A Mother's Tribute and Tips On How To Raise An Entrepreneurial Spirited Child
First, I want to pay tribute to my wonderful, resilient, free thinking, dreaming, curious and energetic son, Trevor. He is the wind beneath my wings and my WHY for what I do and the life changes I've made leaving Corporate America and then teaching to pursue a home based business and network marketing. Time with my son was a precious commodity when I worked full time. I am blessed to have more time with him, to have adventures and discoveries and to watch him grow into the bright, caring, thinking young man he is. I am very proud of him.
Second, I want to share some of my tips and ideas on how you can raise a child with the spirit of an entrepreneur. In so doing you open the doors to great life experiences, valid learning curves and endless possibilities as your child grows and develops into adulthood. They take all these experiences with them when they become adults and to me that's the greatest reward in encouraging and inspiring my child to think outside of the box.
ONE OF MY FAVORITE QUOTES WHEN IT COMES TO OUR CHILDREN IS:
"If you can give your son or daughter only one gift, let it be enthusiasm."
-- Bruce Barton, Executive
My Child Has A Wonderful Entrepreneurial Spirit
Every Child Is Curious About Their World and Can Think Like An Entrepreneur
My son is in many ways like most boys. Curious, energetic, questioning and inquisitive. Yet he has a sensitive side. When he feels something strongly it's amazing how strong to his convictions and his heart he can be. He has the makings of a future Squidoo Lensmaster!
When he was an infant, he was the reason I actually left a home based business. Already working full time I didn't want to take time away from him. In the business I was in doing home parties were a necessity. Since I already worked full time and with a commute was gone about 9 hours a day, the thought of leaving him in the evening to do home parties did not appeal to me.
The ironic part is that my "Retirement" from the industry in 2001 became the impetus and drive to bring me back into the same industry in 2005. The common denominator was more time with my son. In this lens I'll share our story, why it changed and how it's changed both of our lives.
Due to our experiences my son grew up to be a Young Entrepreneur. In the beginning it wasn't intentional parenting on my part but today that is a major part of the legacy I want to leave my son.
In the following sections I will share with you the birth of the businesses and income avenues I have pursued to make my Work At Home Mom Dream a reality. The beauty of those businesses and experiences is that they were fun, flexible and included my son. Along the way I've realized what is a dream come true for many mothers who struggle with wanting to have more time with their children. I consider myself truly blessed!
I refer to my son like he's a partner in my business. Some who know me find that humorous. But fact is he is the reason, the WHY for them. He has made valid contributions to shaping my Work At Home Mom Dream. He may look small but he thinks deep and has great ideas! I welcome and encourage ideas all the time. Together we are thinkers, imaginers of possibilities and co-authors of my Work At Home Mom Dream story.
In mentoring and coaching my team, I often talk to Moms who are frustrated and feel torn between family and business. I always tell them Mom First - Business Second. You can do both and put your children first and there's a beautiful way to combine the two. The way to do so is to include your children in the business. I'm not advocating child labor or making them work all the time. But little ones can make valuable contributions and learn life lessons, plus gain self confidence, if you allow them in, include them, instead of feeling like they are on the outside looking in.
By including your child, they grow in understanding of how business works. They gain a respect for Mom's work time. They comprehend why sometimes Mom has to do the things necessary to run that business even if it means some time away from them. All these thought processes are things my son has learned on his path to Young Entrepreneur.
Perhaps this concept came more naturally to me as a single parent. It was too much of a struggle for me to do many businesses without sacrificing time with my son. So instead I searched for the "true fit" opportunities that worked for me and fit within my family and lifestyle. It's not all a bed of roses - there's been some bumps in the road and adjustment along the way. Overall, it's been a wonderful journey rich in experiences that my son has shared in and experienced also.
Here's our story and Trevor's story.
The Benefits Of Encouraging An Entrepreneurial Spirit In Your Child
There are numerous benefits to encouraging and embracing the entrepreneurial spirit within your child. This list is in no way comprehensive but rather this Mom's view on the benefits of encouraging your child to think, create and dream like a business person:IT PREPARES THEM FOR THE FUTURE - Our children grow up as a sum total of all their experiences. A well-rounded child should be allowed to experiment, play, follow their ideas, express their creative nature and see where their passions and gifts lie. As they grow, they develop into who they are. Given the freedom to explore even the concept of business ownership and entrepreneurship, who knows where they will go?
IT ALLOWS THEM TO EMBRACE THE THOUGHT OF BUSINESS OWNERSHIP - As children many of us grew up being taught "Go To College and Get A Job". While that was surely sage advice, in today's modern world a new economy exists. The thinking of our parents and grandparents no longer works. In their day, you stayed with a company long enough to get a pension and retire from the same company. Things have changed. Children should be presented with all their options including the idea of starting their own business.
