Week 2: My Entrepreneurship Story

Week 2: My Entrepreneurship Story

Before I share with you my Entrepreneurship Story I wanted to let you all know why I am taking ENT 3003.  I am in the Innovation Academy and this course is required in order to earn a minor in Innovation.  All of my life I have struggled with confidence and believing in myself.  Entrepreneurs are strong and leaders, something I strive for.  They are confident and passionate in what they believe in and have developed.  They lead and teach those who are eager to grow.  By taking this class I hope to improve upon my confidence and belief in myself and my ideas.  Leadership is vital in any career and this course will help guide me on becoming the person I’ve always wanted to be.

Now on to my Entrepreneurship Story…

My neighborhood was filled with young kids with vast venture ideas!  We were young businessmen and women trying to make a buck by Saturday afternoon when the Ice-cream man Sam would come by.  I remember our first sidewalk business (literally on a sidewalk) was selling creek critters.  We would ride our bikes down to the creek with a cooler and fish nets and catch anything we could get ahold of.  We mostly caught minnows, and if we were lucky a crawfish or two.  We then set up a stand with an old fish tank filled with the murky creek water and minnows.  “Minnows come get your minnows 25 cents!” we would scream.  After an hour we gave up, released the fish, and went back to the drawing board.  It was clear people did not want creek pets, so we had to formulate a new plan.  “Hmmm, grownups like to read so why don’t we make bookmarks” With paper and crayons we created rectangular sheets of flowers, superheroes, patterns, and animals.  With the product made we then set the price for small bookmarks at 10 cents and the larger ones at 25 cents.  Foolproof and jackpot plan we thought.  We went door to door and made $2.00.  Not enough to buy ice-cream for everyone but enough for a handful of tootsie rolls.  Even though in the end all I had were two little tootsie rolls, I had never felt more proud of what my friends, rather business partners, and I had accomplished.

This was the first time in my life that I was exposed to Entrepreneurship (unknowingly).  I worked with a team to create a product for a consumer and made profit from this idea. 

My first sole Entrepreneur venture was selling eggs. When I was in high school I made a small business for myself by selling fresh eggs to keep up with the cost of raising chickens.  I had at a time eight to ten female chickens, and each week they would lay 36 eggs or more.  I would sell a dozen eggs to neighbors for $5.00.  Why would people pay $5.00 for eggs when they can spend $3.00 at Publix?  Excellent question, here’s why.  My chickens laid different colored eggs and some were different sizes.  My Ameraucanas laid large eggs that were blue, blueish-green, to peach.   Some would even have speckles making them look like scoops of mint chocolate chip ice-cream! The White Crested Polish laid medium sized eggs and Poppers, my Silkie, would lay small sized eggs, perfect for little kids or egg sandwiches.  The difference between my eggs and the ones at the market came down to three factors:

1.       My eggs came in different sizes and unusual colors that you would not find at market.

2.       Chickens were, for the most part, free range.

3.       Consumers were free to come by and look/interact with the chickens. 

-          Kids would come by to socialize the chickens and chicks, and help collect eggs.

-          Relationship formed between producer and consumer.

-          They know where their food is coming from.

Every day I worked hard to insure that my business would be successful and my chickens have the best health. This was my first business I ever ran, and even though it was small I was still able to make money to pay for upkeep and save the extra for college.  What I enjoyed the most about being an Entrepreneur was sharing my knowledge and passion for poultry with my neighbors, especially the little ones! Most people don’t have an understanding of where their food comes from and the process of getting it to their plate.  From my Entrepreneur endeavor my neighbors now have a better understanding and deeper appreciation for agriculture and proper care of poultry! 

My Little Chicken Farm