Launch League

Make money · Ohio

Your first hundred dollars doesn't need a job.

You don't need a job to make your first hundred dollars. You need one small problem, one person who has it, and the nerve to ask.

See the ideasFree Business 101

Start here

The quickest ways to a first customer

Two things to know in Ohio

If someone hires you. Ohio generally requires a minor work permit (an age and schooling certificate) for ages 14 through 17 during the school year, and in summer break only for ages 14 and 15. It is not required in some common teen jobs, including snow shoveling, newspaper delivery and family farm work. See the Department of Commerce and the Legislative Service Commission.

If you work for yourself, that is a different situation, and the sources I read do not spell out how the permit rules treat a teenager running their own small business. If you are unsure, ask the Ohio Department of Commerce, Bureau of Wage and Hour.

Taxes. Money you earn counts. Net self-employment earnings of $400 or more usually mean self-employment tax, and in Ohio lawn care, landscaping and snow removal become taxable services once your sales reach $5,000 a year. The Ohio starting guide explains both.

Checked October 9, 2026. General information, not legal advice. Rules change.

All 50 ideas

Pick one problem, one person

Costs are bands, not prices, because prices move. Ages are the youngest it realistically works at.

Outside work

  • Lawn mowingNothing to startFrom age 13

    Cut grass for neighbors on a schedule they don't have to think about.

    First dollar: One weekend, if you borrow a mower.

  • Snow shovelingUnder $50From age 13

    Clear driveways and walks before people leave for work.

    First dollar: The first storm.

  • Car washing and detailingUnder $50From age 13

    Wash, vacuum and wipe down cars properly, at the customer's house.

    First dollar: A weekend.

  • Window cleaningUnder $50From age 14

    Ground-floor windows, inside and out, done properly.

    First dollar: A weekend.

  • Leaf raking and fall cleanupNothing to startFrom age 13

    Six weeks of the year when every yard needs the same thing.

    First dollar: The first Saturday in October.

  • Garden weeding and wateringNothing to startFrom age 13

    Weekly upkeep for people who like their garden but not the work.

    First dollar: A week.

  • Clearing snow off carsUnder $50From age 13

    Apartment and office lots, early, before anyone's out the door.

    First dollar: The first storm.

  • Pressure washingUnder $200From age 15

    Driveways, decks and siding. Rent the machine before you buy one.

    First dollar: A weekend.

  • Putting up holiday lightsUnder $50From age 15

    November work, plus taking them down in January.

    First dollar: One November weekend.

  • Car interior cleaningUnder $50From age 14

    Vacuum, wipe, shampoo mats. Parents' cars are your portfolio.

    First dollar: A weekend.

  • Running car washes for teamsNothing to startFrom age 13

    Organise the event, take a cut, hand the rest to the team.

    First dollar: One Saturday.

  • Farm and barn helpNothing to startFrom age 14

    Real work, in rural Ohio, where the help is genuinely short.

    First dollar: A week.

  • Stacking and delivering firewoodNothing to startFrom age 14

    Autumn work, priced by the cord or by the hour.

    First dollar: A weekend in September.

  • Eavestrough cleaningUnder $200From age 16

    Ladder work. Only with training, gear and an adult present.

    First dollar: A weekend.

  • Backyard rink buildingUnder $50From age 15

    Build and maintain rinks for families who want one and have no time.

    First dollar: Early December.

  • Flyer and menu deliveryNothing to startFrom age 13

    Paid per route by local restaurants and shops.

    First dollar: A week.

Animals

  • Dog walkingNothing to startFrom age 13

    Walk dogs whose owners are at work all day.

    First dollar: A few days, once one neighbor says yes.

  • Yard waste cleanup for dog ownersUnder $50From age 13

    The job nobody wants, done weekly, priced accordingly.

    First dollar: A weekend.

  • Plant and pet sitting while people travelNothing to startFrom age 13

    Feed the cat, water the plants, bring in the mail.

    First dollar: The next long weekend.

Helping people

  • TutoringNothing to startFrom age 13

    Help a younger student with the subject you're best at.

    First dollar: A week, usually through a parent you know.

  • BabysittingUnder $50From age 13

    Look after kids for neighbors and family friends. Take the course first.

    First dollar: Two weeks, after the course.

  • Sports lessons for younger kidsNothing to startFrom age 14

    Teach the skill you've spent years on, to eight-year-olds.

    First dollar: Two weeks.

  • Music lessonsNothing to startFrom age 14

    Beginner lessons on the instrument you play.

