(November 1, 2005) — We all wish we had more money. For us teens, money is, to put it bluntly, awesome. Chances are that for many of us who are of working age our lust for money has recently prompted us to acquire many job applications from a variety of different employers, whether they be McDonald’s, the local supermarket, or even family enterprises. For some of us, this concept of having a “boss” or “employer” is old-fashioned, obsolete. We are teens of the new generation, and we do not answer to higher powers; we take orders from ourselves and ourselves only, paving the path towards future careers and our destiny.According to www.nase.org, an organization that offers scholarships to future entrepreneurs, “more than 65 percent of 14 to 19 year olds are interested in starting a business or already have,” a trend that some Clark students have already started to reflect. Take, for example, senior Mkrtich Ohanyan, who has decided that the concrete of his financial destiny be paved with money earned from his computer repair business aptly named Ctrl-Alt-Mkrtich. “It was around sophomore year that I noticed the button combination of ctrl+alt+delete was becoming a growing phenomenon, so I decided to head a support group to help emotionally stabilize fellow students who had become, like me in the past, suckers for viruses,” Ohanyan said. “I guess you could say it started when I was a kid and had an upgradeable IBM PC; as I grew, it grew, and I learned to care for it. Eventually, I became attracted to computers and liked to help those who were having trouble loving their own PC’s.” While the helping and teaching aspect of his business endeavor may be an important reason for sticking with it and answering the questions of rather uneducated computer-novices, another reason dominates Ohanyan’s business-driven mind: money. A recent Business Week magazine article reported about ambitious teens that the new generation of youth is “marked by a distinctly practical world view. Raised in dual income and single-parent families,” the new generation of teens has a distinctly different perspective on the world and the economy when compared to baby boomers. “I try to save most of what I get for myself and for future investments. Also, I buy more equipment to help facilitate my work and make it more efficient. Sometimes, though, when I want to spoil myself, I’ll treat my friends out to dinner or a movie.” Computers are, however, something that people of all ages are growing accustomed to. With the ever-expanding Internet offering an entire community of help on an assortment of different topics, repair and assistance-type businesses may quickly become career-paths of diminishing returns. Thus, the teen entrepreneurs of today are now being forced to branch out and take advantage of their more unique skills. Skills like the one that senior Jack Khurdajian uses to impress his customers, and in effect, make money as the starter of—and sole proprietor to— DJ Nitrous , his own Disc Jockeying service. “I started to DJ in the eighth grade so I could start making some cash on my own. I knew I was going to get my license soon, so I figured I better start saving up for insurance and stuff. Now I use the money I make DJing for house parties to cover future DJ expenses and gas money,” Khurdajian said. “Thankfully, my dad used to DJ for more traditional-type events, so he was cool with me getting into disc jockeying and doing it for parties and things.” Unlike the case of Khurdajian, sometimes parents do not always understand. According to www.entrepreneurs.com, “parents will always think they know what is best for their children” and may advise against investments in more risky ventures. Juggling between a job and school work is already quite hectic, and managing a self-operated business only would add to the chaos. A variety of factors can inhibit the success of even the most well-thought out of business endeavors. Grades, family life and extra-curricular activities are all responsibilities that typically take priority to teens before making money, so before teens decide to go out and start turning the cogs of their own economic machine, it is advisable that they research all of their options, experts say. “I thought about working for someone else and getting a traditional job,” Khurdajian said, “but this way I don’t have to worry about a boss breathing down my neck, and I can charge however much is necessary to cover my effort and labor.” No matter what one may decide to do in the end, money will always remain a dictator of life, governing how one will live and how the will act. Regardless, keep in mind one crucial fact: money will always be money, no matter how it is procured.