Lessons learned at the lemonade stand
My son is 6 and a successful entrepreneur. As founder and CEO of Luke’s Lemonade, he has managed to bankroll his 6-year-old toy obsession. This is good for him, as it introduces him to work ethic and earning the objects of his desire, and it’s selfishly good for mom, because I don’t need to have the discussion about what toys he may have, and if/when he can have them.
It’s also an interesting perspective for me as I work to develop an entrepreneurial training program for North Central Washington. Because of the inherent simplicity, my son’s business serves as a very interesting and fundamental teaching model. As the adage goes, if a 6-year-old can do it…
But, the lemonade stand has brought a variety of other, more unexpected lessons. For instance, my son has a working understanding of taxes. He was (rightfully) very confused to find that his latest conquest, advertised at $35 actually cost $37 at the register. I used this as an opportunity to explain the taxation system, and what the money is used for. Not bad for a 6-year-old boy.
He has also mastered the understanding of delivering a quality product so that you develop repeat business. A cold, fresh batch of lemonade on a hot day hits the spot for customers- hopefully repeatedly.
He has learned marketing, financial management, inventory and quality control. He knows about tips. And, he now gives tips to others, including the checker at Target.
Perhaps the greatest lesson has been mine. The customers of Luke’s Lemonade have been the nicest, most patient people. His customer base is broad and I’ve learned that it takes a special kind of person to stop for a content-looking boy sitting at a table on the side of the road.
The other day, after my son was finished with “his job”, we were tearing down and getting ready to bring the table back inside. A man pulled up across the street and, admittedly, looked a bit frantic. As my motherly instincts began to surface, I sent my son inside because I wasn’t sure what was about to happen. Luke’s Lemonade was obviously closed, and this man was certainly headed in our direction- with a mission. As he rushed across the street toward me, our eyes met, and I desperately tried to read his expression.
He handed a dollar to me and I explained that we were out of lemonade. By this point, my son had managed to creep outside, sensing something was afoot, and was now standing beside me. This kind stranger looked at my son and told us that he knew the stand was closed but he wanted my son to take the dollar to pay for two glasses of lemonade for an elderly couple on the next hot day. He had just taught my son the concept of paying it forward.
I was embarrassed. I had assumed something much different, and much worse, than what had actually happened, which reminded me of one of the fundamental concepts of business: never pre-qualify your prospect.
As we work to develop an entrepreneurial training curriculum for North Central Washington, it is refreshing to be reminded of the fundamentals of doing business. And, if we ever need an expert speaker, I have a connection with a lemonade tycoon.
I hope I get to meet you one of these days. I would have loved having you in an English class. This will sound strange to those not so language-inclined, but I think you will understand. I get a great deal of pleasure from reading a well-written piece, whether it be fiction or non-fiction, a paragraph or a book. There is a satisfaction which comes from the reading. No, I’m not kinky. Sometimes a lengthy sentence calls for a rereading, just for the pleasure of hearing in my head the words, with the punctuation in the proper places, the spelling correct, and all the words in a lengthy sentence in just the right place.
My favorite novelist is Georgette Heyer. She was a writer of historical English Regency romances,and was considered to be the best chronicaler of the Battle of Waterloo. Some of her paragraphs consist of only one sentence, perfectly composed.
This is a somewhat over-long prelude to what I wanted to say: I enjoyed the blog today, as usual, and watch for your further posts.
Hmm. I got an “a” in “chronicler”, where it doesn’t belong. Must be my bedtime.
Thank you! You are too kind. I’m a voracious reader as well. Part of what I do professionally is write for people- brochures, websites, magazine articles- you name it. But, it’s never in my voice. This is such a wonderful and refreshing opportunity to get to use my own words, rather than create the words of someone else!
I can’t get over the fact you have a six-year-old son.