What was the point of colonies?

Question

I mean PROPIETARY COLONIES (colonies owned by individuals).

What exactly did the individual gain from having a colony?

Colonies as in the first 13 American colonies

Answer 1

the colonies were essentially established to make money for joint stock companies (ie the Virginia Company)

Contrary to popular belief new england colonies were NOT established to practice free religion, but rather to build a utopia society free of clerical hierarchy, which existed in both protestantism and catholicism. the point of this utopia would be to set an example for the church of england, because the pilgrims believed the church of england too closely resembled the catholic church  

Answer 2

Money , money , money , exploitation and more money .