entrepreneurial kids

Michael Clouse: How to Balance Money and Time

Enterprise For KidsTeam Mindset, Confidence & Leadership, Money Lessons for Kids , , , , , , , , ,
Cathy and Trevor with Michael Clouse after learning leadership lessons about money and time

Michael Clouse gave us a powerful reminder that most people are busy etching out a living, while only a handful of people are intentionally designing a life.

That idea stayed with us because it is exactly the kind of thinking we want our children to see. If we can learn to think differently about time, money, leadership and choices, then our children have another model for designing their own pathway in life.

Michael Clouse as an inspiration for leadership lessons for kids
Michael Clouse shared powerful ideas about leadership, time, money and designing a life.

Michael Clouse and the Choice to Design a Life

“Most people are etching out a living and only a handful of people are designing a life.”

This is such a powerful statement, and one we often do not take the time to consider carefully. After many years of etching out a living, we are finally ready to design a life for ourselves and our children.

When we can do that, our children have another example in front of them. They can begin to see that life does not have to be only about earning money, paying bills and following the same pathway as everyone else. They can begin to make more informed choices about their own future.

We were fortunate to hear Michael Clouse speak at the annual Isagenix Convention on the Gold Coast. Michael gave an excellent talk about leadership, time, money and the thinking behind success.

Cathy and Trevor with Michael Clouse after learning leadership lessons about money and time
Here we are with Michael Clouse after hearing his leadership message.

Who Is Michael Clouse?

Michael Clouse is a professional network marketer, author, trainer and speaker. His official website describes his long career in network marketing, along with his books, articles, videos and audio training programs. You can learn more through Michael Clouse’s official website.

Before I share the message we took from his talk, I want to introduce why Michael made such an impression on us.

Michael came from a disadvantaged home, yet managed to become highly successful. Early in his career, he studied successful network marketers around the world and modelled himself on their habits, thinking and leadership principles.

That alone is a valuable lesson for our children. Success often leaves clues. If children can learn to observe people who are already achieving something worthwhile, they can begin to notice the habits, values and decisions behind that success.

Michael Clouse on Balancing Money and Time

One of the strongest ideas Michael Clouse shared was the importance of balancing money and time.

Most people give up time in order to earn money. Throughout their lives, they work hard in a job or small business to bring home the bacon. As a result, they may slowly increase their money, but they often become time poor. Later in life, they may finally have more time, but their income can drop.

People will argue that they have little choice. They have families to raise, mortgages to pay and expenses to cover. They need to work. In many ways, this is true.

But from an entrepreneurial point of view, it is still worth asking a bigger question:

How can we create more freedom with both time and money?

Wealthy people often create or buy back time. This might mean paying someone to clean the house, do the accounts, cook meals or help with tasks that free them to spend more time with the people they love and the experiences they value.

This is not just a money lesson. It is a life lesson.

Leadership Lessons for Kids from Michael Clouse

The reason this message matters for Enterprise for Kids is not because every child should become a network marketer. It matters because children need to know there are many possible pathways in life.

They can choose a job. They can build a business. They can create a product. They can offer a service. They can invest. They can become leaders. They can learn from mentors. They can think carefully about the kind of life they want to design.

Michael Clouse challenged us to think about leadership, not just income. Leadership is about responsibility, commitment, communication, consistency and helping others grow.

These are lessons children can begin learning long before they become adults.

Network Marketing Success Principles

Michael Clouse Future Choice book about network marketing and career options
Future Choice by Michael Clouse explores network marketing as one possible career path.

According to Michael, network marketing was one possible solution to the time-money balance because it allowed people to build a business through systems, tools, relationships and leadership.

For us, the bigger lesson was not just about one business model. It was about studying success principles and then asking which of those principles our children could learn from.

Michael reminded us of a simple idea:

Success leaves clues.

Here are some of the success principles we took from his talk.

Get Into the Game and Stay in the Game

Figure out what is in it for you, and then commit. You will meet challenges and have to overcome barriers. Being fully committed helps carry you through the difficult parts.

This applies to children as much as adults. Whether they are learning an instrument, building a small enterprise, playing sport or developing a new skill, they need to learn that success usually requires staying in the game long enough to improve.

Focus on the Fundamentals

With a networking business, Michael explained that the fundamentals include connecting with people, presenting to people, and teaching others how to run their business when they say yes.

For children, we can translate this into simple leadership lessons:

  • Learn how to talk with people.
  • Learn how to explain your idea clearly.
  • Learn how to help others understand what to do next.
  • Learn how to keep improving your skills.

Keep the Main Thing the Main Thing

Michael’s phrase “Keep the main thing the main thing” is a good one for adults and children alike.

It means sticking to the system that works. It means not being distracted by every new idea. It means asking, “What is the most important thing I need to do today?”

In business, that might mean telling your story, using the tools provided, connecting with people and becoming better tomorrow than you were yesterday.

For children, it might mean finishing the project, practising the skill, serving the customer, asking for feedback, or following through on the plan they started.

Recognise Effort and Progress

Lynn Hagedorn as an example of network marketing success mentioned in Michael Clouse leadership lessons
Lynn Hagedorn was shared as an example of what can happen when strong systems, leadership and commitment come together.

Recognition was another important part of Michael’s leadership message.

Be sincere and recognise every accomplishment, both publicly and privately. Recognise yourself, the company and your team.

One of the lines that stood out was:

“Babies cry for it and men die from it.”

Praise and recognition matter. Children need to know that their effort has been seen. They need to experience the confidence that comes from being encouraged, acknowledged and supported.

Michael Clouse teaches and uses these simple principles. He built successful networking businesses and mentored others who went on to create strong results of their own. The example of Lynn Hagedorn shows what can happen when commitment, systems, belief and leadership come together.

Michael Clouse and Career Choices for Teenagers

Kaitlin, our eldest daughter, came along to hear Michael speak as well. We figured it was a tremendous opportunity for her to learn about success from a successful person.

Network marketing may or may not become part of her future. That is not really the point.

