Lemonade Stand Entrepreneur

Lemonade Stand Business

By Katie Jo

We all know what a lemonade stand is.

Some kids, with pleading puppy-dog eyes, perched behind an old card table, their sign a leftover poster board from last year’s science project. A pitcher of lemonade sweating in the summer heat. A stack of mismatched paper cups.

You stop your car, fishing out quarters from the cup holder, because—come on—you’re not heartless. You smile at their beaming faces and take a sip, secretly hoping these kids washed their hands before squeezing those lemons. (They probably didn’t.)

But here’s the thing—this is exactly how many people approach their business.

They set up shop, throw up a social media page, and cross their fingers, hoping "passersby" will throw money their way. When the trickle of sales doesn’t quite add up, they assume the solution is to make the sign bigger. "If I just run more ads… if I just post more… if I just get the right influencer to share my stuff…"

Sound familiar?

From Lemonade Stand to Business Plan

So many of us dream of running our own business. We imagine the freedom, the fulfillment, the fun (right?!). But we often skip a crucial step: figuring out how that dream translates into actual, spendable money.

Set up the stand. Price your lemonade. Hope people notice.

But hope isn’t a strategy.

As a Utah native, I’ve met countless entrepreneurial women, many of them stay-at-home moms launching businesses while balancing family life. Some are wildly successful. Others? Well, they’re running what I call "lemonade stand businesses"—passion projects funded by supportive spouses, with little thought put into profit, sustainability, or financial independence.

And listen, I get it.

When I was a freelance photographer, I quickly realized that my competitors weren’t necessarily better than me; they just didn’t have to make their businesses profitable. Their husbands covered the bills. They could afford to charge bottom-dollar rates. Meanwhile, I was a single mom, needing my business to actually sustain my life.

I remember asking a highly talented photographer about her order fulfillment process—where she printed her photos, how she structured her pricing, all the behind-the-scenes business stuff.

Her response?
"Oh, I don’t know. My husband handles all of that."

Her camera? Paid for.
Her website? Paid for.
Her software, electricity, gas, and business expenses? Paid for.

She was undeniably talented, but was she running a business? Or a very expensive hobby?

Know Your Numbers—Or Close Your Stand

If you don’t know your overhead, you don’t know your business. Period.

When you’re selling lemonade (or services, or products), you have to answer some fundamental questions:

• What does it actually cost to run my business?
  (Think: product costs, inventory, utilities, gas, shipping, marketing, software, payment processing, refunds, etc.)

• Am I pricing my product/service to cover costs, make a profit, and reinvest in growth?

• What is my highest expense, and does it bring me a return?
  (Example: I once ran a retail store where an employee suggested we spend money on matching custom case covers for the jewelry displays. Why? "Because it would look nice." True—but would it make us money? Instead, we bought $1-a-yard fabric and draped it over the cases. Same effect. Fraction of the cost.)

Now that we know what it costs to exist, the next set of questions becomes:

• How do I create business?
• How do I attract customers instead of waiting for them to find me?
• How do I stay flexible and adjust to market trends?
• What sets me apart from my competition? (Your "golden eggs.")
• How do I ensure a consistent, reliable income each month?

• 

Build a Business—Not Just a Stand

Here’s the truth: businesses don’t survive on hope. They thrive on strategy.

And I want you to thrive.

No matter who you are—a stay-at-home parent testing the waters or an entrepreneur fighting for financial independence—building a successful business takes courage. It takes a willingness to learn. It takes more than just a bigger sign and a better ad.

It takes knowing your worth, pricing your work accordingly, and creating a system that works for you—so you’re not just working for it.

Because at the end of the day, you deserve a business that’s not just a side project, but a source of freedom.

So, cheers. Drink up.

—Katie Jo

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