this made me $3k/week at 17...

How to Make Money as a Teen: A Personal Journey

Introduction and Purpose of the Video

• The creator emphasizes that this video is highly requested and aims to help teens interested in making money without any prior skills.

• The motivation behind creating the video stems from a desire to provide guidance that the creator wished they had at 16 years old, focusing on expanding perspectives.

Background Context

• The creator shares their personal background, highlighting their upbringing in Canada and Iran after losing their mother at a young age.

• At 14, they moved to the Bay Area with relatives but faced restrictions as an international student, preventing them from working legally in the U.S.

Initial Struggles and Independence

• To gain financial independence, the creator rented a place in Vancouver during summer break, using savings for rent while seeking employment.

• They experienced living alone for the first time, which provided insights into independence despite challenges finding work.

Pivotal Moment: Discovering Sales

• While at the gym, a conversation led to an unexpected job opportunity in sales; this marked a significant turning point for the creator's understanding of income potential.

• The realization of earning $200 in just 10 minutes by observing an experienced salesman shifted their perspective on traditional hourly jobs.

Transitioning Careers

• Witnessing quick earnings through sales prompted the creator to reconsider their approach to work; they learned about commission-based income versus hourly wages.

• After shadowing a successful salesperson who earned significantly more than them in less time, they decided to quit their restaurant job immediately.

Sales Journey: From Door Knocking to Financial Success

Initial Experience in Sales

• The speaker reflects on the initial phase of their sales journey, emphasizing the effort put into door-to-door sales for 8 to 9 hours daily. They shadowed an experienced salesperson initially to learn effective techniques.

• By the end of summer, they earned $8,000, significantly more than average earners. This experience transformed their mindset about money and work.

• Upon returning home, they immediately resumed selling car washing services in their neighborhood, driven by a newfound determination to make money without concern for traditional job barriers.

Scaling the Business

• Within a week of starting solo sales efforts, they secured multiple recurring clients and had to hire a friend due to overwhelming demand for services.

• The speaker engaged directly in service delivery (roof scrubbing and gutter cleaning), which helped them understand the business better and appreciate its simplicity.

• They transitioned from car washing to offering home exterior cleaning services like gutter cleaning, which proved lucrative with minimal effort required per job.

Growth and Team Building

• As demand surged for home exterior cleaning jobs, they expanded their team by hiring college students who could handle more physically demanding tasks.

• At just 18 years old, they managed a team that generated $20k-$30k monthly revenue. Their financial success led them to flaunt their earnings among peers.

Lessons Learned from Sales

• The speaker emphasizes that learning sales is crucial for teenagers—not just for making money but also for personal development and social skills enhancement.

• Engaging in direct sales taught them resilience against rejection and how to empathize with customers' needs—skills deemed invaluable throughout life.

• Mastering communication through door-to-door interactions eliminated awkwardness in conversations; confidence grew significantly as a result of successful client engagements.

Confidence Through Sales Experience

• The ability to navigate challenging conversations became second nature; this skill set has positively impacted all aspects of their life over three years since starting in sales.

• The speaker invites others involved in sales to share experiences regarding confidence gained from closing deals—highlighting that no other job offers such empowerment.

Learning Life Skills Through Sales

Dealing with Rejection

• The speaker emphasizes the importance of learning to handle rejection, noting that constant "no's" are part of the sales process.

• They recount a personal experience where they faced extreme rejection, including having a gun pulled on them while door-to-door selling.

Discipline and Motivation in Sales

• The speaker describes the rigorous nature of sales work, highlighting that without sales, there is no income—creating a strong motivation to succeed.

• They express the mindset of moving forward positively after each rejection, viewing every "no" as one step closer to a "yes."

Importance of Communication Skills

• The speaker advocates for speech and debate classes as essential skills for anyone looking to excel in business and communication.

• They share experiences closing deals with clients who had significant language barriers by using simple language and tools like Google Translate.

Alternative Career Paths

• Reflecting on their own educational journey, the speaker discusses how they initially lacked direction but later considered trade schools as viable options for success.

• They encourage those uncertain about college or traditional paths to explore trades like plumbing or HVAC, which can lead to lucrative careers without extensive education.

Perspectives on Education and Success

• The speaker critiques the conventional route of attending college for many years only to secure low-paying jobs, advocating instead for practical skills that lead directly to employment opportunities.