organize what need to be done to deliver the meal on time. You can also develop management skills by supervising other people to help you prepare the meal. This may seem a little silly but you will be surprised by what you learn about yourself and the types of skills you can learn.

10/23/07 Apple Inc. Stock - Lessons in business
We are all aware of Apple Inc. the electronics company. As you and friends enjoy the technology, step back understand why they are successful. Apple innovated with new products, new technologies and continued to build on their success. They diversified from Mac computers to iPods to iPhones. The lesson to learn is that in business you must continue to improve your product and service offering. If you stand still and do what you have been doing for years, you will probably be run out of business by aggressive competitors. This advice can be applied to your own personal development. You should thrive to constantly improve yourself - education, experiences and character. You need to adapt to your competition globally.

09/17/07 Learning with video
We are developing more video programming for our site at www.teachingkidsbusiness.com/video-channel.htm. This will hopefully help you explore business.

9/04/07 Back to school
You know how the start of a new school year also is the start of new tv programs and many other distractions. You have hopefully heard about the balance of life issues most people face. As a teen you face balancing issues too- balancing your time for success in school/life and entertainment time. Think of the things you plan to do in terms of "what does this do for me." Ask yourself "How do I benefit from the things I do." If you plan your time to your benefit then you are doing the right things for you. You need to do a balance of things - learning and having fun. If you can make learning fun then your balancing will be easier as you will choose more time for learning and developing yourself. Everything you do develops you as a person - give some extra thought to the choices you make.

08/14/07 Back to school 2007/2008
If you have not returned to school for your 07/08 year, you will shortly. Try a new approach to school this year by setting some goals for your in class and out of class learning. Set goals on things such as working with people better, improving your reading and writing skills and improving the way you think and explain yourself. Think of school as a place with many opportunities to learn beyond what the teachers and curriculum teach you. Learn from the your good and bad experiences and from reactions of others. Learn to think about things by challenging yourself beyond what is presented to you (take it to the next level). Get engaged in learning to improve yourself and prepare yourself for a successful future. Make the most of your time in school and use education to your advantage - learn to succeed in the education system.

08/03/07
Business success of J.K Rowling
The success of the Harry Potter series of books is a great lesson in business. The idea for the book came to her during a train ride and within 4 hours she imagined many of the characters and the look of Hogwarts. J.K Rowlings wrote the first book while she was unemployed and she was rejected by 12 publishers. This business story shows ideas can be put in action and have great success. J.K. Rowling became a very successful author and has made a great impact on many kids.

07/24/07
Harry Potter book business
As I read the last Harry Potter book, I can't help but notice the business story unfolding.The Deathly Hollows is setting sales records and we can all learn a little from this. The product great but the hype or marketing is hard to match in the book business. There was so much press before the launch of the book, many launch events at retailers and the many security precautions to protect early circulation. Enjoy the book and learn from the promotional programs behind it and the build up to the movie launch. This book shows the book business at its finest.

07/03/07
What are you waiting for - business is the thing to do.
As a teen, you are tired of hearing about the things you should and should not do. At some point in your life you will decide what you will do for a living - work. You will hopefully realize that education, experience, attitude, and your initiate - along with many other factors will decide on what you do. The interesting thing is that you can control most of the factors used to determine what you do in business. If you choose the easy path now it will lead to a harder path later. The interesting thing is that you are a teen for ten years and a working person for about 45 years. Decisions you make now have a consequence on the rest of your life. What are you waiting for - get involved in the more important things in your life - your future!

06/21/07
Business of Obesity
The nature of many businesses is to give teens what they want or to blame consumers for wanting things that are not healthy. The problem of obesity (over weight) teens is jointly the problem of businesses providing unhealthy products and consumers buying these products. If consumer were educated on the proper things to eat, there would be no market for these products. Businesses would not produce and market products like Fruit-Loops and Pop-Tarts if you knew these products were not healthy choices for breakfast. Teens have to learn to understand that commercials selling these types of products are not to be taken seriously - look at them as entertainment but not something you should buy. Ask yourself if the product is good for you. Tasting good and being good for you are important differences. Do some research before you buy and understand what is good for you and learn to like what is good for you rather then what tastes good or has good commercials. Take control of the things you eat. Respect your body and energize it with good stuff.

06/12/07
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World' s End
The movie is doing very well at the box office - it has been a great business success. One thing you may have not noticed in the movie is the business of the seas. The East India Trading Company is a business that is trying to eliminate pirates to prevent their goods from being stolen from ships at sea. The Admiral is like a company President who hires people like Davey Jones to protect his shipments. I know the movie is not being watched to learn about business but once you are aware of this part of the plot - you can learn about business - the pirates way.