The point is that young people benefit from seeing different possibilities. They need to know about jobs, business, leadership, enterprise, investment, creativity and service. They need to understand that their future can include more than one pathway.

It simply broadens the choices a young person has.

This is why we believe exposing children and teenagers to strong leadership ideas is so valuable. It helps them think. It helps them question. It helps them notice the difference between simply earning a living and designing a life.

Michael Clouse, Time Freedom and Money Lessons for Kids

For us, the lasting lesson from Michael Clouse was not just about network marketing. It was about time freedom, leadership, contribution and being intentional.

Our children are watching how we live. They are watching how we work. They are watching whether we are exhausted, inspired, trapped, free, generous, stressed or purposeful.

If we want them to make strong choices later in life, we need to let them see different possibilities now.

That is why this message belongs on Enterprise for Kids. It is part of the wider conversation about raising entrepreneurial kids who can think clearly about money, time, leadership and the kind of life they want to create.

Key Takeaway: Help Children Think Beyond Earning a Living

Key takeaway: Michael Clouse challenged us to think about designing a life, not just earning a living. For children and teenagers, that message can open up powerful conversations about leadership, money, time freedom, career choices and entrepreneurial thinking.

Where to Next?

What do you think? Are we teaching children only how to earn a living, or are we helping them imagine how to design a life?

Marketing Lesson for Kids: Burekup Country Club Heats Up

Enterprise For KidsTeam Family Enterprise Stories, Family Projects, Kids Business Ideas , , , , , , , , ,
Amber Flynn and Kit running a stall at the Burekup Country Fair as a marketing lesson for kids

Marketing lesson for kids sounds like something that belongs in a classroom, but for our family it came alive through fire, publicity, product preparation and the Burekup Australia Day Fair.

Last week there was both fear and excitement in the small township of Burekup. The Burekup Country Club had been on fire, and for a moment it looked as though the Burekup Australia Day Fair might even be cancelled. Thankfully, the fire crew put the fire out before it caused too much damage or anyone was hurt.

What followed became a very real lesson in marketing, attention and opportunity for our enterprising kids.

Amber showing her product during a marketing lesson for kids at the Burekup Country Fair
Amber showing one of her products ready for the Burekup Country Fair.

A Marketing Lesson for Kids at the Burekup Country Fair

Once a year for Australia Day, Burekup hosts a fun family fair. Everyone in town usually comes along, together with people from the surrounding areas.

This year, the fair had a little more publicity than normal.

The local Burekup Country Club, which helps organise the event, had a fire that threatened to burn down the old wooden clubhouse and town hall. The newspaper heard about the near disaster and ran a story about the fire that almost sabotaged the Burekup Australia Day Fair.

Burekup Country Club hall before the Australia Day Fair marketing lesson for kids
Burekup Country Club Hall.

The story stimulated fear and interest, which in turn created excellent publicity for the Burekup Fair.

Marketing a product, service or brand can be very challenging, especially if you are not naturally marketing savvy. A very good marketing campaign can sell even an ordinary product, while a very good product may not sell easily unless people know about it, understand it and feel interested enough to buy it.

That is why this became such a useful marketing lesson for kids. Our children were not just making products. They were preparing to put those products in front of real people.

What Our Kids Learned About Marketing Their Products

Our enterprising kids have all been challenged with marketing their products and brands. Cathy and I have also been challenged with marketing when promoting events or selling our own products.

The Howitt family booked two stalls for the Burekup Australia Day Fair. One stall was for our enterprising kids to display and sell their products. The other was for Cathy and me to share information about our home business, as well as promote the Enterprise for Kids brand and blog.

Putting ourselves out there in our small community for the first time was a little confronting. Some people knew what we had been up to, but for many it was going to be a surprise.

Despite the challenge, we saw this as a chance to practise in readiness for bigger and better things to come.

Kids Business Ideas Prepared for the Burekup Fair

The fair gave each child a real opportunity to prepare, promote and sell something of their own. That is where a simple family event becomes powerful real-world learning.

Flynn had been preparing his raw, unprocessed honey under his brand, Howitt’s Honey. He had a fresh batch ready to sell, and he had also bought a good set of golf clubs for a very good price, which he intended to resell at the fair.

Flynn showing honey pots for his kids business idea at the Burekup Fair
Flynn showing his honey pots.
Honey jars bottled and ready for labels before the Burekup Country Fair
All bottled awaiting labels!

Kit and Chayse were preparing their lolly bag business. They bought, sorted and bagged lollies to sell. Chayse also had a small fish tank to sell, along with colourful guppies he had bred.

Kit and Chayse sorting lollies for a kids business idea at the Burekup Fair
Kit and Chayse sorting lollies.
Lolly bags ready to sell as part of a kids market stall
Lolly bags all set to be sold!

Amber’s Products and a Creative Marketing Lesson for Kids

Amber had been busy all year collecting succulents from people’s gardens. She artistically potted these up into all kinds of unusual pots, including large seashells, kettles and ceramic plant pots.

Amber watering succulents for her kids business idea at the Burekup Country Fair
Amber watering her succulents ready to be sold.

She and Flynn also planned to sell aquarium fish they had bred. They salvaged and cleaned large glass wine flagons, which made terrific fish bowls. They decided to market this product under the brand name “Fish in a Bottle”.

Fish in a Bottle product prepared for a marketing lesson for kids
Fish in a Bottle.
Fish in a Bottle product showing how kids can create unusual market stall ideas
Can you see the fish?

Amber also planned to sell selected items from her New from Old business, and she was putting together a Lucky Dip.

Jai and Kaitlin Prepare Their Own Enterprise Ideas

Jai was preparing to promote his “Hire a Teenager” service. He already had clients in Burekup who hired him to do work on their properties, such as mowing and window cleaning.

Jai also prepared a batch of frozen juice ice cups on sticks. He came up with some creative ideas to add value to his product. He was also considering promoting “Rent Exercise Equipment”, although this business idea was still in its infancy and may not have been quite ready to run.

Lastly, Kaitlin was preparing to promote her new brand, “Eye heART”. Akaisha was still a little young to have an enterprise of her own, but Kaitlin was ready to share her creative skills.

