Navigating the New Career Path: Starting a Business as a Young Entrepreneur

Yesterday I was standing at the supermarket checkout when I struck up a conversation with the young woman serving me, as you do. The fridge at home was looking pretty bare, so this was a serious stock-up with a trolley full of groceries. With plenty to scan, we had time to chat. She was friendly, curious, and still had one more year of high school to complete. As we talked, I asked her what she was thinking of doing after school.

Her answer: “I’d like to start a business.” How awesome!

I asked what kind of business she wanted to start, but she wasn’t sure. So I tried a different angle and asked what she loved doing, what hobbies she had, or what she was naturally interested in or particularly good at. Again, she wasn’t sure. Then she turned the question around and asked me, “What type of business do you think I should start?” Good on her! Yes I did make some suggestions but you'll have to hang around till the end.

As I walked away, I couldn’t stop thinking about that conversation. Not because she had all the answers, but because at 16 or 17 years old, she was already asking the right questions. I didn’t seriously think about starting a business until I was around 40.

It seems today many young people are looking at the world differently. They’re growing up in a time where information is everywhere, technology is moving quickly, and new opportunities are constantly emerging. More and more, they’re realising that one of the best jobs they can have might be one they create for themselves.

Internship for One

For generations, the traditional pathway looked something like school, then university or trade school, internship or apprenticeship, job, and eventually a career. For many people, that path still works perfectly well. But today, there’s another option that didn’t really exist when I was growing up.

You can create your own internship by starting something small. That might mean launching a simple business, building a website, creating content, learning marketing, or experimenting with products and services. You can try things out, make mistakes, and learn while the stakes are still low. In fact, many students are already doing this while they’re still at school.

In many ways, starting a small business is one of the best forms of education available. You naturally pick up skills like communication, sales, technology, problem solving, and resilience. You also start to understand how the world really works. Even if the business doesn’t become your lifelong career, the skills you gain along the way are incredibly valuable.

What Should I Start?

This is often the hardest question. It’s not that starting is difficult as it may seem, it’s deciding where to focus your energy that can feel overwhelming. Many people think they need to come up with the perfect idea before they begin, but I think it works the other way around.

A good place to start is with your interests. Think about what you spend your free time reading about, the YouTube channels you follow, the podcasts you listen to, or the social media accounts that keep grabbing your attention. Notice the topics you keep coming back to again and again. There are clues everywhere if you’re willing to pay attention.

Curiosity tends to leave a trail, and it’s worth following. Some people become fascinated by fitness, others by gardening, gaming, photography, personal finance, travel, cooking, technology, fashion, sustainability, or AI. The specific topic matters less than your genuine interest in it. When you build something around a topic you naturally enjoy, you’re far more likely to stick with it when things get challenging, and they will.

Not Just For Teenagers

While my conversation at the supermarket was with someone still at high school, the same idea applies no matter what stage of life you’re in. In many ways, there has never been a better time to start something new.

When I was her age, starting a business wasn’t really on my radar. Like many people, I followed a more traditional path into work and spent years building experience, skills and knowledge. It wasn’t until I was around 40 that I seriously began thinking about creating my own business and building something for myself.

Looking back, I sometimes wonder what might have happened if I had started earlier. But perhaps that’s the wrong way to think about it. Most of us start when we’re ready. The important thing isn’t when you begin; it’s that you begin at all.

One of the advantages of starting later in life is that you bring experience with you. You’ve accumulated knowledge, solved problems, developed skills, built relationships and learned lessons that younger versions of yourself simply didn’t have. What feels ordinary to you today may be incredibly valuable to someone else.

The internet has opened up opportunities that barely existed a generation ago. Today it’s possible to build a business around knowledge, experience, hobbies, creativity, local expertise, teaching, consulting, digital products, content creation, online communities and countless other ideas. You don’t necessarily need a shop, an office, staff or large amounts of capital to get started.

That’s why I believe entrepreneurship is no longer just for the young. Whether you’re 17 or 57, the process is remarkably similar. You start with curiosity. You learn. You experiment. You share what you’re discovering. You improve as you go.

You don’t need to have everything figured out before you begin. In fact, very few successful people do. Most simply take the first step, learn from what happens next and keep moving forward.

The best time to plant a tree may have been twenty years ago. The second-best time is today.

The Businesses Nobody Expected

One of the great things about today is that successful businesses don’t always look obvious on paper. People are building thriving businesses around ideas that once might have seemed unlikely.

Some sell digital planners or create online courses. Others teach niche hobbies, review products, run online communities, build newsletters, or share local knowledge. There are also people building meaningful businesses around areas like fishing, baking, collecting vintage toys, restoring furniture, or documenting life in their corner of the world.

