Many kids struggle in school, and some are even called “the dumbest in the room.” But that doesn’t mean they don’t have talent. Some of the most successful entrepreneurs found traditional education difficult, yet they had a passion for business early on. What if we stopped pushing every child toward the usual careers—being a doctor, lawyer, or engineer—and instead encouraged those with entrepreneurial traits to embrace that path? Teaching kids to become entrepreneurs could unlock creativity, drive, and problem-solving skills that the world desperately needs.
Watch this inspiring talk from Cameron Herold about raising kids with an entrepreneurial spirit.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nx3GuO41Jyg
Why Entrepreneurship Should Be a Goal for Kids
Early Passion for Business and Money
“I loved money, I loved business.” This was true for Cameron Herold from an early age, even though he struggled in school. School taught him little about his passion, but his love for business and entrepreneurial activities kept growing. He wasn’t great at French or some academic subjects, but he had a natural desire to make things happen, to sell, and to build ideas into realities.
This early passion is common for many budding entrepreneurs. Kids with these traits don’t always fit into traditional classrooms, yet their drive to create something new is powerful.
The Problem with the Current School System
Schools tend to push kids toward safe careers. The message is clear from an early age: aim to be a doctor, lawyer, accountant, dentist, teacher, pilot. Entrepreneurship rarely makes the list.
Kids with entrepreneurial traits often face pressure to “study harder” or “get a tutor” when in reality, they are being held back by a system that focuses on academic weaknesses instead of strengths. This systematic discouragement kills dreams and creativity.
What schools promote vs. entrepreneurship:
- Doctor
- Lawyer
- Accountant
- Teacher
- Pilot
- Model
- Singer
- Sports hero
Entrepreneurship isn’t seen as a viable or respected option, which is a huge missed opportunity. Instead of limiting kids, we should be encouraging those who show entrepreneurial potential.
Entrepreneurs: Misunderstood and Under-Supported
Most MBA programs don’t teach entrepreneurship. They prepare students to work in corporations, not to start companies. Even popular literature rarely positions entrepreneurs as heroes. The notable exception is Atlas Shrugged, which portrays entrepreneurs as innovators and problem-solvers.
Some famous entrepreneurs with unconventional paths or conditions include:
- Steve Jobs (bipolar disorder)
- Ted Turner (bipolar disorder)
- Netscape founders (bipolar disorder)
Many entrepreneurs struggled in school or dealt with attention challenges, yet they’ve changed the world in extraordinary ways.
Recognizing and Nurturing Entrepreneurial Traits in Kids
Signs of Entrepreneurial Potential
Entrepreneurial kids often show traits like:
- Creativity
- Risk-taking
- Leadership
- Tenacity
- Negotiation skills
- Problem-solving
Many struggle in traditional settings due to issues like attention deficit disorder (ADD) or ADHD. Cameron Herold mentions he carries 18 out of 19 signs of ADD. Instead of medicating these kids, we should see these traits as signs of potential.
“Bipolar disorder is nicknamed the CEO disease,” Herold notes, given how many CEOs and founders have it. Kids who don’t fit the usual mold might be destined for entrepreneurship and should be supported, not sidelined.
How to Support Entrepreneurial Kids
It’s important to make entrepreneurship “cool” for kids and teach them it's a real and valuable path. Instead of focusing on correcting weaknesses through tutors, build on their strengths like public speaking, creativity, and leadership.
Tips for parents:
- Let your kids find ways to earn money and manage it themselves.
- Teach negotiation and sales through everyday activities like selling old toys or doing small jobs.
- Encourage public speaking — have them tell stories or give presentations to family and friends.
- Support them in spotting and solving problems around the house or community.
Examples of Entrepreneurial Activities for Kids
Herold shares many stories from his childhood ventures:
- At 7, he sold coat hangers door-to-door after collecting them from neighbors. This introduced him to negotiation and finding value where others saw junk.
- At 9, he sold license-plate protectors door-to-door, learning about customer objections and persistence.
- At 10, he bought comic books from poor kids and sold them to richer kids at the cottage beach, serving the demand and understanding market segmentation.
