One of 14 paths
Building a business, product, or creative practice of your own.
You build and sell something of your own, and you get to run it your way.
It fits if you're okay with risk and would rather make things than follow a set role.
Watch for: many new businesses close within five years.
Each scale shows its level and the reason, and "our read" marks a judgment call.
It depends on what you start.
There's no set length.
Level: Lower to Higher, 1 to 5 of 5
Most one-person businesses earn little, while a few earn a great deal.
This varies a lot with the specific job, the place, and experience.
Middle means the middle pay across all jobs.
Level: A few requirements, 2 of 5
You can start small now, though a parent usually has to sign contracts while you're a minor.
Level: Mostly easy, 2 of 5
It usually pairs with another path, so closing it doesn't undo everything else.
Level: A fair amount new, 3 of 5
Running things yourself brings customers and money decisions that are all new.
You're in charge, nothing's certain, and it's hard work. You build and sell your own thing instead of fitting into someone else's structure. Teens often start over the summer or after school, with jobs like babysitting, lawn mowing, or dog walking. When you work for yourself, you pay your own Social Security and Medicare taxes.
You can start small now. Under 18, you'll usually need a parent to open bank accounts and sign contracts with you. The IRS says everyone, minors included, must file a tax return once their net earnings from self-employment reach a set amount. Most small businesses also need licenses and permits, and the rules vary by business and place. Franchises need money up front, and some brands ask owners to be at least 21. What it costs depends on what you start.
In IRS data, about nine in ten one-person businesses were small, and together they earned about a third of the profit. The Bureau of Labor Statistics tracks new businesses with employees: most are still open after a year, and about half are after five. That count leaves out self-employed owners, so it can't tell you about a one-person business. Many owners eventually hand their business on to someone else.
Closing a business can be a hard choice, and the SBA offers local guidance. The SBA says that if you're the only owner, closing is your decision alone. Closing includes canceling registrations, permits, licenses, and business names, and filing final tax returns. You may have to keep tax and employment records after you close.
Pick one to try this month. Trying a thing isn't choosing it.
Put these to someone who runs a small business, or to a business counselor.
Sara Blakely spent seven years selling fax machines door to door. At 29, with money she'd saved, she started Spanx. She wrote her own patent application and found a hosiery mill after multiple rejections.
A story like this can't tell you what's likely for you.
Rules and costs depend on what you start and where, so check them at the source.
These three paths are close to this one, and their pages use the same scales.
It fits if you want income, or you're not ready for more school.
It fits if you want one in-demand skill fast and can stay disciplined without a campus.
It fits if you have real talent and drive in a specific art form or sport.