He said he would invest in my business, help me buy better tools and permission to open more kiosks around town. In return, he would get a small share of the profits. I took a huge risk, and it paid off. In the years that followed, my lemonade business grew from one kiosk on the corner of a busy street to a small network of kiosks throughout the city.
When I was 18, I had my own line of lemonade in bottles labelled “Lisa’s Fresh Lemonade: Made with Love” and was sold in grocery shops. I had a real business and made enough money to move my mother out of the trailer and into a nice house. I even bought her the car she had always wanted but never thought she could have.
It’s hard to believe what happened when I only had $13 and a dream. Over the years, that $13 turned into millions as my lemonade brand spread to other states and cities. At the cafes I opened, people could buy all kinds of drinks and snacks. Each one had a small sign hanging next to the counter that read, ‘Inspired by my mum who believed in me when I needed it most.’
On a shelf in my mum’s kitchen still sits one of the first cups from my lemonade stand. It looks a little tarnished and worn, but it shows how far we’ve come. I remember those long summer days, the smell of fresh lemons and the sense of possibility that comes from knowing you can make something wonderful out of almost nothing if you put in the effort.
And the best part? Mum no longer had to worry about money. She could safely do gardening and other things she loved but didn’t have time for when she had to make ends meet. I could always tell she was confident that I wouldn’t let her down because she always had a smile for me.
That’s how $13 and a little faith changed our lives. I realised that there is always a way to make things better, you just have to look for it.