THEY LEARN FISCAL/FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY - There are so many rewards to this aspect of encouraging your child. My son played with a cash register. He's played store. He's been a banker. As he grew he learned to wait on customers and make change in my business. While I don't overwhelm him we discuss profits and losses. When we make money we talk about what bills need to be paid and what we might want to save for. Realize I don't advocate sharing your entire financial picture with your child just keep it small scale and in the now. Today, he is old enough to get paid for helping me. The payoff has been seeing the financial and fiscal responsibility taking shape in how he handles that money. Thus the beginning of raising a financially responsible adult.
IT OPENS THE DOOR TO CREATIVITY AND NEW THOUGHT PROCESSES - Look at the countless number of business ideas that were created as visions of people who were told "That would never work". Encourage your child to be creative, explore thoughts and outcomes and you might have the creator of the next big franchise idea, the next hottest gizmo or gadget or the like on your hands.
THEY LEARN ACCOUNTABILITY - In my son's pretend play he has built pretend businesses including a store, an art studio and a veterinary clinic. In the real world he's been an active participant in my business since way young. He understands the conceptual difference between "work time" and "play time". He knows about business hours, opening, closing, preparation etc. He (most of the time) respects the difference between my being on a business call or just chatting with a friend on the phone. He's learning priorities. These are good building blocks for your child to carry forward into adulthood.
IT TEACHES THEM PROBLEM-SOLVING SKILLS - Pretend play businesses can be a springboard to developing problem-solving skills that will help them in their adulthood. In allowing my son to participate with me in my business, I've allowed him to help me evaluate things and solve problems. He has come up with solutions to various challenges we have faced and made suggestions of what we need to do. Now I am not talking world problems here! Keep it simple and on their level. As he grows I observe him becoming more independent and a better problem-solver.
THEY LEARN ABOUT MARKETING AND SALES - Setting up a pretend store is one of the many examples of how children can learn about marketing and sales. As they run their pretend store they learn to wait on their customers, meet their needs and promote their products. Today I see this taking shape in my son. He loves to make signs both in our Webkinz shop and at Candle Shows. He's gotten quite creative that way. I also love to hear him talk to customers about the business. He's a very good salesman and got a way with people if I do say so myself!
THEY GAIN CONFIDENCE WITH ACCEPTANCE OF THEIR IDEAS - Indulge your children in thinking outside of the box. Pretend play or talk with them about ideas they have. If you pretend play with them, entertain their ideas and discuss them on their level, they gain confidence. Confident children who feel their ideas are accepted are more willing to explore, create and draw conclusions. Those are also great life skills for them to take into adulthood!
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Allow your child to pretend play, get creative and explore! Don't be afraid to involve them in your business on their level. Obviously you don't want them working a full time job, but exposure and involvement teaches them valuable life skills for when they become adults! You are actually setting them up for success!
My Son's Aspirations - He Will Be A Busy Man!
My son has big dreams, varied interests and ever changing visions of who he is to become when he grows up....
It's fun to talk with him about his plans, his dreams and where he sees himself when he grows up. I often get a kick out of it and listening to him as he weaves a plan for his future. He's going to be a very busy man!
It is a mission of self-discovery and fun to watch that unfold with your child.
Among the many plans, dreams and goals my son has for his life are:
To attend College and Veterinary School with the end goal of becoming a vet with a pilot's license. He also loves to fly and so that just became a natural part of his vet plans. Once he becomes a vet, he and his cousin, Jessica, are going to become partners in a Veterinary Clinic. She will be the vet in the office and he will fly to locations where animals can't come to him and treat them. The modern Dr. Dolittle with wings!
To build a submarine from scratch and raise the Titanic. He has a fascination with the Titanic and it's history. He's seen every movie including the documentaries and has watched them over and over, asking a zillion questions and trying to put everything into perspective. He tells me it shouldn't be that hard to build a submarine that could do the job. After all it's just metal and glass right? We talk about the fiscal possibilities of that one but he remains steadfastly determined he is going to do it. He will just invest the profits from his Veterinary Clinic!
My son naturally will enter the Network Marketing Industry and have a candle business just like mine. That will have to be a part time gig though. But he says he will find time to make the Company Fling and all the Regional Meetings around the country because they are fun! We can just fly there together in the plane he owns for his Veterinary clinic, a mother and son team, and rent a car. So easy!
