{"product_id":"startup-smart-a-homeschool-guide-to-business-planning-marketing","title":"Startup Smart: A Homeschool Guide to Business Planning \u0026 Marketing","description":"\u003ch2\u003eWhat if your teen's business idea actually had a plan behind it — a real one, built with the same tools working founders use?\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eEvery teen with a business idea has the same instinct: skip straight to making it and worry about the rest later. That instinct isn't wrong — enthusiasm is real fuel — but a business built on excitement alone runs out of gas the first time a real customer asks a hard question, or the first batch costs more to make than it sells for.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eStartup Smart\u003c\/em\u003e is a homeschool guide for ages 13–18 that teaches the thinking that turns a good idea into a real, working plan. Not dense business-school theory — the same tools working founders actually use, scaled down to something a teenager can put into practice this month.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eEvery unit is drawn from real, named tools: Steve Blank's customer development model, the Business Model Canvas from Alexander Osterwalder and Yves Pigneur, Eric Ries's Lean Startup method, E. Jerome McCarthy's Four Ps of Marketing, and the real-venture pitching approach used by the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) — a nonprofit that has taught business planning to hundreds of thousands of young people since 1987.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eWhat's Inside\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eUnit 1 – Talk to Real Customers First:\u003c\/strong\u003e Learning what people actually need, before building anything. (\u003cem\u003eScenario: The Idea Nobody Asked For\u003c\/em\u003e)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eUnit 2 – Map It on One Page:\u003c\/strong\u003e Sketching the whole business model in nine blocks. (\u003cem\u003eScenario: The Plan That Fit on One Page\u003c\/em\u003e)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eUnit 3 – Make It Before You Perfect It:\u003c\/strong\u003e Building a small first version to test, not a finished product. (\u003cem\u003eScenario: The Ten Cookies That Told the Truth\u003c\/em\u003e)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eUnit 4 – Know Your Numbers:\u003c\/strong\u003e Break-even math: what it costs, what it sells for, how many to sell. (\u003cem\u003eScenario: The Price That Didn't Cover the Cost\u003c\/em\u003e)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eUnit 5 – Get the Mix Right:\u003c\/strong\u003e The four decisions that make up a marketing plan. (\u003cem\u003eScenario: The Shirts Nobody Knew About\u003c\/em\u003e)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eUnit 6 – Pitch It So People Listen:\u003c\/strong\u003e Building a short, clear pitch anyone can follow. (\u003cem\u003eScenario: The Pitch That Ran Out of Time\u003c\/em\u003e)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003ch3\u003eHow to Use This Guide\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eOne unit per week gives a full six-week arc — or use any single unit on its own whenever it's needed. Each unit includes a strategy guide, a real-life scenario, four reflection prompts, and considered model responses so your teen can compare their thinking honestly.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eImportant note:\u003c\/strong\u003e This guide teaches real business-planning habits, not legal or financial advice. It doesn't cover the rules around a minor earning, banking, or paying taxes on business income, which vary by state and situation. Always check with a parent or trusted adult before spending money, signing anything, or taking payment from a stranger.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eInstant digital download. Print-friendly PDF. No subscription required.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"PracticalHomeEd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51884969001193,"sku":null,"price":14.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0830\/0435\/8889\/files\/image_24bde518-5b5c-4277-b4b5-91b005789980.png?v=1789522077","url":"https:\/\/practicalhomeed.com\/products\/startup-smart-a-homeschool-guide-to-business-planning-marketing","provider":"PracticalHomeEd","version":"1.0","type":"link"}