When life gives you lemons, squeeze ’em for a profit.
The lemonade stand is going cashless as today’s tech-savvy youngsters reinvent the classic summertime fixture for the 21st century, with a cup of freshly squeezed juice now just a tap of the phone away.
And in a world where most people no longer carry pocket change, business is booming, parents say.
“Contactless payment technology with lemonade stands is making these kids a fortune,” proud mom Kareisha Hartsfield told The Post of her 9-year-old daughter Kyrei, who has netted a jaw-dropping $7,000 in lemonade sales since she was 7.
“At the end of a sales day, we probably only have $20 in cash,” the Killeen, Texas resident added.
Long Islander Doreen Farber, 36, and her 7-year-old daughter Lilly found that adapting to the new reality has paid off big time.
“A lot of people preferred to pay with Venmo,” the Plainedge mom told The Post, claiming that about 30% of their customers opted for cashless payment.
“[Lilly] was a little saleslady, going up to people to let them know they could pay that way,” Farber gushed.
The trend toward digital payment in the summer-break vending business comes as a new class of savvy young go-getters — with business skills beyond their years — begins to emerge.
The new sultans of squeeze are engaging in social media influencing, investing, marketing, advertising, online orders and even philanthropic efforts to promote their brand.
In Kansas City, Missouri, 11-year-old Amer Bharti is readying to apply for government permits to operate his juice stand in a high-foot-traffic space in his community.
Earlier this year, Bharti racked up a million views on TikTok showing off his stand, where the tenacious pre-teen sold bespoke syrup-infused lemonades.
“Start to finish, this probably taught me a lot more than school has,” the miniature macher — who made a cool $350 at his last sale in May — told The Post.
And while some of the elementary-aged entrepreneurs are charging into the future on their own strength, plenty are getting help adapting to cutting-edge financial technology.
In 2020, a nonprofit called Lemonade Day launched with the goal of helping kids learn to run their stands like a legitimate business, using in-person coaching and a handy smartphone app with administrative tools.
Across the nation, 55,000 kids have already signed up for the child-friendly crash course in modern retail business.
And the tilt toward technology seems to be a mighty motivator that hadn’t previously existed.
“The notion of ‘oh I don’t have cash on me,’ that’s not a barrier anymore,” Nicole Cassier-Mason, CEO of Lemonade Day, told The Post.
“Part of our kids’ marketing plan is designing QR codes to use . . . and they have really leaned into modern and in-depth aspects of business,” Cassier-Mason said.
Here, a closer look at the successes of three of the most talented captains of citrus — taking over their neighborhoods one pitcher at a time.
Kyrei Hartsfield, 9
Any Fortune 500 company would be lucky to have her.
The stunning amount of money Hartsfield has netted from her well-drawn-out business — she enrolled in Lemonade Day after falling in love with the process of crafting the drink — is just the tip of the iceberg.
Along with imparting financial wisdom, Hartsfield’s mom is most joyed that “customer service skills” have brought Kyrei out of her shell.
The fourth grader suffered a stroke at age 2 and needed brain surgery later in life.
She named her business Stroke Survivor Lemonade & Co. and has the loving mindset to donate a quarter of the profits to the hospital that tended to her. Tips on her tablet pay system also go to Children’s Hospital Colorado.
Another quarter of the money goes into the business — next summer the goal is to launch a food truck-style front — and the other half is saved for her mom to match at a time when Kyrei is older.
Kyrei has also grown her brand to a national level online, with nearly 1,600 followers and celebrity shoutouts from Shark Tank’s Daymond John and even two Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders, Anna Kate Sundvold and another named Kelee. Hartsfield saved up her money to go to cheer camp with them.
“She’s become a lemonade influencer,” mom Kareisha, an Army veteran, said with a smile.
Businesswise, the strong following helps lead customers to her own website, where online orders can be placed for pre-bottled drinks, which are sold in person, too. In addition to local sales in her South Dallas suburb — she’s been known to deliver her drinks on a pink scooter — Hartsfield does multiple trade shows annually.
Kareisha recalled a recent one where she sold out of about 500 units in a mere few hours.
“People were raving about it . . . coming back to get like 20 bottles,” Kareisha said of the “crazy” moment.
Right now, Kyrei is eyeing a pink Tesla to drive around and do deliveries when she’s older — a business expense, of course.
“She already knows she never wants to work for someone,” Hartsfield said. “At 9, my daughter is already her own boss.”
Amer Bharti, 11
Bharti went viral for his elaborate setup for state fair-style lemonade — a scrumptious combination of a typical recipe with additional flavored syrups for a custom-made beverage.
But doing so was no easy task. Bharti first needed an investor since saving birthday money and allowances didn’t fully cover operating costs. They included a tent, sandbags to keep it weighed down, and a special wash station that abided by local health codes in addition to the many syrups and mixes.
He did extra chores around his house for his dad, Ajay, to help “initially with cash flow” of a few hundred dollars, the father told The Post.
But the rest was all Amer. The soon-to-be sixth grader smartly opened his stand, which sold 32 ounces for $7, on the day of a homeowners association-wide garage sale on his block and got his dad out of bed at 5:30 a.m. to help set up.
“I was the one saying five more minutes,” Ajay joked.
After his successful day — he did live budgeting in between customers — Bharti is giving some money to a charity that funds school lunches as well as putting college funds away for himself and his little sister.
Next, he will strike a deal with a local convenience store to sell in its parking lot, which will require cumbersome permitting. The father and son are already preparing everything on their end to apply and meet health needs like hairnets and gloves.
And, once again, the zone Amer has in mind satisfies the most important notion of good business: location, location, location.
“There’s a lot of food trucks in that area, so that will definitely help with selling,” he said.
Lilly Farber, 7
Just miles from Wall Street, local kids like Farber are changing the game as well — learning important life lessons along the way.
The 7-year-old Long Islander is already planning a curbside Halloweentime cider stand with lessons she learned from the electronic-friendly summer stand.
Farber has already been making notes on how to improve her stand for next summer.
Her mother says these valuable moments are motivating the youngster’s goal to become an entrepreneur one day.
“She’s learning how to do business from this. She’s learning how to work with customers, how to save for her business, and also take a little for herself,” Farber said.
“Lilly has her own savings fund all ready for when she turns 18. We’re going to double whatever is in there at the time.”
And, for very sweet reasons just like Hartsfield’s, Lilly already has a philanthropic mindset when managing her profits. She has donated some of her earnings to a cerebral palsy charity in honor of her 3-year-old brother who has the condition.
Mom Doreen said, “We couldn’t be more proud of her.”
