Gina Hagler - Money-Making Opportunities for Teens Who Are Artistic

Published in 2014 by The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc.

29 East 21st Street, New York, NY 10010

Copyright 2014 by The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc.

First Edition

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Hagler, Gina.

Money-making opportunities for teens who are artistic/Gina Hagler. First Edition.

pages cm.(Make money now!)

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN 978-1-4488-9387-4 (library binding)

1. Vocational guidanceJuvenile literature. 2. Money-making projects for childrenJuvenile literature. 3. ArtVocational guidanceJuvenile literature. 4. TeenagersEmploymentJuvenile literature. 5. Job hunting Juvenile literature. I. Title.

HF5381.2.H34 2013 331.702dc23

2012045606

Manufactured in the United States of America

W hen ten-year-old Maddie Bradshaw wanted to decorate her middle school locker with magnets, she had a problem. She couldnt find any magnets she liked. To solve the problem, she took some bottle caps from her uncles old-fashioned soda machine, created her own designs, and attached the bottle caps to magnets to create custom magnets. Her friends loved them so much that she gave some to them.

It wasnt long before Maddie wanted to enjoy her bottle cap designs outside of school. She created a necklace that made it easy to swap the bottle caps whenever she liked. Her friends also loved the necklacesso much so that Maddie decided to take fifty of the necklaces and bottle caps to a local toy store to see if it would sell them. The store agreed to carry them on consignment. (The stores owners didnt buy them from her outright, but they agreed to display them, and they would keep a percentage of the sale price as a commission if they sold.) When all fifty necklaces and bottle caps sold out within two hours, Maddie knew it wasnt just her friends who loved her creations.

With the help of her mother, Maddie created a company called m3 Girl Designs. For her initial supplies, Maddie invested $300 of her own money, and her mother pitched in $300 to match that amount. Today, their initial investment of $600 has grown into a company with several million dollars in yearly revenue. Employees in Texas make all the companys products by hand. Maddie and her younger sister, Margot, still create each bottle cap design.

Friendship bracelets are one of many types of jewelry you can create and sell.

Maddie serves as the president and head designer and Margot as the vice president and assistant designer. The company is named for Maddie, Margot, and Mom. Its a limited liability company (LLC), and Maddie and Margot share the profits equally. The next big step for m3 Girl Designs is licensing. Maddie is currently exploring licensing opportunities that will put her designs on items other than bottle caps. She still loves to draw. In an interview with Nate Berkus on his television show, she offered the following advice: Just make sure whatever you do is your passion"

Jewelry making is just one option available to artistic teens who want to start a business. There are many other ways to put artistic talent to profitable use. In the following sections, well talk about ways to make your own opportunities through entrepreneurship. Well look at the ins and outs of running your own business and identify some of the resources that are available to help you turn your creative ideas into success. Well also explore traditional jobs connected to your interests and show you how to use internship and volunteer opportunities as a first step to the career of your dreams. At the end, there is a list of resources that may be helpful as you try to put your artistic talents to work.

P et sitting is just not your thing. Neither is car washing, homework helping, or lawn mowing. Youre either too young for a job, or the ones you can get, such as bagging groceries or serving fast food, are not appealing. Still, you need to make some money.

Fortunately, youre artistic. You can draw and paint. You can sculpt and create mosaics. You can make jewelry and other accessories. In fact, there are many things you can think of to create with your hands and some art supplies. Plus, doing projects that use your artistic talents is a lot of fun. Someday, you plan to work in an art-related field, such as graphic design or computer animation. So whats keeping you from putting your artistic talents to work right now? Believe it or not, you can get paid for doing what you love while you are still a teenager.

The first step is finding your nichethe place in the market that only you can occupy. Maybe your original anime characters are huge favorites with your friends. Maybe everyone who sees the mural youve drawn on your bedroom wall falls in love with it. Maybe your latest jewelry draws admirers every time. Whatever it is that sets you apart from the crowd is just the thing to make your own opportunity.

There is a trick to finding a good niche. It needs to be specific enough that people can appreciate the uniqueness of Suppose everyone agrees that your murals are terrific. A quick search shows that lots of artists do murals. What sets you apart from those other artists? Do you want to be known as the person who does murals in nurseries? How about the person who does murals in childrens bedrooms? Maybe you can see yourself creating murals in playrooms in peoples homes or in public play spaces.

If painting is your passion, find a way to turn your artwork into a business.

Suppose everyone agrees that your murals are terrific. A quick search shows that lots of artists do murals. What sets you apart from those other artists? Do you want to be known as the person who does murals in nurseries? How about the person who does murals in childrens bedrooms? Maybe you can see yourself creating murals in playrooms in peoples homes or in public play spaces.

Lets say you are drawn to the idea of creating art for a room where kids go to have fun. Maybe youll decide your niche is making fanciful wall murals for playrooms. Spend some time doodling and see what you come up with. If you like creating animals and figures, include some that the children in a particular house might enjoy. For instance, do the children you know love dragons? Jungle animals? Create some samples. Use bright colors and images in your mural to make the playroom an inviting space.

On the other hand, maybe you are crazy about anime. You love to create characters and make up stories about them. Perhaps your niche is making graphic novels that feature your characters. You could create handmade books to sell on the comics market. Or, you might create large, inked drawings of your anime characters in action, suitable for framing and hanging. Its up to you to define your niche. Once you do, you will be known as the person who creates that type of art.