About 6 months ago, my boy began saying how he'd like to open a lemonade stand. He said he wanted to earn some money. I'm not one to stand in the way of business, but I allowed as how I didn't think he'd make enough money to make it worth his time. I told him to keep coming up with business ideas, and when he came on a good one, we would look closer at it. My lovely bride agreed and supported this plan.
He had several ideas, some better than others. Selling pancakes in the front yard? Not so much. Going door-to-door offering to plant flowers he was selling? Not bad, but not quite there.
About two weeks ago, he mentioned building birdhouses to my wife. She told him to come talk to me, and we decided that he had a good idea. He wanted to build bird houses, and drag them around the neighborhood in a wagon and sell them. I told him I would invest in his company, and buy him the tools he needed, but he would have to buy all of his materials. He agreed.
I bought him a hammer, and a saw, and gave him one of my clamps. And I let him borrow my hand drill. I told him he can buy his own drill after he sells the first batch.
Took him to Lowe's, and he bought lumber and supplies, totalling about 45 dollars. He has enough lumber to make 9 birdhouses. He promised one as a gift to the neighbor who has been bringing him wood scraps to practice on.
He originally wanted to sell them for 5 dollars each, but I explained to him he would be losing money, not to mention time. I convinced him to try to get $20 for each one.
I don't know how well he will do, but he made 3 today, with little help beyond guidance and holding boards in place from me.
I hope he sells a butt-ton, and it drives him to entrepreneurship.
3 comments:
Find the local Izaak Walton chapter. I'm the president of our local chapter and we are always putting out Blue Bird houses along bike trails. Rather than building our own, we'd sure support your critter if you were in our neck of the woods. You and he might be pleasantly surprised! Congrats to the new business owner! :)
Nice little bluebird house. Sturdy, easy to clean, he should sell them easily.
Eiafinfo- thanks for the heads-up. Doesn't look like I have any local chapters, but I have a friend who works for a bird rescue group. It might be worth starting there.
Pop- yep. I had some experience building about 60 of them, almost exactly like this one, if you remember. That experience was helpful in guiding him on this one.
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