Lemonade Day Proves to Have Long-Term, Positive Impact on Nation’s Economy and Social Wellbeing

By Steven Gordon, Lemonade Day National President

“If Lemonade Day doesn’t work, America won’t work.” —

Jim Clifton, Chairman and CEO of Gallup, excerpt from remarks at Gallup and Lemonade Day's 2nd annual youth entrepreneurship briefing on Jan. 17, 2019 at Gallup World Headquarters, Washington, D.C.

Steven Gordon and Jim Clifton

Steven Gordon, President Lemonade Day National (L) and Jim Clifton, Chairman & CEO Gallup

 

What a powerful statement of support for the long-term value and impact that Lemonade Day makes in the formative years of a child’s life, for the nation’s economy and for society as a whole! Jim Clifton and Gallup know what motivates and matters to people, companies, countries, economies, government entities and organizations of all types all over the world.  Gallup is known for public opinion polls, research, analysis and consulting.

Lemonade Day national board members, Lemonade Day national headquarters staff and I had the honor of Gallup’s involvement as a co-host of our second annual briefing on the impact that positive youth entrepreneurial experiences have on influencing kids to start businesses in the future and to create jobs. This event on January 17 at Gallup World Headquarters in Washington, D.C. attracted community leaders, parents, college students, educators, business founders and executives, and young business owners with Lemonade Day experience as well as teens considering business opportunities.

The event opened with my presentation that explained what Lemonade Day is, how it started, the impact Lemonade Day makes and why the need to inspire young people of today to start businesses of tomorrow is so critical. For a copy of my PowerPoint presentation, please send an email to info@lemonadeday.org.

 

Steven's Presentation

An extra special surprise guest who joined our group for a fireside chat with Joe Daly, Gallup partner and Lemonade Day national board member, was U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos. Secretary DeVos, who is recovering from serious injuries she sustained in a recent bicycle accident, shared some of her early experiences of working in her father’s business in Michigan. She also shared her perspective on encouraging kids to take more risks and advising parents and grandparents to be less “helicopter” oriented. To the audience from the stage, she said, “I wish I could be with you all day” because she found Lemonade Day and its mission very interesting.

 

Betsy DeVoss

 

Follow these links to read some of the blogs and articles written by several Washington, D.C.-based reporters and editors related to the fireside chat and Secretary DeVos’s comments.

http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/campaign-k-12/2019/01/devos-entrepreneurship-risk-school-lemonade.html

https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2019/01/17/betsy-devos-first-public-appearance-after-bike-accident-criticizes-helicopter-parents-who-obsess-safety-security/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.3753f1dcbe8d

https://www.politico.com/story/2019/01/17/devos-bicycle-accident-wheelchair-1108564

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/education-secretary-betsy-devos-recovering-in-wheelchair-from-bicycle-accident-injuries

The number of people to thank for planning, hosting and attending this event is well above 100. Over the next weeks and months, our Lemonade Day team will be sharing video highlights and photos from the event. Lemonade Day and Gallup leaders are looking at ways to make the Lemonade Day-Gallup co-sponsored youth entrepreneurship event even bigger in 2020.

I will ask every one of you reading this blog to consider how you can become more involved in Lemonade Day’s goal of attracting 250,000 mentors to support millions of kids in engaging in the Lemonade Day “microbusiness development” process by 2023. We are growing, thanks in large measure to amazing supporters like you.

As always, I welcome your comments, suggestions and questions. Please email me anytime at Steven@LemonadeDay.org.

For more information about Lemonade Day, please visit lemonadeday.org.

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