Once he's settled in his Veterinary Clinic and raised the Titanic, he plans to open a retail store. Think Cracker Barrel Country Store with the square footage of a department store. It will have all the charm of a Cracker Barrel Store but with some minor changes. First, the candles in the store will be from our Gourmet Candle Business (not the brands they sell there). Second, there will be less food and more candy especially the vintage kind that is hard to find (and the more sugary the better!). Third, naturally it will stock more Webkinz, Lil' Kinz and accessories. Fourth, it will include more toys and collectibles like the ones Mom sells online. He has even created a plan-o-gram styled drawing of the layout of the store, where the product will be arranged and how each section will look. Is anyone else thinking Sam Walton?
He wants to play a sport professionally and right now he's leaning towards playing basketball and being drafted by the NBA.
This successful young man will someday get married, only once, because he doesn't believe in divorce. He will have three children - gender unspecified - but it's definitely three. So I'm looking forward to being a grandmother. He doesn't plan on leaving home because he plans on taking care of me. I am sure his wife will be more than happy to go along with that plan (not!).
He will buy a "House Car" which is what he calls an RV so we can travel cross country and camp wherever we want. It's his desire that his children see the whole country. He won't need a car because he will be using my van since we live in the same house. So a "House Car" seems like the perfect mode of travel for long distance trips. For local trips, it'll be "Mom, can i borrow the van?"
His travel plans include taking a cruise, seeing the Great Wall of China, Hawaii and Pearl Harbor along with exploring the North Atlantic raising the Titanic. When he's older he wants to take a safari but not in Africa - instead in Australia and Antartica because the animals there are much cooler. Koalas, kangaroos and penguins!
How is that for a rich, rewarding life of an entrepreneur? They say variety is the spice of life. I think my son is going to be a very busy man!
So what does your child plan on (smile)?
Picture by Trevor Mathisen as created in Paint on our home computer.
Birth Of A Business Idea From The Mind Of A Child
My Son Was The Inspiration Behind Our Retail Shop - Everything Webkinz
I am writing this about 2 weeks before we will close our retail shop, Everything Webkinz at Fleamasters in Fort Myers, Florida. It's bittersweet in a sense because this business has been incredibly fun and allowed me to broaden my horizons. It also was the inspiration of my son and putting reality to a vision he had.
Everything has it's time and season. In this case, I find it hard to strike a balance between working on weekends and having quality time with my son. He's enjoyed being on this business journey with me. But for an 8 year old, it's getting old. Time to move on....
But what I am here to share is the story of how the events unfolded in our lives where this business even came about.
In 2007 I decided to establish myself and our business in one location, instead of traveling around doing shows because there's a lot of setup and breakdown work involved. Initially we had a larger store at the market specializing in Gourmet Candles, candle accessories, tart burners, bath and body and gift related items.
As time grew on and I saw the beginning of the shift in the economy in early 2008 I expanded into other areas in our shop. I took a lot of our Ebay items into the store including children's clothing, accessories, toys and more.
Our shop became a little boutique of sorts. It did increase business but not the way that I had hoped.
Christmas 2007 my son discovered Webkinz when our neighbor, Maniesha, gave Trevor his first Webkinz. It was a Lil' Kinz Tree Frog named Hopper. And so began the Webkinz craze in our household. Trevor purchased the Husky, Charcoal Cat and Collie with his Christmas money from family. The humble beginnings of our now Webkinz farm!
My son suggested to me that we carry Webkinz in our shop. While the concept would fit, it was me who was reluctant and skeptical. I thought he was just wanting me to get a bunch of Webkinz in stock so he would naturally benefit by gaining new Webkinz if I didn't sell them.
I dragged my feet and my son persevered. I was looking for another item or a few that would increase the income from the shop. Finally convinced that my son might be right and not have an ulterior motive, I ordered and test marketed about 2 dozen Webkinz.
They arrived and we put them on the shelves February 2008. In that three day weekend, we had sold 18 of them. I had my son to thank for that! I should have listened to him all along! I apologized to him for being skeptical of his idea and his motives. I give him full credit for being the inspiration behind the business.
In April 2008 we moved to a smaller location and specialized only in Webkinz and other online virtual pets. When I closed the larger store, I went back to ebaying the gift items and still do my Gourmet Candles but only from home, at functions and special shows.
Summer 2008 saw a lot of changes in my family that made this a fun, flexible way to earn money while still being home with my son and then-ill mother. It's been a great ride! It's been something my son and I have shared. He is full of pride that the idea was his and was actually successful.
I give 100% credit to my son for this. Want to know what kids really want? Ask an 8 year old!
We are transitioning out of the market because the 24 hours we are open is time away from our other business interests. We have a lot on our plate! My son has enjoyed the experience but is ready to move on too.
Our plan is to take our Webkinz business back online so be sure to see our Webkinz lenses to see what deals we are currently offering on ebay!
