Play is Important!

Today we went to the park midday and played. 

We played tag on the playground equipment. 

We played soccer on the court. 

We played football in the grass. 

We threw stones into the river. 

We took the dog with us and let him go swimming. 

Take the time to play with your children. 

The family who plays together, stays together. 

Follow Their Passions

Parents, 

Encourage your children's passions. 

If they are into football, let them play football, 

if they are into soccer, encourage soccer, 

if their passion is cooking, take them to cooking classes, 

if their passion is making money, let them set up as many businesses as they want. 

Hannah, our 10 year old, loves horses and has for years. 

We had her "prove" herself by having bunnies for pets for three years.  

"He who is faithful in little , is faithful in much."

This year we are taking her passion one step further with riding lessons. 

We didn't go into this  activity impulsively, we considered the cost. 

I pay for one session, she pays for one session, I pay for one session, she pays for one session. 

She has to earn the money through her paper route, which is not her passion, but it is a means to the end---riding lessons. 

Parents, where there is a will, there is  a way.  

Figure out what your children's  passions are, encourage them and pursue them. 

Yes, it takes time.  

But, that is the best gift you can give your children...your time.  

Heigh Ho, Heigh HO, it's off to work I go!

Work. 

It's not your typical four-letter word!  

Children may think so at times, but that's ok. 

As long you they're working, that's the important part! 

All work leads to profit. 

Remember that parents. 

Make your children work. 

He who doesn't work, neither let him eat. 

Remember that. 

Don't give them everything they want. 

Let them work for it. 

Let them yearn. 

Don't  give them an allowance.

Let them earn their spending money. 

WHen there is an incentive to work, it happens. 

First work, then play. 

Let them do their work, then reward them. 

And of course, be the best role model of all. 

BEing Resourceful

Parents, 

It is extremely important to teach your children how to be resourceful by teaching them hands-on skills. 

Today the girls picked apples from our neighbor's trees by climbing in the trees and bringing them home in the wagons.  

Then the  children and I washed, cut and cooked apple sauce with cinnamon and raw local honey, which we dehydrated to make fruit leather, used the apple peeler, corer, slicer to make five pans of apple crisp to give to neighbors, and dehydrated the rest of the apple rings.  

And, of course, cleaned up the kitchen after our productive afternoon. 

Do you see some businesses within this activity?  

Getting your name out there

Today we had an educational function with other families. 

I only knew 1/3 of the registered participants, but I can't tell you how many times people said,

 "Oh, I see your name  all the time." 

   

"Oh, you're the piano teacher." 

 

"You're all over the place."  

 "I clicked on the link below your signature." 

"You have great ideas."   etc. 

Cool. 

Get your name out there.  

Put a signature under your name with your website.  

Add useful content to lists. 

Think of giving to others without expecting anything in return. 

Put yourself in their shoes. 

Treat others as you would want to be treated. 

It works folks.  

Get your name out there and be a celebrity in your own sphere of influence. 

 KIdz Biz Whiz 

Bargain Hunting

Train up a child in the way they should go and when they are old, they will not depart from  it. 

Today Rachel and I had to run to Walgreen's for an article. 

WHile I was busy scouring the aisle for my needed item, she was scouring the bargain bin and came back with rechargeable batteries . 

I asked, "WHere did you find that?" 

SHe took me to the bargain bin where I proceeded to find discount ink cartridges for my printer. 

What a find. 

what an eye. 

What a nose for bargains.  

That's my Rachel.. 

Always looking and planning ahead. 

ONly one of the many characteristics owning your own business will give  you. 

 

My daughter's persistence

We have four children who have multiple businesses.  

Our oldest daughter is relentless in her ideas and pursuit of her business goals. 

She follows me around the house telling me all her ideas. 

Some days (most?) I can't keep up with her ideas and implementation. 

You know what we heard over and over this past weekend at Ryan Lee's Boot Camp? 

Be a person of action. 

Just do it. 

Don't  wait for perfection. 

Even as a toddler she was one step ahead of me.

Her middle name is "Ask first" 

But, that quality will serve her well as an adult. 

She will outperform her contemporaries. 

Just like Ryan Lee said this weekend, " Go ahead and try to out produce me."  

Action is good! 

Just do it. 

Apples don't fall far from the tree!

(Ignore the date on the picture, I can't change it without my children's help!)  

This past weekend when I attended the Ryan Lee Boot Camp, I met his father, Bruce Lee.  

 

I am extremely family-oriented and it was a highlight for me.  

Mr. Lee was warm, caring, funny, humble, family-oriented and spoke well of his wife and children.   

I like those characteristics. 

