When you envision a young entrepreneur, she might not come to mind.

But the eight-year-old knocking on your door for the Girl Scout Cookie Sale is gaining abilities that will help her succeed in business for the rest of her life. She has to set goals, manage money and time, follow through with distribution–and even handle rejection. If that doesn’t sound like an entrepreneur, I don’t know what does!

Girl Scouts have been selling cookies for 85 years. The money earned stays within the local Girl Scout council, funding troop activities, recruitment, training, camp ground maintenance and other initiatives. That’s a pretty good investment for $3.50 a box.

I was a Girl Scout and loved it. To this day, I can tie secure knots, sing great campfire songs, and make a pretty mean s’more. The Girl Scout program is dedicated to helping girls build character and skills for success in the real world. You can do your part by helping them enjoy the sweet success of a record-breaking cookie sale.

Speaking of successful women, in this issue we feature many former eight-year-old girls who are now accomplished northshore entrepreneurs. Don’t miss their stories in the Women in Business section that begins on p.81. Odds are that more than one of them sold a lot of cookies!

Copyright 2004, M&L Publishing, all rights reserved.