Biz
PHOTOS BY MATTHEW THORSEN
Kids Some young Vermont entrepreneurs are earning — and learning — their money.
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KIDS VT MONEY APRILISSUE 2012 SPONSORED KIDSVT.COM BY: NationalLifeGroup.com
APRIL 2012
KIDSVT.COM
BY KATE LADDISON AND CATHY RESMER
R
eading, writing, arithmetic … and money management? Financial-literacy programs are popping up all over, to school kids on saving, spending and investing wisely. But some eager young entrepreneurs don’t need professional help — they’re figuring out money matters on their own. We found several local “biz kids” — between 8 and 18 years old — who are turning their hobbies and skills into fledgling business ventures. Some of them spend what they earn; others give most of their profits to charity. We asked them about their moneymaking endeavors; to explain what they do and why, and what they’ve learned along the way. We’ve distilled their answers into mini-profiles that reveal some of the practical lessons they’ve learned on the job. Parental influence varies. Charles Hulse, whose son Eli creates and sells his own iPhone apps, admits that he’s mostly sitting back and watching his son make his own way. “I don’t really have a lot of business experience,” he says. “I’m learning from him.”