At first, many of these ideas might sound an unlikely business opportunity, but they often find an audience. Sometimes it’s the unexpected ideas that turn into real success stories. It’s not that every unusual idea will work, but rather that the world is often far more open than we assume.

Not Every Business Needs to Maximise for Profit

It’s also worth remembering that not every business exists purely to make money. Some are created to solve problems, support communities, or contribute to causes people care deeply about.

Social enterprises are a great example of this. They use business principles to create positive social outcomes, whether that’s helping people reduce waste, supporting local communities, or improving wellbeing. Profit still matters because it keeps things sustainable, but it isn’t always the main goal.

For many people, combining purpose with enterprise can be incredibly fulfilling.

AI is Just Another Tool

There’s a lot of conversation right now about artificial intelligence, and for good reason. It’s one of the biggest technological shifts we’ve seen in decades. But over time, I suspect AI will become much like email, websites, or smartphones; something we simply use as part of everyday life.

It will be a tool, an enabler, something that helps us work faster, learn more efficiently, and achieve more. What will really matter isn’t the tool itself, but the person using it. Their ideas, experiences, reputation, ability to connect with others and the dots, and their unique perspective on the world will make the difference.

In a future where everyone has access to powerful tools, being yourself may become more valuable than ever.

As I left the supermarket, I found myself feeling optimistic. Not because the young woman had a detailed business plan or knew exactly what she wanted to do, but because she was curious. She was already thinking about creating opportunities instead of waiting for them and that’s a great mindset to have.

So, What Did I Tell Her?

If you’ve made it this far, you might be wondering what answer I gave the young woman at the supermarket checkout. The truth is, I don’t think anyone can tell you exactly what business you should start.

What I did suggest was that she consider building an ecommerce store, perhaps something around AI and helping others learn how to use it. Not because AI will necessarily be the opportunity of the future, but because it happens to be one of the opportunities of today.

What’s interesting about AI is that it’s still new enough that it largely levels the playing field. You don’t need decades of experience to start learning, experimenting and sharing what you discover. Curiosity, consistency and a willingness to help others can often be just as valuable.

But the bigger point wasn’t really about AI at all. The reality is that successful businesses come in all shapes and sizes. Some are built around knowledge. Some are built around creativity. Some are built around community. Some are built around purpose. And sometimes the business you’re looking for is hiding in the things you’re already interested in.

The goal isn’t to predict the next big thing perfectly. The goal is to start paying attention. What do you enjoy learning about? What topics keep appearing in your YouTube feed? What books do you buy? What podcasts do you listen to? What problems do people regularly ask for your help with Curiosity leaves clues.

I hope she starts something. In fact, I hope she starts several things. Most won’t work exactly as planned, and that’s perfectly okay. Every attempt teaches you something useful. Perhaps that’s the real lesson from our supermarket conversation. The people who create opportunities for themselves aren’t the ones with all the answers. They’re the ones willing to start before they have them.

Frequently Asked Questions

What business should I start as a young person?

Start by looking at what already captures your attention. Your hobbies, YouTube history, social media saves, podcasts, books and conversations often reveal what you naturally enjoy learning about. A good business idea usually sits at the intersection of your interests, skills, curiosity and what other people need help with.

Do I need to have a perfect business idea before I start?

No. In fact, waiting for the perfect idea can stop you from beginning. It is often better to start small, test an idea, learn from the process and improve as you go. Many successful businesses begin as simple experiments.

Why is starting a small business a good way to learn?

Starting a small business can teach practical skills such as communication, marketing, sales, technology, problem solving, customer service and resilience. Even if the business does not become your long-term career, the experience can be incredibly valuable.

What does it mean to create your own internship?

Creating your own internship means giving yourself permission to learn by doing. Instead of waiting for someone to hire you, you can start a project, build a website, create content, offer a service or launch a small digital product. You learn through real-world experience.

Are digital products a good business idea for beginners?

Digital products can be a good starting point because they often have low set-up costs and can be created around knowledge, templates, guides, resources or skills. They still require effort, marketing and consistency, but they can be a practical way to begin learning online business.

Why does personal brand matter in the future of work?

As AI tools become more common, the real difference will be the person behind the work. Your ideas, perspective, trust, reputation, communication style and ability to connect with people will become increasingly important. Personal brand helps people understand who you are and why they should listen to you.

Is profit the only reason to start a business?

No. Some businesses are built to create income, while others are created to solve problems, support communities or make a positive difference. Social enterprises are a good example of businesses that combine commercial thinking with purpose.