CARTOONS BY CHRIS BRITT

Holthouse came up with the idea of having a national lemonade day after an
encounter with his daughter who wanted money for a pet turtle. This resulted in starting
National Lemonade Day, a fast-growing program that educates kids about running
a business long before they enter adult life. The annual event, which takes place on
different dates throughout the year in hundreds of cities in the U.S., Canada and South
Africa, walks children through a 14-step, month-long process to create a business plan
for a lemonade stand and turn it into a real, money-making venture, with a parent or
mentor’s guidance.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
Start by taking a trip to the grocery store and purchase supplies with your own
money or a loan from your parents. Once you have your supplies, figure out how much
lemonade you need to sell to actually make a profit. Pick a sunny day, make signs and set
up a table with the help of your friends or family. Place signs in strategic locations where
the most people will see them. You will want to test the lemonade first to make sure you
get the taste right. Too sour or too sweet will not encourage repeat sales. Then, when the
day arrives hope for sun and thirst and remember to look cute.
ADVANTAGES
Instills entrepreneurship skills early. Entrepreneurship teaches youth how to navigate
their vulnerabilities in order to stay safe and successful.
Independence. Starting a lemonade stand gives youth the opportunity to make decisions
and learn from those decisions.
Learn about money. Teaches the value of money and its management, including how to
make change and how to establish profit levels.
Promote skill development. Starting a business at a very early age will teach you skills
that will be beneficial in other walks of life as well from school to social graces.
Gets kids outside. A lemonade stand gets kids away from video games and other homecave
activities. Be sure you put sunscreen on them; they may have never been outdoors
that long.
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