A Capitalist Success Story
After less than a year in business, I had 12 kids working after school and on weekends. Almost every day, I had more kids coming to me asking for jobs. It worked well, the kids could take the school bus to my house and after work, I would take all of them home.
I have never been conventional and I had a system for working the kids. Whenever I hired a new one, they were given the most menial jobs on the place. They would water and pull weeds and mow, sometimes, they would dig ditches. They hated these jobs and wouldn't do them at home, but here, they got paid and for that, they did what I told them to do. It wasn't long before these new kids, the ones doing the dirty jobs, noticed that those that had been here longer made more money and had easier jobs. I explained to them that those that made more, made it because they had taken the time to learn about what we were doing. They had studied plants so that they knew what we were selling and could sell it. They learned about landscaping and lawn maintenance. They saw that knowlege was power and they made the effort to gain the knowlege that would allow them access to easier and better paying positions.
Before long it came to my attention that I had several kids that were doing poorly in school, getting in trouble in school and out and abusing drugs or alcohol. After I found out, I gathered the kids and explained to them that their behaviors affected my business and the earnings of the other kids. I explained to them that most people didn't want to do business with troublemakers,addicts or people that just didn't try. I told them that if they couldn't at least pass in school, I would have very real concerns about promoting them in the greenhouses, or in the farm and garden supply stores that we had just opened. They understood.
As each kid did better in school, they were promoted to better jobs. Some of them were put on landscaping and lawn maintenance crews where they were paid by the job as well as receiving part of the profits. Others sold greenhouse product for commission and all of them made very good wages. We had kids that were making over a hundred dollars a day for working a few hours after school.
As other kids heard, I had a steady influx of new kids looking for jobs and the local school administrators would call me and ask me to hire their problem kids. I would hire them because I believe that every kid can succeed if you can show them that they are the ones that control their future. When they learned this, sullen and unmotivated kids became entrepreneurs They were better behaved and did better in school because they wanted people to respect them and trade with them. They were nicer and more respectful to everyone that they saw because they had learned the value of good public relations. Some of then started going to church on a regular basis. I was cynical about this, because I believed that for them, going to chuch was simply a way that they had contrived to expand their networking abilities. Whatever the reason was doesn't matter, many of them are still going, 20 years later. My kids were smart and they had changed drastically in a very short time. They could be at the grocery store and see a woman struggling with groceries and they would rush to help. I didn't see them giving out business cards, but they tell me that they did. They would donate flowers to churches, and then the rest of the congregation would come and buy them from them and they would make commissions. Thay learned that to get, you have to give and I am extremely proud of every one of them.
Over the years I have worked hundreds of kids and in that time I have discovered the very real need that people have to accomplish something. I didn''t give them anything. They worked for every benefit that they ever received and they were thrilled because they had done it themselves. There are some that would call this greed, but I called it ambition. A very large percentage of the kids that came to work for me came from second and third generation welfare families, but these kids, confident of their abilities, support themselves and the families that they now have. When they worked here, they would jokingly call me the hateful old woman, but they send their kids to work for me and that tells me all I need to know.
My story may be unique in the opportunities that I was afforded, but the principle is always the same. Everyone is capable of something and giving them the gift of knowing those capabilities is far greater than any entitlement program will ever be. My kids, all of them, believe in their ability to succeed and prosper. They understand that in the real world what you take is almost always equal to what you are willing to give They know that they can make a difference and they do, but they learned it because of one thing... capitalism.
Published by Anne Bryant
An unapologetic conservative dedicated to the United States. View profile
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11 Comments
Post a CommentWhat have we here? Those former workers of yours giving testimonials as to your greatness? You paid them, didn't you? I'll bet you made them use your computer on their work hours, huh? You FORCED THEM to say these things. You are such a fascist! COMRADE! How dare you teach, in real and quantifiable ways, the lessons of capitalism and free market economies. You are such a hater! It's the gulag for you, you proletariat hating boss! Making them work! How dare you? LOL.
Great testimony by the last 3. Anne, I believe one measure of success (true worth) is the success of those in our charge. Great story and commentary ;-) A lot to be proud of my friend.
I just heard about this, and had to come to see it. I worked for Ms. Anne for 5 years at the beginning.When I went to work, I was addicted, failing in school and had no where to live. She gave me a job and when she found out that I was living in my car, let me come to stay with her family. At first, I was really scared of her. She was blunt and demanding and wouldn't accept anything but the best. It didn't take long to find out that she held everyone to the same standards she had. She believed in all of us and that made us try harder. I graduated from med. school last year. Without Ms. Anne I would still be living in my car.
I worked for anne for seven years. She is right about being a hateful old woman but I always loved anne and have alot of respect for her... Alot of the best lessons I have learned in life were working for her or sitting at her kitchen table and discussing numerous subjects with her... This story is as true as it can be.. Many people including myself learned valuable lessons from her.. A word to people with children, don't let your children sit indoors watching television or playing video games.. Get the children outside doing chores!! Problem with children is that parents don't love them enough to teach life lessons like working for what they have. Kids need to learn a dollar earned is better than ten stolen or given to them.. Anne taught us how to work, gave us responsibility, and showed us how to work as a team.. It's a shame more people are not more like her and want to help kids instead of hindering by telling them they are not old enough or big enough.. Keep up the go
I worked for Miss Anne for two years. She is right, she did teach us that we could do anything. At the beginning, I was afraid of her, then I respected her, and now I love her. She made us grow up and learn to live in the real world. She made us valuable when no one else cared about us, and she treated all of us like we were her her own.
Anne, what a great story. I wished I'd have seen it before now. This is a fabulous object lesson in life, responsibility, respect, and self-esteem. You are one damned smart lady, and the interest you showed in those kids, taking them home after work, etc., only further serves to point out what an exemplary person you really are. I wish i lived close to you so I could give you a hug. You are a shining example of capitalism, motivation and as you demonstrated with those kids, you damn sure put your money where your mouth is. What an inspiration that the children of former employees send their kids to you. As I always say Love, proof is in the pudding! You're awesome Toots!
BRAVO!!! I taught children that were misfits. They were labeled but when you look for the good and demand specific attainable goals be met, they rise to the occassion. I love this story and think every school corporation and small business should read it. BRAVO again. This is great.
Long live medium-sized capitalism! (i.e., without the high level, cheating unscrupled CEO's!!)
Anne, you're a very wise woman and a great writer. I had a related business for 28 years: horticulture, growing, maintaining, and leasing it. I, too, hired teenagers and most of them put adults to shame with their work ethics. Too many adults jump to conclusions about teenagers instead of giving them a chance to prove themselves. In spite of what Cam said, I give you 5 stars for this article. Would give more, but can't!
Cam, the beauty is in the message....glad you were able to at least realize the significance of it..I guess all is not lost on ya ;-) Anne, what an important message and lesson here. And the crux of this was delivered during mass today, my children had the benefit of hearing such wisdom. "they are the ones that control their future" Those words ring very true and is the epitome of Freedom. And when one embarkson an endeavor and realizes the fruits of their actions and makes the appropriate positive steps..they are free. Christianity flourishes when the parishioner enters the fold Freely, that is why your young workers are still in attendance after 20-years. Why is capitalism the best system around? Because of Freedom. 5 star article Anne!