When I was 13, I was living in a run-down trailer with my mom and barely making ends meet. I knew I wanted to make things better for us even when I was that young. As I walked around one day, I had an idea that would make our lives different forever.
I ran to my mom and asked her for money right away. She told us she only had $13 left, which was all we had for food.
I told her, “Mom, just trust me with that $13.” I was sure of my plan. I only need what you have. “You’ll be glad you did it.”
I made a lot of money with that $13 because she believed in me.
My mom thought for a moment as she held the crumpled $13 in her hand. She looked worried, but there was also a hint of hope in her eyes. She had always told me I was smart, which may have been reason enough for her to take the chance when I was young. She gave me the money with a slight shake of her hands and said, “Okay, but please be careful.” “I believe in you.”
I quickly ran to the nearby market with that $13. I bought 12 lemons, a big bag of sugar, and some plastic cups for my simple plan. Kids had sold lemonade before, but I was going to do things my own way. Building workers would walk by during their lunch breaks as I set up a small stand near the busy main street. Those workers were thirsty because it was so hot outside, and I thought that if I made the best lemonade they’d ever had, they’d keep coming back.
I didn’t stop there, though. I knew that regular lemonade wasn’t going to work. I had to be different. My next few hours were spent making my own recipe, which had a hint of mint and the right amount of sweet and sour. I also made a big, flashy sign that said, “Only 50¢ for the coldest, freshest lemonade!”
I stood there all afternoon, smiling and calling out, “Fresh lemonade!” to people who walked by. Very cold and refreshing! It’s only fifty cents a cup!” The first people to buy from me were construction workers. After just a few sips, they were hooked. A lot of people told each other that it was the best lemonade they had ever had. I sold every cup and made almost $30 by the end of the day. I was so happy that I ran home and gave my mom the money.
With a smile, I told her, “I told you you wouldn’t regret it.”
As she counted the money, she couldn’t say a word. Her eyes were wide. “You made this… in one day?” she asked in a voice that was almost whispery.
I said, “Yes.” “And I’ll make even more tomorrow.”
The next day, I went back to the market, bought more things, and made my stand twice as big. I also added strawberry lemonade and a special mix with a secret ingredient that I won’t share with anyone. People loved the deals I started giving them, like “Buy two, get one free.” I learned quickly how to sell more by asking people if they would like a bigger cup for a little extra money.
I had made more than $200 by the end of the week. Most of it went to my mom, but I kept enough to buy more supplies. I knew then that I didn’t just want to sell lemonade; I wanted to make something bigger.
I bought a small, portable ice cooler and a better table for my stand with the money I made. I started getting up early to get the best spot on the street. I tried new flavors and always made sure my lemonade was very cold and tasty. I even hired a friend to help me out during the busiest times and paid him with some of the money I made. We kept making our method better until we could make more lemonade faster without lowering the quality.
A man in a suit came up to my stand one afternoon. He bought a cup of lemonade, drank a little, and then stood there enjoying the taste. He said, “This is great.” “You’re really an entrepreneur, right?”
At the time, I wasn’t sure what that word meant, but I still nodded. I said, “Thank you, sir.” “I do my best.”
He gave me a business card with a smile. He told her, “Call me whenever you want to talk about growing this business.” “I believe you have something unique here.”
The card was tucked into my pocket, and I didn’t think much about it, but I did remember it. Over the next few weeks, I kept growing my little lemonade business. Pretty soon, I was making around $200 a week. Part of the money I made went to helping my mom pay her bills and buy food. Seeing the smile on her face when she was done was worth every minute I spent at that stand.
Months went by, and everyone in the neighborhood knew about my lemonade stand. My unique lemonade was so good that people would come from all over town to get a cup. At that moment, I remembered the business card the man had given me and began to think about how I could make this bigger. I took it out and looked at it for a long time before I decided to call.
He told me that he was an investor who helped small businesses grow when we met. He asked me what my future plans were, and I told him I wanted to open more stands, make my own brand of bottled lemonade, and maybe even open a small shop one day. After giving it some thought, he said, “I think we can make that happen.”
He said he would put money into my business and help me get better tools and permission to open more stands around town. He would take a small share of the profits in exchange. I took a huge risk, and it paid off. In the following years, my lemonade stand business grew from one on a busy street corner to a small network of stands all over the city.
When I was 18, I had my own line of bottled lemonade that said “Lisa’s Fresh Lemonade: Made with Love” and was sold in grocery stores. I had a real business going, and I had made enough money to get my mom out of that trailer and into a nice house. I even bought her a car, which was something she had always wanted but never thought she could have.
With only $13 and a dream to begin with, it’s hard to believe what has happened. Over the years, that $13 turned into millions as my lemonade brand spread to other states and cities. People could get all sorts of drinks and snacks at the cafes I opened. Each one had a small plaque next to the counter that said, “Inspired by my mom, who believed in me when I needed it the most.”
On a shelf in her kitchen, my mom still has one of the first cups from my lemonade stand. It looks a little faded 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 great out of almost nothing if you put in the work.
The best part? Mom never had to worry about money once more. She could take it easy, garden, and do all the other things she loved but never had time for when she was struggling to make ends meet. I could always tell she was sure I wouldn’t let me down because she always smiled at me.
That’s how $13 and some faith made our lives different. I learned that there is always a way to make things better, you just have to look for it.
