First of all, this is definitely a business that’s best for those ages 16 and up unless you live in a small town where you can walk everywhere.  Many errands that people will need done require reliable transportation so you can go to the different places that people need you to go.  This is also a business that requires a lot of responsibility and independence.

Some errands that people may hire you for are:

• Grocery shopping
• Picking up dry cleaning
• Buying gifts
• Meeting people at their home (cable guy, delivery, etc.)
• Business related tasks
• Coordinating entertainment (like picking up movie tickets)

Of course, different clients will have different demands for you.  They will likely give you a list of errands they need run at the start of your time working for them.

To get started you need to advertise your services.  You can do this by placing flyers around your neighborhood or even advertising online.  It’s helpful to have a computer so you can keep up with e-mails (as that is how many business people prefer to stay in contact). You should also have a cell phone to keep in contact with clients.

Another thing you’ll need to think about is your payments schedule.  Some errand runners prefer to get paid on a per-hour basis. This might be a good idea for you since it makes calculating the money that is owed to you very easy.  You could also charge per task that you complete, which is also a nice option because people often appreciate knowing how much they will be charged beforehand.  You might try both to see what will work for you in the long run.

Since you’ll be running your own business, you should also look into getting a business license.  Check the laws for your state, and find excellent information for teen businesses here: http://www.sba.gov/teens/tips.html.

Some people might be wary of hiring you if you have little experience.  That is why setting your errand business up the right way from the start is so important.  You can even start out by running errands for family members or family friends to get some referrals under your belt.  If you do a good job you’ll have references and the word will quickly spread as people share their good impressions.
Don’t worry if this all sounds overwhelming to you right now.  You’ll start to become more comfortable with organizing and running your errand business the more you do it.  Don’t forget to charge what you’re worth, and realize that you’re doing people a huge favor when you do the important tasks that they don’t have time to do.