Lemonade Day, a well-established global national youth entrepreneurship program that teaches leadership and business skills by encouraging children to launch a lemonade stand business has come to Brandon.
Since 2007, more than 1 million kids have learned about business ownership by participating in Lemonade Day® and hosting a lemonade stand in their community. We are proud to announce that this year Brandon area kids will get to join in on the fun.
A kickoff workshop was held on July 8th 2023 and again on July 10th 2023 at Brandon High School. Lemonade Day® City Director, Robert Graham, and Brandon Chamber President, Lance Stevens, led the workshops, along with other Brandon Chamber board members and representatives from the program’s primary sponsor, Community Bank.
It has been proven that cities that rally behind Lemonade Day® benefit as much as the kids and their adult mentors do. Brandon Chamber is engaging with several area sponsors, community leaders, elected officials, businesses of all types, executives, youth organizations, schools, churches, and non-profit organizations who are already demonstrating their commitment to helping kids learn valuable lessons that will benefit them for a lifetime.
The impact of a program like Lemonade Day is four-fold: 1) teach financial literacy to kids, which is largely absent in public and private school curriculum; 2) promote entrepreneurship, which is key to jumpstart economic growth in the state; 3) teach kids to be responsible and self-reliant, and to contribute to their community’s development; and 4) foster mentorship and bring families together.
Brandon Chamber President, Lance Stevens, said “Our Chamber is excited to be able to bring Lemonade Day® to the community. We’re extremely thankful for the generous support of our sponsors, including Community Bank, who is also providing micro-loans to the kids, to give them a real world experience of running a business. With the lessons provided in the program, the involvement of the City with a kid-friendly permit process, and real business concepts, we’re looking forward to having a positive impact on youth in the area.”
Youth entrepreneurship is gaining momentum around the world. Studies have proven that introducing kids to entrepreneurial experiences at an early age makes a measurable impact on their future decisions related to education, training, life, and work.
Mentors guide participants through the youth entrepreneurship lessons via the My Lemonade Day app or with workbooks and takes participants through the journey of planning, launching and operating a business. The valuable lessons of Lemonade Day® include setting a goal, making a plan, working the plan and achieving their dreams. Once a youth pays their investor back, they keep all the money they earn and are encouraged to spend some, save some, and share some of their profit with philanthropic ventures of their choice.
Anyone and everyone can be involved in Lemonade Day®! Young entrepreneurs with lemonade stands need great locations and customers! Sponsors and volunteers are also needed to make Lemonade Day® a success. If you own or operate a local business and are interested in hosting a kid’s lemonade stand at your location for the event (Sat & Sun, Aug 12& 13, 2023), click the link below:
BUSINESS LOCATIONS INTERESTED IN HOSTING A STAND, CLICK HERE.
If you have questions, please call the Brandon Chamber of Commerce at (601) 724-9951.
