Many moons ago, I was a Girl Scout who sold cookies.
It was my first experience peddling products. And although I recognize folks might have different perspectives on their own scouting experience, I really loved selling cookies to raise money for my troop. It was fun to describe the crunch of a Thin Mint to a stranger… and then watch them fork over cash.
Girl Scout cookies were my gateway drug to business. Simply by peddling Trefoils, I learned how to market, account, and close the deal on cookies. And as I grew older, I continued to sell products for various organizations. We sold candy bars for cheerleading camp. We washed cars for new soccer uniforms. Heck, we even sold frozen pepperoni pizzas for a high school senior trip to Virginia Beach. And while I never got incredibly comfortable forcing a sale, I did get comfortable with money.
Yet, as an adult on the flip side of the occasion, it’s easy to roll your eyes every time a kid asks for a dollar. Every time I see a perky twelve year old girl at a table outside a supermarket, I know I’m doomed. A dollar for a daffodil? Sure. A ten for animal cruelty? Great. A t-shirt for tiger preservation? I just can’t say no.
Yet, every time I fork over petty cash, I feel good. And, I feel especially good when I walk away with a box of Thin Mints. If buying chocolate covered cookies is the way to make a small difference in a community, I’m happy to oblige.
