I am very conscious that I grew up in a freethinking family where my mum earned money from doing birth charts and my dad from antiques and historic buildings. I was never going to work a normal 9 to 5 but for my parents being hippy’s money was not the priority and as such I discovered I had a poverty mindset. I am keen not to pass this to my seven-year-old daughter and every Thursday we dedicate an hour to learning about money, involving pocket money, broken into percentages charity, short term saving, long term saving, and investing. We talk about what financial freedom means in terms of supporting others, spending time with our family, and doing good in the world. Our latest addition to this is working through the Kidpreneurs Book which I bought after a very well targeted Instagram advert caught my attention. It really is an incredible resource to teach children they can be entrepreneurs at any age so I reached out to author Adam Toren to find out more.
Hi Adam, welcome to No Mum Is An Island. I am a great believer that no mum (or dad) should have to do everything herself, we can’t possibly know it all, and we need all the support we can get, there is a wealth of information out there to help us upgrade our parenting experience, to make our lives easier and this website is a hub for just that! We love that you have taken your entrepreneurial knowledge and translated that into a fun book to inspire kids.
Can you tell us more about your book ‘Young Entrepreneurs with Big Ideas”
The philosophy behind the book is simple. The future of our children begins with us! Most people say, “It’s never too late.” But we say, “It’s never too early.” The benefits of an early introduction to the basic principles and infinite rewards of entrepreneurship are massive. With our diverse entrepreneurial experience, we managed to break down otherwise difficult concepts into fun-to-read bites that any bright-minded and curious child can easily enjoy.
The real motivation for Kidpreneurs came from two realizations:
- That learning entrepreneurship at an early age helped us in every area of our lives and made us who we are today
- That most kids don’t have the same support system we had growing up that will encourage them to pursue entrepreneurship and teach them the basics.
Kidpreneurs is meant to get kids excited about entrepreneurship. It helps them start what we hope will be a lifetime adventure that will pay off for them as it has for us.
How can we support our children to find a project that is right for them for their first enterprise?
There are many ways but we first always encourage active listening. Follow your child’s lead when they talk about their interests and passions. Assess their capacity to start a business endeavor, in terms of energy, time, and maturity. Expose them to diverse experiences, people, perspectives, and skills so that they have a strong foundation to work from. Once that is all there, help motivate them in a positive way, in whatever way you have the ability to do so. We also offer many valuable articles on our blog that help to guide parents through this experience as well.
You say that “The benefits for an early introduction to the basic principles and infinite rewards of entrepreneurship are massive.” what do you think is the most important lesson?
All children share the inalienable right to become financially independent, whether rich or poor, city or suburb. Sharpening a child’s entrepreneurial skills will equip them with the skills necessary to tackle a limitless future. There is no reason it cannot start at an earlier age. Kidpreneurs puts the power in the hands of the future.
Kidpreneurs provides kids with the basic building blocks to start and manage their own business. There are some very practical lessons, such as how to market your business and how to manage your money, and those are important. But overall, we truly hope to inspire kids to live their dreams. We want each kid to realize the potential that is inside him or her and have the foundation necessary to build the life they want.
How important is it to encourage green business and ethics?
Important enough that we’ve included both of these topics in our Kidpreneurs book! We believe in providing kids with a “big picture” view of what it means to be an entrepreneur. For us, that includes ensuring that integrity, a strong moral code, compassion, and responsibility – on a global level – are part of our every interaction and business decision.
For that reason, we dive into what it means to be a good citizen, how to give back to the community at large, and how to make sometimes difficult decisions in business that may challenge or validate your principles and beliefs. We are here to do good in the world and to guide children to do the same, while also helping them manage a thriving business AND have fun simply being kids.
Can you explain what “Whole Life Balance” is and why it is as important for CEO’s of major corporations as it is for kids?
Well, we have made integrity-driven entrepreneurship and whole life balance our most dedicated mission. In other words, we make it a priority to work smart, do good in the world, and allow no excuses to get in the way of a truly rewarding career and personal life.
For us, whole life balance isn’t a matter of choice. It’s a non-negotiable mindset that is accessible to anyone and is downright vital if wanting to live life from the inside out. A life that feels seamlessly aligned with every single business goal. Aligned with every single desire for meaningful connection. And aligned with every single evolving passion and purpose.
We make sure to say yes to self-care. For us, this means dedicating time to fitness and wellness, planning trips with our families, and not over-scheduling our weekends in an effort to ensure we leave time to unplug and relax. This allows us to come back to work with a renewed focus and energy.
We dedicate an entire portion of our Kidprneeurs book to Whole Life Balance as well because we believe it is vital. This means we encourage kids to be kids, to have fun with business, to experiment, and to not stress about business. We encourage them to practice mindfulness, gratitude, physical health, and to engage in extracurricular activities as well. This will keep them well-rounded and energized to funnel their creative ideas into their business so that they don’t experience burn out.
How else can kids be part of your Kidpreneurs Academy?
Our Kidpreneurs Academy is just one of the many products and resources we offer for kids ages 6-12. It’s an interactive online course that engages and stimulates a child’s mind while supplementing the concepts in our book. However, we also offer instant, digital access to our Kidpreneurs book, our Kidpreneurs workbook, and a “Guide to 50 Creative Business Ideas for Kids”. We are preparing to launch a teen book and financial literacy book very soon as well. So, kids can work with their parents to find which of our products would best fit them and jump right in.
And, we love hearing from kids and families on our social media accounts. We encourage kids to share stories of their successes and challenges with their business. These kinds of stories and photos make our day!