Fostering Your Child's Entrepreneurial Spirit
Ways To Encourage and Nurture The Entrepreneurial Spirit In Your Child
Here are the ways I believe you can foster and grow the Entrepreneurial Spirit within your child. From my background of working with Pre-K Head Start children as a teacher as well as a Mom, these are the ways to broaden your child's horizons in my eyes.Please note that I'm not saying these things cost money. Sometimes the simplest lessons are learned in arenas where the activity is free or low cost. Be inventive, use things that you have in your home already. Visit Public Libraries and book stores to learn what programs are out there for children. The internet is a great resource for local parks, programs and activities that are offered free of charge for children also.
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PLAY with your child. Allow them to explore, create and experiment. Spend time with them in pretend play and activities that build their creative and inventive side. Great toys like Duplo, LEGO, Wood Blocks, Puzzles, Stringing Beads and other Manipulatives were a mainstay when my son was growing up and in my Pre-K classroom. Make pretend. Dream a little dream together. Role play. Dance and sing. Play allows the child to express themselves, develop interests and form a sense of who they are, what they like and what they are about.
CREATE and invent things with your child. Art projects and craft projects are great for this. So are the manipulatives where the child can build something. Stock up on things like paint, crayons, markers, construction and drawing paper and other art supplies. Check the clearance aisles in department and craft stores for things like foam, sequins, beads, felt and other inexpensive items to create from. Play-Doh is wonderful (and inexpensive to make too!). Do you sew or have a hobby? Material scraps, lace scraps, extra scrapbooking materials, jewelry findings and more make for fun and creativity too! Did you know there are some wonderful opportunities for creating in your recycle bin? My son built a robot from an old coffee can, yogurt cups, paper towel rolls and an empty mayonnaise jar. All free compliments of our recycle bin! Covered in aluminum foil with google eyes, nuts that lost their bolts I had in our shed and more, Robbie the Robot still resides in his playroom. Have fun and let your (and their) imagination run wild and there's lots of masterpieces to create that aren't big budget.
PRETEND, fantasize and dream. In my classroom, I had chests, a coat rack and shelves full of items for the kids to pretend with. Shoes, purses, scarves, caps and hats, aprons, old Halloween costumes and clothes I was getting rid of. The children had a blast with those - not just the girls but boys too! Ball caps, hard hats, helmets, fireman's hats and costumes make for great pretend play for the boys too. Let them imagine who they can be. Let them fantasize and create what their life is like and what they do for a living. Let them venture back in time to centuries old or into the future and what it will be. Play with them and ask questions. Most other toys are good for pretend play too. Dolls for girls. Trucks for boys. Children have fun with this and love to pretend. Interact with them and make it fun.
EXPERIMENT with everyday items to help your children discover outcomes. Create a water glass xylophone and play it. Fill the sink or bath with fun things that both float and sink. Play in the sand with various objects like sifters, measuring cups and more. Mix things together in the kitchen while you are cooking or preparing something. Start up a band with items from your kitchen. The Recycle Bin band is also fun using old containers as drums, fill them with beans or rice and put the lids on for shakers and maracas. Encourage the child to think and discover the outcome. You can say things to them like "I wonder what would happen if....". Have fun this way and it's a road to discoveries!
ADAPT as you play, pretend and create. For example, let's say you are working on a project and it's not going so well. Go with your child back to the drawing board. Talk to them about what could be done to change the project and the outcome. Teach them to be flexible in their pretend play. From that, they learn to adapt to situations and circumstances which is a marvelous attribute to have in life and business!
QUESTION things when you are interacting with them. And let them ask you questions. Questions like "What if...?" and the W questions: Where, When, What, Why require more than one word or simple Yes or No answers. They make for free thinking and expression which too will foster good qualities in your child.
VALIDATE their ideas, suggestions and thoughts. Always make the child feel like they can be open to you. If something they say might not work, instead of saying "No that's wrong..." refer back to the "I wonder what would happen if..." scenario and allow the child to think it through. When a child feels valued in their contributions and validated in their thoughts they will develop into a more confident and well-rounded individual.
READ and read and read! Reading is food for a little one's brain and they are sponges! Use stories you read to expand their imaginations, ask questions or start pretend play scenarios. Reading is a great opportunity to cuddle, talk and have your child open up to you. Make reading fun. My son and I used to come up with funny voices for characters in books. Make the reading interactive. You can not only build reading, word and vocabulary skills but memorization skills as well. I can not say enough about the value of reading and literacy. Visit the public library with your child often. Let them explore and pick out books. Develop a love for books within your child and they will grow immensely!
