The Entrepreneur
- January 5th, 2009 12:45 am
When my husband Adam was in elementary school, he started a contraband franchise of sorts. Deciding that at age 9 he needed to start making money to buy baseball cards with, he saw fit start an underground candy business. Everyday when his mother would drive his babysitter home, they would stop at a small grocery store. Adam would run in and get whatever she needed, and then purchase a bit of candy.
He started small, you see. Only selling candy to the people in his class. A few blow pops here and there. However, when he saw the potential for the booming underground candy business, he upped the ante. He began toying with all sorts of candies: Jawbreakers, Snickers, Gum, Gummi Rings, you name it; he had it.
There were none of those nasty cellophane wrapped peppermints. No butterscotches or chewing gum. This wasn’t your grandma’s purse that we’re talking about, it was a serious candy business.
From what I understand, nerds were the gateway candy. It all started with nerds. Eventually, the nerd buyers would get into harder candy like Blueberry blow pops and Cry Babies. Soon, they were hooked on chocolate. Then finally, pushing their limits and hoping for the best, he got them hooked on the good stuff, Bubble Gum. The ultimate no-no in a school full of children. As it was, the price that an elementary school kid would pay for an unscathed piece of bubble gum was matched by no other. It was like heroine for fourth graders.
It was a rule of thumb that you could get the most money out of a child that wasn’t allowed to have any sort of candy at home.They would spend their lunch money on a quick sugary fix and love every minutes of it.
As business continued to grow, it was time for expansion. So he opened small candy franchises in each of the classrooms in his grade. He had one guy in each class that was responsible for selling the candy for him, and the guy selling it would get a cut of the profit or receive their payment in candy. But ultimately, all decisions concerning the candy went back to Adam. Eventually, he had tons of candy and money in circulation at his small elementary school. He was easily bringing home $30 a day, which is big time when you’re 9 years old and it’s the 80’s.
Business was booming for quite a while, for a year or two, Adam was the candy master of Keavy Elementary. Lunch money for Lemonheads, that was his game. He paid his teacher and employees off with candy. There was a hierarchy to the business, not unlike a mob, and if one of his employees happened to short him money, there were lackeys from his class to give them a stern talking to in the bathroom.
One faithful day, when supply was low and demand was high, Adam’s mother noticed the excessive amounts of candy he was hauling out of the small grocery store. After all, it is kind of strange when a kid is carrying around two large grocery bags filled to the top with sugary sweetness. After being questioned, he had to spill the beans.
As business owners, Adam’s parents were proud of his work ethic and ingenuity. He had set up a successful business with rules and principles. However, they couldn’t knowingly send him to school to illegally sell candy. So they shut it down.
Obviously, when supply was cut, the candy business ended. Many students were left jonesing for a candy buzz that Adam could no longer deliver. Soon after, in the wake of the destruction of his candy empire, Adam began selling wallet size school pictures of himself to female admirers; which is another story for another day.
PS. You can click over here and pick Amanda Hill, if you want. I won’t be offended.
January 5th, 2009 @ 1:45 am
I was on Yahoo and found your blog. Read a few of your other posts. Good work. I am looking forward to reading more from you in the future.
Tom Stanley
[Reply]
January 5th, 2009 @ 2:37 am
Are you fer real? Tell me you’re not fer real? How kewl is that?
Fleas last blog post..Toffee Is Keeping Me Awake
[Reply]
January 5th, 2009 @ 3:07 am
Holy Geez. I was trying to figure out how to tie my shoes in grade school… LOL!
Sheilas last blog post..ChipIn
[Reply]
January 5th, 2009 @ 4:25 am
Underground businesses are where it’s at. I have the ability to duplicate anyones handwriting and this started a lucrative side business writing excuse notes in high school. $5 anote adds up pretty quickly in a school of 1100
[Reply]
January 5th, 2009 @ 7:08 am
Are you guys like secret millionaires now then?
Vics last blog post..Vic the Vampire
[Reply]
January 5th, 2009 @ 9:14 am
Oh we had an Adam in Junior High. It was heavenly. And the guy at our school at dealers at one point. When the ring got busted… it was not pretty.. but they did not care because their wallets were full.
Kims last blog post..Weekly Winners
[Reply]
January 5th, 2009 @ 9:14 am
OK – that is awesome – that ROCKS…POP ROCKS, that is!!!!