- He had a paper route but hired others to deliver half the papers, showing early delegation and leadership.
- He turned scrap metal from his dad’s automotive shop into cash by selling it to recyclers.
- He sold sunglasses at school and through gas stations, turning retail outlets into his distribution channels.
Each of these ventures taught valuable lessons in negotiation, recurring revenue, branding, and problem-solving. Parents can help kids start small businesses in their own neighborhoods or online.
Teaching Financial Literacy and Responsibility Early
The Problem with Allowances
Allowances often teach kids to expect a regular paycheck. That mindset conflicts with entrepreneurship.
Entrepreneurs don’t expect regular paychecks. They know that income comes from creating value and solving problems, often in irregular bursts.
Instead, parents can pay kids for tasks they identify or complete, which teaches negotiation, initiative, and work value.
Building Saving and Investing Habits
Herold taught his own kids to split their earnings into two piggy banks:
- 50% goes into a "house account" (savings)
- 50% goes into a “toy account” (spending money)
Every six months, the house account money is deposited into a bank account. Over time, the kids’ money is invested via a broker, introducing them early to investing.
Steps for parents:
- Pay kids for agreed tasks, not a flat allowance.
- Split earnings into savings and spending.
- Help them deposit savings into a bank.
- Open investment accounts as they grow.
- Teach them the value of saving early to avoid financial struggles later.
Practical Money Lessons to Teach at Home
- Sell unused toys or clothes on platforms like Craigslist or Kijiji. This teaches pricing, marketing, and awareness of scams.
- Practice negotiation during chores or small projects.
- Model respect for money, like not wasting pennies or resources.
Resources like the 9 tips for teaching kids about money can help parents build financial literacy routines.
Cultivating Entrepreneurial Mindset Through Play and Communication
Storytelling and Creativity Exercises
Instead of reading stories every night, have kids tell their own stories using random objects like a red shirt, a laptop, or a kangaroo. This sparks creativity, quick thinking, and persuasion skills.
An example prompt might be: Tell a story that includes a blue tie, a red shirt, a kangaroo, and a laptop.
Public Speaking and Leadership Practice
Encourage kids to speak in front of small groups, perform plays, or deliver short speeches. This builds confidence and communication skills crucial to entrepreneurship.
Teaching About Customers and Employees Early
When you see bad or good customer service, point it out to your kids. Show them what a bad employee looks like and what a good one does. This helps them understand business dynamics and customer expectations.
Raising Entrepreneurs vs. Preparing for Jobs: Changing the Mindset
The Story of Being “The Dumbest Guy in the Room”
Herold describes himself as “the dumbest guy in the room” because of his struggles in school, but that never stopped his entrepreneurial spirit. He and his siblings didn’t fit traditional jobs and instead chose to start companies.
“We didn’t fit in normal work,” he says. And many kids don’t, which is why they need a different path nurtured.
The Role of Parents and Society
Parents can actively groom children toward entrepreneurship by encouraging creativity, problem-solving, and a dislike for “just having a job.” Instead of waiting for job opportunities, teach kids to create jobs.
Imagine if entrepreneurship were ranked alongside doctors, lawyers, and pilots as a mainstream career choice.
The Entrepreneurial Community and Its Support Networks
Organizations like the Entrepreneurs’ Organization and the Young Presidents’ Organization provide global networks of support for entrepreneurs who also often struggled academically but succeed through passion and grit.
Final Inspiration: The Entrepreneurial Spirit in Every Child
Entrepreneurs are thinkers, doers, innovators who change the way we live and work. They see opportunity where others see obstacles. Every child has the potential to become an entrepreneur if we nurture those traits early.
Raising entrepreneurial kids means teaching them that everything is still within their reach.
Seize the opportunity to raise the entrepreneurs of tomorrow.
Explore more about nurturing entrepreneurial traits for kids at Uncharted Learning’s article on the importance of entrepreneurship.
For practical advice on teaching your kids financial skills, check out 9 tips for teaching kids about money.
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