Candy making and selling
Description:
My brother sold homemade taffy to students in his high school. It was casual, with no employees, and no real marketing scheme. He sold candy in-between classes from his locker, and by word of mouth he became known as a very gifted candy maker. He made the candy the night before using a regular taffy recipe, cut it into pieces, wrapped it into plastic wrap, and sold it the next day at school.
How I got the idea / found the employment:
In high school, my brother happened upon an opportunity to make some extra cash. He made taffy for himself one day, cut it into bite size pieces, and wrapped them in plastic wrap. They were a hot commodity among his classmates. He soon found he could sell them for at least 25 cents apiece, and by the end of the day he came home with quite a profit. It was pretty casual, but with minimum overhead and with a regular consumer base, it wasn’t hard to establish himself as a candy man.
Challenges I faced, and how I overcame them:
It was a relatively short-lived venture, so no major challenges were faced. One small problem was the shortage of supplies. The taffy sold so quickly that he ran out of it long before demand was quenched. This problem could have easily been remedied by making the taffy in larger amounts.
What I learned:
The lesson I learned is how remarkably easy it can be to start off a business, and even almost fall into one. It just takes a little extra perception as to where the opportunities might be, and where your own talents lie.
Cheesecake 'Factory'
Cotton Candy Sales
Description:
My business started by selling cotton candy at local sports events and farmer’s markets and later I rented the machine out to individual groups for personal use. I used no other employees in my business and I could work at my own pace. I spent a lot of time researching dealers to by my machine from and pricing out all other necessary accessories. Overall cost to start up was about $1000. This expense could be made up easily within 5-10 events and after that it’s pure profit! You can also add more units to your inventory if your business grew to more than you could handle. Upon starting up this business, you need to formulate an advertising plan. How are you going to get your name out there? Call local high schools and sporting clubs and offer them a donation if they let you sell at their events.
How I got the idea / found the employment:
This idea came to me while attending a county fair and a fourth of July event where I saw vendors selling cotton candy for $2 a serving. I thought to myself that cotton candy can’t be that expensive to make and these vendors must be making huge profits. I did a little research and it turns out that my hunch was right. It costs about 18 cents to make a serving. That’s when I decided to get into the business.
Challenges I faced, and how I overcame them:
A challenge for most young people getting this business started would be the money. For me it was hard to know how to get started and get work/gigs for my machine. The best move I made was to call up the local high schools and offer to donate 15% to the school of all the profits I made if they let me sell at their sporting events. Other ideas include talking to businesses and seeing if you can come during their employee appreciation day. Another option is to go to a busy park or a farmer’s market and sell, however these options might require permits and such.
What I learned:
I learned many great important lessons from this experience. I learned how to start and run my own business. I learned the great earning potential of being your own boss, there is no hourly wage and no maximum that you can make. The money I made was directly correlated with how much time and effort I put into the business. I learned that there are many aspects of a business that I didn’t even know existed and that it is much harder than an hourly job but much more fulfilling as well. While running a business was hard, I learned that anybody with motivation can start a business.
Cotton Candy sales/machine rental
Description:
My business started by selling cotton candy at local sports events and farmer’s markets and later I rented the machine out to individual groups for personal use. I used no other employees in my business and I could work at my own pace. I spent a lot of time researching dealers to by my machine from and pricing out all other necessary accessories. Overall cost to start up was about $1000. This expense could be made up easily within 5-10 events and after that it’s pure profit! You can also add more units to your inventory if your business grew to more than you could handle. Upon starting up this business, you need to formulate an advertising plan. How are you going to get your name out there? Call local high schools and sporting clubs and offer them a donation if they let you sell at their events.
How I got the idea / found the employment:
This idea came to me while attending a county fair and a fourth of July event where I saw vendors selling cotton candy for $2 a serving. I thought to myself that cotton candy can’t be that expensive to make and these vendors must be making huge profits. I did a little research and it turns out that my hunch was right. It costs about 18 cents to make a serving. That’s when I decided to get into the business.
Challenges I faced, and how I overcame them:
A challenge for most young people getting this business started would be the money. For me it was hard to know how to get started and get work/gigs for my machine. The best move I made was to call up the local high schools and offer to donate 15% to the school of all the profits I made if they let me sell at their sporting events. Other ideas include talking to businesses and seeing if you can come during their employee appreciation day. Another option is to go to a busy park or a farmer’s market and sell, however these options might require permits and such.
