Enterprising

Enterprising

"I'm planning to start a business to earn more money," the fifteen-year-old boy shared confidently.  "I'm not earning all I need with just my paper route."

"What kind of business do you plan to start," I responded inquisitively.

"A snow shoveling service."

"How will you get customers, Kelby," I quizzed, since I was very anxious to see how much he thought this through.

"I'm planning to send a letter to five of my paper route customers at a time."  I will tell them if they want their driveways clean on the mornings we get a snow fall, I am willing to come and shovel their driveways.

"Wow, Kelby, that's a lot of work. Do you think you can get up that early to get to their homes and do the shoveling before school?"

"Yes, that's why I only want about five customers.  I could only handle that many.  If some of the first five people do not want my service, I will send letters out to five more."

6 enterprising ways Kelby designed his business:

1. saw the big picture.  Kelby thought through the possibilities of a feasible business in his community.
2. planned well ahead of the winter season.
3. built on his successful paper route inventively.  He'd received ongoing tips for his dependable work so paper route customers knew his character.
4. figured out how he could get customers with a ingenuous marketing scheme.
5. problem-solved to fit the work into a narrow time frame.
6. did not take on more than he knew he could handle.

When so many college students are unable to find work after they graduate, it does not look any better for a teen Kelby's age in the economic climate ahead.  It is refreshing to see Kelby's entrepreneurial approaches in action, since he's building entrepreneurial savvy no matter what he intends to do in life.  This gives him opportunity to gain business experience at a young age and prepare himself for future applications.

Enterprising skills are so needed in the 21st century.  Think creatively about how each of us can support our youth to prepare.