Kid Start-Up: How YOU Can Become an Entrepreneur

by Mark Cuban, Shaan Patel, Ian McCue

"A ready resource for business-savvy youngsters." - Booklist


"The best way to predict the future is to invent it." ―Mark Cuban, How to Win at the Sport of Business

Discover a winning idea, launch your business, and start making money today!

Do you think it would be cool to run your own business?
Do you want to help people with everyday problems?
Do you want to make money?

Then you could be an entrepreneur!

You don't have to be a grownup to launch your start-up. We'll show you how to discover a great business idea and get it off the ground. You can try one of our ten kid-friendly businesses, including timeless ventures like starting a lemonade stand to more modern-day endeavors like launching an Etsy art store, or create your own. Because every billionaire was once a kid with great ideas―just like you!

"Business 101―simple, with a good measure of excitement and motivational verve." ― Kirkus

Genres: Childrens, Business

128 pages, Paperback

Published August 14, 2018

About the author

Since the age of 12, Mark has been a natural businessman. Selling garbage bags door to door, the seed was planted early on for what would eventually become long-term success. After graduating from Indiana University - where he briefly owned the most popular bar in town - Mark moved to Dallas. After a dispute with an employer who wanted him to clean instead of closing an important sale, Mark created MicroSolutions, a computer consulting service. He went on to later sell MicroSolutions in 1990 to CompuServe.

In 1995, Mark and long-time friend Todd Wagner came up with an internet based solution to not being able to listen to Hoosiers Basketball games out in Texas. That solution was Broadcast.com - streaming audio over the internet. In just four short years, Broadcast.com (then Audionet) would be sold to Yahoo for $5.6 billion dollars.

Since his acquisition of the Dallas Mavericks in 2000, he has overseen the Mavs competing in the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history in 2006 - and becoming NBA World Champions in 2011. They are currently listed as one of Forbes' most valuable franchises in sports.

In addition to the Mavs, Mark is chairman and CEO of AXS tv, one of ABC's "Sharks" on the hit show Shark Tank, and an investor in an ever-growing portfolio of businesses. He lives in Dallas with wife Tiffany, daughters Alexis and Alyssa, and son Jake.

Reviews

[Valerie McEnroe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick book with basic information on starting a business. Most of it is obvious, but a good first book for kids. They will still need questions answered by their parents. I like the chapter on example businesses. They give you the materials cost and profit breakdown, instructions for making it (if needed), and suggestions for how to sell it. This is helpful, but I would have liked better suggestions. The suggested businesses are soaps, duct tape wallets, splitting cartons of home products to sell individually, lemonade stand, car wash, shoveling snow, walking dogs, tech helper. Most of these ideas have been around for ages and I'm not sure people are going to buy duct tape wallets. The book mentions Etsy, Ebay, going door to door, events and social media for selling the product.

Again, an introductory book. It's not for a kid who really wants to make a serious profit, but I would definitely buy it for a 9-12 year old.

[Marya · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a hustle. Like all hustles, this how to book is filled with personal philosophies ("But sometimes it's better to ignore logic and reason, and follow your obsession."), ego stroking ("In reality, viewers should be admiring the hard work of the Shark Tank entrepreneurs..."), and gushing testimonials from young entrepreneurs ("...[the author and another] have taught me so many key lessons and values that I will use for the rest of my life.") geared to make you feel like You Can Do It Too! I especially like the resource list at the end, where all the websites are listed as "booktitle.com/whateverresource" (i.e. kidstartup.com/amazon). Market! Market! Market!

What the book lacks is any nuance or detailed evidence to support most of its claims. But who cares? This is a book for kids! It's got the easy to read font, the large splashy graphics, and the rah-rah spirit to entice any susceptible youth into his/her own business. There are even ten business ideas broken down for young ones to get started. With numbers! That aren't too hard!

If nothing else, this book provides a window into how Americans view entrepreneurship. That is as good a place as any to start.

[Carine · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very nice little book to help and encourage kids and teens to start a business and teach them how to proceed. The book is a rare feat: it combines demonstrating that owning a business and making money out of it are good things while reminding the readers that succeeding will require hard work and persistence but will also teach them a lot about themselves and help them in the future. The book also has plenty of practice sheets for kids to work on their business projects as well as interviews from kid entrepreneurs. A really nice read.

[Lucas · Rating 4 out of 5]

my favorite charter is one of the writers. Mark Cuban because he dose a lot work to grow his business.
what surprised me was that the produces in the book there were cheap i feel like they could have bean more. I would not have changed the end because I thought he saved the best for last. And i like that.

[L. Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super Simple to Read

I think this is a great book for kids who are in grade school and interested in the business world. The basics of the basic about business. It's simple to read that 6 to 8 year old could understand.

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Neat book for older kids with general business advice, several business ideas, as well as interviews with successful kid entrepreneurs.

[Madeline Taylor · Rating 1 out of 5]

Even for kids has super basic information that is kinda common sense. It also mentions topic but never adds onto them.

[Lindsey · Rating 2 out of 5]

Britton felt it didn’t have viable ideas for long term businesses. I skimmed through it and I can see what he meant. I liked Turn $100 Into $100,000,000 much more.