Being the creative one in the family, Kaitlin planned to sell her skills by painting the eye of clients from a photograph. Around the eye, she would also paint three things dear to them.

Jai showing icy poles prepared for the Burekup Country Fair market stall
Jai showing his icy poles.
Kaitlin's Eye heART creative business idea for kids
Kaitlin’s Eye heART.

This opportunity for us all to market our brands, services and products helped the Howitt clan develop self-efficacy around being entrepreneurial.

What Children Can Learn From a Real Marketing Plan

A good marketing lesson for kids does not need to be complicated. Children can begin by learning that marketing is about understanding who might want your product, why they might want it, and how you can show them its value.

The Australian Government’s business.gov.au marketing planning guidance explains that a marketing plan can help define a target market, choose messages and channels, set goals and evaluate whether marketing activities were successful. That is exactly the kind of thinking children can begin to practise with a simple market stall. Read more about developing a marketing plan here.

For our kids, the Burekup Fair raised practical questions:

  • Who would want to buy this product?
  • How should we display it?
  • What makes it interesting or different?
  • How much should we charge?
  • What story does the product tell?
  • How can we speak confidently to customers?

These questions are useful for any young entrepreneur.

Marketing, Emotion and Real-World Learning

Our mentor, Paul Counsel, had plenty to say about marketing. One of the ideas he shared was that people often respond to emotion before they respond to logic.

In simple terms, customers usually want to move away from a problem and toward a better result. A product, service or experience becomes more interesting when people can clearly see the difference it might make.

For children, this can be taught in a practical and age-appropriate way.

If they are selling honey, they can show that it is fresh, local and real.

If they are selling lolly bags, they can make them colourful, tidy and fun.

If they are selling succulents, they can show how each one has been creatively potted and cared for.

If they are selling a service, they can explain clearly how they can help someone.

This is where marketing becomes much more than advertising. It becomes communication.

A Fire, a Fair and a Marketing Lesson for Kids

Pain Island to Pleasure Island drawing used in a marketing lesson for kids
Just need the right ship to get them there!

Luckily, the fire did not burn down the club or spoil the Burekup Australia Day Fair.

But it certainly woke people up.

The fear that the fair might be cancelled created attention. The newspaper story created discussion. The near disaster gave people another reason to talk about the event. In an unexpected way, it became publicity.

That is not something anyone would wish for, of course. But it did show our kids something important: people pay attention when a story matters to them.

For our family, the fair became more than a day out. It became a real-world lesson in product preparation, branding, confidence, customer communication and marketing.

In our next blog, we will share photos and experiences from the Burekup Australia Day Fair.

Where to Next?

We would love to hear from our readers. What marketing lesson for kids have you seen through a school fair, market stall or family business idea? Share your thoughts in the comment box below.

Business Plan Ideas for Students: A Success Formula Kids Can Learn

Enterprise For KidsTeam Kids Business Ideas, Mindset, Confidence & Leadership , , , , , , , , , ,
Chayse giving thumbs up for business plan ideas for students

Business plan ideas for students do not need to begin with a complicated document, a bank loan or a grown-up business plan. Sometimes they can begin with a simple formula children can understand and apply to a real enterprise project.

In our previous post, we shared Sean Rasmussen’s teachings around developing a healthy self-image. This article follows on from that discussion as we look at one of his valuable lessons about success in business: a simple formula that can help children understand training, tools, teamwork, time and results.

Business plan ideas for students shown with a success baby image
A simple success formula can help children understand business planning, action and results.

Business Plan Ideas for Students: A Simple Success Formula

How would you like to know Sean Rasmussen’s business success formula?

Teaching these understandings to your children can help set them on the path to becoming successful, confident and practical young entrepreneurs. The point is not to make business complicated. The point is to give children a way to understand how effort, systems and support work together.

Sean introduced a simple formula that can help produce results in business:

(Training + Tools + Team) × Time = Results

Business success formula for students learning training tools team time and results
Sean Rasmussen’s simple formula: Training + Tools + Team × Time = Results.

For us, this became one of the clearest business plan ideas for students because it turned business planning into something practical: learn the system, use the right tools, build a team, give it time and then measure the results.

This formula can fit many business models, whether it is a conventional business, an internet-based business, a family enterprise project or a small student business idea. It also fits with what we have read about Robert Kiyosaki and his “business builder” model, where the aim is to build a business system rather than simply create another job for yourself.

In our blog about David Wood, we discovered that he also used this kind of formula for business success and taught how it could apply to network marketing.

For Enterprise for Kids, the real value is this: children can use the same basic thinking when they start small. A child’s enterprise might be honey, lolly bags, artwork, dog walking, plant sales or a market stall. The business may be small, but the planning lessons can be very real.

Why Business Plan Ideas for Students Need a Formula

Students often hear the word “business plan” and imagine something long, formal and boring. But business plan ideas for students can be much simpler than that.

A good plan helps answer practical questions:

  • What am I trying to create or sell?
  • What training or knowledge do I need?
  • What tools will help me do it properly?
  • Who can be part of my team?
  • How much time will I need to put in?
  • What result am I aiming for?

The Australian Government’s business.gov.au guidance explains that a business plan can help give direction, define objectives, map out goals and identify risks. That is a useful idea for students too, even if their first “business plan” is simple and practical. Read more about developing a business plan here.

When children learn to think this way, they are not just playing business. They are learning how ideas become action.

Business builder formula connected to student enterprise and business planning
A business system becomes stronger when training, tools, team and time work together.

Business Plan Ideas for Students: The Success Formula Explained

Here is how Sean Rasmussen’s formula can be explained in a way children and teenagers can understand.

Training

Training means learning what you need to know. That might mean attending a boot camp, joining a program, finding a mentor, watching someone with experience, asking questions, reading books or studying how a business system works.

For students, training might be as simple as learning how to make a product properly, how to speak to customers, how to calculate costs, or how to display a stall so people notice it.

Tools

Tools are the things that help the business work better. In some businesses, the tools might be websites, templates, software, equipment, signs, packaging or scripts. In a child’s enterprise, the tools might be jars, labels, an extractor, a notebook, a calculator, a table, a sign or a money tin.

