BY STEVEN GORDON, LEMONADE DAY NATIONAL PRESIDENT

Lemonade Day is a free program that has engaged more than 1 million kids in 84 communities since 2007 in the experience of launching their own lemonade business. The free curriculum provides lessons such as business planning, product development, financial management, marketing and promotion, customer service and charitable giving to equip kids with entrepreneurship education and improve their financial literacy. We believe that if we continue to encourage these nutrients of success, we can inspire children to achieve their dreams.

Charlie Hamilton, Lemonade Day National board president and a serial entrepreneur, always says “Lemonade Day is like the ‘Pee Wee leaguers of experiential entrepreneurism and it’s a movement that continues to inspire kids to go beyond the status quo. We need to help kids achieve something, no matter how big or small.”

Billionaire Mark Cuban has often been asked what he might tell his younger self. His advice? “I learned the value of learning early in my career. Don’t stress. Don’t change anything. Have fun. You don’t have to know what you’re going to be when you grow up. You don’t have to have answers. You don’t have to have the perfect major. You don’t have to pick the perfect job.” Cuban became successful because he was scrappy and creative, he hustled to earn money, he picked jobs where he could get paid to learn, he learned the value of listening to others. “To the 20-year-old me, keep it pushing. It will work out. Trust me. You got this.”

Lemonade Day has been fortunate to partner with many successful business leaders who are leading our lessons and mentoring Lemonade Day kids. We have so many great comments from executives that I will probably need more than one blog to share. Here is the first installment of comments from executives who love watching kids blossom under the Lemonade Day program:

“Lemonade Day works. There is no need to test it.” – Jim Clifton, The Gallup Organization chairman

“During the eight years that we have been involved with Lemonade Day, we’ve seen firsthand how effective this program is in introducing kids to business and entrepreneurship, and I always liked that the program teaches kids to also give back to their communities. I am thrilled that Raising Cane’s is now a national partner and can support Lemonade Day’s great work in teaching tomorrow’s leaders about financial literacy, youth entrepreneurship and so much more.” – Todd Graves, founder and Chief Executive Officer of Raising Cane’s

"Lemonade Day is inspiring kids to start a business and build something that will change the world regardless of how large or small one’s ambition is. The important life skills gained through the Lemonade Day program make an impact on kids every day of the year." – Joe Daley, The Gallup Organization partner

“It’s never too early to encourage our children to begin thinking about entrepreneurship and Lemonade Day is the perfect opportunity to do just that. These are our future business owners and job creators, and we should do all that we can to give them a great start.” – Louisiana Governor, John Bel Edwards

“I always look for innovations and Lemonade Day is a brilliant idea the belongs in all American cities, connecting young people with adults and teaching developmental skills that will change the course of young people’s lives and in turn, their communities. Lemonade Day encourages the ‘nutrients’ for kids to flourish and see success in school, reduce or eliminate risky behavior, and thrive in an environment where young people truly believe they ‘can be somebody’. – Peter Benson (deceased), former president of Search Institute    Peter Benson’s video on why he Loves Lemonade Day.

“The Lemonade Day program teaches the value of hard work, owning a business and giving back to the community — ideals that could have come out of the mouths of our founders more than 125 years ago. ” - John Chamberlain, vice president of marketing for Limoneira – a global agribusiness.

These are great, right? As promised, I will share more comments in a future blog. Stay tuned!

If this blog has inspired you, please share it with your friends, family members, and co-workers. If you have a child who is interested in the Lemonade Day lessons, visit lemonadeday.org/find-your-city. All of us at Lemonade Day look forward to hearing your successful business owner stories!

I welcome your comments and suggestions at any time. Please email me at steven@lemonadeday.org.

For more information about Lemonade Day, please visit lemonadeday.org.