Jai’s Stories

Follow Jai’s Enterprise for Kids journey through technology, app ideas, creativity, goal setting and real-world learning about enterprise, confidence and taking action.

Enterprising Dinner Table Conversations

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Family having dinner at a picnic table in shallow water on the Cocos Islands

What do you think the Howitt’s talk about when around the dinner table?

It always begins with each member of the family sharing a gratitude, then usually the events of the day are told and achievements celebrated; however, what quite often happens next is that topics of business, enterprise, finance and investing govern the conversation.

Flynn Howitt taking his photography to another level. Check out his facebook blog and see what he can do!
Film making and photography have been the key to Flynn’s success in building his social media following

Lately, the topics of interest have been Instagram money making strategies, crypto assets and eCommerce.

Let’s look at these individually and look at how these present opportunities for kids to be entrepreneurial…

Instagram

Our older children, Kaitlin (now 24), Jai (now 22), Flynn (now 20) and Amber (now 18) all discovered social media when they were in their mid-teens. It started with facebook, then Instagram and now Tic Toc and Snap Chat. They discovered how to grow a true following of people by using regular posts of quality content about their lives. It helped living on a paradise Tropical Island atoll in the middle of the Indian Ocean- photos and videos here always look fabulous!

Kaitlin Howitt co-creating inspirational workshops with like minded people. Enterprising teen to entrepreneur.
Creating workshops that inspire has become Kaitlin passion.

As their following grew, so did their opportunities for enterprise. It began with something called ‘shoutouts’. Here other people/companies would pay cash for the enterprising kids to mention them in a post. This helps these people/companies grow their followers or promote their wares… and my kids were happy for the cash!

Next came real products. Companies would send them clothing, watches, surf gear and jewellery to wear and share on their Instagram accounts. The kids would get to keep the gear!

Following that, companies would not only send the gear, but also pay for the promotions. My enterprising teens were stoked with these opportunities!

As time went by and their social media followings grew and grew and their creative juices began to flow, real, much larger opportunities presented themselves.

Humble beginnings for Jai where he learnt to navigate the world of entrepreneurialism from his shared bedroom.
Jai building his enterprise from his bedroom a few years ago.
Jai Howitt's new warehouse where he runs his media company- Brand-Boostr. Jai's journey from enterprise for kids to today has been exceptional!
Handing over the keys to his new warehouse where he creates media content for international clients.

Kaitlin, along with Tully her husband, have built multiple streams of income using social media. Businesses that include coaching, MLM, and online courses. We’ll share more about this in a later blog post.

It’s taken Jai a few years, but now he has a thriving business where he creates content for international clients for their social media marketing. He uses his social influence through Instagram, Tic Toc and Facebook to generate leads for his very successful enterprise.

Crypto

You would have all heard about Bitcoin, but I’d say not many of people fully understand what it actually is. In a nutshell, Bitcoin is a block chain digital software developed in 2008 to be a currency. It is limited in supply, therefore very rare like gold. Other than its rarity, people like it for many reasons:

  • Decentralised, thus not controlled by one bank (centralised).
  • Cheap and quick to buy, sell and send.
  • Easy to store and secure.
  • A hedge against other asset classes.
  • Block chain technology is at its infancy and likely to become huge.
  • It is borderless. Can be traded and used in all countries.
  • Used as a currency.

There are thousands of different crypto currencies, although Bitcoin is by far the largest by market cap. Many of the crypto coins are based on block chain digital technologies (programs) that have real life applications. They are part of real bricks and mortar businesses. For example, Power Ledger is a renewable energy technology allowing people who have solar panels on their homes to be able to sell their excess energy to other people for a premium, rather than selling back to the to the Energy company for very pittance. People can buy the Power Ledger Coin. If the company continues to grow and expand and make profits, it will push the value of the coin up.

Block chain technology (crypto) is very new, and people are only just beginning to realise its potential. The infrastructure to utilise the technology is still being put into place. As mainstream companies, banks, fund managers and investors see the real benefits of block chain technology and recognise crypto currencies as being a strong asset class, the value of these rare assets will continue to rise.