Sean and David Wood both made the same point in different ways: use the tools that work. Don’t waste all your energy trying to reinvent everything from scratch.

Team

Team means the people who help the business work. In internet marketing, that might include virtual assistants, writers, marketers and technical people. In network marketing, it might include mentors, upline support and business partners.

For children, a team may be much simpler. It might be a grandparent with expertise, a parent who can supervise, a sibling who can help, a friend who can bottle honey, or someone willing to sell the product on consignment.

Time

Time means giving the business enough focused effort to get results.

Many businesses require a lot of effort in the beginning before the rewards appear. This is a very important lesson for children. They need to understand that success is not usually instant. They may need to practise, prepare, improve, sell, try again and keep going.

Results

Results are what come from the combination of training, tools, team and time. In a child’s enterprise, results might include profit, confidence, better communication, practical money lessons, self-belief or a stronger understanding of how business works.

When students can see the connection between effort and results, business becomes much easier to understand.

Teaching Entrepreneurship to Kids With Business Plan Ideas for Students

The business success formula can easily be taught to kids. Firstly, help them get started with an enterprise so they can learn from experience.

For example, our son Flynn learned a huge amount about beekeeping, harvesting and processing honey, bottling it, marketing it and selling it.

Flynn extracting honey as an example of business plan ideas for students
Flynn’s honey enterprise helped him learn how a business formula works in real life.
Flynn with his honey product as a student business idea
Flynn with his honey product after putting training, tools, team and time into action.

Next, teach children how they can make their business easier by using the right tools. In Flynn’s case, this meant borrowing the right extractor equipment and using expert advice from his Grandad. That saved him time and helped him do the job properly.

Then investigate ways of putting a team together to make the process less work and more profitable. Flynn used friends to help bottle the honey. He had people selling his honey on consignment, and he found people who could take his honey to market.

He was not doing all the work himself, and that is one of the important lessons inside this business plan idea for students: a business is stronger when the right people and tools are involved.

Business Plan Ideas for Students and Delayed Gratification

One of the biggest lessons children can learn from enterprise is delayed gratification.

Delayed gratification means putting in the hard yards now for a financial reward later. Once children see a result in their wallet or purse, they begin to understand the formula in a real way.

Flynn realised this through his honey business. He used his own money to buy honey and paid for what he needed to bottle and market it. He understood that he needed to make the business work if he wanted to get his money back with profit.

Once he experienced a result with his first batch of honey, he became much more focused and determined with his second batch. In fact, he invested twice the capital.

That is a powerful money lesson for kids. It teaches them that business involves risk, effort, patience and responsibility.

Three Reasons People Are Not Making Money

Sean Rasmussen also pointed out three reasons why people may not be making money in their chosen enterprise. He emphasised the importance of action, intention and value.

When students use the business success formula and are also clear on action, intention and value, they are much better set up to make progress in a business or enterprise project.

Action

Action is obvious, but it is often where people get stuck.

Take action straight away whenever an idea or opportunity presents itself. As soon as an idea appears, build upon it. Avoid killing the idea with too many “what ifs” before it has even had a chance to grow.

For children, this might mean making the first batch, creating the sign, asking the first customer, setting up the stall, writing down the costs or testing the idea with family and friends.

Intention

To illustrate the point about intention, Sean had us write on a small card what our intent was for the three days at boot camp, then carry the card with us in our pocket.

The idea was to think about our intent and hold it clearly without trying to force the answer or outcome. Amazingly, by the end of the three days, many of the answers to our intentions had appeared.

Intention can also be aligned with having a plan. For students, it might sound like:

  • I intend to sell ten jars of honey this weekend.
  • I intend to learn how to speak confidently to customers.
  • I intend to make enough profit to pay back my costs.
  • I intend to learn from this project, even if everything does not go perfectly.

Value

Sean referred to value as being connected to your highest values. He explained that your highest values dictate what you focus on.

So it is crucial to ensure that what you want — whether it is health, money, family, contribution, freedom or creativity — is high enough on your value list, otherwise it is unlikely to receive your best energy.

Our Money Mastery mentor, Paul Counsel, also helped us understand this distinction. For us, we struggled with putting business ahead of family as our highest value. Our kids have always been our highest value, and consequently they take up our time and energy.

So what we learned was that we needed to align business with our highest value of family. That is part of why this blog exists. Enterprise for Kids allows us to grow our own entrepreneurial mindset while also helping our children learn about business, money, confidence and opportunity.

Business Plan Ideas for Students Should Connect to Values

This is an important point for parents and teachers.

Business plan ideas for students should not only be about making money. They should also connect to what children value. A child who loves animals might enjoy a pet-sitting idea. A child who loves art might create portraits or handmade cards. A child who loves cooking might sell biscuits or preserves with family support. A child who loves nature might grow plants or make garden products.

When business connects to values, children are more likely to stay interested, take ownership and learn deeply from the experience.

That is the heart of teaching entrepreneurship to kids. We are not just teaching them to sell things. We are teaching them to think, plan, act, serve, learn and grow.

Flynn celebrating his business success after applying a business success formula
Flynn celebrating the results of his honey enterprise.

Key Takeaway: Business Plan Ideas for Students Can Start Simple

Key takeaway: Business plan ideas for students can begin with a simple formula: training, tools, team and time lead to results. When children apply this to real enterprise projects, they learn business planning, delayed gratification, action, intention, value and money lessons in a practical way.

Where to Next?

What business plan ideas for students have you tried with your children, class or family enterprise project? We would love to hear how young people are learning through real enterprise.

Positive Self Image: Lessons for Entrepreneurial Kids

Enterprise For KidsTeam Mindset, Confidence & Leadership, Raising Entrepreneurial Kids , , , , , , , , , , ,
Sean Rasmussen and family connected to positive self image lessons for entrepreneurial kids

Positive self image is one of the most powerful foundations children can develop if we want them to grow into confident, capable and entrepreneurial people.

