All of us passionate entrepreneurs are in a very fortunate position. Our years of experience have gifted us with a huge variety of skills that allow us to expand and learn more each and every day. Being an entrepreneur opens you up to so many rare and exciting opportunities, adapting your ideas and making them a reality.
It has become evident that the younger generations are gaining more interest in taking the entrepreneurial route and learning about the wonders of having their own business. This puts you in the fantastic position of being able to teach all the skills you have learnt and contribute to shaping the leaders of the future.
If you’re an entrepreneur and have children, then you are in the prime position to teach them the ways of the business world, allowing them to use their initiative from a young age. This can be done through fun activities like assisting them with planning and carrying out something as simple as a lemonade stand for neighbours.
The sooner the younger generation find ways to apply their knowledge to their own entrepreneurial thoughts, the sooner they will be able to make their own successes.
When it comes to teaching those passionate youngsters, your main goal should be to talk about why you are teaching these topics and how the guidance can be applied to the world of business. Although educational organisations like Cognita will be applying this mind-set anyway, there is no such thing as too much. So, where do you begin?
1. Self motivation
It can become very easy for youngsters to rely on their parents to make decisions and carry out tasks for them. As a matter of fact, the sooner this stops, the better. Teach them that their actions have consequences, teach them to find solutions to their problems, teach them how to take charge. This’ll have very beneficial effects on them and their journey to becoming an entrepreneur.
2. Basic bookkeeping
If they have a part-time job, teach them how to keep a basic record of their earnings in order to ensure that they know how to check their earnings and make sure they aren’t losing money at any point. This is great practise for when they have to manage their finances.
3. Social skills
An entrepreneur needs to know how to speak to clients, in order to maintain a trusting relationship and progress further. Coming across as approachable yet confident is key in building good relationships.
To put it simply, teaching maturity to the younger generation, without taking away their ambition to explore the wonders of the world needs to be the main goal. We all want money, but the main ambition for entrepreneurs is to want to make money.
Takeaway
As hard as it may be to see a child upset, this moment of sadness will shape a very happy future. Learning to pick yourself up and carry on after a fall is one of the main motivators for any entrepreneur.
Think of it this way: when you were younger, what advice were you given that encouraged you to take a step in the deep end and take charge of your career? What do you wish you were told?