Your Guide to Career Paths
Employee: Sarah works at Starbucks for $15/hour. She works 20 hours = $300/week. If she doesn't show up, she doesn't get paid. Her income is capped by her hourly rate and available hours.
Business Owner: Marcus started a lawn care business. He charges $40 per lawn and can do 3 lawns in the time Sarah works one shift. But here's the key: Marcus hired two friends to help. Now he makes money from lawns he doesn't even mow himself. He built a system.
As an employee, you're essentially renting out your time. It's predictable and safe, but limited. As a business owner, you're building something that can work even when you're not there. It's riskier and harder at first, but has more potential.
Fast Food Worker: Makes $12-15/hour, gets scheduled 15-30 hours/week. Steady but limited income. Can't easily ask for more money. If the restaurant closes or cuts hours, you're stuck.
Retail Manager: Makes $40,000/year with benefits. More stable, but still limited. Even if they work super hard and the store makes millions, their salary stays the same.
Being an employee is actually a great choice for many people! It's stable, you don't risk your own money, and you can focus on doing good work without worrying about finding customers, paying bills, or legal stuff. Many people work as employees AND have side businesses. You don't have to choose just one forever!
Jake's Tutoring Business: Jake is good at math. He started tutoring middle schoolers for $25/hour. He has 8 regular students = $200/week. He sets his own schedule around school and sports. Now he's hiring other students to tutor too and takes a $5 cut from their sessions.
Emma's Custom Sneaker Business: Emma paints custom designs on shoes. She charges $80-150 per pair. She started with friends, posted on Instagram, now has orders from people she doesn't even know. Some weeks she makes $400, some weeks $0. But she's building a brand.
The Gaming Squad: Three friends started helping people level up in games and build custom gaming PCs. They charge $30-50/hour for their services. They split the work and money. Started from their bedrooms.
Starting a business is HARD. Most fail. You'll work weekends, deal with difficult customers, wonder if it's worth it. But you're learning skills no job can teach you: how to solve problems, manage money, deal with people, handle rejection, and create value. Even if the business fails, these skills are yours forever.
When the economy is bad and companies are laying people off or paying less, here's what happens:
When millions of people lost their jobs in 2008-2009, some people started businesses that became huge:
You don't need to build the next Uber. But think about this: During COVID, when restaurants closed, many people started:
These people saw a problem and solved it. They didn't wait for permission or a job posting.
Here's the truth: Different people are good at different things. Figure out what YOU'RE good at, and use it!
Good at: Art, design, writing, music, making things, thinking differently
Creative people often struggle in traditional jobs because they don't fit the mold. Running your own business lets you be YOU.
Good at: Talking to people, making friends, explaining things, leadership, understanding others
People skills are THE most important business skill. You need to sell, negotiate, network, and build trust. If you're good with people, you have a huge advantage.
Good at: Staying organized, focusing for long periods, following through, details, solving problems step-by-step
If you can focus and finish what you start, you're already ahead of 80% of people. This is a superpower in business because most people give up.
You don't need to be good at EVERYTHING. You need to:
The biggest skill? Just starting. Most people never even try.
There's no "right" answer. Some people love the stability of being an employee. Others need the freedom of running their own thing. Many people do both!
You're in high school. This is the PERFECT time to experiment. Start a small business. Get a part-time job. Try both. See what fits YOU.