The Howitt’s have investigated several crypto coins and have bought into them, with the intention to hold them for the long term. We believe it is a strong hedge against other asset classes, such as the stock market. We also believe crypto to have tremendous potential. 

eCommerce

As a family, we are all studying an eCommerce program called Web Dev. We are learning to build and monetise websites. We are also learning to identify value in websites for sale, buy them and then either renovate and flip them, or hold them for cash flow.

Websites can be monetised in many ways. The more common ways are through affiliating with companies selling real products and services (eg Amazon) or with advertising (AdSense). However; there are many other ways- like creating directory sites or selling digital products.

Building a website yourself from scratch costs very little, so anybody can afford to do so. Perfect for enterprising kids or teens. Buying readymade websites, already making a consistent monthly income can be an excellent investment, arguably better than any other asset class available today. For example, website that makes a $1000 a month can be bought for about $20 000. After costs, this asset will return in excess of 40% p/a. In addition, if you have the skills to improve the website and its income, then the asset will be worth more. Now, where else can you get a 40%+ return on an investment?

Currently, the younger Howitt kids are building websites. Amber has hers up and running. Go check it out www.sustainableperiodproducts.com. Chayse recently bought www.babyclient.com , which he is currently renovating. The other kids’ sites are a work in progress. We’ll keep you posted!

Our dinner table conversations may be a little different to the average family. We gain inspiration from one another through these conversations and through our mentors who support us on our entrepreneurial journeys. We are building skills, gaining knowledge, creating assets and most of all strengthening a mindset for enterprise.

Financial Literacy for Teens: Jai and Kaitlin’s Enterprise Journey

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Jai and Kaitlin as young teens learning financial literacy through enterprise goals

Financial literacy for teens often becomes most powerful when it is connected to a real goal. For Jai, that goal was finding the money he needed for Country Week Soccer. For Kaitlin, it was learning how to manage her creative enterprise alongside study, sport, friends and teenage life.

“`

In this part of our family enterprise journey, Jai and Kaitlin remind us that teenagers do not always need another lecture about money. Sometimes they need a meaningful reason to take action.

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Akaisha as a toddler in a dog walking photo introducing financial literacy for teens through family enterprise stories
Enterprise lessons begin early in family life, but teenagers often need real goals before financial literacy truly comes alive.

Financial Literacy for Teens: Jai and Kaitlin’s Enterprise Journey

So far in our family enterprise journey, we have seen Flynn build a great honey enterprise and actually achieve his goal. Kit had a go at dog walking, but quickly realised that Chayse was making more money selling lollies at the local soccer fields, so he began pursuing that with his brother.

Kit and Chayse made quite a team, and we will revisit them again in another blog post. Amber also reached her goal with her “New from Old” endeavours, and we will celebrate her achievement separately too.

That leaves our creative artist, Kaitlin, and our budding app developer, Jai.

What has been interesting to notice on the children’s journeys is that it can be easier to introduce a different mindset around money to younger children than it is to teenagers or older children.

Why would financial literacy for teens be more challenging?

In our case, Kaitlin and Jai had already been around longer with us as their major source of education. That meant our own money thoughts, objections and subconscious beliefs had been absorbed by them for longer. It was now more of a process to help them question and reshape those beliefs.

Teenagers, Money Beliefs and Real-Life Goals

Kaitlin and Jai learning financial literacy for teens through youth enterprise goals
Kaitlin and Jai were learning that money goals need time, action and follow-through.

Luckily for us, Kaitlin and Jai are both quick learners and they understood the concepts we were trying to teach.

The main obstacle was finding the time to put this new knowledge into action.

Being teenagers, their lives were already full of homework, study, sporting commitments, social life and social media. All of these are things we wanted to encourage in our children, so our challenge was finding a way to include financial education without making it feel like one more burden.

In the end, as with many things, life became the best teacher of all.