Our family’s entrepreneurial journey so far has been exhilarating. The more we learn about successful people and what makes them different, the more we understand our own subconscious beliefs, values, habits and mindset — and the more aware we become of what our children may be learning from us.

Sean Rasmussen and Cherie with Cathy and Trevor learning about positive self image at Boot Camp
Sean, Cherie and us at Boot Camp — a weekend that helped us think deeply about self-image, success and mindset.

Positive Self Image and Our Entrepreneurial Journey

Our journey of self-discovery has allowed us to look deeply into our own habits, thoughts and belief systems, as well as the beliefs and behaviours our children may be developing.

What has really inspired us along the way are the people we are becoming friends with. Positive people with energy, motivation, connectedness and drive. These people are becoming part of our reference group, and simply being around them helps us absorb their energy and possibility.

We flew to Surfers Paradise on the Queensland Gold Coast to attend a three-day intensive Internet Marketing Boot Camp run by Sean Rasmussen. Sean’s rags-to-riches story was an inspiration. From working as an electrician on a mine site near Karratha in Western Australia, carrying a large debt and working very long hours, he became a wealthy and successful self-taught internet marketer.

He would spend long days working on the mine site, then teach himself internet marketing during the few waking hours he had at home. He made it his highest value to change his family’s economic situation by finding a way to build an online business.

Sean’s focus, persistence and family support paid off. Within a couple of years, he had built a successful business that replaced his income from his job and continued to grow from there.

Sean Rasmussen, Success and Positive Self Image

Our experience over the three-day weekend was mind-blowing. Sean’s knowledge, enthusiasm and sense of humour kept us captivated throughout the event.

We met many fantastic people who inspired us with their commitment, passion and the variety of topics they were blogging about.

Sean Rasmussen and David Wood teaching mindset for success at Boot Camp
Sean and David at our Boot Camp.

Many people had major hurdles to overcome while pursuing their passions. There was Dave, who was 21 and had cerebral palsy. His supportive mum, Lynda, had four other children at home and still took the time to bring Dave to Sean’s Boot Camps because she wanted to expose him to the possibilities available.

There was Dr William — or Dr Bill as he was affectionately known — who was a spritely 80-plus years young. There was Catherine, who dreamed of working from home so she could spend more time with her baby girl. There was Helen, who came along with her husband Alex, and we worked out that Trev had taught her in Year 5 in Geraldton. There was Dale, who was passionate about natural health.

These were just some of the incredible people we met. Being around them reminded us how important environment, reference groups and self-belief are when building a positive self image and a mindset for success.

Connecting With People and Helping Them Find Answers

What we liked about Sean was his down-to-earth approach to life. He carried no airs or graces. He and his family enjoyed many of the same things our family does: a hobby farm, animals, weekend sport, family life and the simple everyday things.

Sean genuinely wanted to help people succeed. He gave value far beyond what you would expect from his training and programs, and he made genuine connections with people.

Sean explained that business is about finding out people’s problems and then providing answers.

This was not the first time we had heard this idea. Many successful people and mentors we have learned from have said the same thing:

Connect with people and help provide them the answers.

Connecting with people at Boot Camp while learning about positive self image and success
Connecting with people at the Boot Camp.

Sean pointed out that everybody is an expert in something. Find what you are passionate about, become that expert, discover what people want to know, and then build a business around your area of expertise.

For our children, this is a powerful lesson. A child does not have to wait until adulthood to notice their interests, practise their skills and begin seeing themselves as someone who can contribute value.

Why Positive Self Image Matters for Children

Self-esteem and self-image are important contributors to success. People must learn to take responsibility for their results in life rather than always looking for fault or blame in others.

Sean pointed out something powerful:

Your dreams already do come true. Make your dreams good ones.

This is where the idea of a positive self image becomes so important. Children tend to act in alignment with how they see themselves. If they see themselves as capable, creative, helpful and resilient, they are more likely to act that way. If they see themselves as failures, troublemakers or not good at anything, they may begin to live from that story too.

That is a heavy responsibility for parents, teachers and mentors.

Maxwell Maltz and Positive Self Image

Maxwell Maltz and positive self image ideas from Psycho-Cybernetics
Maxwell Maltz helped popularise the idea that self-image shapes behaviour and success.

Maxwell Maltz wrote Psycho-Cybernetics, a self-help classic that influenced many later teachers of success and mindset. His work explored the idea that self-image is central to human personality and behaviour. You can read more about Maxwell Maltz here.

Many success teachers, including Tony Robbins, Dr John Demartini, David Wood, Paul Counsel and Sean Rasmussen, have referred to similar ideas about self-image, belief and behaviour.

The idea is simple but powerful:

Change your self-image and you change the person.

Action, results and perception tend to stay consistent with self-image. We often act like the person we perceive ourselves to be, and our experiences often reinforce the way we already see ourselves.

Building a Positive Self Image in Children

We see examples of this every day. People act according to the way they perceive themselves, and these perceptions are often shaped at a young age.

To put it into context, students may fail because they are repeatedly told they are failures by parents, teachers or peers. Babies are born “clean”, and then the world begins shaping their self-image through words, reactions, expectations and experiences.

Success runs in the family — in the mind.

Maxwell Maltz quote about positive self image and success
Success runs in the family — in the mind.

Maltz pointed out that success and defeat can travel through families because patterns of thought and behaviour are carried in the mind. If a person accepts defeat as part of their identity, they are more likely to behave from that place.

Sean explained that you are better off moving in the wrong direction than not moving at all. At least when you are going in the wrong direction, you can alter course and start heading in the right one.

It is important to set goals and move forward rather than live in the past. Negative feedback should not be seen as failure. It can be useful because it helps us correct errors and stay on track.

How to Develop a Healthy Self Image

A healthy self image allows children to search for answers rather than collapse in the face of difficulty. It helps them believe that even if they do not know the answer yet, an answer can be found.

