| The other day, our office received an unexpected visit from two young entrepreneurs who were armed with nothing but a box of cookies and a clipboard. One appeared to be around 13, while the other looked about 10. They confidently announced they were selling homemade cookies and asked if I would like to purchase some. Intrigued, I asked about their pricing, to which they responded $9.00 for five cookies.  What? $9.00 for five cookies? After I picked my tongue up from the floor, I asked who made the cookies, and they proudly said, “Our mom made them, and we helped.” Their reason for selling? “No reason; we just want to make some extra cash.” Wow! What truly impressed me was their resourcefulness in offering multiple payment options. When I mentioned I had no cash; they smoothly suggested I could pay them using Zelle, Venmo, or Cash App. I thought, What in the world? Where’d these boys come from? It was their parent’s Zelle, of course, but these boys were trained well and prepared to offer that as an option! Kudos to you, Mom and Dad! These boys were tenacious in their approach and had a solution for every excuse I tried to give them. Despite my initial hesitation about the price, I couldn’t help but admire their determination, so I purchased the cookies. Don’t judge me; they earned it! Instead of playing video games during spring break, these boys were out there, knocking on doors and selling their cookies. And they were doing an exceptional job at it. A few minutes later, a coworker approached, and the boys also pitched their cookies to him. To my amusement, he asked the same three questions I’d asked, and they provided the same confident responses, even offering the same digital payment options when he told them he had no cash either. My coworker was just as impressed with them and also purchased the cookies. Call us suckers, but we wanted to support their courageous efforts!  Thinking about that encounter, I wrote down a few lessons I learned. 1. I realized you only need a little money to start a small business. My guess (and this is a rough estimate) is that the boys spent under $50 to purchase the ingredients to make the cookies and the supplies to package them. I also saw their mom pick them up, so the expense for gas was minimal since they probably didn’t travel far from their neighborhood. 2. These boys demonstrated that success is attainable with a well-thought-out plan, a professional strategy, a little guidance (a coach), and a great product. 3. Their story reminds me that entrepreneurship has no age limits. This greatly encouraged me since I started my business five decades into my life. Better late than never!! 4. Whether you’ve been in business for a while or are just starting out with an idea, remember that success can begin with simple things like determination, creativity, and an entrepreneurial mindset. 5. Lastly, I learned that it’s important to be confident about how you set your prices and accept payments. People can decide whether to buy from you or not. But don’t change your prices or payment methods just because someone doesn’t agree with them. Remember this story and learn from these boys next time you face an opportunity or challenge. Who knows? You might find yourself on the path to entrepreneurial success. |