Jai’s Teen Money Goal for Country Week Soccer

Jai setting teen money goals as part of financial literacy for teens
Jai’s focus changed when he had a real money goal to reach.

Jai had not had much urgency to pursue his app development because there was no clear timeline attached to his goal. His app idea was exciting, but it was also a long-term project.

Then his goal changed.

Jai was accepted into the Country Week Soccer team and would be competing in Perth during the holidays. He had to pay for a good portion of the trip himself.

Suddenly, he had a renewed vision and a very real money goal to aim for.

He spent countless hours researching ways to make the money in a short amount of time. This is where his youth enterprise thinking kicked into action.

Jai using enterprise ideas to help pay for his Country Week Soccer goal
Jai loves being active, and Country Week gave him a goal worth working for.

He came up with different ways to make the money, including some ideas he had not been interested in before.

The opportunities Jai looked at included:

  • mowing lawns in the neighbourhood,
  • finding good-quality items to sell,
  • hiring out exercise equipment,
  • negotiating paid jobs around the house that were above and beyond normal chores.

Together, Jai and Trevor worked out that he needed to find about $10 a day to afford his portion of the trip. That made the goal feel clearer and more achievable.

He began negotiating with us over jobs that needed doing around the house, and then he got on with them.

He also went through many of his good-quality items that had once been “must haves” when he bought them. He realised that perhaps he did not need them as much as he first thought, so he posted them on Facebook to sell.

What Jai Learnt About Financial Literacy for Teens

Jai’s Country Week goal became a practical financial literacy lesson. Instead of simply asking for money, he had to think about earning, selling, negotiating, time, effort and priorities.

He also had to work out the difference between a long-term enterprise idea and a short-term money need.

Although Jai’s app development journey had taken a back seat, it had not been forgotten. He simply recognised that app development was a longer-term project, while his Country Week Soccer goal needed faster action.

That is an important financial literacy lesson for teenagers. Not every money-making idea suits every goal. Sometimes a teen needs quick cash flow. Other times, they need patience, skill-building and a longer timeline.

We were proud of Jai’s efforts and were confident he would reach his goal in time.

Kaitlin’s Creative Enterprise and Time Management

Kaitlin painting as part of her creative enterprise and financial literacy for teens journey
Kaitlin doing what she loves — using her creative skill as a possible enterprise.

Kaitlin, our artist in residence, was also learning an important financial literacy lesson.

Her lesson was not only about how to make money. It was about how to manage her energy, time and priorities around study, social life, sport and her youth enterprise ventures.

Kaitlin had already explored the idea of turning her artistic skill into a student enterprise. You can read more about that earlier stage in Kaitlin’s portrait drawing enterprise.

Now she had a timeline in place and was receiving more requests for artwork. That meant she had to begin each piece early enough to finish it before Christmas for some customers, and earlier for others.

This was a different kind of money lesson. Kaitlin had to connect creativity with responsibility. If people were asking her to create artwork, she needed to protect the time and energy required to deliver it properly.

Teenage Distractions and Self-Efficacy

Kaitlin learning time management and self efficacy as a teenager with enterprise goals
Kaitlin and Lachlan.

Having a boyfriend actually increased Kaitlin’s self-efficacy because she needed to complete certain things before socialising.

Luckily, Lachlan encouraged Kaitlin to do that, because he actually wanted to have a social life too!

This connects beautifully with the lesson we explored later in Kaitlin’s article about avoiding distractions and following through on her enterprise goals.

For teenagers, financial literacy is not only about budgets and bank accounts. It is also about self-management. It is about learning that if you want to earn money through your skills, you need to manage your time, energy, focus and commitments.

Creative Enterprise with Kaitlin and Georgia

Kaitlin and Georgia exploring creative enterprise and real-world learning as teenagers
Kaitlin and Georgia exploring ideas, creativity and enterprise.

Kaitlin and her friend Georgia were also realising the power of leveraging their time.

They had come up with some great enterprise ideas and had put steps in place to pursue them. These were longer-term goals, but in the end they could reap more rewards than simply working a job.