5/29/07
Preparing for business through sports
You probably play sports for fun, exercise, passion and possibly the dream of becoming a professional. As you play sports you have noticed how your team mates perform. You should notice things beyond good and bad offense and defense. The way people perform in sports will teach you how they will respond in business. Learn; what playing as a team really means - how to act in the best interest of the team and not yourself - how well someone can be coached - different coaching skills - performing under pressure - handling winning and losing and the way people respond to situations they face. Sports will help you learn way to respond to situations, how to work with others and to be managed by someone other then your teacher or parents.

05/22/07
How to get kids started in business.
I get this question often and the answer is simple. Get kids thinking about business - not just running a business or being an entrepreneur but thinking about businesses they see every day. Once kids start noticing businesses beyond what do they sell - and start thinking about; what this business does, how well do they do it, is it interesting, would I like to do these kind of jobs - then kids are started in business - in preparing to notice and understand business. Once you take an interest in something - you begin to learn about it; by thinking, researching and experiencing it in new ways. Going into business and getting a job isn't as hard as most think - it is preparing yourself for the right business and job that is the bigger challenge. If you are well prepared - the doing is easy.

05/11/07
Lessons you learn in life prepare you for business
Outside of school you may not realize that there are many lessons you learn that help you prepare for business. Simple skills like sharing with siblings, getting along with friends, doing independent activities, listening and giving instructions are all important skills you develop in your daily life. As you interact with people and solve problems daily, take note of your accomplishments and how well you deal with daily challenges. We can all improve and once you recognize you are using and developing skills daily - you can work to improve these skills.

05/10/07
Toyota become #1 in vehicle sales worldwide
GM was the number on auto manufacturer for 76 years. What do you think GM did wrong or what do you think Toyota did right to become #1 in the world? Toyota become the new standard in excellent quality and they produced the right design of smaller cars. You can learn a lot about this business case. It takes a lot to be number one in the world and the number one position does change.

05/09/07
Constructive criticism or feedback
In business, it is important to lean to give people feedback for them to improve in their job and as a person in business and their community. You should work on the skill of giving feedback to people. If you care about someone or you need someone on your team to improve, then you have a responsibility to help them by giving them feedback - good and bad. It is often hard to tell someone they made a mistake, should not act a certain way or need to improve the way they do something. If you care and are sincere in helping someone - they will receive your message well. Remember, this is a skill that you have to work on. If you treat feedback as a skill and try different approaches to see what works - you will develop effective ways to give feedback. The important thing to learn is that all people are different and they will not respond the same way to one approach to giving feedback.
Ask yourself "how will this person every change." If they don't know they are acting like a jerk then how can they change?

05/04/07
Product Innovation in Cell Phones
One of the most explosive industries is the cell phone business- the manufacturing of cell phones and the network service providers. Watch how the design and functions are changing in cell phones and services. Consumer trends in fashion and the ways phone are being used in daily lives is creating new demands. It was not long ago that cell phones were new product. Take some time and look at the history of cell phones - research prices on services and cell phones and how the functions on cell phones have improved.

04/28/07
Friends as associates who help define who you are.
"My best friends are the ones who bring out the best in me." (Henry Ford)
You may not have thought of your friends this way or as associates who help make you who you are. You are what you do and you are influenced by friends and what you do with friends. Choose the friends you associate with and the kinds of things you do with different friends. One friend or one person may not have all the things you need from friends - you may have a friend for social things, sports, other interests. Don' limit yourself by your friends.

04/24/07
Business of Environmentally Friendly Clothing
We are all noticing issues and concerns about our environment. Governments in general have not done a good job in managing the environment. As consumers, we can do more to put less pressure on the environment. We can change our purchasing habits. Demand for environmentally friendly products has to grow for the current 25% premium on pricing to be reduced. There is momentum in creating more environmental friendly products. We are working on a section to help you consider environmentally friendly clothing.

04/17/07
Resume Program - just think about it.
We have made improvements to our resume form and expanded it into a resume program with helpful tips. The point of our resume program is help you start thinking about a resume. This is something you can start now to help you prepare for jobs and get a job. As a teen, you have education, skills, experience and interests - you have all the components for a resume - what is stopping you from developing your first "My Resume". Check it out at www.teachingkidsbusiness.com/resume-program.htm

04/10/07
Pet Food Recall
The case of the tainted pet food in North America is a very unfortunate situation that we can learn from. In business, there are risks and responsibly. Products and services can put people and pets at risk as in the latest pet food problem which has effected millions of pets and killed thousands. Businesses have the responsibility of ensuring their product is safe. The procedures they take to make a product must have quality control reviews to ensure all things going into and touching product is safe. This is a very complicated responsibility for businesses as there are many things that can go wrong and many people who have to follow rules. We can relate quality control rules to washing your hands before eating or putting your hands in your eyes or mouth. This is a quality control rule you should take 100% of the time and I'm sure you have made mistakes - while in business these kinds of mistakes can be very risky.