ADVENTURE in everything! I have even made taking out the trash an adventure with my young son! Find neat places to go and things to do. A simple outing can have a lasting impression on your child. My son is big on adventures! It can be something as simple as visiting the park, mall or other place. Run, walk, skip, hop or sing as you go. Make up fun songs and draw pictures of fun things you have done. Take a walk on the beach, visit a lake, walk in the woods, build a fort are just some of the many fun suggestions. They are endless! Adventures create learning and growth experiences within your child.
CELEBRATE your child, their achievements, their creations and their ideas! When they do something great react to it in celebration mode. I used the "Happy Dance" with my son a lot in his early years. Pat them on the back. Share a special snack or treat. It's not the material things that matter most here either!
Most important HAVE FUN and create life and learning experiences all the time and you foster growth and the Entrepreneurial Spirit.
ABOUT THE PICTURE: This is my son, Trevor's debut as a Rock Star in Spring, 2007 at the Lehigh Spring Festival. He participated in an actual band at Nick's Kid Show which was a fun, free event being offered on the fairgrounds.
Mom's Candle Assistant
How I Balanced Motherhood and My Candle Business
In April 2005, I became an Independent Distributor with a great Gourmet Candle Company. It shaped our future and does to this day!At the time I joined the company, my son was 4-1/2 years old. I had made myself a promise that when I got into Direct Sales and Network Marketing again that I had to strike a balance between motherhood and business. I made the decision to join this company because I had a vision of how I could do both effectively whereas in years past I wasn't able to.
From the onset I was determined to involve my son in the business instead of excluding him. I did not want him to resent the business because it took Mom away from him. I wanted him to feel a part of it. Thus I labeled him "My Candle Assistant".
As a little guy not yet even 5 years old the concept of him being my Assistant created some challenges. He greeted the idea with enthusiasm and wanted to be a part of everything I was doing. He asked lots of questions. He genuinely wanted to help which was great. Involving him took some patience in the initial stages but has paid off very well in the long run.
We began his role as my "Assistant" with baby steps. He went with me to a couple of festivals and fairs where I setup to sell candles. The attention span of a young child at that age is not long and often the draw of the activities around us made being Mom's Candle Assistant not fun for very long. Especially at big events where carnival rides, games and lots of great eats diverted his attention.
Thankfully I have a great team of distributors here locally who helped me embrace the concept of My Candle Assistant. We did the buddy system in bigger shows, where two of us worked together so I could combine being a vendor and selling my candles with having the freedom to walk around with my son and let him have some fun. It works very well!
From the beginning, my son was determined to be my helper on all fronts. We began with little things like him labeling catalogs for me or putting return address labels on packages and envelopes.
Trevor then graduated to wanting to help me make Scent Samples. Scent Samples are ground up votives that I run through an old food processor that are then spooned into business sized 2 x 3 baggies, zip locked and then have a business card stapled to them. Fumbly fingers of children that age and their motor skills present the opportunity for lots of mess in this task. I let him spoon the powdered candle into the bags. Later when he wasn't looking I cleaned up the mess. He learned to staple business cards to the baggies. Some were crooked which I later fixed when he was sleeping. I praised him for his help always and know he was proud of his work.
With age and practice, a great thing has happened to my son! He's gotten better at all of that and helps me all the time. He wants to! I love that he feels he is making a contribution and truthfully it's a help to me.
Sometimes we get so caught up in things like not making a mess or not having the job done "perfect" that we would exclude the child from helping. I am so glad I made the decision not to. My son has proudly told people on numerous occassions "I made this scent sample". He's a charmer and people love that!
As my business has grown so has my son. A once very shy little boy with a speech delay is now at ease walking up on stage at a company function. He's at ease in a room full of fellow distributors. He is my Assistant and has earned the right to be a part of things in the business.
In November 2006, we attended our Company Fall Fling. We made the trip to Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania together. It was a trip of many firsts for my son, including his first time flying. We had a wonderful time and I'm glad I shared the experience with him. He was well behaved despite the fact that a child can get fidgety sitting in a hotel meeting room with a bunch of adults for two days. I loved that the owners and fellow distributors in my business embraced him and made him feel a part of it and our business. It was very special and memorable both for him and I.
At that Fling, I gave a testimonial during the meeting. My son accompanied me on stage and rocked my world! I realized how very much he'd grown when he actually upstaged me during my presentation. It was a great moment for me as a Mom because my son used to hide behind my leg and was non-verbal due to the speech delay. To watch him take the microphone and have the confidence to be up there and around people within my company made my heart soar.
In 2007, we had three great adventures traveling to meetings. We had a wonderful time and a memorable summer and fall! My son helped me in so many little ways that those trips and adventures were his reward.
