Teenage girl working on her laptop.
While 6 million American teens compete for traditional summer jobs, a new generation of young entrepreneurs is creating their own opportunities. According to Junior Achievement, 66% of teens aged 13-17 say they’re likely to consider starting a business as adults—and many aren’t waiting until graduation. Research shows these entrepreneurial teens aren’t just earning now, they’re investing in their futures: those with summer work experience earn 14-16% higher wages in their twenties and are 7% more likely to graduate on time. Digital products have emerged as the perfect entry point, requiring minimal investment while teaching immediately marketable skills.
Here are six digital products teens can create and sell this summer, as well as the broader benefits beyond financial gain.
1. Printable Study Guides and Academic Templates
Academically strong students can monetize their skills by creating comprehensive class notes, flashcards, or subject-specific guides. Products ranging from AP U.S. History summaries to algebra reference sheets meet consistent demand, particularly during exam seasons.
Students already understand what their peers find challenging and can present information in relatable ways. Platforms like Etsy offer straightforward marketplaces for these educational materials.
2. Digital Planners and Journals
From exam preparation planners to self-reflection journals designed specifically for teens, digital organization tools combine functionality with personality. Many teens already use applications like Canva, Notion, and GoodNotes, which can help them create sellable products.
Consider creating a daily gratitude journal that includes sections for positive affirmations, goal tracking, and decorative digital stickers. This product would demonstrate how teen-created content can resonate with peers.
3. Social Media Template Collections
Teens with design skills can develop branded Instagram posts, TikTok cover images, or YouTube thumbnail templates. These assets appeal to small businesses, school organizations, and content creators seeking professional-looking materials without significant expense.
This market segment continues to grow rapidly and often generates repeat customers. Creating these templates helps teens develop both aesthetic judgment and marketing abilities simultaneously.
4. E-Books or Mini Courses
Experiences like leading a club, growing a social media following, or navigating high school as a first-generation student provide valuable content. Teens can transform these experiences into concise e-books or record short courses for platforms like Skillshare, Gumroad, or TikTok.
The most effective products remain brief, focused, and peer-oriented. Titles clearly communicating specific value, such as “How I Found My First 10 Clients on Fiverr at 15,” establish credibility and attract interest.
5. Digital Art and Sticker Collections
Artistic teens can monetize their talents by creating downloadable art prints, phone wallpapers, or messaging app sticker sets. This approach converts casual drawing into income without requiring physical production or shipping logistics.
Digital art creation allows complete creative control and helps establish a personal brand that can grow over time. Successful teen artists begin with simple digital offerings before expanding their creative businesses.
6. Audio Assets for Content Creators
Teens with musical abilities can sell short intro melodies, background tracks, or voice recording services for podcasts and video creators. This specialized market continues to expand as content creation becomes more mainstream. A few years ago, WIT, the non-profit I started in 2009, hired Emma Wasserman to compose the “DO WIT” podcast intro and outro music.
Creating audio assets develops technical capabilities that directly transfer to future freelance opportunities or careers in creative industries.
Getting Started: From Idea to Digital Product
For teens ready to launch their first digital product, these practical steps can help convert concepts into marketable offerings:
1. Start with what you know: When Harish Kolli was a high school junior, he turned his technical skills into Guardial, a personal safety app. He recognized a viral safety trend on TikTok and combined his programming abilities with observed market needs to create a practical solution.
2. Choose your platform wisely: Different platforms offer varying advantages:
- Etsy works well for downloadable templates and printables
- Gumroad suits e-books and mini-courses
- Creative Market is ideal for design assets and templates
- Teachable works for more comprehensive online courses
3. Create your minimum viable product: Rather than perfecting your offering, launch a basic version quickly to test market response. Start with a simple five-page template for digital journals before developing comprehensive planners.
4. Price strategically: According to analysis of teen-created digital products across multiple platforms, successful pricing typically follows the rule of 3-5× production costs, for products requiring only time investment, research comparable offerings, and price competitively while reflecting your unique value.
5. Implement consistent marketing: The Babson College Global Entrepreneurship Monitor report shows that young entrepreneurs (18-34 years) demonstrate higher entrepreneurial activity rates, with nearly one-fourth (24%) currently running businesses. Successful young entrepreneurs typically dedicate 30-60 minutes daily to promoting their services through social media, direct outreach, or content creation.
Connected to Broader Business Trends
The rise in teen digital entrepreneurship aligns with several significant economic shifts:
The Creator Economy Expansion: A 2023 report from the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor shows that young entrepreneurs (18-34 years) are more likely to prioritize sustainability (61% vs. 47%) and take steps to minimize environmental impact (66% vs. 44%) than older entrepreneurs. Digital products, through their zero-waste format, align with this sustainability mindset.
AI Integration in Business: According to recent statistics, nearly half (47%) of teens interested in entrepreneurship would use generative AI instead of hiring employees. This reflects a growing comfort with technology as a business tool rather than just a social platform.
Remote Work Normalization: The shift toward location-independent careers makes digital product skills especially valuable. Teens developing these capabilities now position themselves advantageously for future work environments.
Digital Literacy as Career Currency: The World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report identifies analytical thinking as the most sought-after core skill, with 70% of employers identifying it as essential in 2025. Digital product creation develops precisely these analytical capabilities, along with creative thinking and technological literacy, which are also highlighted as growing in importance.
The Evolution of Teen Entrepreneurship
The entrepreneurial landscape for teens continues to evolve. Looking ahead, we can anticipate several significant developments:
Education Integration: Research from Global Entrepreneurship Monitor indicates that entrepreneurship-specific training in schools has more than doubled from generation to generation. We’ll likely see further integration of entrepreneurial skills into formal education as institutions recognize their value.
Cross-Platform Businesses: Future teen entrepreneurs will likely build ecosystems across multiple platforms rather than single-product offerings. For example, a teen selling digital planners today might expand to YouTube tutorials, membership communities, and physical products tomorrow.
Greater Legitimacy: As more success stories emerge, teen-created digital products will gain market legitimacy. This shift enables younger entrepreneurs to command higher prices and build sustainable businesses rather than just summer projects.
What begins as a summer digital product often evolves into valuable skills that transcend academic achievements on college applications. For parents navigating an increasingly competitive educational landscape, entrepreneurial experience offers authentic evidence of initiative, creativity, and perseverance that standardized tests cannot provide.
As education and work transform, the entrepreneurial mindset—spotting opportunities, solving problems creatively, and implementing solutions—becomes increasingly valuable regardless of career path. By creating digital products, today’s teens aren’t just earning summer income; they’re developing adaptive intelligence needed for an uncertain future where the ability to create opportunities may matter more than traditional credentials.
