Dallas Crilley’s Kidpreneur Blog — Ways Kids and Teens Can Make Money

The Story:

15-year-old Jennifer Sharpe from Dearborn, Michigan knows how to make a mint when it comes to selling cookies — a thin mint, that is.

Earlier this year Jennifer began selling Girl Scout cookies. However, instead of going door-to-door like most Scouts, she set up a stand in her church parking lot. Rain or shine, every day she was out there smiling and determined.

By the time the cookie selling season was over, Jennifer had set what is believed to be a new record — she sold 17,328 boxes… enough to send her entire troop to Europe for a week.

The Secret:

It may have seemed like a half-baked idea to some, but setting her stand up in a church parking lot was genius. When a Girl Scout comes to your house she only has one chance to make a sale. By setting up shop in one place, Jennifer’s customers knew where to find her and they could keep coming back for more.

Most importantly, Jennifer had a goal. She was focused on sweet success and knew that the pay-off would be in the satisfaction of sending all her friends on the trip of a lifetime.

Now It’s Your Turn:

The problem with many teens is they don’t have goals. If your goal for the day is to not wipe out on your skateboard, it might be time to reevaluate.

What are you passionate about? Whether it’s saving up to pay for your college tuition or to set a new record, Jennifer Sharpe proved that all you have to do is dream and come up with an idea you can sink your teeth into.