The dreams of a 5 year old

If you ask Savannah what she has been excited about for a few weeks now, she will tell you a few things..... VBS at a church down the street from ours is this coming week, the kids are both taking swim lessons at the city pool a few blocks away the following week, and a LEMONADE STAND. She has quite a bit of entrepreneurship that does not come from me. We have planned supplies, talked budgets, discussed sales practices, checked the weather, planned marketing, and tasted some lemonade. After all that, today was the Lemonade Stand kick off.

Initially she said she wanted to make some money to buy shoes and clothes so we don't have to buy that for her anymore. After some discussion she has gotten REALLY excited about a new plan of what to do with her money. Two girls we know from church headed to Uganda in January to be missionaries. Savannah keeps talking about being a missionary when she gets older so when we mentioned this idea she was super excited.  One of the girls came home and the other has stayed for a few more months to work with an organization called Atin Afrika. She is working with young men ages 6-15 who are attending school, some of them for the first time, after living on the street and in some really difficult situations. She has been doing some awesome teaching and discipling and  it sounds like a wonderful program. If you choose to sponsor a child you will help provide all that he needs to attend school and live. Savannah was beyond excited to be able to help. Our friend even said she can let us Skype with the young man we are sponsoring, how cool is that!!! Anyway, back to the lemonade stand, Savannah knew what she wanted to do with her money and she was off.....

Savannah worked hard to make a sign (with some pro bono help from daddy). We had planned to wait until school was out here so there would be more kids around. We decided to start this afternoon. Savannah would like to do it every day of the week, but we will have to see how our week plays out. Things were prepared and plans were ready. Savannah then decided that she wanted to give away a free cup of lemonade to her first customer. Well, our friend KK from down the street came running when we opened for business.

Savannah started with 1 full time employee (Isaiah the sign holder). She quickly acquired KK as a sales associate part time and then 2 more boys who were part time workers as well. She said that her full time help was a really hard and good worker. He did single-handily bring in  lots of business that was driving by because they said he was so cute they had to stop. Savannah said the 2 boy part time workers were good and she had 1 part time worker who was a trouble maker who worked really hard sometimes.  She said she thought she did a good job as the "boss lady".

 Seriously who wouldn't empty their wallets for this face!!

 

Isaiah did especially well when he would stand at the curb and yell at the top of his lungs - "M-UH-NADE!"  Two different cars came back around the block just because of Isaiah.  One gentleman stopped in his truck and just made a $5 donation.  It was a really nice gesture.  One lady said she stopped just because it had been a long time since she had seen a child's lemonade stand.

 

Savannah did a really great job of making plans, managing her team, and even had great customer service.  She was excited to get customers and after they were served she would tell everyone, "Thank you for coming, come back again and tell your friends".

 

Turns out Savannah has a pretty good business because she brought in $16.25 (before paying employees and repaying a portion of her start up loan used for materials). She did AWESOME!!!!  She made $12.00 profit, put $7 in her Uganda jar and split the remaining $5 between herself and Isaiah.  She found an extra quarter in her room (which Ellie was trying to eat) and decided to put that in her Uganda jar as well. 

 

Tonight before tucking the kids in I told Savannah we would write a blog about her business and she says, "Great, that's a good idea, that might help me get more customers". How does a 5 year old know about web marketing?  Even after closing up shop for the day she came in and wanted to talk about her "business problem".  That's what she called the trouble making employee she had to deal with.  After working through some thoughts she came up with a plan: 1) encourage her friendship and her hard work, 2) ask her to stick to her assigned job, 3) tell her she won't be allowed to work and make money if she can't stick to her job (we told her not to say "you're fired"), and 4) she can still hang out on the porch but not work anymore or get free lemonade.  She might be the business mind of the family. 

So if anyone would like to order some fresh, cold and delicious Savannah, Georgia lemonade just let us know.  More importantly, if anyone wants to support Savannah's dream of helping sponsor a child's education in Uganda definitely let us know and help Savannah add some more money to her Uganda jar.