June 2023 marked a pivotal moment in my high school journey as I dove headfirst into the world of entrepreneurship. Teaming up with my fellow rising sophomore friend, Jacob, we ventured into the realm of e-commerce. We are building a social media driven business, that now proudly bears the name Serene Habits LLC. Our goal is to have this business fully operational, selling and advertising, by the end of summer. As a high school entrepreneur, my launch journey has begun!
Learning the Ropes
With nothing but a vision, an insatiable thirst for knowledge, and a determination to succeed, Jacob and I embarked on the challenging path of entrepreneurship. Our first hurdle was navigating the intricacies of business registration. How do you start a business, get a tax ID number, and find a registered agent? Then how do you design a logo, buy a domain, and build a website? And what tax documents will we be required to file?
It’s fair to say that we didn’t realize how much research and work just getting to the starting line would be. But we got there, and Arizona based Serene Habits LLC is official. These initial steps set the tone for what is becoming an exciting and busy summer.
Building from the Ground Up
Creating an online business from scratch demands more than just a great idea—it requires meticulous execution. Jacob and I are embracing a do-it-yourself ethos. Wanting to learn every aspect of the business is the main motivation for this, but we also have very limited capital to invest. So, we are piecing together our venture brick by digital brick, ourselves.
We are currently designing an informative, user-friendly website on Shopify. Shopify provide a complete e-commerce platform for building an online store. This part of the venture was definitely time consuming. You can check out the finished product at this link: www.serenehabits.com.
Carefully sourcing products for our e-commerce endeavor is also a current focus. Consequently, we are doing extensive research to find an initial niche product that has both appeal and novelty.
Facing Challenges Head-On
Learning the ropes from scratch brought its fair share of challenges. From administrative hurdles to troubleshooting website glitches, Jacob and I faced setbacks that tested our resilience and problem-solving skills. It feels good to be so hands-on in crafting our entrepreneurial dream, but we weren’t fully prepared for how tedious some of our long days and late nights would feel. The grind behind the excitement is real! However, we know that the journey to success is rarely a straightforward path, and the challenges we encountered became valuable lessons that no classroom could provide.
Next Steps
The next steps in our launch journey are choosing an initial product to sell and bringing it to market. We will need to create advertisements, choose our social media platforms, and master a drip feed ad campaign. Stay tuned!
Conclusion
While the financial success of our venture remains to be seen, Jacob and I have already emerged victorious from an experiential standpoint. The skills we are acquiring, the lessons we are learning, and the bonds formed during late-night brainstorming sessions are invaluable. Our journey epitomizes the entrepreneurial spirit of Generation Z—an ethos unafraid to hustle and explore opportunities beyond traditional paths. We are proud to be part of it.