Mercury Missive | July 31, 2024: Lemonade Stand Lessons

I helped my niblings start their own lemonade stand for the first time and it was SO MUCH FUN. I fucking LOOOVED doing lemonade stands as a kid. (For all the cute pics documenting our first day open as a business scroll to the bottom of this page!)

First, Nana and I committed to investing in the biz. Then we made a business plan and decided how much we would charge for a cup. We considered what our competition up the street was charging last week ($2) and decided that this was price-gouging (lol), so we landed on $1 because that felt like it matched our labor and the value. Proof that inflation is real. It was only $0.50 when I was a kid...

Then we gathered the ingredients: I ran to Schnuck’s, the grocery store up the street, and got pink and yellow lemonade mix and a couple real lemons “for decoration” at my 6-year-old niblings’ request. 

Next, we brainstormed a name:

Cooper, my 4-year-old nibling came up with “great” lemonade, and Tucker, my 6-year-old nibling came up with “fresh.” “Fresh, Great Lemonade” was born.

We needed some marketing materials, so we found a cardboard box, taped some pink and yellow construction paper to it, and Auntie Erin, yours truly, (resident graphic designer and calligraphy expert who peaked as an artist in 3rd grade) drew bubble letters and everybody helped paint. While we painted, Nana made the lemonade and everybody got a turn pouring and mixing. Papa helped us with the set up and supervision of three rambunctious, incredibly enthusiastic kiddos.

Finally, it was time to get out to the edge of the driveway and sell the best, goddamn lemonade this side of the Mnisose (so-called Mississippi) River has EVER TASTED. We made $12!!!

What’s the difference between my niblings selling lemonade happily and without any shame or guilt, and those of us anti-capitalist entrepreneurs out there who lay awake at night stressing over whether or not it’s morally corrupt to sell our products/services? 

They’re not afraid to put themselves out there (because they haven’t experienced a lifetime of white, cisheteropatriarchal conditioning and money trauma).

Selling something isn’t inherently coercive, manipulative, exploitative, or “bad.”

In its most basic form, you created something and you’re asking people, “Hey, do you want this?” And if they say yes, you tell them how much it is, and they can buy it or not. Is it exploitative that we knew it was a hot day and that most people love a refreshing, nostalgic cup of lemonade made locally by a bunch of cute kids? People who stopped and bought a cup were excited to pay because it was more so about the holistic experience of what the cup offered them.

This may sound cheesy, but ultimately, it was a chance to participate in something bigger than themselves. Everyone who stopped got to have a cute, sweet interaction with some adorable kids, and get to know each other as neighbors. We learned adult’s and children’s names we hadn’t met before. 

This may seem like a stretch, but it’s not! You can apply all of this to your business. You’re creating community. You’re creating a shared experience. People want to invest in your business because of what you represent and stand for, and the value you’re offering to them. Just like with a lemonade stand, you can’t expect to make sales and grow your business if you don’t tell people you’re open for business, jump up and down, hold up your sign, and wave at people, and give them a warm invite!

 We got more customers because we put genuine effort into the exchange and we didn’t give up when the first few cars kept driving.  When some cars didn’t stop, we didn’t internalize it, or make it mean that we were shitty, or unworthy, or losers, or that our lemonade was shitty. (In fact, I judged them because my rule is: you always stop for a child’s lemonade stand and you tip!). See how this plays out in your business?

You might be expecting people to buy your product/service without telling people you have this thing for sale. Or maybe you announced it, put your sign up, but you’re just sitting there looking down at your hands, and not making eye contact with people driving by. Are you waving your sign and reminding people you have the thing they might want, or are you slumped in your chair looking at your feet? Or MAYBE you’ve been putting yourself out there, waving your sign, jumping up and down, breaking out into a full-on sweat because it’s 90 degrees outside and climate chaos is upon us, and you’re still trying to make it in late-stage capitalism, and you got a few “no”’s and now you’re taking it as rejection, and now you’re convinced you’re a piece of shit who creates shitty lemonade (experiences/products/services).

That’s definitely NOT true, my friend! But I’ve been there!

This is something I hear from my clients allll the time. Most of us struggle with a really harsh inner dialogue that convinces us we’re worthless. But I’ll ask you what I ask my clients in session, “Who’s voice is that?” Is it yours? Or someone else’s? This voice is often a manifestation of “cognitive distortions.” You can learn more about those here and I encourage you to sit with these and figure out where you might have some distorted thinking.

People think you’re adorable and cute and funny and charming and they love what you do and they want what you have to offer and you just gotta invite them in and keep waving your sign. I know. I know. Easier said than done. This is why I’m always saying that entrepreneurship is a healing journey and it’s very Saturnian in nature because it’s a long-game. It’s not always pretty, glamorous, and easy. In fact, most of the time it’s none of those things. Once we dispel ourselves of these illusions and perhaps release any unreasonable expectations we may have for ourselves we can build a healthier, more aligned business, life, and future.

All my feminist killjoy love,

Erin

P.S. You might like listening to my podcast episode “The Saturnian Nature of Entrepreneurship and the Myths That the Coaching Industry Sells” that expands on what I’m talking about here

P.P.S. Friendly reminder that you can join me for my awesome, amazing, totally cool, exciting, brat workshop: How to Make Money When You Hate Capitalism!