July 29, 2018 By Malla

Minneapolis Teen Who Fought Back from Having His Hot Dog Stand Shut Down

Did you hear about this story? It reminded me that there is HUGE value in nudging the entrepreneurial spirit in our daughters.

A young teen in North Minneapolis had the police called on him. He was running a hot dog stand to pay for school supplies. Someone called the permit police because he did not have a license.

This story ends well. But it also provides a few tips for any teen who wants to start a business. There are a handful of things you want to do if you are unsure about how to get started.

The residents of North Minneapolis were shocked by what the city did for a teen who opened a hot dog stand to sell hot dogs.

After a complaint, the city decided to help the thirteen-year-old Jaequan Faulkner to open up a place outside his home. He was raising money for school supplies. According to Dan Huff, the Minneapolis Environmental Health Director, “When I realized what it was, I said, ‘No, we’re not going to just go and shut him down’ like we would an unlicensed vendor,”. He organized some support and helped Jaequan get licensed.

If your daughter wants to start her own business, here are a few tips if you don’t have community advocates like Minneapolis:

There are city officials who get it and want to support youth.

City officials are willing to help. They spent time training Jaequan and contacted Northside Economic Opportunity Network (NEON). Together they helped him set up a legitimate business.

Consider calling your local council person’s office or politician. They might have recommendations about programs in your area. If you are starting a food based business, you will probably need a permit or license. So ask what types of businesses will need permits or licenses for your area.

For example, in New York City, there is the Department of Small Business Services. While their programs are focused on adults, they do have walk-in hours as well as random workshops for young people.

So reach out and see what resources exist.

Google entrepreneurship training in your area

Google entrepreneurship training in your area to see if there are nonprofits who offer training programs.

I remember the first youth entrepreneurship program I had the privilege to teach. We reached out to area nonprofits to find young people interested. We had little time to invest in marketing or widespread outreach. But happily, the nonprofits we partnered with were influential and made recommendations.

Therefore, there might be a program already in existence in your area. Make Google your BFF.

Or consider dropping the idea into the discussion. Your school or local after school programs might be looking for new program ideas. There are a host of organizations that have curriculum and can provide programming support.

Entrepreneur drive is still valued in this country

Your child doesn’t need to wait until she is old enough to learn how to start a business. During the weekends, evening after school or the holidays, she can start a business if she wants to. In the case of Jaequan Faulkner, he was only thirteen and the Minneapolis Environmental Health helped him get the permit. They made the whole idea a positive thing and helped him own a business.

Learning entrepreneurship skills at an early age is very crucial, especially for young girls. When you think about teaching your daughter entrepreneurship skills, a lot can be said and done.

So consider some of the ideas in this article. You’ll take care of the legal requirements – ie. do you need a permit or license? And what resources already exist?

And make sure to encourage young people to roll up their sleeves and market their talents. I love Jaequan’s spirit and hope other young people will be willing to do the same!

6 easy tips to get started with your school’s fall fundraising

It’s that time of year again. Get your checkbooks ready. It’s fundraising time!!

There will be chocolate stacks
Wrapping paper, magazine and cards a ‘plenty.
And stocking stuffers that you really didn’t need but looked cute in the catalog.

Moms, I know you understand that schools and related organizations need money. It costs alot to educate your kids. (And even more if you want to educate them well!)

But, it always seems that the fundraisers come at a busy time of the year. And require YOU to dig out the extra funds out of your pocket.

So rather than write the check before the sales get started, I have a few tips that will ease the pain.

Review all sales materials

I know it’s not fun to read everything. But sit down after the kiddos are asleep and review all the materials. Companies who support school fundraisers often have sample sales scripts attached. Ideas about how to market the products. And even flyers or posters that showcase what your kids need to sell.

Scan through the materials and see if someone already did part of your marketing. Get a folder with several pockets and start organizing.

Create a plan

Before any of my groups start a sale, I always suggest that they draft a plan. Why? Because it’s good to think big picture and tackle the project with a written plan. Think about how long you have to sell. What methods tend to work best in your friends and family circle – ie. social media vs. telephone? How can you get your kids involved? What do they need help with?

The best businesses in the world create plans. And even though it doesn’t always go according to plan, it’s good to come up with a basic plan.

Calendar your “Money Due” date

Add the important milestone dates in your calendar. How long is the sale? Consider reminding yourself when the sale is halfway finished. Also, include a reminder the night before it finishes. This way you won’t miss anything and find yourself rushing to the ATM at 6 am.

Draft a target list

I’m sure you communicate with your friends and family in a variety of ways. So create a spreadsheet and brainstorm 5-10 people in each category. Here are some suggested ways to reach people:

People you see on a daily basis
People to speak to only via phone
Your social media friends and family
Specific events (i.e church)

If your daughter is old enough, make her responsible for talking to several people on the list.

Create a sales script

The first ask is always the hardest. Consider role-playing as if you are the potential customer. Have your daughter share why she is selling and why it makes a difference for someone to buy. When she feels more comfortable, write a draft sales script. Record it on your smartphone with the transcription button. You can customize the message for everyone on your list.

Set up rewards within your family for reaching the milestones

I appreciate that the fundraising companies offer prizes. But they are usually hard to reach when you are competing with an entire class or the whole school!

So choose a reward that your family likes. Give them a family incentive. Host a pizza party or family movie night. Get tokens for a family amusement like bowling, mini-golf, Chuck E Cheese, or some other fun venue. It will be great to reward the whole family after the hard work you put in.

So these tips are just the tip of the iceberg. But hopefully, they keep you from spinning your wheels this fundraising season. Don’t be shy about sending this article to other Moms and join the newsletter for more goodies!

Minneapolis Teen Who Fought Back from Having His Hot Dog Stand Shut Down

6 easy tips to get started with your school’s fall fundraising

Review all sales materials

Create a plan

Calendar your “Money Due” date

Draft a target list

Create a sales script

Set up rewards within your family for reaching the milestones

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Review all sales materials

Create a plan

Calendar your “Money Due” date

Draft a target list

Create a sales script

Set up rewards within your family for reaching the milestones