My Entrepreneurship Story

Like most little kids, my encounters with entrepreneurship didn't extend past lemonade stands on the weekend, where I would make 15$ and use that to get my nails done at the place down the street. My younger brother took that same little-kid entrepreneurship spirit and built himself a Middle School Candy Empire. 

When my brother was in 7th grade, he noticed that all of his friends at school were obsessed with the candy Smarties. One day at Target, he bought a bulk bag of Smarties for around three dollars. Something similar to this: 

At school, he began selling individual Smarties packs for 25 cents each. Seeing as he only paid three dollars for the whole pack, and the pack he purchased contained far more than just 12 smarties (which would allow him to break even at 3 dollars), my brother quickly turned a profit. I remember him coming home from school one day with ten dollars. My mom and I thought it was the most hilarious thing ever. As the Smartie Craze continued, the teachers began to find out about his little candy ring - something that was prohibited at his school. For a few weeks he continued re-stocking his Smarties supplies and turning them for a profit, making probably around 30$ after costs before the teachers shut him down.

Although a very small example of entrepreneurship, I chose this example because it touched on what Professor Pryor said about regaining that entrepreneurship spirit we have as children. 

It's also that reason that inspired me to choose this class as my elective. As someone who really doesn't have much interest in creating my own business, I thought it would be worthwhile to perhaps take a deeper look at something I've always dismissed as either too much work, too impractical, or too daring. I hope to gain a new perspective on entrepreneurship throughout the semester.