04/04/07
NCAA Basketball teaches important business skills
I watched the NCAA men's basketball championship and was impressed with the pre-game talk by Florida Coach, Billy Donovan. He told the players that they should be playing for the players next to them. His message was, if you play as a team you will succeed. The team strategy works in sports and is an important skill to develop for business. Like sports teams, businesses have a team of people working together to succeed. You need to learn how to work with the strengths of others and to minimize your weaknesses with the strengths of others.

03/29/07
American Idol Provides Lessons in Business
The TV program of American Idol and the many other Idol shows around the world show you many business principles. The best product is important but it does not always sell the best - the packaging, image, advertising, word of mouth and many other factors determine success. In Idol shows, the best singer may not always win - looks, dance moves and personality are important factors that sell the person as a product - the product of of what people want to hear and see on the program. In business you should thrive to have a great product but you should also thrive to do the best job in marketing it.

03/22/07
Balance in Life
Hopefully you have heard this term as it is becoming more of a concern to everyone. People who work are trying to balance work demands, family, friends, fitness, community and other interests. We all know there are only 24 hours a day and seven days a week to do all the things we need to do and want to do. My point is that you need to balance all of your activities - set your priorities and schedule your time to accomplish what you need to accomplish with some time for things you like to do. I have found that there is often time for things but it is a matter of priorities. One extreme but effective tip is to take a period of a week and record what you do an how much time you spend on it. Review it daily and at the end of the week. Summary your time spent and it you will find opportunities to make changes and set your priorities. Allocate time and but deadlines on activities to help you move on the next activity.
Time management tips.

03/19/07
Business Cases as a great way to learn about business.
Cases are examples of real life experiences - you experience things as if you were involved in the real situation. We have prepared cases in our www.teachingkidsbusiness.com/business-case-studies.htm. We are working on a new program to take business cases on well known companies and make them available to kids. Beyond our cases - think of situations you are exposed to and learn from these experiences. Example, if you, a friend or family member had a bad customer experience - learn from it - how it should have been handled differently.

03/13/07
Thinking about College and University.
I have spent a number of days touring universities at open houses and regular tours. I realize it may not be one of the top things you might want to do on a day off or holidays, but it is better then you think. I wish I had had the opportunity and taken the time to research schools and prepare for my future. You have so many resources available to you when you search on the internet. If you can't physically attend a tour you can do a virtue tour at many schools. The most important advice is to get engaged - spend some time and look at schools - look at various programs they offer - examine some careers that relate to these programs - understand which courses you have to take in high school to get into these programs - understand the marks you need - understand the cost of college and the financial assistance programs. It takes a lot of time but it will be worth it - take time and invest in your future.

03/07/07
Get it in writing.
This is a term you may of heard - usually when a commitment is made to you that is too good to believe. Unfortunately, in business written agreements are essential - there are people that don't keep their word - there are people who say things to get you to buy and then they will not stand by what they committed to- they will only do what has been put in writing. I think this concept is important to you and anyone who makes commitments or receives commitments. I have developed several resources to explain this further. A business case of personal experience of why you should put things in writing and a get it writing program in our business encounters.
Business Case
Get it in writing program

03/05/07
What will your mark on life be
This is something you probably have not thought much about - maybe you have dreamed about being rich and famous. It is good to have dreams but it is even better to start to write the script of your life - what your mark will be on others- how others will remember you. Consider writing the story of your life to help you be successful and accomplish what you want in life. Start to think about your future and the steps you need to take to succeed. Our new section may help you at What Will Your Mark On Life Be.

03/01/07
Stock market effects us all
Hopefully you have heard some of the news on the drop in the Dow Jones of the New York stock exchange and other stock exchanges around the world. If you haven't take some time and read and/or ask questions. Understand what is happening and how it effects you and others. If you take some time to begin to understand how and why the market reacts the way it does - you will learn a lot about business. You will also start to understand how major drops in the stock markets can lead to lack of investor and consumer confidence which can lead to lost jobs and difficult times for business - this can effect all of us in a number of ways. This also effects all teens around the world in similar ways.