These are some of the ideas we took from Sean Rasmussen’s Boot Camp and the teachings around self-image:

  1. Have a goal that already exists in actual or potential form. Choose something that feels achievable, while still encouraging children to aim high.
  2. Have the end result in mind. The “how” does not always need to be clear at the beginning. Sometimes the path appears once the intention is strong enough.
  3. Do not fear mistakes. Negative feedback is a vital part of learning. It helps children self-correct and stay on course.
  4. Dwell on successes. Children need to remember what worked, not only what went wrong. Success patterns can be strengthened through repetition.
  5. Trust the process. Worry can jam up progress. A clear intention and a healthy self image help children keep looking for solutions.

Rational Thinking and Self-Image

Sean Rasmussen and family connected to healthy self image and family success lessons
Sean and his family showed us that success can still be grounded in everyday family life.

Your subconscious mind has no “will” of its own. It obeys your conscious demands, which are often based around your self-image thoughts.

Through conscious thinking, children can begin to challenge self-imposed limits. They can learn to question the stories they tell themselves, such as “I can’t do this,” “I always fail,” or “I’m not good at anything.”

Instead, we can help them practise more useful thoughts:

  • I can learn this.
  • I can try again.
  • I can ask for help.
  • I can improve with practise.
  • I can solve problems.

This kind of thinking supports a positive self image and builds confidence over time.

Habits and Positive Self Image

It is often said that it takes about twenty-one days for something new to become familiar. Whether or not the exact number is always true, the principle is useful: repeated action begins to create comfort, familiarity and habit.

A simple exercise to test changing a habit is brushing your teeth for twenty-one days using your opposite hand. At first it feels awkward, but gradually it becomes more comfortable.

Children can use this same idea by copying the habits of people they admire. If they want better results, they can observe people who are already achieving those results and practise similar habits.

Napoleon Hill also referred to the importance of studying and developing the habits of successful people in Think and Grow Rich. For entrepreneurial kids, this is a practical way to build a stronger self-image: act like someone who learns, contributes, serves and keeps going.

Tips for Parents of Entrepreneurial Children

Cath and Trevor in Surfers Paradise during their entrepreneurial learning journey
Cath and Trev in Surfers Paradise during our entrepreneurial learning journey.

Why not teach your entrepreneurial kids to develop the habits of successful people?

Start by noticing everyday habits of people around them. Discuss how those habits may have contributed to the results they now have. Encourage your children to read or listen to biographies of successful people. Build your children’s self-image. Encourage them to lead, speak publicly, help with enterprise projects and celebrate their successes.

You can also challenge them with simple exercises that change the way they do things. These small changes help children realise that habits are not fixed. They can be changed, strengthened and improved.

A positive self image is not built through empty praise. It is built through repeated experiences of effort, responsibility, encouragement, courage and growth.

Key Takeaway: A Positive Self Image Shapes Success

Key takeaway: A positive self image helps children see themselves as capable, creative and able to grow. When parents model strong habits, encourage effort and help children reframe mistakes, they give entrepreneurial kids a stronger foundation for success.

Where to Next?

How do you help your children build a positive self image? We would love to hear what has helped your family develop confidence, habits and a stronger mindset for success.

Business Ideas for 6 Year Olds That Build Self Efficacy

Enterprise For KidsTeam Chayse's Stories, Family Enterprise Stories, Kids Business Ideas, Kit's Stories, Mindset, Confidence & Leadership , , , , , , , , , ,
Young children confidently performing together, representing self efficacy and business ideas for 6 year olds

Business ideas for 6 year olds can be simple, practical and incredibly powerful when they help children build self efficacy, confidence and generosity.

This family enterprise story follows Kit and little Chayse as they teamed up to grow their lolly bag business, give to a meaningful cause, and slowly become more confident young entrepreneurs. It also links strongly with our Candyman series, where Chayse first began learning how to make money through enterprise.

Two young entrepreneurs showing how business ideas for 6 year olds can build self efficacy
Two young entrepreneurs learning confidence, generosity and self efficacy through their lolly business.

Business Ideas for 6 Year Olds That Build Self Efficacy

Kit decided to form a partnership with Chayse in his lolly bag Enterprise for Kids business. He could see how well Chayse’s earlier lolly-selling adventures were going, and he realised that this was one of those business ideas for 6 year olds that was simple enough to begin, but rich enough to teach real-life lessons.

Together they visited the local supermarket and spent their capital on buying large bags of confectionery. This time they were very serious and bought around $230 worth of lollies.

Business ideas for 6 year olds shown through Kit and Chayse’s lolly production line
The production line begins.

Once again, the family pitched in around the dining table to sort and bag all the lollies. Before long, Kit and Chayse were ready to head out to the sporting grounds and sell their product. If you would like to see their production line in action, here is the original video link: Kit and Chayse’s production line.

Business Ideas for 6 Year Olds and the Power of Giving

This round of selling was a little different. Our children had already begun learning that enterprise is not only about making money. It is also about giving, gratitude and growing a generous mindset.

Kit and Chayse chose to donate a small portion of their profits to the Royal Flying Doctor Service. This cause felt meaningful to our family because the Flying Doctor had been such a great help to us when Kaitlin was born in the remote Kimberley town of Kalumburu.

Through this small act of giving, the boys were learning that business can be about contribution as well as reward. For children, this is a beautiful way to connect enterprise with compassion and build self efficacy through something bigger than themselves.

Children designing a sign for their lolly business and supporting the Royal Flying Doctor Service
Designing the for-sale sign with RFDS as the beneficiary.
Kids business ideas in action as Kit and Chayse sell lollies at the soccer grounds
All the soccer lads checking out their lollies.

Business Ideas for 6 Year Olds at the Sporting Grounds

The boys did the rounds of the sporting grounds and sold box after box of lollies. They were magnetic — attracting people from all over the place, a bit like a Mr Whippy van at a summer event.

At first, they needed some prompting to approach groups, speak clearly and say thank you. But after a while their confidence began to grow. They became more comfortable speaking with customers, answering questions and explaining that the lolly business was their own, and that some of the money was being donated to the Flying Doctor.

People were more than happy to support them. Some even bought lollies just to stop and chat with the boys. This is why small, supported business ideas for 6 year olds can create such strong learning moments.

