Katie started her first Lemonade Day stand in 2014. Her bicycle had been stolen from her porch, and she wanted a new one. She'd heard about Lemonade Day at school and decided that was the ticket to earning money. 

Katie talked to her uncle about helping her with the stand and serving as her investor. He was skeptical at first, but Katie proved herself willing to work hard and sell her fresh-squeezed lemonade like a pro. She hired her staff, trained them and paid them as promised. She paid back the investment in her stand and the fee from the landlord that “leased” the space for her stand in the parking lot of a very busy car wash. Katie did so well that in the end, she had enough profit to buy her new bicycle, support her basketball team fundraiser and give a nice donation to Lubbock Impact, her favorite charity. The experience was inspiring to Katie, and she promptly began to plan for her next stand.

For Lemonade Day 2015, Katie was ready to up her game. Her goal was bigger: she wanted to go to the Texas Tech Lady Raider Basketball Camp.

Katie decided to add smoked brisket, pork sandwiches and her very own “Awesome Sauce” to the menu. She also added marketing on Facebook and handed out business cards that proudly proclaimed: “Katie’s Lemonade, as seen on Lemonade Day.” Katie’s landlord liked the idea of having the stand at the car wash again because it helped create even more customers for the business. Katie had a theory: “Adding BBQ was definitely a plus because the smell of the BBQ drew people to the stand and had them coming back for more!” Katie achieved her goal and attended the basketball camp of her dreams. She also contributed to Lubbock Impact once again.

In 2016, Katie went all out and took on a bigger risk with Lemonade Day. No longer skeptical about her commitment, Uncle Larry helped Katie with a loan for her own catering trailer. She took her trailer to the car wash on a rainy day, and her marketing and reputation paid off. There was a steady line until everything had sold out. Katie’s profit for the day was a whopping $1,200.

Katie thinks of herself as a full-fledged businesswoman now. She evaluates what her customers want and gives them plenty of service. She now caters throughout the year along with setting up her business on Lemonade Day. Her goal is to pay off her trailer and save money for college.