Today we’d like to introduce you to Mitch Thiem.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My journey with Minor Chores started when I was just 10 years old, sparked by my parents’ encouragement to earn my own money through entrepreneurship. This led to the creation of “Poop Patrol, Inc. – Make Every Step a Good One!” a neighborhood business that began with pet waste removal and expanded as I grew older to include trash can cleaning, dog walking, lawn mowing, and more.
I pursued an education in entrepreneurship at Texas Christian University (TCU), majoring in entrepreneurship and minoring in energy, which further fueled my passion for business, particularly in the renewables sector. However, my early entrepreneurial venture never left my side, remaining a unique and memorable part of my resume. It was my story of “Poop Patrol” that eventually inspired me to return to my roots in entrepreneurship.
After working for almost a decade in the renewable energy sector, I decided to act on my vision to foster entrepreneurship among youth. I left my job to develop an app designed to teach kids how to become neighborhood entrepreneurs. This platform is unique; while it requires users to be 18 or older to sign up directly, it offers a pathway for parents to sign up and create sub-accounts for their children. Our affordable entrepreneurial subscription allows “Chore-preneurs’ to keep 100% of their earnings from chores, differentiating our model from other service apps that take a commission. The “Chore Customers” can sign up for free, post chores or simply book Chore-preneurs on demand based.
In addition to the earning money aspect, “Chore-preneurs” get access to the Minor Chores Academy which is an educational platform focusing on safety, business, and life skills. Our nonprofit and school partners intend to utilize the app to help manage and track students’ community service hours.
Reflecting on the importance of early business experiences, I often refer to research showing that a significant majority of successful entrepreneurs started their first ventures as children. This insight reinforces the app’s value in teaching foundational skills and values to young entrepreneurs, such as communication, determination, and ethical conduct.
Thanks to my parents, my story is a testament to the impact of early entrepreneurial experiences and the potential of technology to support and enhance these endeavors. Through Minor Chores, I aim to inspire and equip the next generation of entrepreneurs and community leaders, emphasizing the life skills and values essential for success.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Starting Minor Chores hasn’t been without its challenges, but my childhood experiences of doing chores and learning financial responsibility smoothed the path significantly. From my early days pitching “Poop Patrol” in my neighborhood to navigating the tough financial markets to fund Minor Chores, I’ve learned to turn negatives into positives and persevere through setbacks.
My journey was facilitated by my savings, passive income from real estate, side hustles, and the encouraging feedback from potential users. This support network gave me the confidence to take risks, knowing that even in failure, I had a safety net and could pivot back to the solar industry if needed.
The core of my journey reveals that Minor Chores is far more than a mere business venture; it’s a gateway for young individuals to embark on their pursuit of the American Dream. It offers a foundational education in entrepreneurship, equips them to navigate rejection, and lays the groundwork for establishing long-term relationships or ideas that could evolve into internships, employment opportunities, or even a startup in the future, much like my own experience with Minor Chores.
So, despite the ups and downs, the journey has been relatively smooth, underpinned by a belief in the value of hard work, financial responsibility, and the importance of treating others with respect.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
As an entrepreneur, I focus on creating apps that facilitate entrepreneurial success, allowing users to retain all profits while offering customers significant savings. My approach draws inspiration from Amazon’s flywheel growth model, emphasizing a low-cost structure to enhance customer experience and drive growth. By offering an entrepreneurial subscription, we enable users to profit more without charging service fees, thereby saving customers money.
This model fosters a positive cycle of growth, lower customer acquisition costs, and increased participation from both entrepreneurs and customers. What distinguishes me are my values, encapsulated in the acronym LEADERS: Learning, Earning, Aspiring, Determination, Ethics, Responsibility, and Savings. These principles guide my approach to business and life.
From overcoming dyslexia to valuing lifelong learning, aspiring for greatness, maintaining determination, adhering to ethical standards, demonstrating responsibility, and prioritizing savings, these values shape my actions and decisions. My commitment to these ideals has enabled me to invest significantly in my business, underscoring the importance of financial prudence and the impact of personal values on entrepreneurial success.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
Throughout my nearly two-year journey with Minor Chores, I’ve been fortunate to have the support of numerous mentors and team members, many of whom joined the team driven by belief in our mission rather than immediate financial rewards.
Key contributors include Claire Bruce, our public relations manager, who has been instrumental in garnering media attention; Ryan Napolitano, who has provided crucial back-end software support; Lee Lorenzen, an advisor with vast startup experience; and Bill Boland, our chief development officer, who is enhancing our learning management system and outreach efforts.
Additionally, advisors like Kimberly Clavin and her entrepreneur son, Gideon Reynolds, have connected deeply with our vision, contributing to our community and upcoming promotional activities. Each of these individuals has played a significant role in bringing Minor Chores to life, believing in the transformation of the gig economy into a community-based platform where users benefit more. Their contributions are pivotal as we approach our upcoming launch this summer and continue to inspire younger generations.
Pricing:
- Minor Chore-preneur (tweens) – $90/year or $10/month
- Major Chore-preneur (teens) – $180/year or $20/month
- Master Chore-preneur (adults) – $240/year or $40/month
- Chore Customers (adults) – Free
Contact Info:
- Website: www.minorchores.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/minorchores/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100083916131360
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/minor-chores/?viewAsMember=true
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgsnSfMh6yUYdBgkh1rS3pw
- Other: https://linktr.ee/minorchores
