Did you know that the average age of an entrepreneur is declining? Zeb Helmick, a ten year old dog treat business owner from Wheeling, West Virginia, is a testament to that.
Zeb’s Barky Bites was founded after Zeb started making healthy treats for his own dogs. Zeb’s parents, Steven and Betsy, helped their son start their business, as he is a minor.
Helmick (father and son), who were guests on The Positively West Virginia Podcast, talked about their journey through the business owner process and his business advice to young entrepreneurs.
Don’t overthink your business too much; just do it.
Having a business plan is one of the keys to success. No one can dispute that; however, there comes a time when an entrepreneur has to execute this plan.
“Don’t overthink it,” said (Steven) Helmick. “There comes a point where you can plan, plan and plan, but you’re never going to put that first dollar up on the wall if you don’t go out and do it.”
If at first you don’t succeed, try again. A good business owner will be flexible and committed to change.
Think long-term.
Many business owners that have been guests of Positively West Virginia have said that at first their business was more of a hobby to them, and as soon as they started thinking of it long-term, they started seeing success.
“As we are selling to more places around the state, it went from something to teach Zeb and his sister about to a viable business,” said Steven Helmick. “If Zeb and his sister wanted it to, it could probably support them as adults.”
Two tips to think about your business long-term:
- Work on your website. If you’re an ecommerce business and you’re selling products on a website that is not your own, you won’t be in control of email lists or your customer database.
- Have good customer service. We want our customers to be loyal to us. So, we need to stand out. Having the ability to talk with your customer one-on-one, in a friendly way, will make them remember you.
Don’t forget to have fun.
Even though a business owner should think of his or her business in the long-term, it is also important to remember to have fun.
There are many advantages of being a young entrepreneur:
- Being technological savvy. A young business owner/entrepreneur will be growing up as technology changes.
- Being educated on business and responsibility. It doesn’t matter what type of business you want to start, always striving to learn about business and knowing what responsibility means is important.
- You can fail and start again. Because you are young, you have the advantage of failing, learning and starting over.
Business Advice to Young Entrepreneurs
Becoming a business owner, as a minor and for their parents, can be tough.
- Many lenders are not willing to give a minor money. An adult will have to sponsor the minor.
- If you make a profit, you pay taxes.
- Don’t be afraid to take risks. As a young person or their parent/guardian, it’s normal to not want to step out of the comfort zone that has been built; however, change is a crucial key to success.
Zeb Helmick and Steven Helmick (father)
Catch Zeb and Steven’s entire interview on the Positively West Virginia Podcast here.