03/01/07
Text messaging and e-mail - Do you have the interpersonal skills you need.
I know most teens could not survive without text messaging, chat groups and e-mail. These are great ways to keep in touch and hang out with friends online. As you enjoy the current way to communicate, I see potential problems in the future. The skill of interpersonal skills is not being develop as well as it should be - face to face discussions - your ability to work with other people. Many jobs in the future will exist with the use communicating the way you are now but companies will be very reluctant to use text terms to communicate with customers and business relationships. You may find yourself trying to communicate with people in a face to face way that you are not comfortable doing or writing to them in a format you are familiar with - english with sentences and punctuation - what you learned in grade school.

02/26/07
Surrounding yourself with good people.
This is very common expression in business - for a business to be successful, it needs to have good people. A good team of people provide the depth of skills and other influences to get the job done. As a teen, your life is enhanced by the people you surround yourself with. If your best friends are good kids who don't ge in a lot of trouble, then you are less likely to get in a lot of trouble. This thinking also applies to a sports team - if the quarterback on a football team surrounds is surrounded with a great offensive line and good runners and receivers then the quarterback has a better chance of succeeding. Surround yourself with good people and see how to start to succeed.

02/23/07
Get it in writing
You may wonder why this is something you think about. Unfortunately it is important in business and your daily life. You have surely got into a situation when it is your word against someone else's word. It happens and it will always happen. The problem is that it may happen in a situation that is costly to you. The best way to deal with this is consider putting your commitments and the commitments you receive from others in writing. If and when there is a a disagreement in the future - pull out the piece of paper and say this was the committee! You will also find that people or companies that will not put their commitment in writing will not likely honor their commitment.
Example: I recently hired a company over the phone with an agreed amount - after the work was done - they invoiced me for additional costs we did not discuss or agree to - the bill was double what I agreed to. It is now my word against the company ServiceMaster.

02/21/07
Newspaper Headlines - Youth behavior getting worse
It is no surprise to everyone that youth in general are exposed to so much stuff that sends mixed signals on how to be noticed, how to behave and what is acceptable. Role models such as Britney Spears are leading people in the wrong direction. It is hard for our business programming to compete with the media attention of Britney and Paris and the huge business of star media. The fact that you are reading this gives hope that you will consider the positive influences of learning about business and developing yourself in new ways with skills that will help you be a better person - chances are you wouldn't be the next Britney or Justin but you will have to work in a business someday. Consider the next google search on something in business that might interest you instead of the latest star hype.

02/14/07
Tip of the day.
"Perhaps the most valuable result of all education is the ability to make yourself do the thing you have to do, when it ought to be done, whether you like it or not." (Thomas Huxley)

01/26/07
Teen Business Trend
I just read an article that suggests the latest trend for teens is to start your own business. This seems to be the new social currency vs clothes or sport. I like to think, interest in business is a new trend and one that will define teens in new ways and more importantly give teens a better chance of succeeding in business and life. http://nymag.com/daily/intel/2007/01/teen_business_trend_less_good.html

01/19/07
Extracurricular Activities
An important part of preparing yourself for business (working/operating) is to gain experience in community service, sports, clubs, school groups etc. All activities help you to gain skills to work with people, take on responsibility and help you better understand yourself - your values, likes and dislikes, how you respond in situations. You may have to associate with other groups of kids - not necessarily your current friends - this is a good experience in your development - doing the same stuff with the same friends may limit your development. Explore opportunities at your school and in your community.
In business it continues to be important to contribute time to your community, continue your studies and do other activities to help others and further develop yourself with different experiences.

01/18/07
Discovering yourself and preparing for your future
A big part of preparing for business is to eventually discover what you like to do, what you are good at and how you can make a living doing it (make money from something you like to do and are good at doing it). You may just think you like sports, music or movies but you have get beyond the obvious and try and understand the jobs that interest you and the skills you have in the things you like. If you love music and are a good singer - then start to explore the opportunities in and around singing - and yes the obvious choice of possibly being a singer.

Many people will give you advice on what you should do with your life. The best advice I can give you is listen to all the possibilities and be honest with yourself to determine if they make sense for you. Explore many options and think about a good fit for you. One program that should help you is at www.teachingkidsbusiness.com/resource-center-whats-your-thing.htm . This should help you start thinking about what makes sense for you - to explore things you have interest in and are good at.

if you have the opportunity to get a job, think about opportunities that may give you specific experience to help you develop skills and gain experience in areas that you discover you are interested in.