What I learned:
I learned many great important lessons from this experience. I learned how to start and run my own business. I learned the great earning potential of being your own boss, there is no hourly wage and no maximum that you can make. The money I made was directly correlated with how much time and effort I put into the business. I learned that there are many aspects of a business that I didn’t even know existed and that it is much harder than an hourly job but much more fulfilling as well. While running a business was hard, I learned that anybody with motivation can start a business.
Homemade Bread Provider
Description:
My friend would make homemade bread in a few varieties and sell them to people in the city where we lived. She would take orders over the phone at her house and have it delivered the next day. She headed the operation and had her mom’s help when the demand for bread for a particular day was high. She did the ordering, the baking, and the delivery, and would have her friends help her for a percentage whenever she got too busy.
How I got the idea / found the employment:
The girl’s father was very entrepreneurial and would encourage creative thinking especially with job ideas. When the girl was teen-age, her mother taught her how to do things in the kitchen and she mastered a lot of things, one of them being homemade bread.
Because she was teen-age a lot of the hobbies that her friends began to do involved money. Her father never just gave her money but encouraged her to think about what she could do to make money.
One day a neighbor came over and tried her homemade bread and raved about it. She said it was the best homemade bread she had ever had. My friend saw the opportunity and began putting together the business. She had already learned how to bake a variety of breads, so she created a small menu and figured out a fair cost for each and began to advertise. It wasn’t long before this business was taking on a good form, and making a name for itself.
Challenges I faced, and how I overcame them:
Building up the clientele was one of the challenges that had to be overcome. She made little fliers and handed them out in different neighborhoods to spread the word and people began to call. First it was those that knew her, then those that heard about her, and those that simply saw an ad and wanted to try the bread.
Another challenge was keeping the clientele. She would want to keep her customers, so whenever there was a new type of bread that she made or some discount she had she would let those people who bought her bread know.
What I learned:
She and I both learned that a lot of our talents could be sold for value to others. She no longer does this business because she has taken up other interests, but she learned that she could provide her services and people take the value of them and both parties gain.
We also learned that for the most part, anybody could make money. They just need to work hard and think smart.
She still offers her services by teaching violin lessons, among other things. Her talents are worth more than gold.
Selling Taffy at School.
Description:
This was not my business, but it was my roommate’s brother. Joseph made Saltwater Taffy from home while in the 6th grade. He made many kinds of taffy that he sold at school to other children. He attended a prep school that had students that possessed disposal income from their parents. His parents who also drove him to and from the store to obtain the ingredients funded him. In total he made about 300.00 that went towards various possessions that interested him. This was a major motivation to him. He was very successful as a child as a result of this. It gave him much confidence and helped shape his great personality today. Ultimately though, it was his taffy that sold itself. It was extremely good and was unavailable at the school he attended.
How I got the idea / found the employment:
Joseph got this idea from his creative mind. He really enjoyed his mother’s taffy and knew that he could learn how to make it. He also wanted to be a businessman when he grew up. This motivated him to start young. It was his goal to try to purchase things that interested a sixth grader (video games…etc.) There was really nothing complicated about this venture. It is something that anyone can do if they have a good recipe and some internal motivation.
Challenges I faced, and how I overcame them:
Joseph faced many small challenges. They were not the typical challenges that young entrepreneurs (with business plans, funding, sales) but rather logistical problems with selling at school. He found that many teachers frowned on his behavior of selling taffy at school. All of his peers really enjoyed his taffy and there was even one teacher who was on his side that was his biggest customer. By and large though, most of the teachers didn’t condone his behavior. Another challenge were his peers who although they enjoyed his taffy, they were jealous of his success. Some of them gave him a hard time. This wasn’t too big of a problem for Joseph because he had a thick skin and was very confident.
What I learned:
Joseph learned a lot at a young age as a result of this project. He perfected his recipe, gained crucial sales skills, honed how to create value despite social pressure to fail, and he learned how to persist at doing something even when it gets hard or discouraging. He learned that barriers are created by people who refuse to take rise and think creatively. He also learned that family ties are the most important and you can accomplish much with the backing of a strong family.
