Starter guide

Plant Starters

Grow small plants from seeds or cuttings and sell them.

Around $35
Medium

You grow small plants and sell them. Herbs for someone's kitchen window, succulents for a desk, flowers for a porch. This one asks for patience instead of money, because the plant has to grow before it's worth anything. That's also what makes it good: your inventory is literally getting more valuable while you do your homework.

Start for free

Get promises before you plant

Plants take weeks. So line up your buyers now, while your seeds are still in the packet.

Ask eight neighbors and family members:

"I'm growing basil and mint in small pots. They'll be ready in about six weeks, and they're [your price] each. Want me to save you one?"

Nobody has to pay yet. You just need names on a list. Then grow exactly that many, plus a couple extra.

The plan

Your simple plan

  1. Grow what people cook with. Basil, mint, and green onions sell faster than plants people can't use.
  2. Start more than you'll sell. Some won't make it. Plant a few extra on purpose.
  3. Sell it healthy, not early. A sad droopy plant kills your reputation. Wait until it looks strong.
  4. Make the pot look finished. A clean pot with a simple handwritten name tag turns a seedling into a gift.
The gear

What you need, and what you can skip

Seeds, soil, pots, and a sunny window.

Get these
  • Seed starting trays with drainage. Shop this
  • Seed starting mix, which is different from regular dirt. Shop this
  • Herb seeds, or succulent cuttings. Shop this
  • Small pots to sell them in. Shop this
  • A small watering can or spray bottle. Shop this
  • Plant markers for names. Shop this
Skip these for now
  • A greenhouse. A sunny windowsill grows plenty.
  • Grow lights. Nice upgrade later, not needed to start.
  • Fancy ceramic pots. They eat your profit on the first sale.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. We only list gear the guide actually calls for, and the skip list is there because most of it you do not need yet.

The lesson from the book

Andre wanted his business to work on day one, and it didn't. Some things just take the time they take. This business teaches that better than most: you can't rush a plant, you can only take care of it every day and let it grow. A lot of businesses are exactly that. Show up daily, do the small unglamorous thing, and let time do the part you can't.

The full program

Ready to build the whole thing?

The full Young Founder kit walks you through everything Andre and Sophie learned: how to line up buyers before you spend, price your work, and stick with something long enough for it to pay. The book, the workbook, the videos, and more.

See what is inside the kit

Questions about this idea

What should a kid charge to walk a dog?

A kid walking dogs in their own neighborhood usually starts between $10 and $18 for a thirty minute walk. Professional walkers average about $21 for the same walk.

Read the answer

How much money does a kid need to start a business?

Less than almost anyone expects, and for a lot of these ideas the honest answer is nothing until somebody has already said yes to a price.

Read the answer

How does a kid find their first customer?

Ten people who already know them, one prepared sentence, and an easy way for each of them to say no.

Read the answer

What do I do when my kid wants to quit?

Find out whether this is not working or just not fun right now. Those look identical from outside and they need opposite responses.

Read the answer

Try these next

Pet Sitting

They are not buying feeding. They are buying a holiday where nobody is quietly worried about the cat.

See the idea

Bin Helper

Small money that arrives every single week without anyone having to be asked again. The cleanest lesson in recurring revenue there is.

See the idea

Window Washing

Nobody puts it on the list, and everybody notices once it is done. The before and after photo does the selling.

See the idea

Driveway Car Wash

Forty minutes, a bucket, and a customer who can see the problem from their front door.

See the idea
Young Founder

A program from Founder's Best Friend. Built for kids 8 to 18 who want something of their own.

Young Founder, 2026