Lauras last blog post..Bashert
[Reply]
January 5th, 2009 @ 9:16 am
I think every school has a candy kingpin. We had one or two people in junior high who made a killing off of selling Jolly Ranchers, but nothing on Adam’s scale!
Crystals last blog post..A Day of Rest
[Reply]
January 5th, 2009 @ 10:05 am
InGEnious. No wonder you married him.
Angie [A Whole Lot of Nothing]s last blog post..Ass Hairs and Other Stuff
[Reply]
January 5th, 2009 @ 10:44 am
I’m impressed!! That’s awesome. What a smart kid. Is he still that entrepreneurial? (that’s a word I always have to look up how to spell)
Rheas last blog post..Doodling Legos…Forms of Art.
[Reply]
January 5th, 2009 @ 10:51 am
I work in an elementary school…your husband would SO be my favorite student. Great story.
[Reply]
January 5th, 2009 @ 10:52 am
Eeek!
As a step-parent of two sugar sensitive kids, this makes my skin crawl.
However, I’m impressed.
And I’m wondering if there’s not an entrepreneurship going on at the kids’ school with these little Bakugone toys. I don’t really know how to spell that. But for some reason Tyler keeps coming home with more and more of those little guys.
Hmm.
I s’pose our own antics are the best ways to be clued in on our kids’ antics!!!
Miss Ashs last blog post..The problem with being a blogger…
[Reply]
January 5th, 2009 @ 11:02 am
I so totally wasted my time getting paid to do other kids homework. Adam? Is a genius.
Burgh Babys last blog post..Not Exactly What I Would Call "Layering"
[Reply]
January 5th, 2009 @ 11:14 am
Now that’s a cool kid. I wish I had been that smart.
lceels last blog post..Habituated
[Reply]
January 5th, 2009 @ 11:44 am
I remember the candy dealers at my school too.
That’s brilliant
[Reply]
January 5th, 2009 @ 12:43 pm
Darn Parents… always spoiling the fun! Part of me hopes my two 8 year olds would come up with such a great idea and another part of me prays they won’t!
Jamie
PolkaDotMommys last blog post..ALLI?!?!?!?!
[Reply]
January 5th, 2009 @ 1:14 pm
I am impressed with his business. We never had candy dealers in our school but we had the other kind of dealer, even in 7th grade. I hope that your daughter doesn’t get any bright ideas about opening a candy smuggling ring.
WickedStepMoms last blog post..I resolve
[Reply]
January 5th, 2009 @ 1:18 pm
I bet you bought one of those pictures, didn’t you?
I love this story.
Rees last blog post..Mute Monday – W
[Reply]
January 5th, 2009 @ 2:49 pm
We have these kids in the high school where I teach. I want to strangle them! Wrappers on the floor, half-chewed jelly beans stuck to the undersides of desks, the awful SMELL of grape-flavored Jolly Rangers…argh.
But $30 a week when I was 9? I’d totally do it!
NGSs last blog post..45 x 365 #55
[Reply]
January 5th, 2009 @ 4:40 pm
My husband has a similar story but his involved selling cans of soda. haha!
punk rock moms last blog post..Thee List
[Reply]
January 5th, 2009 @ 5:22 pm
That is pure adolescent genius right there.
ashs last blog post..Feelin’ Fine in ‘09 and my 100th post.
[Reply]
January 5th, 2009 @ 6:03 pm
Honest to God, my brother did the same thing in middle school. He sold all candy he’d buy at Sams for five cents cheaper than you could buy in the school’s machines. He was the self-made man, too.
Of course I voted – and I did it this morning.
[Reply]
January 5th, 2009 @ 6:26 pm
lovingdanger,
I agree. I was awesome at this.
-Amanda
[Reply]
January 5th, 2009 @ 6:27 pm
punk rock mom,
The soda market was a difficult one to crack. I am impressed.
-Amanda
[Reply]
January 5th, 2009 @ 6:28 pm
wickedstepmom,
I worry that she will. She is quite the little schemer.
-Amanda
[Reply]
January 5th, 2009 @ 8:34 pm
Oh my gosh that is both hilarious and inspiring. My friend’s daughter just got caught by her parents for selling condoms for a buck each at her high school. Her mom almost died when she found out what had been going on. LOL She didn’t know if she should be mad or proud. Probably just like Adam’s parents.
