When I was 8, I started a greeting car business called "Andrea's Cards -- Cards Made Quick!"  It lasted about two years.  This past winter I tried to start a snow shovelling business with my 10 year old brother after we had a really big snow, but we only had a chance to shovel one driveway and then it never snowed again!  I have also shared tables in craft fairs where I sold my own products as well as baby quilts that I made with friends.  Right now, my goal is to start a gift basket business, which I would like to continue operating all through high school and college, and maybe even after I graduate!

     Having experienced all the preparation my 17 year old brother has gone through, getting ready to attend college in the fall, filling out scholarship forms and other applications, I have come to realize that it is very important to prepare for college and your future, even if it seems like it's years away.  I've found that what you do as a kid can affect your entire life!  The more you do when you are young, whether it's community service, being a good student, or just being responsible, the better off you will be in the future.

     My hope is that I will be able to establish a profitable home business so I can make donations to some of my favorite charities and help those in need.  I also hope my story will be an inspiration to kids who want to start their own businesses, just as I have been inspired by other young entrepreneurs.

     There's no better time than the present.  I know that the more I work to achieve my goals now, the more likely I am to be able to reach my bigger goals in the future.