A friend gave me the advice once. “Always buy a cup when you come across a lemonade stand…”

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We can all think back to the days of being the kid behind the rickety lemonade stand. The rush to set-up at the perfect spot on a summer Saturday morning. A disproportioned concoction of Country Time powder and water poorly stirred together. A few lowly ice cubes slowly disappearing. And, of course the white sign with the big letters; LEMONADE.

The table was set and the paying customers were due to show-up like the midnight rush at Walmart on black Friday.

Or so, we thought. The first unwelcomed lesson of the lemonade stand; patience. Because I don’t know about you, but unless you are Jordan Belfort, the timing seemed to pass slower than 8th grade math class. One customer here and another there; the earnings may have clipped $4 an hour.

However, to quit would mean to roll-up shop and sunk cost isn’t a consideration for most 8 year olds. So, instead the dreaded patience kicks in and the hours drip by. With it comes incremental success, and hopefully a full cash jar by end of day.

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The quote continues… “because buying a cup may just lead to that kid behind the counter to grow-up into an entrepreneur.”

Your purchase may just be the pebble that generates the ripple effect. A small push to propel that kid to come back the next day then the next day.

Fast forward, and they may just become the entrepreneur with the determination to move the world forward. Buy the lemonade.

Cheers. NH.