When life gives you lemons, squeeze them for a profit.
The lemonade stand is going out of business as today’s techies reinvent the classic wine accessory for the 21st century, with a cup of freshly squeezed juice now just a tap away.
And in a world where most people no longer carry pocket change, business is booming, parents say.
“Lemonade stand contactless payment technology is making these kids a fortune,” proud mom Kareisha Hartsfield told The Post of her 9-year-old daughter Kyrei, who has earned $7,000 selling lemonade since she was 7. years old.
“At the end of a sales day, we probably only have $20 in cash,” added the Killeen, Texas, resident.
Doreen Farber, 36, of Long Island, and her 7-year-old daughter, Lilly, found that adjusting to the new reality has paid off big.
“A lot of people preferred to pay with Venmo,” the Plainedge mother told The Post, claiming that about 30% of their customers chose cashless payment.
“[Lilly] was a small vendor, going to people to let them know they could pay that way,” Farber said.
The trend towards digital payments in the summer holiday sales business comes as a new class of savvy youngsters – with business skills beyond their years – begins to emerge.
The new squeeze sultans are engaging in social media influencer investing, marketing, advertising, online ordering and even philanthropic efforts to promote their brand.
In Kansas City, Missouri, 11-year-old Amer Bharti is preparing to apply for a government permit to operate his juice stand in a high-traffic space in his community.
Earlier this year, Bharti racked up a million views on TikTok showing off his attitude, where the pre-teen stalwart sold lemonade with custom syrup.
“Start to finish, that probably taught me a lot more than school,” the miniature machine — which fetched $350 at its last sale in May — told The Post.
And while some early-stage entrepreneurs are heading into the future on their own, many are getting help adapting to cutting-edge financial technology.
In 2020, a non-profit organization called Lemonade Day was launched with the goal of helping kids learn to run their stands as a legitimate business, using in-person coaching and a handy smartphone app with administrative tools.
Across the country, 55,000 children have already signed up for the child-friendly crash course in the modern retail business.
And the shift towards technology appears to be a powerful motivator that didn’t exist before.
“The notion of ‘oh, I don’t have the cash,’ that’s no longer an obstacle,” Nicole Cassier-Mason, CEO of Lemonade Day, told The Post.
“Part of our children’s marketing plan is designing QR codes to use. . . and they’ve really leaned into the modern, in-depth aspects of the business,” Cassier-Mason said.
Here, a closer look at the successes of three of the most talented citrus captains – taking on their neighborhoods one pitcher at a time.
Kyrei Hartsfield, 9
Any Fortune 500 company would be lucky to have it.
The staggering amount of money Hartsfield has made from her coaching business — she signed up to Lemonade Day after falling in love with the process of making the drink — is just the tip of the iceberg.
Along with imparting financial wisdom, the Hartsfield mom is overjoyed that her “customer service skills” have brought Kyrein out of her shell.
The fourth-grader suffered a stroke at age 2 and needed brain surgery later in life.
She called her business Stroke Survivor Lemonade & Co. and has the loving mindset to donate a quarter of the profits to the hospital that cared for him. Tips for her tablet payment system also go to Children’s Hospital Colorado.
Another quarter of the money goes into the business — next summer the goal is to open a food truck-style front — and the other half is saved for her mom to adjust to when Kyrei is older.
Kyrei has also grown her brand to a national level online, with nearly 1,600 followers and celebrity shout-outs from Shark Tank’s Daymond John and even two Dallas Cowboys fans, Anna Kate Sundvold and another named Kelee. Hartsfield saved her money to go to cheer camp with them.
“She’s become a lemonade influencer,” mom Kareisha, an Army veteran, said with a smile.
On the business side, the strong following helps drive customers to its website, where online orders can be placed for pre-bottled drinks, which are also sold in person. In addition to local sales in her South Dallas suburb—she’s known to deliver her drinks on a pink scooter—Hartsfield does numerous trade shows each year.
Kareisha recalled a recent one where she sold out of about 500 units in just a few hours.
“People were furious about it . . . going back to get like 20 bottles,” Kareisha said of the “crazy” moment.
For now, Kyrei is eyeing a pink Tesla to drive around and make deliveries when she’s older — a business expense, of course.
“She already knows she never wants to work for anybody,” Hartsfield said. “At 9, my daughter is already her own boss.”
Amer Bharti, 11
Bharti went viral for his elaborate arrangement of state fair-style lemonade—a delicious combination of a typical recipe with additional flavored syrups for a custom-made drink.
But doing so was no easy task. Bharti initially needed an investor as the birthday savings and allowances did not fully cover operating costs. They included a tent, sandbags to keep him weighed down, and a special washing station that complied with local health codes, in addition to plenty of syrups and concoctions.
He did extra work around his house for his father, Ajay, to help “initially with the cash flow” of a few hundred dollars, the father told The Post.
But the rest was all Amer. The soon-to-be sixth-grader smartly opened his stand, which sold 32 ounces for $7, on the day of a homeowner association-wide garage sale on his block and got his dad out of bed at at 5:30 a.m. to help set up.
“I was the one who said five more minutes,” Ajay joked.
After his successful day – he budgeted directly between clients – Bharti is donating some money to a charity that funds school lunches, as well as putting away college funds for himself and his younger sister.
He will then make a deal with a local convenience store to sell it in his parking lot, which will require hefty permits. Father and son are already preparing everything to apply and meet health needs such as hair nets and gloves.
And, once again, the area Amer has in mind fulfills the most important notion of good business: location, location, location.
“There are a lot of food trucks in that area, so that will definitely help with sales,” he said.
Lilly Farber, 7
Just miles from Wall Street, local kids like Farber are changing the game, too — learning important life lessons along the way.
The 7-year-old Long Islander is already planning a Halloweentime cider stand with the lessons she learned from the electronics-friendly summer stands.
Farber has already made notes on how to improve her posture for next summer.
Her mother says these valuable moments are motivating the youngster’s aim to one day become an entrepreneur.
“She’s learning how to make a business out of this. She’s learning how to work with clients, how to save for her business and also get a little bit for herself,” Farber said.
“Lilly has her savings fund ready when she turns 18. We’ll double whatever’s in there at that time.”
And, for reasons as sweet as Hartsfield’s, Lilly already has a philanthropic mindset when managing its earnings. She has donated some of her earnings to a cerebral palsy charity in honor of her 3-year-old brother, who suffers from the disease.
Mum Doreen said: “We couldn’t be more proud of him.”
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Image Source : nypost.com