Even Lemonhead was an MJ Fan….

Lemonhead decides to impersonate the late and great Michael Jackson…

Tell 'em that its human nature....

Woah! I can truly say I love working with these people. There is not a dull moment in our office, and our work ethic and passion for inspiring children to create their own success through Lemonade Day is amazing! Look out for updates to our site http://www.lemonadeday.org, we’re currently working on our city specific pages!

Hello World….

YEEC Founders (L-R): James Smith, Aaron Reid, * Jason Johnson at the “Hello World” Showcase in Atlanta

I stumbled upon the Young Entrepreneur Empowerment Coalition (YEEC) while researching youth entrepreneurship organizations in Atlanta.  I had actually read about their “Hello World” Showcase event months ago, and seen them pop up in numerous industry blogs, so when I came across them again last week I decided to take a closer look at their organization.  Needless to say, I am impressed.   Aaron Reid, son of music mogul and industry veteran L.A. Reid and singer/songwriter Pebbles, along with James Smith and Jason Johnson have launched something that I believe is on the way to being extraordinary.  These three young men have an entrepreneurial spirit out of this world. 

YEEC is a coalition of young entrepreneurs, actors, producers, artist, models, djs, and musicians united to become the influential agent for social change amongst youth (YEEC.org).  Targeting 14-25 year olds, The Young Entrepreneur empowerment coalition seeks to empower new voices and leaders through activism, financial literacy, and industry mentorship, with a mission to help today’s youth become tomorrow’s successful leaders.  Congratulations to these young men who will work to inspire the next generation of successful and prosperous industry moguls and entrepreneurs! So sad I missed the “Hello World” Launch, I am definitely going to try and attend an even next time I’m in Atlanta.

So…what does this have to do with Lemonade Day?  Well, just as YEEC is hoping to inspire new age entrepreneurs in the entertainment industry with participation of the entire hip hop community, Lemonade Day is sweeping the nation by inspiring an entire generation of children to be entrepreneurs with help from their communities.  Everyone has a role in Lemonade Day, whether it is through selling lemonade, buying lemonade, volunteering, or advocacy. 

Children are trained in the fundamentals of business and financial management, learn to set goals, develop a business plan, establish a budget, seek investors, provide customer service, and give back to the community…all through something as simple as running their very own lemonade stand.  In all honesty, you just can’t beat that…..

As we begin to actually have more and more contact with supporters, potential sponsors, partners and etc. in our perspective cities, you can truly feel the enthusiasm and buzz throughout the office. Everyone gets a boost from knowing that our excitement is spreading to others who hear about our amazing program.  We are far from being finished, but we are so pumped about seeing things gradually fall into place.  It is evident early on that when Lemonade Day comes to fruition in each of our cities, we are making sure that it will be a HUGE success. 

Every day that I come into the office my excitement builds. Often times when I leave the office my work follows me home, but I can honestly say I don’t mind.  At the end of a very busy day, I know I’m truly making a difference.  GET EXCITED ATLANTA! Let’s get ready to encourage a new generation of kid entrepreneurs in your city!  After all…Forbes did rank Atlanta one of the top 5 cities/metro areas to launch a business.  I predict thousands of new businesses on May 2, 2010. =)

*Feel free to contact me at iman@prepared4life.org with any questions, suggestions, or concerns.  Don’t forget to follow me and Lemonade Day Atlanta’s progress on Twitter!  Twitter.com/LDayFunAtlanta

I Love Lemonade Day!!!

Aren’t these children precious!!! I got to meet a few of them today, they were so much fun!

I was sooo excited to be able to attend the Annual Lemonade Day Awards Luncheon at The Federal Reserve Bank in Houston today. The interns missed the tour of the bank with the kids, but we really enjoyed being able to celebrate with them. All of the finalist from Lemonade Day Houston were invited, and they received certificates and trophies for their accomplishments. The contest were: Most Successful Business (most profitable), Best Lemonade Stand (cutest and most creative), and Best Tasting Lemonade. They were so happy to be there, and so excited to receive their certificates and trophies.

A really important part of Lemonade Day is teaching these kids how to develop a business plan, establish a budget, seek investors, provide customer service, and give back to the community. The kids who participate borrow from investors to get the materials they need for their stand, and after Lemonade Day they pay their investors back, keep some for themselves, and/or donate some to a philanthropic cause of their choice. I was blown away at each of the different causes that these children donated part or all of their Lemonade Day earnings to. The causes ranged from kids with autism, church foundations, homeless individuals, and the zoo. Two that really touched me were three girls who donated their earnings to their friend who was diagnosed with brain cancer, and a girl scout troop who gave their earnings to their very own troop leader whose husband was in the late stages of cancer and passed away soon after. Truly Amazing. Even at a young age, these children made it very clear that they truly cared.

The 3rd place winner of the Most Successful Stand Award summed it up perfectly in her victory speech: “I learned how to run a business, be successful, and give back.”

That is truly what Prepared 4 Life’s Lemonade Day is all about.

*Iman GP-Lemonade Day Atlanta
iman@lemonadeday.org
twitter.com/LDayFunAtlanta