This is the picture of what a young entrepreneur looks like! 😉
Its funny when we look back at our childhood and realize how much of who we are as an adult reflects those early days of our youth.
I have never really longed for a typical 8-5 job or career. I always felt that my career choice would be something with a lot of freedom in it.
As I was finishing my final years of High School, my biggest dream was to be a cruise director. (like Julie on the then popular TV show “The Love Boat”) I wanted to travel and see the world.
As a senior, I began exploring my college choice options and my dream of choice was to be an undercover FBI agent. Do you see the trend here? I was most definitely an adventure seeker. I was a young woman that was not thinking of something traditional here.
I went on to school (for the next 10 YEARS – more on this later!) but I digress…
I believe my truest passion in life is to be a successful entrepreneur, owning my own business(es) and shaping this path as I go along.
There were many signs of this desire at a very early age. Meet Paula, the child entrepreneur…
Here are some of the many childhood “businesses” I had going at one time or another:
- Entertainer AND Event Promoter
At a very early age, I would create these special programs, plays…you name it – with my siblings, friends, cousins or whoever happened to be around. I would promote to all my family and collect money for the tickets. Then I would also be part of the entertainment. (Usually the star, I am sure!) 😉 - Door-to-door Saleswoman
At a very early age, I would literally copy from my children’s books with a pencil and paper. I’d color in the pictures, staple the pages and go door-to-door trying to sell these to the wonderful town mothers. - Errand Girl/Whatever Needs to be Done For Cash Girl!
I was constantly pestering my parents, grandparents and any other adult that would humor me for tasks that they needed a hard working young girl to complete. I worked hard and was always looking for a way to make a $1. - Every Type of “Stand” You Could Imagine!
As I grew a little older and my money taking skills improved, I would set up shop outside of my grandparent’s cheese factory. I sold lemon-aid/cool-aid, cookies and whatever else I could get my little hands on! When the leaves turned colors and traffic was busy, business was great!
Remember that I had the fantastic luxury of growing up on the Mississippi River. This meant lots of fisherman and a lot of opportunities for me!
It was at this very boat landing that:
- I Sold Worms/Night Crawlers to the Fisherman
I loved a great stormy night! This is when the big night crawlers would come out and my mom was a great one for grabbing a flashlight and taking us out to see what we could find. I loved to do this! - I Sold and Attempted to Mate Minnows to Sell for Bait
I would collect minnows myself and take them home in the hopes that I would see some multiplying going on! I would then have something else to offer the fisherman besides worms. - I Collected Every Aluminum Can Within a Radius of About 10 Miles!
In the summer, when my friends and I would be at the town ball park for the great tournaments, tractor pulls and goings on, (these were the biggest events in our small town) while they were enjoying the ball games, I would be the one climbing under the bleachers collecting the empty beer cans from the drunk locals. LOL I used to fill up big garbage bags full of cans to turn in for cash. I was not even opposed to going through those big dumpsters! ick! - I was THE Babysitter in Town
As soon as I was old enough, (I actually think I was only about 10) I started babysitting in the small town where I lived. This was a pretty easy sell since I was the oldest of 5 and everyone knew my family. There was almost never a weekend when my nights were not filled with babysitting jobs. Sometimes I would cleverly try to double up when my nights were already filled with a gig. For example, I made a killing on New Year’s Eve! (This would later lead to my desire to become a Nanny.)
Later in Junior High School, I was the one to win the competition for selling the most magazine subscriptions. I could go on…I’m sure you get the idea. I was driven to have my own business, make money and find childhood success in whatever endeavor I was committed to at the time.
Here is a good description and definition of entrepreneur from Entrepreneur.com
Entrepreneur characteristics include such things as perseverance, passion, vision and the willingness to work hard. Yep, I’d say that describes me to a T, even at a young age!
When you look back at your childhood, what characteristics foretold the career or path you’ve taken as an adult? I’d love it if you’d share that with me…
