This was Karlos and Paisley’s first year participating in the annual Lemonade Day event and their first business venture as youth entrepreneurs. You can imagine the excitement up to Lemonade Day, and even after! June 9th marked Lemonade Day Tallahassee—summer was in full swing, as well as preparation for the next school year. Karlos was going into the first grade, and Paisley into her third year of preschool. 

They had the perfect idea: sell lemonade to help buy school supplies not only for themselves but also for kids that may be less fortunate. They reached out to Coach’s Closet, a non-profit organization with the sole purpose to provide assistance to families in need. The organization donates items such as clothing, shoes, book bags, school supplies, and other household items.

Karlos and Paisley asked their mom to be their investor and mentor since she has her own business; when she agreed to help, they got straight to work. The two young entrepreneurs called on family and friends to help get everything up and running (a smart businessperson knows you’re only as good as your team). 

With a $10 marketing budget, they passed out flyers, posted on Facebook and Instagram, and ran an ad on the farmer’s market page, where the stand would be located. Karlos and Paisley even sold virtual lemonade for those who couldn’t make it to the stand but still wanted to donate to a great cause. Their Lemonade Day Facebook live interview received over 2,900 views.

With three delicious homemade lemonade flavors—watermelon, strawberry, and regular—and lemonade-flavored candy apples, Karlos and Paisley exceeded their $66 goal with a total profit of $432. Not bad for the new kids on the block! This allowed them to pay back their investor, buy lots of school supplies and share some, and use their few remaining dollars for some sweet treats.