The B.A.B. Company
The entrepreneurial spirit has been a part of American culture since the pilgrims landed in Plymouth in 1621. An entrepreneur is defined as "one who organizes, manages and assumes the risk of a business or enterprise." There is no age limit nor gender preference for the independent business person.
This is a short story of two budding entrepreneurs.
On a brisk Saturday afternoon in the small middle-class community of Applewood just outside the city of Denver Colorado, twelve-year old Travis was raking the fallen Autum leaves as part of his chores. Because it looked like fun, Travis's ten year-old sister Chelsie and her friend Elizabeth were helping. The joint effort produced a clean front and back lawn in a very short time, leaving the rest of the day to play.
The two girls were discussing what to do with the afternoon when Chelsie's mother suggested they ask the neighbors if they could rake there lawn and maybe earn some Christmas money. The girls immediately took to the idea, grabed rakes, broom and warm jackets and set out to answer the challenge.
Four hours later, Chelsie and her friend returned smiling and shouting excitedly that they had earned twenty dollars for there efforts. As mother Valerie watched, the two entrepreneures designed paper reciepts and listened as they announced the name of there new enterprise. "It's the B.A.B Company." Seeing the quzical look on her mother's face, Chelsie explained "it's the Buck A Bag Company. When we fill the big plastic bag with leaves, we charge one dollar." And so a new enterprise was born providing much fun and some extra spending money for the two young business people.
The entrepreneurial spirit is contageous if allowed to flourish and grow.
©1995 Bill Effinger