We attended a Regional Meeting in Tupelo, Mississippi in June 2007. We drove there from Florida taking the scenic route up so that we went through middle Alabama and the Taladega National Forest which was beautiful and breathtaking. The meeting was great and I got to spend time with 9 of the great distributors on my team as well as lots of wonderful fellow distributors. After two fun days in Tupelo, we took a different route home went south through the state of Alabama and into the Florida Panhandle exploring as we went. It took us two days to get home and was rich in firsts and experiences for my son.
In August 2007, we attended our Company Summer Fling and made it a family event. We drove and my mother traveled with us. We planned it as a two week vacation where the first week was spent with our family in Northern New Jersey. It was a wonderful time! Then we traveled to Wilkes-Barre again for a great event. One of the ladies on my team and closest friends I've made because of the business, Terri-lynne Tavares, met us there with her two adorable children and her mother. It was great! Our moms got to know each other and spend time together. Watching our children get to play and become friends was fantastic! We also enjoyed the company of my great sponsors, the VanDorns, the owners and distributors in the company many of whom have become good friends and dear to our hearts.
My son's 7th birthday in September 2007 was a memorable one as we again set out on an adventure Candle Business style! This time we were off to Topeka, Kansas which is the home of my sponsors. We flew into Kansas City and drove out of Missouri and into Kansas, two states neither of us have ever been in before. It was a fantastic time! The meetings were great and again Trevor made a host of new friends.
This past year we have not been able to travel much due to family commitments but we are looking forward to more trips and adventures in 2009 - Candle Business style! We are making some plans now and looking forward to it. Mom has set some goals and shared them with her Candle Assistant about what it's going to take to make this trips and he's totally on board. He understands when I'm working because he knows at the end of those work days is another fun trip and adventure!
When my Candle of the Month arrives on the UPS truck, it's my son who renders the first opinion of our latest scent. He enjoys being involved and helping me do the work behind the scenes as well as accompanying me to shows and events. As he's grown he has mastered the art of setting up a great candle display. He's learned how to talk to customers and makes his own recommendations (and often sells them by the way!).
He's becoming a Candle Business Man in his own right and someday will lead forward with Mom's business and be the next generation of distributors in our company. There's no doubt! He plans on signing up for his own business when he turns 18! Candle Assistant no more! He wants to be a business owner in his own right and I applaud him for that!
ABOUT THE PICTURE: This was taken upon our arrival in Wilkes-Barre, PA in August 2007 at the Days Inn. Pictured on the luggage cart are: Caroline Tavares, Trevor Mathisen and Matthew Tavares. Find out more about my friend - fellow Candle Business Owner and proud Mom of those two beautiful children at http://www.lightupyourdreams.com or click her Light Up Your Dreams website link in my links section.
Ebaying Mom's Son Can Spot A Clearance Sign From 50 Yards
This has been a trip down memory lane telling our story - mostly my son's story - and how he's evolved into a Young Entrepreneur.My lens would not be complete without telling you how a lot of this began.
By the time he was 2, we found out that Trevor had Sensory Integration and a speech delay that required therapy and later Pre-K that provided him speech and occupational therapy.
When the diagnosis hit us, I worked in Corporate America in the utilities industry. My mother was caretaker for my son but the full schedule of therapy and appointments for my son was getting difficult and tiring for her.
During the time I was working at this job I had discovered ebay. I always knew it was there and purchased on there but by 2002 I had become an active seller within the ebay community. When I left my job in November 2002 it was prime selling season for the Christmas holidays and I immersed myself in selling full-time on ebay.
Still new to the concept of how to buy items to sell on ebay, Trevor and I had shopping adventures on a weekly basis. They served more than one purpose. First, I was able to pick up some great deals on clearance as I learned what would sell on ebay and what I could pick up at a discount and make some money on. Second, it helped me help my son during that time because part of my plan of treatment for him was what is termed Language Bombardment. Trips to the malls, department and discount stores fit the bill here. Despite my son's speech delay, as we shopped I talked to him constantly about things we saw, items we bought and the like.
Today my son is very verbal and you would never know he had a speech delay. He has vivid memories of all our shopping excursions and ebay buying missions. He also has developed a really good feel for items that would sell on ebay too! He can spot a Clearance Sign in a store from 50 yards. When we enter a store looking for something we always browse the Clearance section. It's just become a part of us.
Today ebay is still a hobby, past-time and income source for our family. We do not make the big bucks on there however we turn a profit on the items we sell. It's fun for us to find good deals we can pass along to others. My son helps sometimes and knows how to weigh packages, labels bubble envelopes for me and can run the APC - the automated postage machine - at our local post office.
Ebay has changed significantly since 2002 and I won't go into that because it's not what this lens is really about. I have taken breaks from selling on there. There is a lot of behind the scenes work involved that can be tedious and frustrating sometimes. However the shopper, hobbyist, collector and ebay enthusiast is in both our blood from our experiences when he was younger.