At the same time, they still saw the need to pursue their jobs in the meantime, so they could have money to put towards their enterprise when it was up and running.

This is another important financial literacy lesson for teens: sometimes a job and an enterprise can work together.

A job can create cash flow. An enterprise can create ownership, learning, creativity and possibility. Both can play a role while a teenager is learning how money, work and opportunity connect.

Financial Literacy for Teens Happens Through Real Life

The journey towards financial freedom is always a rocky one, but it is one worth following regardless of what else is going on in life.

Our kids are teaching us so much along the way. Not all of their efforts are successful, but they are learning from each experience and moving forward.

That is what makes real-world learning so powerful.

Jai’s story shows how a clear money goal can turn a teenager into a problem-solver. Kaitlin’s story shows how creativity, customers and deadlines can teach responsibility and time management.

Neither of those lessons can be fully taught from a worksheet.

They are lived.

Where Jai and Kaitlin Are Today

Looking back 14 years later, it is beautiful to see how these early enterprise lessons continued to show up in Jai and Kaitlin’s lives.

Jai’s early interest in app development, problem-solving and online enterprise has grown into his current business, Art of Mondays. It is a wonderful example of how early exposure to enterprise, technology and financial literacy can keep developing over time.

Kaitlin’s creativity and interest in bringing ideas to life has also continued. You can see a glimpse of what she is creating now through Kaitlin’s Golden Days Club.

At the time, these teenage money goals may have looked like small family lessons. But years later, they remind us that children and teenagers are often building foundations long before we can see the full picture.

Key Takeaway: Financial Literacy for Teens Needs Real Goals

Key takeaway: financial literacy for teens becomes more meaningful when teenagers have real goals. Jai needed money for Country Week Soccer, while Kaitlin needed to manage creative requests and deadlines. Through youth enterprise, they learnt money skills, focus, responsibility and real-world problem-solving.

Where to Next?

What real goal could help your teenager learn more about money, responsibility and enterprise?

Leadership Activities for Teens: Jai’s Green SuperCamp Bali Experience

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Leadership activities for teens during team games at Green SuperCamp Bali

Leadership activities for teens do not always look like formal lessons. Sometimes they look like dance, drama, team games, high ropes, trust-building, public speaking, friendships and learning how to step outside your comfort zone.

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That is exactly what Jai experienced at Green SuperCamp Bali. He returned to Australia with stories to share, new confidence and a stronger sense of what it means to be motivated, balanced and willing to have a go.

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Leadership activities for teens through dance and drama at Green SuperCamp Bali
Dance, drama and group challenges helped Jai step outside his comfort zone at Green SuperCamp Bali.

Leadership Activities for Teens: Jai’s Green SuperCamp Bali Experience

Jai and Kaitlin also attended Green SuperCamp Bali, although their experiences were a little different to Flynn’s Green SuperCamp experience.

Jai and Kaitlin were with teenagers from around 14 to 17 years old, so their learning and activities were different from the younger group. They still had life-changing experiences and returned to Australia with plenty of stories to share and noticeable positive changes.

You can also read Amber’s Green SuperCamp reflection and the earlier post about why our kids wanted to attend Green SuperCamp.

For readers interested in current Bali-based camp experiences, you can also explore the official Green Camp Bali kids and youth camps, which continue the spirit of outdoor, hands-on learning and personal growth.

Here is Jai’s account in his own words.

Jai’s First Impressions of Green SuperCamp Bali

Jai being prepared by his team to present a talk during leadership activities for teens at Green SuperCamp Bali
Jai being prepared by his team to present a talk to the group.

The Green Super Camp was a once in a lifetime opportunity! I reckon I learnt more in the one week I was there than I have all of high school!

It’s hard to explain what we learnt, but it involved quantum strategies, learning how to trust, have integrity, be balanced, and be self motivated. We also learnt some easy ways to increase our grades!

The way we were taught these things was also very unique. There were so many skits and stories and we were involved in any way possible. Learning became fun and we found it easier to remember things.

