She may be only 10 years old, but Derreca Love is passionate about her business – her lemonade business, that is. Bored with the usual summer routine, Derreca decided to make a difference in the lives of other Paducah kids. Her goal with her lemonade business is to raise money to purchase school supplies for kids who need them.
She may be only 10 years old, but Derreca Love is passionate about her business – her lemonade business, that is. Bored with the usual summer routine, Derreca decided to make a difference in the lives of other Paducah kids. Her goal with her lemonade business is to raise money to purchase school supplies for kids who need them.
This is no ordinary 10-year old girl. She is ambitious and a hard-working entrepreneur. After developing her initial idea, Derreca sought out the help of a family friend and created a business plan. She presented the plan to her mother in order to obtain a small loan to get the business off the ground.
“I was very impressed with her approach. She came to me with her business plan, including a list of supplies and the amount of money she needed to get her business started,” Derreca’s mother, Kimberly Yates, says. “By her second day she had already paid off her loan.”
Derreca’s lemonade stand has turned into a true community effort. She gathered valuable business advice from one of Paducah’s most well known lemonade makers, Ken’s Lemonade Stand. She also gathered a few tips on how to make fresh-squeezed lemonade. When Paper Supplies Inc. discovered what Derreca was working on they donated cups to benefit the cause.
In the short time the business has been in operation, countless individuals have stopped by the lemonade stand just to make a donation. Derreca is grateful for the support and is already learning the value of helping others.
“My mom always tells me to put other people first and blessings will come,” Derreca says.
Derreca has already learned that success doesn’t come easy. Some days are a little slower than others, but overall she has made quite an impact on the community. Not only did she pay off her business loan in the first week on the job, but she also raised just over one hundred dollars to benefit her cause that same week.
Derreca’s customers love her friendly approach to service and are always entertained by the songs she sings while working. Her charisma is contagious and certainly inspires people to come back for more.
The lemonade stand is located at the corner of 13th and Jefferson Streets. Her doors open at 10 a.m. most weekdays.
“Derreca has taught me a lot,” Kimberly says. “If you believe in what you’re doing you can really do anything.”
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