It's another fun way we make money that we can do together. With the closing of our Webkinz store coming up and an over-abundance of items in storage from our now closed gift shop at the market, we will be offering some great deals on ebay in the coming months and making money too!
I think the experience has spawned my son's aspiration to own a store of his own someday. You have to love the dreams of Young Entrepreneurs!
A Sampling Of What's For Sale at Doodlebugz Shop
Doodlebugz Shop is our new Ebay Store now that we are back selling on Ebay! The name? Well...it's a nickname I've always had for my son. Doodlebug! Come check out some of the latest offers we have going. I am also sharing the link below in my websites section so feel free to stop in to browse and shop anytime. We love our customers!
Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand by
A Mother's Walk Down Memory Lane
Created for my son May 2009
Find Out More About Room To Read At Wikipedia.com
Find out more about Room To Read, the work it does and it's founder, John Wood at Wikipedia.com.
Room to Read is a non-profit dedicated to promoting education. Founded in 2000, the organization is based on the belief that "World Change Starts with Educated Children," and the idea that education is crucial to breaking the cycle of poverty in the developing world. By partnering with local communities in the developing world to establish libraries, create local language children's literature, construct schools, and provide scholarships to girls, Room to Read seeks to intervene early in the lives of children to empower them to improve socioeconomic conditions for their families, communities, and countries through education. Since its founding, Room to Read has provided educational resources to 3.1 million children in Asia and Africa. By 2010, Room to Read hopes to improve literacy for five million children by establishing over 10,000 libraries and distributing nearly nine million children's books.
SHOP FOR A CAUSE - This Lens Donates To Room To Read
- About The Organization - Room To Read
- From their official website, this is the Overview/About Us Section from Room To Read.
Links To Websites About Children, Business and Entrepreneurship
There really are some out there!
- Child Business From The MoneyInstructor.com
- Explores Kids Starting A Business, things they can learn and how you can help them grow their entrepreneurial spirit.
- Clever Dough Kids - Teach Your Child About Money
- A program that teaches you how to teach your children about money. It's theme is Raising Debt Proof Kids.
- Teaching Children Entrepreneurship - An Article By Mia Cronan
- The Young Entrepreneur Society is one father's effort to teach his children about business that is initiated, motivated, and guided by the gospel of Jesus. There's a great article published in his Blog.
- Inspring Story Of Young Entrepreneur B.J. "Beege" Pinchbeck
- This is a really cool and inspiring story as featured on helpingchildrengrow.com. It tells the story of one teen who made an idea he conceived a reality. This is awesome!
- Little Entrepreneur Series from Harper Arrington Media
- From send2press.com, here is some information about the Little Entrepreneur Series from Harper Arrington Media. This announced the first release in the series, entitled The Little Entrepreneur Takes Flight. I've added a link to purchase the book from Amazon.com below.
More On Children, Entrepreneurship, Business and Money from Great Squidoo Lensmasters!
Here are some of my other favorite on topic Squidoo lenses that talk about children, entrepreneurship, business and money. Happy Reading!-
Is Your Business Your Million Dollar Mission? Deal or No Deal?
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In this lens I will share a previous entry on my blog some time ago that was also published in our Company Newsletter. Sometimes children say the darndest things! In this case my then-7 year old drew a unique paralell between one of his favorite tel...
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Do You Have a Child Entrepreneur?
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Kids are always looking for ways to make money. When I was a child, it wasn't unusual to find me running lemonade stands, mowing lawns, or looking for other ways to earn money. I knew from an early age that I wanted to run my own business someday (r...
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Amazing and Talented Children!
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Children inspire us; they make us reflect on our own lives and challenge us to do more. We learn from them. We can be entertained by them. Some will make you laugh. Others will make you cry. And others will leave you awe-struck! "And a little child...
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Kids In Business - Helping your children to become entrepreneurs!
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Kids are super smartt! They have all this brain power, talent and energy just ready to be tapped in to and used. Why waste all that just flipping burgers down the road when that creative mind can design, plan, implement and build an entrepreneurial...