Everybody there was so friendly and strong friendships were formed quickly.

What stands out in Jai’s reflection is that the camp did not separate learning from experience. The teenagers were not simply sitting and listening. They were involved, moving, speaking, presenting, laughing, trying, trusting and remembering through action.

That is why leadership activities for teens can be so powerful. They help young people learn by doing.

Leadership Activities for Teens Through Trust and Challenge

Green SuperCamp Bali gave Jai the chance to learn alongside teenagers from around the world. The activities were designed to build confidence, trust, teamwork and self-motivation.

Jai at Green SuperCamp Bali learning confidence trust and self motivation
Green SuperCamp Bali.
High ropes course as a leadership activity for teens at Green SuperCamp Bali
High ropes course.
Bamboo construction project at Green SuperCamp Bali teaching teamwork and problem solving
Building project.

Although the kids on the camp were from all around the world, we all got on really well and learnt a lot about each other!

The Green Super Camp Bali was very different to any other camp I have been on.

The high ropes course, building projects, drama, games and group challenges were not just activities to keep the teenagers busy. They were leadership activities for teens designed to develop trust, courage, communication and perseverance.

These are the same qualities we want our children to develop through real-world learning and enterprise.

Teamwork Activities for Teens at Green SuperCamp

Every morning, before breakfast, Jai and his team had to stand up together and chant:

Leadership activities for teens during team games at Green SuperCamp Bali
Team games at Green SuperCamp Bali.
Jai making friends at Green SuperCamp Bali during teamwork activities for teens
Making friends, with the camp in the background.

“HUNGRY HUNGRY
*clap clap*
VERY VERY
*clap clap*
HUNGRY VERY
*clap clap*
VERY HUNGRY
*clap clap*
TI CALACKA PI A PI A
TI CALACKA PI A PI A
TI CALACKA PI A PI A
MAKAN!”

At first we all thought this was really weird and immature and none of us were really comfortable chanting it, but after a few days, nobody cared about how they looked, which was another thing we learnt, and we all got right into it!

This is one of the great lessons of camp experiences like this. Teenagers often worry about how they look, what others think and whether they will be judged.

But in the right environment, with strong facilitators and a group willing to participate, those barriers can begin to fall away.

Leadership for teens often begins when young people stop worrying so much about looking silly and start participating fully.

Confidence Building and International Friendships

Green SuperCamp Bali 2012 group photo showing international leadership activities for teens
Green SuperCamp Bali 2012.

My favourite part of the camp was interacting with the people there and mucking around with new-found mates!

If I had to say my least favourite part of the camp, it would be the fact that we sat a lot and our bums were sore by the end of the camp, but that was minor compared to how much fun we had.

Overall this camp was an amazing experience and I would happily go back any day!

I would recommend this camp to anyone who is experiencing problems in their life, or would just like to try something new!

By Jai

Jai’s words say so much.

For us as parents, Green SuperCamp Bali was not just about a week away. It was about confidence building, self-motivation, friendship, courage, integrity, trust and learning how to participate in life more fully.

Those are not small lessons.

Why Leadership Activities for Teens Matter

Leadership activities for teens matter because young people often need experiences that help them discover who they are outside their normal routines.

At home and school, teenagers can become locked into familiar roles. They might be seen as the sporty one, the shy one, the loud one, the academic one, the distracted one, the confident one or the one who never volunteers.

A camp experience can shake that up.

Suddenly they are in a new environment, with new people, new expectations and new challenges. They have to speak, listen, trust, try, fail, laugh, lead, follow and contribute.

That is real-world learning.

These kinds of experiences also connect closely with the broader ideas we explored in our article on Green School Bali and real-world learning.

They also connect with the current Green Camp Bali kids and youth camps, where young people continue to learn through immersive, nature-based experiences.

What Jai’s Green SuperCamp Experience Taught Us

Jai’s Green SuperCamp Bali experience reminded us that teenagers can grow quickly when they are placed in the right environment.