Family enterprise story at the soccer fields where the boys sold their lolly bags
Watching Jai in action at the soccer fields.
Self efficacy for kids grows as the boys sell their wares confidently
…whilst the boys sold their wares.

How This Business Idea Built Self Efficacy

One later trip to the sporting fields gave me a big surprise. I suddenly noticed that the box of lollies had disappeared from under my feet and Chayse was nowhere to be seen. I looked around in alarm and spotted some commotion about fifty metres away. There was young Chayse, surrounded by a crowd of people buying his lollies.

I was very proud of the little fella. Through many weeks of shyly putting himself out there with customers, he had gradually built the confidence to go it alone. That was a real sign that he was developing self efficacy.

Self efficacy for kids grows through repeated real-world success
Self efficacy grows when children repeatedly stretch beyond their comfort zone.

If he keeps this up, he will be an awesome young entrepreneur when he grows up.

Cathy and I have been learning the importance of self efficacy in our own lives as well, especially through the teachings of Paul Counsel in our Money Mastery course. He explains that it is very difficult to simply switch and suddenly become an entrepreneur. Instead, we build up to it by stretching our upper limit again and again.

That means doing things that take us beyond our comfort zone, celebrating the success, and then doing it again. Eventually, we become comfortable with being uncomfortable. That, in turn, opens up new possibilities and attracts new opportunities. This is exactly what was happening with Chayse — and in truth, with all of us.

Building self efficacy in children through enterprise and confidence-building experiences
Confidence builds when children try, succeed and repeat.

Business Ideas for 6 Year Olds Can Build Real Confidence

Kit demonstrated his growing confidence only a few days later. He asked if he could take his lolly business down to the local skate park all by himself. We agreed, and Flynn quietly followed at a distance just to make sure everything was alright.

Kit sold a bunch of lolly bags and came back with a big grin, announcing, “A Granny gave me a big cuddle and kiss!” When we asked him what he meant, he explained that she was so happy to see him doing his business that she bought some lollies and then gave him a cuddle.

Moments like this are so powerful. A child does not just remember the sale. They remember the encouragement, the positive response and the feeling that they can do something brave and meaningful in the world. This is the real strength of business ideas for 6 year olds when parents provide safe support and encouragement.

Developing self efficacy through enterprise for young children
Self Efficacy!

Young Entrepreneurs Sharing Their Rewards

Another beautiful part of this family enterprise story was seeing the boys share some of their rewards and give back through the RFDS. Enterprise was not just helping them make money. It was helping them build character.

Young entrepreneurs sharing their rewards and giving back through their business
…share their rewards.

We believe our enterprising children are experiencing mindset shifts that are helping them think more and more like entrepreneurs. It all takes practice, confidence and repetition. And at the heart of it is self efficacy — the growing belief that, “I can do this.”

Candyman Series Links

This post links strongly with our Candyman series. Kit and Chayse’s lolly bag partnership grew from Chayse’s original Candy Man enterprise and shows how one small business idea can build money skills, confidence and self efficacy.

Key Takeaway: Business Ideas for 6 Year Olds Can Start Small

Key takeaway: One of the best business ideas for 6 year olds is a simple, supported enterprise that gives children the chance to practise courage, communication, generosity and persistence. That is how self efficacy grows.

Where to Next?

Have you seen a child’s confidence grow when they sell, create or contribute something of their own? We would love to hear your story in the comments.

Mindset Shift: Lessons from David Wood’s Break Through Training

Enterprise For KidsTeam Mindset, Confidence & Leadership, Raising Entrepreneurial Kids , , , , , , , , , , ,
Cathy and Trevor with friends at leadership training challenging comfort zones and mindset

Mindset shift was the biggest lesson we took from David Wood’s Break Through Training. It challenged us to face fear, take responsibility, change our environment and step beyond what felt comfortable.

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This article is not just about a training weekend. It is about the kind of thinking we want our children to grow up around: courage, connection, responsibility, positive reference groups and the belief that who you were does not have to be who you become.

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David Wood teaching mindset shift lessons through Break Through Training
David Wood’s Break Through Training challenged us to face fear, take responsibility and shift our mindset.

Mindset Shift: Lessons from David Wood’s Break Through Training

We were spellbound by David Wood’s energy, inspiration and mastery when he presented his Break Through Training Program to us. His message was confronting, exciting and deeply practical:

Everything is possible for anyone, despite circumstance.

But possibility is not enough on its own. David challenged us to step out, go after what we want, and stop allowing fear to pull us back. He taught that we must take 100% responsibility for what we have and what we do not have, without blame, justification or excuse.

That is where the real mindset shift begins.

We are the only ones who can make the shift in thinking and create success for ourselves. No one else can do that inner work for us.

Why a Mindset Shift Matters for Adults and Children

During the three-day program, we gained tremendous insights into ourselves, how we connect with people and how we approach life.

David emphasised the importance of connecting with people. His tip was very simple:

Say “hello” — and do it as often as you can, with energy.

This sounds simple, but it is a powerful lesson. Many adults and children hold themselves back because they are afraid of rejection, embarrassment or not knowing what to say. A small act like saying hello can become a starting point for confidence, connection and courage.

This links closely with what many educators now call a growth mindset: the belief that abilities can develop over time through effort, strategies and learning. Stanford’s growth mindset resources explain that this idea comes from Carol Dweck’s child psychology research. You can read more about growth mindset through Stanford here.

For us, David’s training was a very real, physical version of this lesson. We were not just hearing about growth. We were being pushed to practise it.

Break Through Training in Perth helping people create a mindset shift
Break Through Training in Perth challenged us to think differently, connect with people and take action.

A Mindset Shift Around Hearing “No”

One of the things that stood out for us was David’s teaching that “no” does not always mean “no forever”.

David reminded us, in a fun game, how to respond when we hear a “no”. Instead of shrinking, blaming ourselves or deciding we are not good enough, he encouraged us to do the Happy Dance.

And he meant really do it.

Do not let yourself go down the path of:

  • I didn’t present well enough.
  • I didn’t know my stuff well enough.
  • I’m not qualified enough.
  • They rejected me, so I should stop trying.