01/15/07
Business and the Environment
I watched the movie, Inconvenient Truth and think it is an important business topic to discuss. Business plays an important role in our lives by creating jobs, providing products and services and hopefully acting in a responsible way to make the world a better place. As you learn more about business you will realize that business decisions have a consequence or impact on peoples lives - the environment. Our http://wwww.teachingkidsbusiness.com/business-basics-responsibility-environment.htm talks about this further.
My point is that as you learn about business and choose your career, keep in mind the responsibility we all have to the earth - to the environment. The movie, Inconvenient Truth, explains the disturbing trend that we and business are creating. Take the time to educate yourself on this issue and do your part to impact decisions that will protect the earth. The movie is the not the most exciting movie to watch but it could be one of the best ways to understand this issue.

01/13/07
Business of sports - Beckham
I'm sure you have heard that David Beckham is coming to soccer in North America. Once the wave of publicity settles, look at the business side of this transaction or business deal. Beckham provides interest in the team and sport and adds huge value to the team on and off of the field. When you watch or read about this story give some thought to the business side of the sport. Sports is big business and you can learn a lot about business through sports. A winning team, leaders, high performers, stars, good coaching, training, marketing, strategy, planning, promotions and much more apply to sports and all businesses. In business, many companies try and take a sports team kind of approach to teach people how to work together as a successful team. People are very familiar with winning sports teams so this a simple way to help people learn about business skills and winning strategies.
As you play sports think about learning about working with others to succeed as a group. Use the strengths of each team member to help you perform better.

01/09/07
Prepare early for College/University
This advice applies to all students in school who hope to go to college/university. Start preparing now for college. Understand entrance requirements so you can set goals for the right marks and choose the right courses. Since you are online, you have access to all the necessary information from college websites. Start looking now! Add these sites to your favorites list in your college folder. The sooner you start the better chances are of succeeding. Too many of kids leave it to the end and are not prepared or do not present themselves well on the applications.
The preparation you do for college will help you learn about developing your resume for entering the business world. Your preparation for college will also help you consider what kind of career interests you.
Start setting money aside for college over and above what your parents are saving. The money you waste today could be put to great use in college.

01/03/07
Shopping - the business of and the lessons learned
Most teens like to shop online or at a retail store/mall. You can use shopping as a way of gaining experience in new ways beyond buying new fashion and new stuff. Shopping is doing business and you are faced with many business decisions. You must consider your budget, value of items for sale, choices, priorities and the many messages from product labels and sales staff. There are many more things to consider and learn about when you shop. Think about the many products being offered to you (design, how they are ma de etc.) and consider the way they are presented to you (packaged, advertised, sales person etc.) We are creating a program at www.businessofshopping.com to expand on this concept.

12/31/06
New Years Resolutions - set a plan for yourself next year.
Hey, we all hear about resolutions at this time of year. It is good time to think of a few things that you can work on in the coming year. It is good to have goals and to take action steps to make them happen. In business we call this a business plan to help a business stay focused on things it needs to do to succeed. You can use the same approach to help you improve over the next year and many more years to come. Any time is a good time to take a look at yourself and make improvements - such as learning to listen, respect people, manage your time better, exercise, research career opportunities and think about a business idea.

12/18/06
Business Teaches You About Opportunities
I just read about a mentoring program that helped kids learn to choose college instead of the gangs and life on the streets. This thinking can apply to all teens and to thinking about your future. If you are fortunate and have the opportunity to go to college, you still need to give it some thought and make the most out of it. If you are struggling in high school (interest and/or marks), you can find a reason for your education once you begin to think about your future. If you don't thrive to accomplish something in your school life now you will not prepare yourself for success outside of school. Life outside of school is really business (working in a business) and you can start learning about business now. It is all about priorities and once you realize that your future should be a priority - you will find time to work harder at school and start to explore the many exciting options in business.

12/12/06
What does it matter?
The interesting thing is that what matters to you now (music,sex,tv,movies) will not matter as much 5 or 10 years from now. The hardest thing about growing up is dealing with the whole independence thing - able to make decisions. The reality is that independence comes with a price - working and making money or respect be being able to make the right choicest. Money allows you to do many more things and respect from parents and adults allows you more freedom to make choices. Money comes from business and respect comes from experiences - the combination of business and experience is the road to independence. The point is that learning about business will help you become more independent and allow you to make more choices.

12/07/06
Created
This blog has been created to talk about business with teens. Sounds simple but we will work on figuring out how best to do this. We don't want to bore you with business stuff and we don't want to try gimmicks and sound bytes that attract your attention but don't challenge you or give you anything worthwhile.

Talking Business News Blog with Teens

 

 
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