University or Entrepreneurship? What is best for our children?

My son is 17 years old. He is working toward university, but he is also starting his own Internet business. It brought up a conversation between several of my friends.

What is best University or Self Employment

The argument was very heated. There are some who believe you must have a university degree to succeed. However, most of my friends have a degree, but are making their living else where.

Now, don't get me wrong. I believe in a secondary education. I believe in teaching young people how to think, how to build a philosophy, and how to succeed. Without these skills, you'll fail. This doesn't mean a graduate in the top ten percentile has these skills, but understanding the concept is important. But then, most of my friends have been teaching their children philosophy from a young age.

Join Helium.com Now. Get Paid $ to Post.

The argument quickly turned to money. It costs about $50 000 for a university education that may result in a $50 000 - $60 000 salary - of course, my son's children will be ten years old before his student loans are paid off. This doesn't included tutors.

And, who said you need a university degree to make $80 000? I've done it with $300 seed money and a good idea. I've ended up bankrupt, and been back on my feet. Nothing different than someone who finds their job outsourced, or is forced out by a merger.

It may take two or three years for my son's business to take off - but then, he still won't be 20 years old. It is a tough one.

Success - what is it?

An attitude

Determination

The willingness to never stop learning

I would say that I've met more than 200 people who wanted to work from home. Of those, less than 20 stayed with the program. Most of them spend months, or years, running in different directions - following the next best scheme instead of following those who know what they are doing.

It is symbiotic. Each person in a network brings something vital to the mix - each person supporting the others - and in the end - all prosper. This is a concept that most people cannot realize - even those with a university degree.

Of those 20 who stayed with a program, five are making more than $30 000 a year, and expect to make more than $50 000 within another year or two. Barring a solar flare wiping out the satellite system, their jobs are fairly stable.

The funny thing is - you can tell someone to pay $80 000 for an education that may, or may not land them a job. But, ask them to pay $200 for a company hosted version of some of my web businesses, which cost me $5000 because I don't use the pre-packaged program, and they scream scam. If I tell people that I will teach them how to make money, either through my blogs - or teach people how to make money blogging, and they ask why they need to pay for what I paid for before, and then rewrote to make it easier to understand.

Either way, there are some people who will just object (out of fear?) to anything that does not sound logical to them.

Which brings us back to the question? Should my son go to school for five years, end up in dept for 10 - 15 years, be forced to work at a job that he will probably hate, in an environment where success depends on working 70 hours a week (and Christmas day). Should my son work 70 hours a week for himself, taking off time when he needs it, knowing that he can define his own destiny?

It is a good question - one we never answered.

My son's opinion? He just lifted the head phones off his head and said, I don't care, I'll just work for you --- sigh....

Below is a good idea. For $29 a month you can host interviews with people who need PR. Then, you can post the interviews on websites - for a fee? for free promotion? or to have people paste a link on their site to your site, within a short time you should have amazing PR. But, most people will not invest $29.00 into their future (may of whom would pay for a university degree)

I am preparing to start an account and host a meeting between 5 women who started less than 2 years ago, and are now making a good living on the web. But - be warned, this won't be a get rich quick program. I'll keep you up dated.