When life gives you lemons, squeeze them for profit.
Lemonade stands are going cashless as today’s tech-savvy young people reinvent the classic summer indulgence for the 21st century, with freshly squeezed juice now just a tap away.
And in a world where most people no longer carry coins, parents say business is booming.
“The contactless technology at the lemonade stands is bringing in a ton of money for these kids,” proud mother Kaleisha Hartsfield told The Washington Post about her 9-year-old daughter, Kirei, who has made a staggering $7,000 selling lemonade since she was 7 years old.
“At the end of the sales day, I’ll probably only have $20 left in cash,” the Killeen, Texas, resident added.
Doreen Farber, 36, and her 7-year-old daughter Lily of Long Island have found that adapting to their new reality has paid off in big ways.
“A lot of people preferred to pay with Venmo,” the Plain Edge mother told The Post, claiming that about 30 percent of her customers opted for the cashless payment option.
“[Lilly] “She was a little saleswoman, walking up to people and letting them know that this payment option was available,” Farber said excitedly.
The digital payment trend in summer vacation vending machine businesses comes as a new generation of savvy, young and driven people are beginning to emerge, with business skills that go beyond their years.
The new kings of squeeze are promoting their brands through social media influence, investment, marketing, advertising, online ordering and even philanthropy.
In Kansas City, Missouri, 11-year-old Amer Barty is preparing to apply for a government permit to operate a juice stand in a high-traffic area of his neighborhood.
Earlier this year, Bertie Hits 1 million views on TikTok He boasted about his stand, a tenacious pre-teen boy selling lemonade with custom syrup.
“From start to finish, I think this has taught me so much more than anything I learned in school,” the miniature machinist, who fetched a top price of $350 at his last sale in May, told The Post.
While some elementary school entrepreneurs are forging ahead into the future on their own, many are getting help adapting to cutting-edge financial technology.
2020Non-profit organization “Lemonade Day” It has launched an app aimed at helping kids learn how to run a food stall like a real business, with management tools to complement face-to-face training.
Already 55,000 children across the country have signed up for the kids’ crash course in modern retail business.
And the devotion to technology seems to be a powerful motivator that wasn’t there before.
“The idea of ’I don’t have cash’ is no longer a barrier,” Lemonade Day CEO Nicole Cassier Mason told The Washington Post.
“Part of our kid-targeted marketing plan is to design QR codes to use. They’re really leaning into the modern and esoteric side of the business,” Cassie Mason said.
Here, we take a closer look at how three of citrus growing’s most talented leaders are conquering their hometowns, one pitcher at a time.
Kirei Hartsfield, 9 years old
Any Fortune 500 company would be lucky to get her.
The impressive amount of money Hartsfield has made from her long-running business (she got involved in Lemonade Day because she fell in love with the process of making lemonade) is just the tip of the iceberg.
In addition to imparting financial wisdom, Hartsfield’s mother is most pleased that Kirei’s “customer service skills” have helped her come out of her shell.
The fourth-grader suffered a stroke at age two and later required brain surgery.
She named her company Stroke Survivor Lemonade & Co. and has a loving heart that she donates a quarter of her profits to the hospital that treated her. Tips earned through her tablet payment system also go to Children’s Hospital Colorado.
The remaining quarter will go towards the business, which plans to launch a food truck next summer, and the remaining half will be saved so that Kirei’s mother can donate the same amount when she grows up.
Kirei has grown her own brand, Nationwide OnlineWith around 1,600 followers and calls from celebrities Daymond John from Shark Tank Two Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders Anna Kate Sandvold And one more thing The name KellyHartsfield She saved money To go to cheer camp with them.
“My daughter has become a Lemonade influencer,” her mother, Kaleisha, an Army veteran, said with a smile.
On the business side, a strong fan base helps drive customers to her website, where bottled drinks can be ordered online and are also sold in stores. In addition to selling locally in suburban South Dallas (she’s been known to deliver drinks on a pink scooter), Hartsfield also attends several trade shows each year.
Kaleisha recalled that recently, about 500 units were sold out in just a few hours.
“Everyone was raving about it and came and bought about 20 bottles,” Kaleisha said of the “crazy” moment.
Now Kirei is eyeing a pink Tesla to drive and make deliveries when she’s older — a business expense, of course.
“My daughter already knows she doesn’t want to work for someone else,” Hartsfield said. “At age 9, she’s already her own boss.”
Amel Barty, 11 years old
Bertie has made waves with her elaborate recipe for state fair lemonade, a delicious specialty drink that adds flavored syrup to the typical recipe.
But it wasn’t easy: birthday gifts and pocket money weren’t enough to cover the costs of running the business, so Bertie first needed investors, including tents, sandbags to weigh it down, and special washing stations to comply with local hygiene standards. In addition to numerous syrups and mixes.
His father, Ajay, told The Washington Post that he initially worked as a household helper for his father to earn a few hundred dollars in cash.
but, The rest are all AmericanThe soon-to-be sixth grader cleverly set up a stand selling 32 ounces for $7 on the day of a garage sale organized by the local homeowners’ association, waking his dad up at 5:30 a.m. to help set it up.
“I was the one who said five more minutes,” Ajay joked.
After a fulfilling day, which included live budgeting in between serving clients, Barty donated some money to a charity that funds school meals and is also saving for university funds for herself and her sister.
Next, he plans to strike a deal with a local convenience store to sell in their parking lots, which will require tedious permits. Father and son are already making arrangements to meet health needs like hair nets and gloves.
And once again, the zones Amer has in mind satisfy that most important concept for good business: location, location, location.
“There are a lot of food trucks in that area, so that will definitely help with sales,” he said.
Lily Faber, 7 years old
Just a few miles from Wall Street, local kids like Farber are also changing the game — and learning important life lessons along the way.
A 7-year-old girl from Long Island is already planning to set up a roadside cider stand in time for Halloween, using lessons she learned from her electronics-friendly summer stand.
Faber is already taking notes on how to improve the stands for next summer.
Her mother says those precious moments are what fuel her goal of one day becoming an entrepreneur.
“She’s learning how to run a business from this. How to deal with customers, how to save money for the business and keep a little for herself,” Farber said.
“Lily is saving up for when she turns 18 and plans to double her savings then.”
And for the same very good reasons as Hartsfield, Lily is already taking a philanthropic stance when it comes to managing her profits: She donated a portion of her proceeds to a cerebral palsy charity in honor of her 3-year-old brother, who has cerebral palsy.
“We couldn’t be more proud of her,” her mother Doreen said.