He learnt about quantum strategies, trust, integrity, balance, self-motivation, study habits, friendship and confidence. Just as importantly, he learnt that learning can be fun, active and memorable.

For enterprising kids, these lessons matter.

Entrepreneurship is not only about business. It is about leadership, communication, resilience, initiative and the ability to work with others.

That is why leadership activities for teens can support the same qualities we want in young entrepreneurs.

Key Takeaway: Leadership Activities for Teens Build Confidence

Key takeaway: leadership activities for teens can build confidence, trust, self-motivation and real-world learning. Jai’s Green SuperCamp Bali experience showed us that teenagers can grow powerfully through team games, high ropes, drama, friendships and stepping outside their comfort zone.

Where to Next?

What kind of leadership experience could help your teenager build confidence, trust and self-motivation?

Business Ideas for Teens: Jai’s App Developer Enterprise

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Business ideas for teens shown through Jai planning his app developer enterprise

Business ideas for teens often grow from the things they are already interested in. For Jai, that interest was technology, gaming and the idea of designing, making and selling an app.

At 13 years old, Jai was full of energy for his new enterprise idea. But as he quickly discovered, turning a tech idea into a real business can come with plenty of roadblocks.

Business ideas for teens with Jai thinking through his app development enterprise
What will Jai’s next move be?

Business Ideas for Teens: Jai’s App Developer Enterprise

Jai was super motivated and was like a bull at a gate with his new enterprising idea, which was to design, make and sell an app.

For those of you who are not geeks and are unfamiliar with the terminology, an app basically means application software for a device such as an iPhone, iPad or computer.

Jai’s idea was exciting because it connected directly with something he already loved — technology and gaming. At 13 years old, he could see that apps were becoming a huge part of the world, and he wanted to learn how to create one himself.

Turning a Tech Interest into a Teen Business Idea

Jai bought an Apple App developer licence under his Mum’s name and downloaded all the software onto his school’s Apple computer. This was a computer he was able to loan on a permanent basis until he left school. Lucky boy!

He then poured through the various emails and instructions and did whatever was required to get himself underway.

This is one of the exciting things about business ideas for teens. As children get older, their ideas often become more complex. Instead of selling a simple product or offering a basic service, they may begin exploring technology, design, online tools, digital products and more advanced enterprise ideas.

Apple’s own Developer Program gives developers access to tools and resources for creating and distributing apps and games, so Jai was stepping into a very real-world learning space.

There Are Ups and Downs

Jai experiencing ups and downs while developing his app business idea
There are ups… and downs!

The process proved to be very challenging and it wasn’t long before Jai was faced with a huge roadblock.

He was stumped!

The information and requirements were very complicated and technical, and Jai really needed professional help to get him through it.

I could see his spirits dropping fast, so we sat down for a chat about roadblocks.

Business Ideas for Teens Need Roadblock Thinking

Jai learning about apps and games for his teen business idea
To know about apps, you have to play the games!!

When you are building up an enterprise idea, it is important not to get bogged down by all the “what ifs”. If we all did that, we wouldn’t get past first base.

Whatever enterprise you choose to do will have roadblocks, and you will need to troubleshoot a way to get around them.

Firstly, it is important to come up with an idea and build it up. Then the next step is to work out a general plan for developing the idea into an enterprise. This means identifying each of the development stages.

From there, you can think about the detail and consider the roadblocks for Stage One.

Jai’s Stage One App Developer Plan

So Jai and I considered his Stage One plan.

The plan was to become registered as an app developer, download the software, then become familiar with the software.

Jai’s roadblocks were:

  • the software was not loading correctly onto his computer;
  • the software was difficult to understand;
  • he didn’t know how to get started with using it.

So we planned a simple strategy to deal with these roadblocks.

We were going to be in Geraldton for a holiday in a few days. Jai’s strategy was to pay a visit to our successful app developer friend and ask him to help him get started.

Finding a Mentor

Jai climbing to new heights while learning from a mentor for his app idea
It’s exciting to climb to new heights…

That he did, and when I saw Jai next I could see the spring back in his step.

