What Does It Mean to Be Entrepreneurial?

Some kids grow up ready to take on what life throws at them. Others need more time, or simply aren’t quite sure of their place in the world yet. Children with entrepreneurial qualities have usually been raised with an awareness of entrepreneurialism. But what exactly does it mean to be entrepreneurial?

To be entrepreneurial is to be confident, driven, passionate, motivated, resilient, a creative thinker, and so much more. It doesn’t necessarily mean your child has to start a business of their own, but encouraging these qualities will certainly put them on a trajectory to a successful future. An entrepreneurial person faces many different challenges and figures out solutions to solving problems  through decisive action.

Raising a child with awareness for entrepreneurship can effectively guide them towards opportunities and a dynamic career that is suitable for them. A great example of someone who has explored their entrepreneurialism is Henry Patterson, a Buckinghamshire schoolboy whose lifestyle brand, Not Before Tea, took off when Henry self-published his book, ‘The Adventures of Sherb and Pip,’ at just 10 years old. The company sells various products based on characters from Henry’s book and has since become the fastest growing children’s lifestyle brand in the UK.

Henry’s success story has been recognised globally, having been named ‘One to Watch' by The Independent as well as appearing on The One Show alongside Richard Branson. A piece of advice that he frequently shares in his interviews is to 'be brave and get out of your comfort zone' which exemplifies his entrepreneurial attitude. Encouraging this mentality to your child early on means it  becomes a habit that allows them to follow their future.

Here’s a three-point guide to how you can introduce your child to entrepreneurial ideas in a fun and playful way:

1. Push for an entrepreneurial mindset

Encouraging your child to adopt an entrepreneurial mindset will give them the awareness to think inwardly as well as outwardly. For example, the saying, ‘We all learn from our mistakes' is a belief that allows people to see failure as an opportunity to do better next time, and this attitude pushes people to believe in themselves and their capabilities.

2. Develop their skill-set

Instead of focusing solely on your child’s academic abilities, introduce them to soft skills that they’ll use in all aspects of everyday life. Encourage healthy debate, set age-appropriate tasks and challenges, allow them to be creative, make decisions and solve problems. You could inspire them to think ahead and plan their weekly meals or engage in a conversation about ways to help people and the planet. By turning these into fun and light-hearted activities, your child will develop a range of soft skills that they’ll nurture for the rest of their lives.

3. Introduce them to real-world opportunities

As previously mentioned, we all learn by doing, experimenting, and making mistakes. Allow your child to adopt a forward-thinking ‘Why not?’ attitude and involve them in real-life scenarios. You could encourage them to chat with your neighbours about mowing their lawn or washing their car in exchange for some pocket money. Or maybe they could make use of the internet by selling unwanted items online via eBay or Facebook Marketplace. Being exposed to as many opportunities as possible means your child will believe opportunities are everywhere in all walks of life - they just need to go out and find them!

With that said, we’re super excited to announce the launch of our month-long LaunchPad session, Start a Business Summer, which will serve as an A-Z roadmap into entrepreneurship for your child. They’ll learn essential business skills, such as communicating ideas, tackling problem-solving, and of course, discovering how to start a business. Start a Business Summer is the perfect opportunity for your child to develop the skills and mindset to leave their mark on the world. They’ll get access to a library of content that includes over 30 thought-provoking, engaging experiences, courses and videos, all of which are aligned with the National Curriculum, underpinned by High-Performance Learning and meeting at least one of the Gatsby Benchmarks.

You can start your child's 10-day free trial here at any time and get to explore and enjoy our LaunchPad platform, with no card details needed, and no payments upfront.