The Flirty Girls last blog post..Blue Soled Bridal Shoes
[Reply]
January 5th, 2009 @ 8:36 pm
Just voted for ya! Good luck on the contest
)
The Flirty Girls last blog post..Blue Soled Bridal Shoes
[Reply]
January 5th, 2009 @ 9:08 pm
I tagged you for an award on my blog. Congrats.
Ginas last blog post..I GOT AN AWARD!!!!!!!!
[Reply]
January 5th, 2009 @ 9:59 pm
Wow, what a genius. Did he grow up to be like, Steve Jobs or someone amazingly rich and brilliant in business?
[Reply]
January 5th, 2009 @ 11:56 pm
LOLOLOLOLOLOL. i must meet this man some day.
billy is really “business minded” and always coming up with new ideas (that i deem ridiculous) then 5 months later, they’ll be selling the idea on tv and i’ll be like… “woops.”
kalens last blog post..Graduate school orientation
[Reply]
January 6th, 2009 @ 2:28 am
I’d like to see some ROI figures for this business since I presently have two industrious boys in elementary school who could benefit from this concept. I’m afraid their profits might be eaten away by, well by them of course!
Bob Maiocco in Denver Real Estates last blog post..Adrienne Adams Joins DenversRealEstateNews.com
[Reply]
January 6th, 2009 @ 1:26 pm
Ah a mob-boss in the making. His parents must’ve seen too many badda-booms in that future.
[Reply]
January 6th, 2009 @ 1:57 pm
That’s kind of totally awesome.
zandors last blog post..Stop. Drop. Roll.
[Reply]
January 6th, 2009 @ 3:57 pm
What a genius! And what a great story!
Nadines last blog post..Breathe. Walk. Walk fast.
[Reply]
January 6th, 2009 @ 4:13 pm
I want to know more about the selling of his picture!
He’s so ingenious! I had the idea once to start a band in elementary school, but I never did make any money off of it.
Jennifer, Playgroups are no place for childrens last blog post..Let me tell you how I really feel about potty training
[Reply]
January 6th, 2009 @ 6:37 pm
I really wish I hadn’t been so scared of the authority figures when I was a kid… *sigh* I missed out on so much!
Jenas last blog post..Chalice by Robin McKinley
[Reply]
January 6th, 2009 @ 9:39 pm
Maybe it’s a Louisiana thing, but the teachers sold us candy and cokes and gum at recess….hmm. Either way, your husband is brilliant.
[Reply]
January 7th, 2009 @ 9:37 am
We had one of those kids in school, too. He was so popular. Question: think your hubby will teach your kids to do the same?!
Gibbys last blog post..After the Smoke Clears
[Reply]
January 7th, 2009 @ 4:58 pm
I had a kid like that in school. It was mostly gum. He had an entire duffle bag full of it. The markup was usually 200%.
Above Average Joes last blog post..No Time Wasted
[Reply]
January 7th, 2009 @ 5:28 pm
I want to know what his gang’s colors were. Did they have a handshake? Did guys get “jumped in”, double-dutch style? Cuz dude, that’s hard.
[Reply]
January 7th, 2009 @ 7:37 pm
LOL. adam sounds awesome.
[Reply]
January 7th, 2009 @ 7:39 pm
Wow! He should go on Oprah!
And, thanks for mentioning candy….*JONESING*
Haley-Os last blog post..Yoga Mama Drama….
[Reply]
January 9th, 2009 @ 4:53 pm
Oh man, I wish we had someone like your husband in my 4th grade class. No such luck though. I’m sure my parents are glad though. Probably cut down on the dentist bills.
Tabitha (From Single to Married)s last blog post..Bloggies
[Reply]
January 9th, 2009 @ 11:43 pm
I remember buying Lemonheads and Apple Jolly Roger’s from a kid in third grade. Those were great days. I liked candy that was so sour or tart that my eyes would pop out of head.
Probably explains my taste in beer and wine now.
[Reply]
March 3rd, 2009 @ 5:20 am
Hello webmaster
I would like to share with you a link to your site
write me here preonrelt@mail.ru
[Reply]