Being from the midwest,   knowing someone's family and their roots is so important.  

An apple doesn't fall far from the tree. 

Obviously, Ryan's dad had a huge influence on his life and Ryan was wise enough to listen to his wisdom and apply it to his life.  

If you are a parent, think about your influence on your children's lives and the example you are living. 

What a time at the Conference.

Whew! 

What a week I had last week.  We went to NYC/CT to attend an entrepreneurial Boot Camp Wed-Sunday.  

Wow!  I was blown away by the amount of doable information.  

The main speaker, Ryan Lee kept saying he is no different than any one of us.  

I appreciated his humility.  

There were many trainers there who had successful online training businesses and were wiling to teach us how to do it.   

I set goals on the flight home, wrote them down, will work on my businesses daily and be accountable to other trainers. 

The mindset is the first important part of being successful and then being diligent and working  daily is key. 

May the hands of the diligent prosper! 

The attached picture is Ryan Lee, a man who has been successful online as a personal trainer and is turning around and teaching others how to do the same.  I like that. 

(Ignore the date, it is wrong.  I'm not good at reading instruction manuals and did not know how to set the correct date.) 

Talk to you soon, 

Kidz Biz Whiz. 

Note from Warren today

All in a day's work... 

I received an email from Warren Buffett today...another rejection, but it's ok, at least I received a return message!  

I'll save it for my grandchildren. 

Last night the Kick-off Session of our E-ship CLub went well.  

Vic Larsen from Vic's Corn Popper was a fantastic speaker--authentic, down-to-earth and full of horse sense.  

He must have been raised on the farm! 

The families were receptive and ready for the field trips in October. 

Today the OWH contacted us for a story on the E-ship Club. 

(I guess they liked the press release last week!) 

Yesterday, the Learning for Life arm of the BSA met with me to discuss using the E-ship Club as an Explorer Post. 

Interesting proposition.  

Not bad for something which wasn't officially launched yet.   

I am attending a "big dog" conference in CT and will give you the full report when I return on Sunday.  

Keep dreaming...

Today we rested!

Today we rested.  Everyone needs one day of rest during the week, and today we had ours.  

If God did all His work in six days and rested on the seventh, that is good enough for me. 

Tomorrow is a work day and we will hit it hard as we deliver Sunday papers at 5:15 a.m. and we are scheduled to sell our goods at the BX. 

Successful day!

This blog is written for the purpose of sharing our stories to encourage other moms and dads to help their children set up their own businesses. 

I love to tell stories, so here's several about our day: 

My son, Christian  and I had an appt. this morning at our local Whole Foods store re: having them sell his organic, handmade soap, Starfish Soap.   www.starfishsoap.webs.com

The first question the Asst. Health and Beauty Manager asked him was, "How old are you?"  Her reply, "My you are ambitious!"  

I t was love at first site!  :) 

The professional, child-led meeting was short and sweet (5  minutes or so) and we left her with a sample bar of soap, application filled out entirely, product flyer, Starfish Ministry brochure and a matching business card.  

I have to say, even I was impressed...

On the way home we stopped to tour a Simply Music Colleague's new storefront studio in Rockbrook Village (and she bought two bars of soap!) and at the 4-H Extension Office to pick up the EntrepreneurShip Investigation manuals for Monday night's Kick-off Club. 

Of course we had to make it home in time for their daily paper route and taking my youngest daughter out shopping for her products for Sunday's gig at the BX. 

We organized and inventoried her products, figured out cost per unit, selling prices and projected profits for Sunday.  I told her she couldn't sell  her products unless she could figure out the math problems.  Very motivating!  

Before bed Christian wrote a thank you note to the Whole Foods Managers and offered his services for in-store demos.  

At  bedtime, my youngest daughter came flying downstairs and had to tell me about an idea floating around in her head for selling her products on Sunday.  

I said, "Go to bed now!"  She said, "But Mom, I can't stop these ideas in my head!" 

And she's only 8. 

All in a day's work in the life of the Kidz Biz Whiz...

Join us for the Kick-off!

Welcome to the E-ship Blog! 

We are holding our E-ship Club Kick-off Night on Monday night, September 15th with Vic from Vic's Popcorn speaking to our youth.   

I have a passion for helping students set up their own businesses and my favorite students are my four children!   :)  

The picture is from our latest gig at the NE State Fair in August.  

I am an Entrepreneurship Educator and  have taught in a variety of settings.  

IT's exhilarating to get a student to the point where they have their own business and make that first sale to the public.  They're ecstatic, instantly addicted!  :) 

Stay tuned for many ideas...

Kidz Biz Whiz