My First Stand (And the $4 Tip That Changed Everything)

I was 8. My table was crooked. My sign said "LEMONAID" because I forgot the silent E.

My first customer was Mrs. Patel from down the street. She handed me a $5 bill for a $1 cup and said "keep the change, boss."

That $4 tip wasn't about the lemonade. It was about her saying: *I see you trying.*

That's the whole game. Be the kind of person other people want to root for. Show up. Pour with both hands. Smile even when it's 95° and the ice is melting faster than you can sell.

The rest is just sugar and citrus.