Set up a candy dispensing chain
Description:
I needed away to make money that would be very cost efficient and most of all time efficient. As a high school student I was very busy so it was great to find a “business” that made me money even when I was not actually there working for it. I came up with the idea to set up candy dispensing machines in high traffic, populated, stores, restaurants, and “hang out” spots. I found a really good deal on brand new, good quality, candy machines on EBay that dispensed three different candies of my choice and looked good doing it. So I went around getting the okay from the managers of a variety of business to set up my candy machines in their high traffic areas. I used the incentive of 10% of the profit to persuade them, but only when I had to. So I took out a loan from my personal bank, otherwise known as dad, and invested in about 5 machines. After my machines had been in action for a couple months, I figured each machines was bringing in about $50 dollars worth of profit each month. The only thing I had to do was me spend an hour per month going around to each machine and collecting the quarters. Before long I had paid my father back and had earned enough profit to invest in 5 more candy dispensers and double my profit! So it ended up being about $500 extra cash I was collecting from my machines each month for about two hours of work. It was a pretty good deal, and it was the perfect way for a high school student to make some extra cash without putting hours and hours of valuable time into earning it each day.
How I got the idea / found the employment:
I got the idea for the candy dispensing chain from a family friend who had had great success with the idea a few years back in their home-town. So their past experience was kind of the spark that started the flame, and I got so excited about the opportunity of having a business working for me instead of me working for a business. I thought it was great that I could spend my time doing other things, all the while my candy machines were working night and day making me rich a quarter at a time. So I just took off with the idea from there and made it happen.
Challenges I faced, and how I overcame them:
Even though this chain of candy dispensers was a very time efficient after it was started, it took a lot of time to get it up and going. I spend a good chunk of my time each day finding good deals on EBay, going around to businesses where I thought the candy would sell, and then finally placing each machine in its right spot. All these things took time and my idea was definitely a work in progress to begin with. Being an entrepreneur takes a lot of effort, time, and money at the beginning but eventually all of that pays off and you slowly start reaping all the benefits of your ambitious efforts. So you just have to stick it out, and give your business time to grow.
Going along with my challenge before, dealing with variety of different managers at first while I was trying to place the candy machines was really difficult for me. I had to get to the point where I wasn’t scared of rejection, because to be honest a lot of them were very rude or just not interested. This is when you have to use your will power to just keep pushing forward. The more businesses and managers I went to the more likely I was going to find one that would listen to what I had to say and like my proposal. Eventually after a lot of driving and persuading, I placed every machine I had purchased, one by one. If you really want to succeed then utilize all your resources and facilities, even if it is just that thing between your ears, and work out the solutions to the inevitable problems that will come your way so you can get closer to your final goal of success.
What I learned:
Sadly, I am no longer running my chain of candy dispensers now that I have moved away to college to further my education, but the experience taught me many valuable lessons along the way. I learned how to invest money in a reasonable asset that had high probability of putting that money back in my pocket and then some. This kind of knack for finding assets where your money works for you is a very wise and valuable tool in life. I also learned the power of hard work and nothing can get you farther than the work you yourself puts into something. I learned how to bargain and get deals on EBay, and I also developed better people skills throughout the process of talking to manager after manager to place the dispensers. Most of all, I gained confidence in myself and realized that if I really want to make a business idea happen I can do it if I’m willing to donate all the time and effort it takes. Lastly, I experienced the joy and gratification of my earnest efforts in eventually making $500 a month with only a few hours on my part and watching my business grow.
Snack Stand
Description:
The Snack Stand is an easy way to earn money with few responsibilities. My brother and I set a mobile snack stand in the kitchen of my dad’s company. We first checked prices and products in the vending machines that were found in the kitchen. My brother and I then went to Costco and purchased a few similar products and varying products. We then priced these items at a slightly lower cost than the vending machines. We posted the prices and placed the products strategically. We recognized that if we put a certain product in the very front where it was most visible, the more likely it was to sell-out. Therefore we placed the more costly products in front. We also looked for healthy option such as crackers, peanuts, and energy bars. These items were very popular. My brother and I would monitor the snack stand at least twice a week. We would take inventory of the products and how they were selling. On a weekly basis we would purchase new products. As we restocked or took inventory we would also organize and tidy up our area so that it was presentable and appealing. We also placed the stand next to the vending machine so that people could compare the prices and products. Other responsibilities included advertisements throughout the office. Advertisement mostly consisted of posters and signs. We also made a verbal announcement to the employees when we first started, explaining what we were doing, why, and how it worked.
