Entrepreneur

"Baking Gift Bags

by

May and Faye"

It all began when I got a gift of a massive amount of crabapple and chokecherry syrup ready to be made into jelly. It then led to a text message that said, "Do you think Maylee would like to do a business venture with me?". We would offer customers an opportunity to purchase a gift package containing a jar of chokecherry or crabapple jelly and a bake item of either a loaf of bread or 6 biscuits or banana bread. Everyone would get a surprise baking item.  All delivered to your door for $10. 

The business rules were:

1. Always make your customers feel like they are getting something for free.

One of the free items was monster or ginger snap cookies

2. Make it pretty.

Every delivery was done in a nice gift bag

3. Show your appreciation.

Thank you stickers on the top of the jelly.

My business partner will soon be 10. We bake together often, and this business adventure would be just a step up from those baking days. She worked ahead and got the orders and made cards with the customer names on them. I worked ahead and made the jelly and banana bread. Let's face it banana bread is always better the next day.

 

The Banana Bread

The orders rolled in and when the dust cleared it was 22 in total. There were several customers who ordered two gift packages. People are just so generous when it comes to kids and their business. The profit once expenses were paid was to go to the Maylee Summer Fun Fund. Kids love to make money, they will do it if they are given an opportunity and they have a goal in mind. I understand that Maylee and her Mom had so much fun delivering. People were excited to get their gift, and Maylee was excited to share what she had done.

The biscuits

There is nothing that can bring you more joy than watching a child excited about what they are doing. Being part of that excitement is contagious. Mom had a great seat to watch from the living room and it was refreshing to do something different than what we have been up to lately.  

The Crabapple and Chokecherry Jelly

I asked Maylee what her take away was and what had she learned. She said, "it was fun". The point here is you can have fun at work, especially if you are doing something that you love. My takeaway was always be organized when running a business. For Mom, I think the takeaway was how much money can be made in a short amount of time. You can always count on friends and families to support a child's cause. This time they got rewarded for their support. 

The bread

I have so many money-making projects flying around in my head. I have never thought of myself as an entrepreneur, but I believe I am. If I wasn't retired, I could be one of those people that got up every day to figure out how to make an additional ten cents. The money is not that important to me, it is having an opportunity to be creative, to organize a project and to nourish others.   

I guess we were a hit with our Baking Gift Bags, orders are coming in for the next time. "Back to School Baking Bags by May and Faye", just may be the next project. We are cookie and muffin making beasts so why not.