Young and Mighty

Your secret weapon for earning some money, changing the world, and spending your future doing what you love

Henry Patterson

• Publisher: Harriman House
• Year: 2018
• eBook ISBN: 9780857196583
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Business
• Subtopic: Entrepreneurship
• Index: Business

You can turn your passion into more than just a hobby. When he was nine years old, Henry Patterson (now aged 14) turned his sweet stall into a storybook and children's brand, which led to an international business that took him around the world, meeting fantastic people along the way - including Sir Richard Branson and the co-founder of Instagram, Mike Krieger.In Young and Mighty, Henry not only shows how to start your own business at any age, he also shares 30 tried-and-tested ways to earn some money right now, as well as 20 fun methods for fundraising for causes that matter to you. Young and Mighty is for those who want to find what makes them tick, for those who want to change the world, for those who just want to have fun. Grab it and go make your unique mark on the world!youngmighty.com@henryjpatterson (Instagram)

Part One:
30 Ways to Earn Some Money

This part of the book is all about quick, clever or creative ways you can earn some money – things that you can do straight away, without having to set up a business or worry about the long term.

I have done a number of them personally. I have spoken to other young people who have done the rest. They can be a great way to get a feel for the kind of business you might one day want to create. Or they can just be a great way to make a bit of cash to buy something you want!

Don’t forget to also have a look in Part Five for inspiration – one of the questions I’ve asked everyone I’ve met is how they would try and double £10 in five days. The answers may surprise (and inspire) you!

A quick official bit

This part of the book is full of ways to make extra pocket money. Because of our age, we need the permission of parents or guardians to do most of the things I have suggested.

The best thing to do is to choose one of the ideas, sit down with whoever looks after you, and get their advice on how best to do it. Many online marketplaces require someone over the age of 18 to set up the selling account and link it to their bank account.

If you are advertising a service you will need a phone number or email address. Hopefully your parents/guardians can manage this side of the business and take the bookings for you. You must not give out your phone number or go to people’s homes if you don’t know them, even if it is about work. It is just too dangerous.

Your parents/guardians will probably want to come along the first few times you work for a customer, just to check you are OK. This is fine. Please don’t think that your customers will worry you are not capable of doing the job just because someone older has come along with you.

My mother comes to all my events and conferences. To be honest, I wouldn’t want to go on my own. I feel safer with her tagging along and I need her to help me with phone calls and the financial side of things anyway.

Think of your parents/guardians as part of your team rather than someone just keeping an eye on you.

Now let’s get down to choosing you a fun and quick way to earn some money…

Ways to earn money outdoors

1. Car washing

Car washing is one of my favourite ways to earn some money. I look out of the window and see so many dirty cars everywhere. But I don’t just see dirty cars, I see a great opportunity. The best part is, car washing will cost you almost nothing to set up and run.

Fill a bucket with hot water and washing-up liquid, buy a sponge and you’ve got your equipment sorted.

One of the most important things is advertising your service well. There are so many car washers out there and it can sometimes be hard to stand out from the crowd.

You’ll need some leaflets and posters. Check out the quick section at the end of Part One – How to spread the word! – for how to do that really well.

You could be mobile and visit people’s driveways or set up in a local car park.

My local car-washing company gives customers a little air freshener with every clean, which is a lovely touch. You can buy packs of five from your local supermarket quite cheaply. It is extra touches like this that will make people return to you. Remember to take account of the cost of this in your price, though.

Pricing can be tricky – but because you have low costs, you can afford to be competitive. Think about how much money you would be happy to earn in one hour, then work out how many cars you can wash in that time. If you want £10 per hour and you can wash three cars in that time, I would charge £4 a car. This gives you a bit extra for a new sponge every now and then (and an air freshener or two).

Don’t forget to leave a business card with drivers so they can call you again to re-book.

What you need to do this job:

• Bucket
• Sponge
• Cloth for drying
• Washing-up liquid
• Supply of water

2. Dog walking

Dog walking is a great way to earn some money. It can mean a lot to those who are busy in the morning because t...

Table of contents

• Contents
• About the Author
• Preface
• My Story
• Part One: 30 Ways to Earn Some Money
• Part Two: 20 Ways to Fundraise for a Good Cause
• Part Three: How to Turn an Idea into a Business
• Part Four: Scribble and Scribe
• Part Five: Learn From the Best
• Final Word
• Thank You
• Publishing details