How I got the idea / found the employment:
The idea to start our own snack stand all came from an experience my brother and I had when we were waiting in my dad’s office to go home. We were bored out of our minds and wondered to the kitchen. We were a little hungry and so we decided to see what the vending machines had to offer. We were honestly taken back by how expensive every item cost. It seemed a little outrageous to us to have to pay $2.00 for a package of pop-tarts. We started discussing the problem and then the idea came to us to start a lower-priced snack stand that offered more variety. We agreed that most of the employees would be happy to pay-less for similar products. We asked our dad what he thought of it and he agreed saying that he had heard some people complain about the vending machines. From that moment we investigated and received permission to start a snack stand in the kitchen.
Challenges I faced, and how I overcame them:
We faced two major problems as we started our business. First of all, we took some losses from products that didn’t sell. When we first started we bought in bulk of several products, however not all products were similar in terms of popularity. We found that certain products just didn’t sell even though we tried to lower the price and place them in the front of the stand. We became more careful in our purchases and started measuring popularity of products by how quickly they sold. We then sold, for below-cost price, our unpopular products to our little brothers and their friends. The next big problem that we faced was theft. All the products were open to the public and unfortunately people took advantage of that. When we first started noticing the theft we made a statement explaining the problem and asking for support to be honest. We had a strong sympathetic appeal to most, being young kids. We placed that statement in several parts of the kitchen. For a while the problem disappeared, but then continued after a few weeks. The next solution was to move the stand to a more visible sight, just outside of the kitchen where most everyone could see it. We benefited greatly from this location because not only were people more honest because they were being watched, but everyone was constantly enticed by our snacks. I would recommend consistent check-ups with a snack stand, maybe every other day, to reduce risk of loss.
What I learned:
What I learned most from this experience was the simple fact that through little means there is much to gain. It was impressive, at least to me, the money we were able to make just by purchasing products and selling them. I believe that we learned many business principles, such as supply and demand. We learned the importance of analyzing the demand of products and the quantity that we supplied. I also learned how location can play a big factor into the success of the sale of products. You also learn how to be organized, through inventories, and how to manage your time. One thing that I would also stress to anyone who is starting their own snack stand is to stay on top of the business. If you start to fall behind in restocking or taking inventory you can quickly lose money.
Snow Cone Vendor
Description:
The job is actually quite simple, make snow cones then sell them. You can do it alone or a nosy kid sister can be your assistant. Find yourself a booth, some paper cones, shaved ice, and flavors and you’re set. Now just wait for a hot summer day and watch the lines come. It’s a great job since you can sell a snow cone for a buck a piece and they only cost you about a dime to make.
How I got the idea / found the employment:
My friend would sell snow cones every summer. He always came out real good for a middle school kid and I’m pretty sure he made more than I did being a janitor at the elementary school.
Challenges I faced, and how I overcame them:
With any entrepreneurial job the two big problems will be getting started and getting your name out there. You might not have an official snow cone stand but you can improvise with a card table and a cooler. The biggest problems are simply organizational. You need to be sure you have enough variety of flavors to keep people interested. People need to know where you are. Don’t go to the busiest streets, but go where you can find people outside. Parks are great. If you can become a local somewhere and people start expecting you, that’s when you know that you made it.
What I learned:
It doesn’t take much to make money. All you need is your time and to be willing to take a risk.
Tropical Sno Shack
Description:
With the help of your parents or a business associate, open up a Tropical Sno Shack. First create a good business plan outline including the following: Location (near a school and business district), employee list and wages, training, management, finances, order forms, and advertisement.
How I got the idea / found the employment:
My best friend, Russell Walker, and his family did this for many years. He’s parents came up with the idea to help their children learn responsibility and as well have a good working environment in which they could also earn a good deal of money. Although I was never the owner of a Tropical Sno shack, I worked side by side with Russell, managing and running the business when we became old and mature enough.
Challenges I faced, and how I overcame them:
There were many challenges that we faced. One was inventory. We had to keep a sufficient amount of ice blocks on hand and keep orders up-dated depending on the time of the season. Another challenge was keeping enough staff on hand during the busy hours so lines wouldn’t form a mile long. It was very frustrating to see people come and leave because the lines were too long. To overcome this obstacle, during the rush hours of 6-8, we had two ice machines going with 2-3 employees.
What I learned:
I learned an exponential amount from this job. It gave me the right mind set at a young age that working for myself was much better then working for someone else. It gave me the proper tools in creating business plans which I then applied to two entrepreneurial practices thus in my life. It taught me responsibility and how to net work with other business. I learned payroll how to create work schedules. It helped me expand my personality and communication skills as I talked to and met new people daily. Ages ranging from 5 to 80. Overall it just set a good foundation of work ethics and a desire to be successful all throughout my life.