are constantly bombarded by advertising and peer pressure for items like toys, video games, designer clothes, and a growing list of other things. We, as parents, cannot give our kids everything they want. But we can give them the tools they need to earn their own money and eventually make their own way in the world.
I grew up in a blue-collar neighborhood where money was sometimes hard to come by. When I was just 8 years old, I realized I was going to have to earn my own money to buy things I wanted and needed. So way back then, I taught myself entrepreneurial skills by starting several different “kid businesses” like selling lemonade, snacks, and washing cars to earn money. I even spent one holiday season selling Christmas bows! I then spent the next 25 years launching various companies based on those early experiences. Today, I own a successful, growing company with over 50 employees and offices in several states.
It was those entrepreneurial skills I learned as a boy that have served as the foundation for my success today and my inspiration for writing The Little Green Money Machine™: Kids in Business Around the World.
My other inspiration for launching The Little Green Money Machine is being a father to a very smart and curious daughter. I have spent many birthdays and holidays looking for educational toys and products for her, but not finding much in terms of quality. So I began writing a book for kids to learn how to set goals, create and run their first business, earn and save money, as well as give back to the community! Kids can progress through the book by themselves, with friends or an adult. And don’t be surprised if you learn something too! Many parents have written to me after completing exercises in this book with their kids, telling me that they were inspired to start their own business!
Knowing that young entrepreneurs would need more than just a book to succeed in launching their first business, I launched a unique product line, including a proprietary Business Stand and a website with online support for kids, making The Little Green Money Machine a complete, fun interactive learning experience. Kids can go to our website and customize their very own banners and marketing materials for their new business.
As parents and educators, we owe it to our children to lay a foundation of self-reliance, self-confidence, and financial independence. This same entrepreneurial foundation I learned as a child certainly helped me through my life, and I am excited to now share it with you and the special kids in your life!
Before we start, though, I want to take a moment to answer a question that some parents in our focus groups have asked me:
IS MY CHILD GOING TO LEARN ONLY ABOUT BUSINESS AND PROFIT IN THIS BOOK? IS THIS JUST TEACHING MY CHILD ABOUT MONEY AND MATERIALISM?
While this book is going to teach our kids the skills they’ll need to set up and run their first business, they’ll also be acquiring a confidence factor, a value set about themselves and about the world, that cannot be taught by reading a book alone or in a traditional classroom setting.
I believe that we should teach basic entrepreneurial skills to all children at a young age. They should be given the tools to not just survive or simply earn a high school degree, but to succeed in the world. Every child needs this foundation, and I believe the earlier the better!
I also believe that all children, regardless of income, background or circumstance, can eventually realize their own American Dream by using the skills they will learn from launching their own company with The Little Green Money Machine.
If you consider the fact that today 75% of all new jobs being created come from small businesses led by entrepreneurs, this only makes sense!
We’ve also dedicated an entire section in our book on social entrepreneurship, providing a complete blueprint for kids to set up their first fundraiser or charity and learn the importance of giving back to the community.
If you want your kids or students to acquire fun entrepreneurial skills that will last a lifetime, then The LGMM interactive book and product line is for you and your child. And you never know — you might be launching the career of the next Bill Gates or Oprah Winfrey right in your own home or classroom!
~ Anthony Delmedico
How to Use This Interactive Book
We’ve had several focus groups with kids, tweens, and teens, and even the youngest kids in the group were able to read each chapter, grasp the information, apply the exercises and create their own first businesses, using the Little Green Money Machine Business Stand and Kids in Business Around the World.
Kids, tweens, and teens, you’ll find in the next few pages all the features and benefits of the Little Green Money Machine Business Stand. These features and benefits will help you use the ideas and skills taught in this book. Our unique LGMM Business Stand has all things you need to set up and run your first company ... the only thing missing is you!
SECTION 1 — GOAL SETTING/VISUALIZATION
Before you start your business (or even learn about how to set up your first business), we want to help you find out why you want to start a business. What goal do you want to reach? Is it a money-saving goal for a trip, or is it a video game you want? Or is your goal to donate to a charity or people in need? You must start your business with your goal in mind, and then visualize that goal. That will motivate you to begin, and also increase your chances of success. We have included a special tear-out Goal Statement Worksheet for you to put up in an area of the house that you see every day. Reading your goal statement frequently (and out loud) to yourself will help you visualize your goal and accomplish it!
SECTION 2 — STARTING YOUR FIRST BUSINESS
This section challenges you to brainstorm an idea — can you match up things you like to do with things that people want or need? There is a Business Idea Worksheet at the end of the chapter for you to write down ideas for your new business. You will then learn the importance of picking a name for your business. There is a very helpful Business Name Worksheet to help you brainstorm the right name.
SECTION 3 — SALES AND MARKETING
In this section you’ll learn the importance of selecting the right location for your business and how to market your new business by using banners, flyers, business cards, and yard signs. There is also online assistance available to you on our website at www.LittleGreenMoneyMachine.com. You can create your own business name on banners, business cards and signs and have fun actively creating, and dressing up your first business ... just like real companies do!
SECTION 4 — TEN DIFFERENT BUSINESS IDEAS: LGMM BUSINESSES YOU CAN START TODAY!
Finally, we have included ten of the most popular, fun, kid companies that you can start and begin making money today! These business models have been carefully designed and tested to be used by kids your age along with the LGMM Business Stand. However, these 10 businesses are just a few of hundreds of businesses a kid entrepreneur can start and run, using the LGMM Business Stand. We encourage kids to try some of these proven businesses and then come up with some new ones on their own, using our brainstorming session in Section 2. There is even a chance for kids to write to our website about their successful businesses, and win contests, trips and scholarships!
SECTION 5 — THE LITTLE GREEN FUNDRAISER: CHARITY AND HELPING OTHERS
We have dedicated this section to the importance of helping others in need, and we’ve provided several kid company templates on how to set up and run a food drive and/or other fundraisers.
Helping others makes