    First dollar: Two weeks.

  • Garage and basement cleanoutsNothing to startFrom age 14

    Sort, haul and dump. Priced by the job, not the hour.

    First dollar: A weekend.

  • Moving helpNothing to startFrom age 15

    Boxes and furniture on the last weekend of the month.

    First dollar: End of any month.

  • House cleaningUnder $50From age 15

    Weekly or biweekly, for people whose time is worth more than the fee.

    First dollar: Two weeks.

  • Errands and grocery runsNothing to startFrom age 14

    For neighbors who can't drive or can't get out easily.

    First dollar: A week.

  • Kids' party helpUnder $50From age 14

    Games, face paint and crowd control at birthday parties.

    First dollar: A month.

Screens and skills

  • Tech help for older adultsNothing to startFrom age 13

    Phones, printers, passwords, photos, video calls. Patience is the product.

    First dollar: A week.

  • PhotographyNothing to startFrom age 14

    Team photos, pets, small events. Your phone is enough to start.

    First dollar: A few weeks.

  • Video editingNothing to startFrom age 14

    Cut clips for small businesses and creators who hate editing.

    First dollar: A few weeks.

  • Social media for a local businessNothing to startFrom age 14

    Post for a shop that knows it should and never does.

    First dollar: A month. Start with one you already buy from.

  • Posters and flyersNothing to startFrom age 13

    Design for clubs, teams and small businesses using free tools.

    First dollar: Two weeks.

  • Simple websites for small businessesNothing to startFrom age 15

    One-page sites for trades and shops who have nothing but a phone number.

    First dollar: A month.

  • Resume and document formattingNothing to startFrom age 14

    Make other people's documents look like they were made by someone competent.

    First dollar: Two weeks.

  • Scanning old photosUnder $50From age 13

    Turn a shoebox of family photos into files that won't burn.

    First dollar: Two weeks.

  • Game coachingNothing to startFrom age 14

    Teach someone to actually get better at the game you're good at.

    First dollar: A month.

  • Printing and laminatingUnder $200From age 14

    For clubs and teams who need twenty of something by Friday.

    First dollar: Two weeks.

Making things

  • Bike tune-upsUnder $50From age 14

    Chains, brakes, tires and gears, in your garage in spring.

    First dollar: Two weeks.

  • BakingUnder $50From age 13

    Cookies and squares for offices and events. Food rules apply — check first.

    First dollar: Depends on the rules where you live.

  • Phone and console repairUnder $200From age 15

    Screens, batteries and joysticks. Practise on dead ones first.

    First dollar: A month.

  • Handmade jewelleryUnder $50From age 13

    Markets, school and online. Cheap to start, hard to stand out.

    First dollar: A month.

  • Candles and soapUnder $200From age 13

    Craft markets and holiday gift season.

    First dollar: A month.

  • 3D printed partsUnder $200From age 14

    Replacement parts and custom pieces. Use a school or library printer first.

    First dollar: A month.

  • Small woodworkingUnder $200From age 15

    Cutting boards, planters, shelves. Shop class counts as your workshop.

    First dollar: A month.

  • Sewing and repairsUnder $50From age 13

    Hems, patches, buttons and crests, for people who never learned.

    First dollar: Two weeks.

  • Market stallUnder $50From age 13

    A real stall at a real market, not a table on the driveway.

    First dollar: The next market day.

Buying and reselling

  • Furniture flippingUnder $200From age 14

    Buy tired furniture, fix it, sell it for more.

    First dollar: A few weeks per piece.

  • Reselling clothes and shoesUnder $200From age 14

    Thrift, clean, photograph, list. Margins live in the photos.

    First dollar: Two weeks.

  • Bottle and can collectionNothing to startFrom age 13

    Collect returnables from neighbors who won't make the trip.

    First dollar: A weekend.

Questions

Straight answers

What is the fastest way to make my first $100?
Pick one job you can already do, tell five people you know that you are doing it, and name a price when you tell them. Most people who get to $100 do it by asking, not by waiting to feel ready.
Do I need money to start?
No. Many ideas cost nothing to begin because you borrow the equipment for the first few jobs and buy your own out of money a customer has already paid you.
Do I have to pay taxes on what I make?
Money you earn from your own business can be taxable, and net self-employment earnings of $400 or more usually mean self-employment tax. Ask a parent to read the Ohio starting guide with you, and see an accountant if you are unsure.

Ready to turn one of these into a real business? Read how to start a business in Ohio, work through the free Business 101 course, or join the list for the Barberton competition.