The Lakeside Lemonade stand at Pinecrest Lake has employed many business practices that are universal. What is it about selling lemonade that brings you back to the fundamentals? Even Donald Trump used the lemonade stand in 2004 as the very first test on the premier of The Apprentice.
As a business, it’s pretty easy to get started. There’s plenty of time during summer vacation, Mom provides the equipment and the inventory, and the location is generally in your front yard. A piece of paper quickly makes a sign and, voilà, you’re in business.
So, what makes Lakeside Lemonade stand out from the crowd? Here are 10 things I observed first-hand during my five-minute rest.
1) Be passionate – As I previously discussed, the owners showed passion about their business. With energy and enthusiasm, they took pride in what they had done and the opportunities that were ahead.
2) Location, location, location – The business was in a beautiful lakeside setting, in the heart of one of the most heavily-travelled parts of the trail. Another stand we had passed was set up in a more remote setting, up the hill from the lake. Needless to say, sales were not brisk.
3) Invest in your facilities – The business looked successful. Signs clearly displayed prices, ice was close at hand, a new cash box made handling money much more efficient, and the “Recycling” and “Compost” waste bins were clearly marked to show the customer how to keep things “green”.
4) Engage your customer – They were eager to engage people in conversation and lead customers into making more of a purchase than they probably intended.
5) Educate your customers – Nutritional information was clearly displayed for those who may have had concerns about what was in their Country Time Lemonade or Chips Ahoy cookies.
6) Listen to your customers – As a result of listening to their customers, Lakeside Lemonade had added cookies to their previous single offering of lemonade.
7) Provide an experience – Chairs and benches, complete with seat cushions, were available for hikers to take a brief rest while enjoying their refreshments. The enthusiastic banter from the owners welcomed each new customer and helped create buzz among people passing by. One customer even commented, “This time I brought my wallet with me.”
8) Give people options – Lemonade was available in two sizes, with or without ice. Cookies were priced at 25 cents each, but you got one free with the purchase of four.
9) Provide employee incentives – One of the business operators commented that he had just arrived 10 minutes ago from back east. To my comment that he had already been put to work, one of the owners responded, “Hey! I’m giving him part of the profits.”
10) Look for expansion opportunities – Just as these entrepreneurs had used customer feedback to add cookies to their product line, they were also enthusiastic enough to think there were more opportunities available (new products, new locations, etc.)
I’m sure there are other bits of business insight that you could take away from a visit to Lakeside Lemonade. I encourage you to stop by on your next visit to Pinecrest. But hurry, school starts in a few weeks and these business owners will be in recess.
It was a perfect day to get out of the sweltering valley heat. On a somewhat “typical for July” 102-degree day at home and the Sierras only an hour-and-a-half away, my wife and I decided to drive up to Pinecrest Lake for the day. At about 11:00, we decided to take the 4-mile hike around the lake. The weather was perfect, the lake was filled to the brim, and the river was rushing into the inlet. There were also several hundred other people who had the same idea as we did, so the trail was crowded with weekend warriors.
Note the consumer information and the "free water for your dog".
At about the 3-mile mark for us, we came across an oasis… Lakeside Lemonade. Oh, we had hiked past a lemonade stand earlier on our hike, but we weren’t compelled to stop. This stand was different, though, as three energetic entrepreneurs (Cal, Beth, and Carter) had set up, not just a lemonade stand, but a business. We pulled up a seat in the cushioned chairs they provided and soaked in the things that made this stand different.
These kids had put together a customer experience for the weary mountain trekker, so much so that they had created their own marketing buzz. As one family walked up, the father blurted out, “We’ve heard about you!” What entrepreneur doesn’t cherish hearing those words?
I took note of the business principles that had been employed in this operation. Of course, they had a desirable product in a great location. But, they had also employed creative pricing practices, customer care services, and consumer information. They had even “gone green” with their “Recycling” and “Compost” waste baskets.
Yet, even with all of these practices in place, one thing stood out that made their business very difficult to copy.
PASSION!
These entrepreneurs had an engaging energy that was fueled by their desire to make this business work, as evidenced by the tremendous pride they took in what they had accomplished. They told us how they had added cookies to their product offering as a response to customers’ suggestions last year. Their faces beamed when they showed us the cash box they had invested in with part of their profits.
To all business owners…!!!
Remember the passion you had for your business when you first started it? The pride you felt in your product or services to your customers? The enthusiasm you had when you went to work each day, if you could even call it work?
Do you still have it? If not, take a hike… around Pinecrest Lake, and get reenergized. Your business will thank you.
To Cal, Beth, and Carter… With your parents’ permission, I would love to add your picture to this article. They can email me at mfox@gccpas.net and we’ll work it out. I wish you all the best and congratulate you on a successful venture. I look forward to seeing what you have in store next year. Who knows, maybe a franchise on the other side of the lake?
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