I thought the same thing to myself not long ago, because I was never thinking of becoming a businessman when I was in high school, it was something I kind of fell into. I always figured I'd become a teacher and a writer, like the rest of my family.
When I was in 3rd grade there was a local charity called Heifer Project (it's still around today) that allowed you to donate money which was symbolically converted into animals. For example, if you gave the Project $50 you could get a sheep, or something like that, and send it to a country of your choice. They sent animals to developing countries with instructors to teach the natives how to use/farm with the resources more efficiently.
Anyhow, I decided one day that I wanted to raise money for this charity, I have no idea why. So I took some collection boxes that were handed out at my school before by another charity, UNICEF. I covered them with paper and wrote Heifer Project on them, and every day at lunch for a couple weeks I'd go around to the other students and collect dimes nickels and quarters. I recruited 2 or 3 other students to help me as well.
At the end of 2 weeks I had $60 in donations, so I donated some honey bees to some African country. The faculty was so impressed (public school) that the principal made an announcement thanking everyone who had contributed over the loudspeaker in the morning.
I also did things as a kid like shoveling horse manure, selling our family's home made wildflower honey at a local corn stand, and cleaning the house to earn cash. I never had an 'allowance' I had to work for it every week. I usually squandered the money I got and didn't save it, but I suppose one lesson out of two ain't bad.
C.
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