Entrepreneurship

One last post for today, let's hope.

The idea behind the lemonade fair, from an organizer point of view, was entrepreneurship which wikipedia defines as "...the practice of starting new organizations or revitalizing mature organizations, particularly new businesses generally in response to identified opportunities."

The CEO of Imperial Sugar said that we were "the future". He said that his first business venture was a lemonade stand. He spoke about the dull work, but the excitement as the nickels started dropping in. He gave a few business points. In the end, I think, we were supposed to be excited about the cha-ching and maybe being successful like him one day.

Later, individually, as a judge, he quizzed Kaley. He wanted to know her business plan - i.e. how many customers she expected next week, how much revenue she expected, growth potential, targets etc.

We weren't prepared here.

Quizzed by another judge on what she was going to do with the money, Kaley surprised me by telling the judge she was giving half to World Vision. Half.

I wish she would have told that to the CEO of Imperial Sugar - instead she told that to Atureo, a chef off of Grey Street - note the last pic of Kaley with a chef shirt from Atureo. We also got an invite to the kitchen to hand-make a pizza there.

I think we all have some aversion to "the man". Without Imperial Sugar we probably wouldn't have lemonade day. And this goes back to me saying that artists and wealth have an interesting relationship. We both miss each other. Maybe it's the balance between anarchy and authoritarianism. Maybe it is the need to have sides sold out on one side and the other: Obama and Cheney.

I'm pretty good about trying on other's shoes... but no matter... the words of future business being *the* future was just so empty, and sounded very out of place at a kids' lemonade contest. I found myself cringing almost like I used to when somebody was trying to convert somebody to their religion when I knew the other was uncomfortable, beginning to feel trapped, stereotypes were being played out and misunderstandings were starting to fly. But kids, thankfully, don't really think that much. I mean that in a good way. I don't get mad; I just cringe.

In the end, the lemonade won out. That was cool. That was *really* the point - the lemonade. Or was it? However, the way we made that lemonade we'd go broke... I know that... just like I know I'd go broke selling paintings. But there is something so healthy about sharing that sorta thing with somebody... the best you can make or do. I haven't been able to do that very often.