Buy The Little Entrepreneur Takes Flight from Harper Arrington Media
The Little Entrepreneur Takes Flight (The Little Entrepreneur)
Amazon Price: (as of 12/04/2009) 
Future Business Leaders' Series - Books By Jennifer Bouani at Amazon.com
Tyler Passes the Golden Key (Future Business Leaders' Series)
Amazon Price: $8.99 (as of 12/04/2009)
Business and Money-Making Books For Children at Amazon.com
The Kids' Business Book (Kids' Ventures)
Amazon Price: $9.95 (as of 12/04/2009)
Beyond the Lemonade Stand
Amazon Price: $5.99 (as of 12/04/2009)
The Everything Kids' Money Book: From Saving to Spending to Investing - Learn All About Money! (Everything Kids Series)
Amazon Price: (as of 12/04/2009)
Kids Can Make Money Too! : How Young People Can Succeed Financially--Over 200 Ways to Earn Money and How to Make it Grow
Amazon Price: $14.50 (as of 12/04/2009)
101 Marvelous Money-Making Ideas For Kids
Amazon Price: (as of 12/04/2009)
For Parents: Finances and Teaching Your Children
Raising Money Smart Kids: What They Need to Know about Money and How to Tell Them (Kiplinger's Personal Finance)
Amazon Price: $16.20 (as of 12/04/2009)
Raising Money-Smart Kids: How to Teach Your Children the Secrets of Earning, Saving, Investing, and Spending Wisely
Amazon Price: (as of 12/04/2009)
Raising Financially Fit Kids
Amazon Price: $13.57 (as of 12/04/2009)
Silver Spoon Kids : How Successful Parents Raise Responsible Children
Amazon Price: $11.53 (as of 12/04/2009)
Kids and Money: Giving Them the Savvy to Succeed Financially (Bloomberg Personal Bookshelf (Paperback))
Amazon Price: $11.53 (as of 12/04/2009)
Five Star Books For Parents on Money, Life, Entrepreneurship
Rich Dad, Poor Dad: What the Rich Teach Their Kids About Money--That the Poor and Middle Class Do Not!
Amazon Price: $9.90 (as of 12/04/2009)
Rich Dad Poor Dad for Teens: The Secrets About Money--That You Don't Learn in School!
Amazon Price: $10.19 (as of 12/04/2009)
Rich Dad's Rich Kid, Smart Kid: Giving Your Children a Financial Headstart
Amazon Price: $10.85 (as of 12/04/2009)
For Parents: Books On Parenting To Your Child's Spirit
Raising Children Who Think for Themselves
Amazon Price: $17.91 (as of 12/04/2009)
Parents Do Make a Difference: How to Raise Kids with Solid Character, Strong Minds, and Caring Hearts (The Jossey-Bass Psychology Series)
Amazon Price: $12.24 (as of 12/04/2009)
Kids Who Think Outside the Box: Helping Your Unique Child Thrive in a Cookie-Cutter World
Amazon Price: $11.70 (as of 12/04/2009)
Raising Confident Boys: 100 Tips for Parents and Teachers
Amazon Price: $11.11 (as of 12/04/2009)
Raising Confident Girls: 100 Tips for Parents and Teachers
Amazon Price: $11.11 (as of 12/04/2009)
Mom Of Young Entrepreneur's Business Links
- Cool Candle Business - Gourmet Candles
- Lots of information about Dawn's Gourmet Candle Business. You can even shop online or request business information and samples here.
- Candles Meet Network Marketing
- Find out how the network marketing model works within my candle business and how it can be profitable for you and in keeping with your goals and dreams. Lots of good information!
- Doodlebugz Shop - Our One Stop Shop To Our Businesses
- Doodlebugz Shop is our online business name and creation by my son and I. It's a one-stop website where you can link to us and all our business ventures. Come shop our Ebay Store and our Bonanzle Booth for fun items and great deals! Thanks for visiting with us!
- Musings On Motherhood
- A fun webpage I created called Musings On Motherhood with some fun video clips, mom humor and a look at Motherhood all the way around. Moms Rock! Come visit and enjoy!
Overworked To WAHM
Thanks for reading my lens! Please stop by my Blog, Overworked To WAHM, where I share more about me, my family, my business as well as hints and helps to make your business grow.
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byReady To Encourage Your Child's Enterpreneurial Spirit?
Share Your Thoughts
Thanks for visiting my lens! I've had a lot of fun with this one in sharing how you can inspire and grow your chid's Entrepreneurial Spirit plus some fun things about my son (my pride and joy).
Children are our most precious gifts and each is special, talented, absolutely unique and destined to greatness. Let's love them, nurture them, accept them, correct them, dream with them, believe in them and make the world a better place when their generation grows up. Here's to the kids!
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Reply
- JenOfChicago JenOfChicago Aug 17, 2009 @ 4:18 pm
- What a great story - your son is sure to be a great student and businessman someday!
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Reply
- EverythingMouse EverythingMouse Jan 30, 2009 @ 10:38 am
- I aim to teach my children to create their own business. I have found self employment so much more rewarding financially and intellectually than I ever found being employed by someone else.
by Dawn_Mathisen_aka_Candle_Dawn
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