Support a new business
My first foray into business occurred at 4. My best friend John and I started a lemonade stand. He said that if we hid the money we collected and looked sad, people would feel sorry for us and spend more money. We each made $7.50. The possibilities for future achievements were endless.
Our next business venture was a better idea, but it didn't involve money. My mom had raked up the entire front yard, so our leaf tag maze was gone. With that erasure, John and I vowed to fix what we saw as a detrimental issue in our lives. We knocked on neighbors' doors and offered to collect their leaves for free. We also offered to take their leaves off-premises, directly to my front yard. After three neighbors agreed, we saw the value in bartering. Both parties got what they wanted, but for some reason, my mom wasn't thrilled when she got home from work to find the pristine front yard covered in leaves.
After that, I quit the business of doing business for two decades. Then, in 2018, I saw a need for a bike rental business to help community members get outside. I wanted to create something that allowed easy, safe, and equitable access to the best trail in Connecticut. I wanted bike riding to focus on the freedom I felt as a kid - when I never worried about owning, storing, maintaining, or transporting a bike.
Perhaps you haven't ridden a bike in years and aren't sure of yourself. Maybe you have a bike at home and think this business won't benefit you. Although it worked when I was younger, I won't pretend to look sad. All I can do is urge you to try it.
You could dig your bike out of storage, replace old tubes, pump up the tires, hook your bike to the back of your car to find a quiet spot to ride, strap your helmet filled with spider webs, and head out with a rusty chain. Or you could stop into the shop, rent a beautifully maintained, easy-to-ride cruiser, and be on the paved off-road Farmington Canal Heritage Trail in minutes.
At the very least, it's as good of an idea as the leaf collection business.