He now had new understanding and some direction. He had also opened a line of communication with an expert, who could possibly become a mentor down the track.

Having a mentor is one of the proven best ways to a successful business.

This is an important lesson for raising entrepreneurial kids. Children and teens do not need to know everything before they begin. But they do need to learn how to ask for help, find people who know more than they do, and keep going when the first roadblock appears.

When One Problem Creates Another Problem

What Jai learnt was that, for the software to work properly, he needed to download another program onto his Apple computer.

So when he arrived back to Burekup, he downloaded the program, which seemed to sort the software issues. It looked like he was now finally ready to get going with it all.

He headed off to school that Monday, only to arrive home later that day without his computer and looking very frustrated.

Apparently, when he went about his online school work, he found that all the school programs he used were no longer compatible with his computer.

He paid a visit to the school’s computer tech, who identified what had caused the problem: Jai downloading this new program!

He wasn’t very happy with Jai.

He said that the computer would need to be wiped clean and completely reconfigured, then reloaded with all the school’s programs again. To top it off, Jai was told that it might take a few days to get it sorted.

Not good news at all!

More roadblocks!

What Jai’s App Idea Teaches About Teen Enterprise

Jai’s app developer idea is a great example of how business ideas for teens can stretch them into real-world problem-solving.

He had to deal with:

  • technical language;
  • software requirements;
  • computer compatibility problems;
  • needing expert help;
  • frustration and disappointment;
  • the reality that a good idea is only the beginning.

That is the real value of these experiences. Teen enterprise is not just about the end product. It is about the thinking, troubleshooting, persistence and maturity that develop along the way.

Those are powerful mindset, confidence and leadership lessons.

Key Takeaway: Business Ideas for Teens Need Persistence

Key takeaway: Business ideas for teens can be more complex than simple childhood enterprises, but they also teach deeper lessons. Jai’s app developer journey shows that roadblocks, mentors, technical problems and persistence are all part of turning an idea into something real.

Where to Next?

If you enjoyed Jai’s app developer enterprise story, you may also like:


Kaitlin’s Portrait Drawing Enterprise
See how a creative skill became a student business idea.

Kids Business Ideas
Explore more practical enterprise ideas for children and teens.


Mindset, Confidence & Leadership
Read more stories about children learning confidence through real-world challenges.

What will Jai do next with his enterprising idea? We will revisit his journey as an app developer in a later blog. It will make interesting reading with some hard lessons learnt!

Next up, we will touch base with Kaitlin and see how she is progressing with her enterprising idea.

We would love to hear from you, so please leave a comment.

Coding for Kids: Jai’s Apple App Enterprise Idea

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Coding for kids with Jai’s Apple app enterprise idea

Coding for kids can be more than screen time. For a child who loves technology, gaming, social media and the internet, coding can become a way to create, solve problems and even explore enterprise ideas.

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Jai’s interest in technology became the starting point for his Apple app enterprise idea. Rather than only seeing his screen time as a problem, we wanted to help him channel that passion into something creative and entrepreneurial.

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Jai using technology as part of coding for kids and his Apple app enterprise idea
Jai loved technology, gaming and the internet — and we wanted to help him channel that interest into enterprise.

Coding for Kids: Jai’s Apple App Enterprise Idea

Jai, like many teenage kids, is fascinated by the internet, social media and gaming.

If you allowed him, he would spend day and night on his computer, iPod or mobile phone chatting to his friends, playing games or searching the net.

We are careful that he is well-rounded, with a balance of activities such as kicking the footy and playing with his family, while at the same time allowing him the opportunity to immerse himself in his passion.

Jai balancing exercise and technology while exploring coding for kids
Jai leads a balanced life.

That balance matters.

Technology can easily become passive entertainment, but it can also become a pathway into creativity, learning and enterprise. This is where coding for kids becomes so interesting.

A child who loves screens may also love designing, building, experimenting, creating games, solving problems or developing apps.

Turning Screen Time Into Enterprise

When we introduced the Family Project to Jai, he knew exactly what he wanted to do.

