Imagine a world where a large percentage of us didn’t have to rely on others to provide jobs for us, a world where majority of us were job providers.”

Sarah and Jessica are two sisters who grew up in a small town in Colorado, USA. They lost their father at very tender ages of 4 and 7 and had to be raised by their mother who was a full-time house wife at the time. Need I say that life was tough for them? Their mother Nancy made up her mind that she wanted her girls to grow up strong and independent and be able to take care of themselves no matter where they found themselves.

So she started encouraging them to make money for themselves. During weekends and holidays, they would do some babysitting, they would run errands and get paid for it, they would set up lemonade stands at public parks and have people buy them.

Sarah and Jessica were able to save for college this way and even when they were in college, they never had to ask Mama Nancy for pocket money, instead they sent her monthly allowances from college. Sarah is now a very successful make-up artist, a business she started from helping her college room-mates dress for dates, while Jessica is a very notable fashion designer in Los-Angeles. They never had to rely on anyone for money or employment; instead, they have several people on their payroll.

I guess, now you are like “What is the moral of the story?”Well, your children are never too young to start learning about business. You should start teaching them how to save and invest right now, so that they can grow up smart, strong and independent.

Starting a Lemonade Stand – Sample Business Plan Template

Summer is upon us again and the kids would be home soon. Lemonade stands are a good way for kids and college students to make some money for themselves during the holidays. Lemonade stands are also a good way to support charitable causes and raise funds. Encourage your kids to set up a lemonade stand this summer; it’s a good way to start teaching them the practical aspects of business.

How to Make Lemonades

Let’s start with how to make lemonades. There are two ways to do this, you can either make use of fresh lemons or opt for using lemon powders.

Fresh lemons

Fresh lemons are healthier and easy to make. To make your lemonade with fresh lemons-:

Squeeze the fresh lemons in your hands or roll it on a table for some minutes to loosen the juice and ensure that it flows out freely when cut in half.
Next, you should cut the lemons into two equal parts and squeeze the juice out.
Remember to remove the seeds or use a blender to achieve maximum smoothness.
Add any sweetener you desire. You could either use sugar, honey or maple syrup. Maple syrup tastes better, has fewer calories and is considered healthier.
Add the desired quantity of water and some ice cubes and there it is, your lemonade is ready to be served.
To spice things up a little and make your lemonade more desirable, you should think of adding in some extra fruits like strawberries, grapes or oranges.

Making your lemonade with powder is also quite easy. All you have to do is purchase some lemon powder from the store, add in some water and sugar to taste and throw in some ice cubes and your lemonade is ready.

Where to Setup your Lemonade Stand

Now that you know how to make your lemonades, where should you set up your lemonade stand to guarantee high patronage and profit?

Depending on the financial resources at your disposal, you can set up your lemonade stand anywhere. If you can afford the rent, a very good place is in a shopping mall. You can also consider setting it up at a public park or if you live in a beach town, a beach is also a very suitable place to set up. If you don’t want to go too far, then you can set it up right in front of your house so that neighbors and passers-by can patronize you.

What are the things that you will need?

Umbrella-: You will need to protect yourself from the harsh rays of sunlight with a big umbrella.
A table-: You will also need a table to arrange all your wares and equipment.
Couple of lemons-: It is important for you to know how many lemons you need to make a glass of lemonade and decide on how many cups you want to make per day. This would give you an idea of just how many lemons to buy from the market.
Table cloths-: Try to make your lemonade stand clean and attractive by using a table cloth.
Plastic cups
Ice cubes-: You can fill a cooler with ice cubes and place it right beside you or use a portable ice making machine if you can afford it.
Price tag-: You would also need to make a large price tag using a cardboard paper and some coloring pencil so that people can see just how affordable your lemonades are.
A glass jug
Some gloves so that you don’t piss the squeamish ones off and don’t forget to bring an apron too.

Lemonade stands are not for kids alone. It is also a good business idea for stay-at-home parents or unemployed people. With less than $100 you can start your lemonade business and start making some money for yourself. If you have enough money to invest, you can take it a little further by setting up a mobile lemonade stand. For this, you would need a truck to move you and your equipment around. You should also consider selling snacks and other types of fruit juice to increase your income. Don’t forget to write out your business plan and obtain the necessary licenses and permits for your business too.