Instead, whenever you hear a no, see it as one step closer to your next yes.

That is a powerful mindset shift for children too. Whether they are selling lolly bags, speaking in front of a class, trying out for a team, making a new friend or asking for help, they need to learn that a “no” is not the end of the road.

Reference Groups and the Mindset Shift We Want for Our Kids

Many of the distinctions and lessons David taught were strongly aligned with what we had been learning through our Money Mastery course with our mentor Paul Counsel. One of those lessons was the importance of a reference group.

“I become the sum of the five people I spend the most time with.”

If we want amazing results in our lives, we need to associate with people who are moving toward those results. One way to do that is to attend events, join mentor groups and build friendships with energetic, motivated and successful people.

We also recognise that this is just as important for our children. That is why we encourage them to mix with positive peer groups and get involved in sporting teams, enterprise projects and real-world learning experiences.

As David put it:

“Environment is stronger than willpower.”

Rather than relying on willpower alone, we can change the environment and reference group. For children, this might mean being around teammates, creative friends, entrepreneurial families, positive mentors and adults who model courage and responsibility.

Cathy and Trevor with David Wood learning about reference groups and mindset shift
Being around motivated people reminded us how powerful our reference group can be.

Mindset Shift Through Getting Uncomfortable

We also learned that success is not convenient. It requires getting out of routine and comfort.

During the training program, David pushed our boundaries so we could practise being uncomfortable. We talked to strangers on the street, missed coffee breaks, hugged each other, held hands with people we did not know, stayed late past the planned program times, spoke publicly, became vulnerable, and danced and danced and danced.

We loved one of his favourite sayings:

“Get so uncomfortable about being uncomfortable that you get comfortable.”

This is something we definitely need to encourage in schools and families. Children need safe opportunities to stretch. They need to try things that feel a little awkward at first. That might be public speaking, selling a product, meeting someone new, performing, joining a team, making a phone call or trying again after failure.

Confidence grows when children do brave things in small steps.

Cathy and Trevor with David Wood after learning comfort zone and mindset shift lessons
David Wood pushed us to get comfortable being uncomfortable.

Personal Responsibility Creates a Mindset Shift

David shared a simple exercise that he said could completely change your life:

Do not blame, justify or complain for ninety days.

That is a huge challenge. It asks us to stop handing away responsibility and start noticing what we can change.

David truly believes that no dreamer is ever too small and no dream is ever too big. He says that if you do not know where you are going, every road will get you there. So the first step is to begin. Choose a direction and start walking.

He also reminded us:

“We will miss 100% of the shots we never take.”

So just believe in yourself and have a go.

This is another important lesson for entrepreneurial kids. They do not need to wait until they are perfect. They need to begin, learn, adjust and keep going.

Who You Were Can Completely Change

David pointed out that everyone was once a disaster, including him.

His life certainly did not start out on the right track. His dad left the family when he was seven, and he grew up angry with his mother. He dropped out of school and was in all kinds of trouble as a teenager living on the streets. He spent years travelling around the world, broke and living day to day. He worked as a chimney sweeper, window cleaner and barman.

But David discovered for himself that who you were can completely change. This realisation led to different thinking, which brought him wealth, success and happiness beyond what he had once expected.

His success was a direct result of a change in thinking and attitude.

Paul Counsel also supports the view that we are a product of our thinking. What we think and believe can shape our reality, choices and results.

David points out that our results tell us what is going on in our lives. If we are unhappy, stuck or struggling, then we may need to consider whether what we have been doing up until now is working. If we do not find a new way and make changes, our results may continue to look the same.

His advice was to stop taking advice from broke, unhappy people and seek out successful mentors and friends who can move us in the right direction.

Mindset Shift Lessons from Friends at the Training

Friends who attended the Break Through Training with us shared how deeply the weekend affected them.

“An amazing weekend with David in Perth along with an awesome group of people… all willing to feel the fear and do it anyway! Life is not a dress rehearsal… just do it! Stop justifying, blaming and complaining… Grab happiness with both hands… Thank you so much! If you ever have the opportunity to spend time with David — take it!” — Tracey

“Thanks David for an awesome weekend! If someone had told me I could sit through three massive days of training and never once feel like I was falling asleep, I would have said impossible. The way you share the information and teach is inspirational. So many laughs and take-away lessons — none more so than how to connect and change the warmth in a room. Inspired to say hello more often.” — Melissa

“David, this weekend in Perth has left a permanent imprint in my heart and mind. I will take 100% responsibility for what I have and what I do not have! Your seminar was so well presented and motivational that I have already started applying the strategies to every aspect of my life and have been dancing my no boogie quite regularly!” — Denise

David Wood, The Kickass Life and Managing Your Thoughts

One of our favourite podcast episodes from David Wood’s The Kickass Life series was his interview with Andrea Owen. She talked about becoming your own biggest fan and becoming a legend in your own mind.

We loved that idea. Get rid of disempowering thoughts. And if the thoughts will not go away, learn to manage them. Take the power away from the gremlins inside your head.

Jack Canfield interview with David Wood about mindset shift and personal responsibility
David Wood’s ideas also connected with wider personal development lessons about responsibility, courage and taking action.

Why This Mindset Shift Matters for Entrepreneurial Kids

David Wood gave excellent teachings about daily life, relationships and business, especially around referral businesses and the power of connecting with people.

In this day and age, referrals are still a powerful way that businesses keep loyal customers. Young people are growing up in a world where networking, connection and communication are part of everyday life through sport, school, community and multimedia.

But the bigger lesson is not only about business. It is about helping children become brave enough to take responsibility, connect with people, try new things, dream big and recover from rejection.

That is the mindset shift we want for our children.

Key Takeaway: A Mindset Shift Begins With Responsibility

Key takeaway: A real mindset shift begins when we stop blaming, step outside our comfort zone, choose positive reference groups and take responsibility for our results. These are powerful lessons for adults, children and entrepreneurial families.

Where to Next?

Have you ever experienced a mindset shift that changed the way you handled fear, responsibility or discomfort? We would love to hear your story in the comments.