14 year old learning skills

[Gubolo]

I am a 14 year old boy and I want to have an online business in the future. At the moment I am focusing on getting good grades and when I have time I am researching social media marketing and dropshipping because I am planning on using the dropshipping store for practicing ads. I want to learn more skills and I was very interested in learning programming or coding, but a lot of people have told me that it isn’t that useful for online business. Is this true and if it is what skills are useful for me to learn for online business?

 

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[Andy Black]

I am a 14 year old boy and I want to have an online business in the future. At the moment I am focusing on getting good grades and when I have time I am researching social media marketing and dropshipping because I am planning on using the dropshipping store for practicing ads. I want to learn more skills and I was very interested in learning programming or coding, but a lot of people have told me that it isn’t that useful for online business. Is this true and if it is what skills are useful for me to learn for online business?

Maybe do some social media marketing for businesses and get paid to learn, while getting paid to rub shoulders wirh business folks (your clients). You could create short form videos for example.

I'd encourage you not to think of it as a learning exercise. See of you can get a client or otherwise sell something - this week.

 

[Gubolo]

Maybe do some social media marketing for businesses and get paid to learn, while getting paid to rub shoulders wirh business folks (your clients). You could create short form videos for example.

I'd encourage you not to think of it as a learning exercise. See of you can get a client or otherwise sell something - this week.

Isnt that basically SMMA? I was also thinking of doing that but I want to practice the ads without any risk first through dropshipping. Im very sorry for answering so late, I'm very new to this forum and I dont know how it works so I didn't realise I had gotten any answers.

 

[Andy Black]

Isnt that basically SMMA? I was also thinking of doing that but I want to practice the ads without any risk first through dropshipping. Im very sorry for answering so late, I'm very new to this forum and I dont know how it works so I didn't realise I had gotten any answers.

Where's the risk in finding a family friend who runs a business and creating some videos for them?

 

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[Gubolo]

Where's the risk in finding a family friend who runs a business and creating some videos for them?

I could try I guess but right now I’m pretty sold on either learning coding or starting a dropshipping store. But I don’t know witch, I think I would have an advantage in coding because I’m pretty good at math but I have spent a lot of time studying SMM and dropshipping. Also a guy in my class has made $110 from dropshipping which really motivated me.

 

[100speed]

I am a 14 year old boy and I want to have an online business in the future. At the moment I am focusing on getting good grades and when I have time I am researching social media marketing and dropshipping because I am planning on using the dropshipping store for practicing ads. I want to learn more skills and I was very interested in learning programming or coding, but a lot of people have told me that it isn’t that useful for online business. Is this true and if it is what skills are useful for me to learn for online business?

Starting young with a great attitude is a massive advantage, so great for coming here and asking. I started coding when I was 11/12 (now 23), and the ability to focus on learning without spending resources on living is a massive advantage. If you feel you are technical/could be technical, would encourage you look at building/coding (start by learning basics front-end then back-end infra) (so if you wanted you could get any project off the ground). Then would recommend starting doing your own projects combining the technical/coding aspect with the business side (go-to-market/social media marketing, working out a business model etc. or even just providing your skillset as a service). This combined skillset will set you up in the long-term for anything you want to do in a business sense (whether thats a Venture backed start-up, Service-based businesses e.g. Web Dev, Marketing, an E-commerce store & more).

On the utility of learning coding, knowing how technology works (how websites are built, tech infra stack works) will always be useful. What those people mean is that it isn't a requirement for online businesses (i.e. SaaS platforms like Squarespace, Shopify, Bubble eliminate the majority of intermediate tech steps for website setup - where previously this wasn't possible) but knowing how to code can allow you to make customisations/or implement functionality that would not be possible without paying a developer and allow you - when you scale your business, to understand the underlying tech stack and its viability over long term whatever the business, e-commerce, SAAS etc. Additionally, if new emerging space is of interest (e.g. crypto/Web3 or AI e.g. GPT-3, DALL-E), knowing how to code/how the tech works can get you ahead of the curve when there aren't SaaS solutions in place to assist application/website development.

On the education point, I was in the Uk where I grew up and the importance of education is greater at an older age 15-17/18 and over set periods (not continuously graded, only periodic "exam seasons") (GCSEs and A-Levels), if its the same, focus on these during set periods/stints (4 months focus before the exams) and maximise for practical learning (anything that isn't useful don't store in long-term memory) and execution (highest possible grade with least amount of effort). Do the same for college/university in shorter stints (1 month focus).

What you realise when you graduate from High-school/College/Uni is that education serves purely as a signal (at least in the UK - most of the knowledge isnt practical but just allows you to enter into high-performing jobs), in US universities course optionality makes it more useful, but ultimately acts as a signal for future employers etc as to your IQ and work ethic. So optimise for the signal (Best Uni/College, Best Grade, Minimal Effort) and use your time efficiently in order to build the relevant skillsets to position you best for the future.

Would encourage you to leverage resources (Udemy etc.) in order to accelerate the learning curve on the tech side and marketing side, there are many project courses that you can leverage that take you from 0 to 1 very quickly and give you a sense of momentum/accomplishment.

You've started early, so take advantage while you can!

 

[Gubolo]

I could try I guess but right now I’m pretty sold on either learning coding or starting a dropshipping store. But I don’t know witch, I think I would have an advantage in coding because I’m pretty good at math but I have spent a lot of time studying SMM and dropshipping. Also a guy in my class has made $110 from dropshipping which really motivated me.

I have decided know, I'm going to try dropshipping, and if it doesn't work out my plan B is to learn coding.

 

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[kommen]

I have decided know, I'm going to try dropshipping, and if it doesn't work out my plan B is to learn coding.

Your plan B should be to help people. Don't start with an idea, start with people, THEN idea. Go and try to help people, if someone else is already qualified for the job for it, ask what that person is missing and specifically do that instead. And the best way to "learn" is by doing, and you can do this just by helping people without expecting anything in return.

You can combine this approach if you want to learn coding. Think how coding (even when you think you don't have the skills yet) can make your friend's lives easier, or get them closer to their goals, or how coding helps bring a basic human need.

@Andy Black made a good post here.

a lot of people have told me that it isn’t that useful for online business. Is this true

Nobody here can answer that. To answer it yourself, as I said, think how programming and computer technology can help at least one person out there. People search harder for the obscure.

BTW, game developer and entrepreneur once wrote that the best skill you can always learn is deep listening.