Sales at 200 stands teach kids valuable business lessons
Local kids are learning that when life gives you lemons, just turn that into 200 money-making juice stands gracing locations across Kendall County on Lemonade Day Saturday. The effort is about more than just concocting sweet drinks, as young entrepreneurs learn valuable lessons about running a business and how to squeeze out a profit, organizers said.
“It is a youth entrepreneurship program that is a national program,” said Kim Blohm, Greater Boerne Chamber of Commerce CEO.
From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 2, hundreds of Boerne, Fair Oaks Ranch and Comfort kids will assemble, decorate and man booths serving various flavors of lemonade, including tart to tangy favorites such as old fashioned, strawberry mango and jalapeño margarita (alcohol free).
Lemonade Day stand owners can compete at the national level, Blohm said. They submit their business plans, a roadmap of their business, how well it performed and other post-analysis after the event.
“Two years ago, we had a local who actually won the national program and got to go on an interview with ‘Shark Tank’ … and it was amazing,” she added.
As the youths develop their own business plan, each stand can be of a different height and width and vary in decor.
Prices for cups of lemonade vary from stand to stand, said Chamber organizers.
“These kids will give you a run for your money. They have products they’ve made, they have cookies and items and everything,” Blohm said.
Participating youth signed up with the Chamber, acquired a permit, and then had to seek permission from a local business to set up on the sidewalk in front of the shop.
“They do financial literacy classes presented by Sonora Bank,” the Chamber CEO said. “We teach them how to manage their money, and how to give it back to the community.”
Three awards will be presented — best tasting, best stand and best entrepreneur. The winners get $250 to give to a nonprofit of their choice.
Before Lemonade Day, the Chamber will hold the best-tasting lemonade competition from 5-6 p.m. Thursday, April 30, at Boerne Sips Nutrition, 204 E. Hosack St.
Lemonade Day, which originated primarily in the Galveston area, had humble beginnings in Boerne, Blohm recalled.
“I think it started off with like 15 kids, and then 50 kids,” Blohm said on Boerne Radio 103.9 FM’s “Boerne Brew. “We now are at 425 registered kids, close to double what we were last year.”
Those kids will be paired up, many in teams, to staff the nearly 200 stands.
“The majority or bulk of the individuals in the stands will be on Main Street (in Boerne),” Blohm said. “At this point, with the amount that we have, there’s literally one on every corner, every mile, everywhere.”
“Two years ago, we had a local who actually won the national program and got to go on an interview with ‘Shark Tank.’’’
— Kim Blohm, Greater Boerne Chamber of Commerce
Comment
Comments