His very grand idea was inspired by a family friend who had developed a hugely successful company based around building iPhone apps.

Let me tell you, in a nutshell, his inspiring self-taught success story.

A friend of ours was originally from Switzerland and had worked most of his life in a newsagency. He also had a passion for windsurfing and would take every opportunity to visit the West Coast of Australia in pursuit of the consistent strong summer winds that make the WA coastline a windsurfer’s heaven.

In Perth, the capital city of Western Australia, the wind is named the Fremantle Doctor because it appears to come from the nearby coastal city of Fremantle and brings welcome relief from the summertime high temperatures.

Our friend then decided to leave his Switzerland home to follow his passion, and the Fremantle Doctor, and set up home permanently in Geraldton, a small coastal city north of Perth.

He literally became a beach bum who spent his afternoons windsurfing and kite surfing. In his spare time, he would play around on his computer.

A Self-Taught App Developer Story

He taught himself how to program apps for Apple iPhones and was able to make a few simple applications which he tried to sell online.

This is where his enterprise kicked off.

From the comfort of his backyard hammock, one of his apps began selling. Sales exploded, and millions of people from all around the world downloaded it. For each download, he received a payment.

His success seemed to happen almost overnight.

This entrepreneur went on to build a multi-million-dollar company with three other partners, all from Switzerland, who incidentally had also followed the Fremantle Doctor to Geraldton.

What this man, with no formal qualifications in the beginning, managed to do in only a few years was mind-blowing.

His story inspired my fourteen-year-old son.

Jai’s Apple App Enterprise Idea

Jai’s enterprise plan was to build an Apple app and sell it online.

How he would manage to do that was not known yet.

All he needed at the beginning was a goal and a rough plan. Then he could focus on and tackle each of the steps one by one.

Maybe Jai too would become an overnight success like our friend!

Jai with hair-raising ideas while exploring coding for kids and app development
Jai often has hair-raising ideas.

The wonderful thing about this kind of enterprise idea is that it starts with a child’s natural interest.

Jai already loved technology. The challenge was to help him move from consuming technology to creating with technology.

That is the opportunity parents can look for.

When a child spends hours on a device, the question is not only, “How do we stop this?”

Sometimes the better question is, “How could this passion become useful, creative or enterprising?”

Why Coding for Kids Matters

Coding for kids can teach much more than computer skills.

It can help children learn:

  • problem solving,
  • creative thinking,
  • logic,
  • design,
  • persistence,
  • testing and improving,
  • and how to turn an idea into something real.

For Jai, coding and app development also connected with enterprise.

An app is not just a piece of technology. It can be a product. It can solve a problem. It can be sold. It can reach people far beyond your own town.

That was the part that excited him.

Learning to Code and Build Apps

Today, there are many more resources available for children and teenagers who want to explore coding and app development.

Apple’s Swift Playground is one example of a tool that helps beginners learn to code and build apps using Swift.

Apple’s education resources also show how students can move from their first line of code through to building their first app with Swift Playground.

For families, the key is not necessarily to know exactly how the whole pathway will unfold.

The key is to help a child start.

From Passion to Pathway

This post preludes Jai’s enterprise pathway.

He began with a passion for technology, a story that inspired him and a big idea that felt exciting.

He did not yet know every step.

But he had a direction.

That is often how enterprise begins.

A child sees something, hears a story, connects it with their own interests and thinks, “Maybe I could do that too.”

That moment is worth encouraging.

Jai’s Enterprise Pathway

This article is part of Jai’s enterprise journey.

In our next blog, we revisit Amber and see how she is going with her New From Old enterprise.

Key Takeaway: Coding for Kids Can Build Enterprise Thinking

Key takeaway: coding for kids can turn a child’s interest in technology into creativity, problem solving and enterprise. Jai’s Apple app idea showed us that screen time can become more meaningful when children are encouraged to create, build and follow a pathway from passion to possibility.

Where to Next?

What technology interest could your child turn into a creative or enterprising pathway?