According to the Girl Scouts, troops sell around 200 million boxes of cookies to the tune of $800 million every year. Unlike similar youth sales programs, 100 percent of the net revenue stays with their local councils. It's up to the girls to decide how their troop money is spent. Girl Scouts are budding entrepreneurs who embody the type of success many business owners never fully grasp. From setting goals to tackling financial literacy, Girl Scouts are growing up to become tomorrow’s business leaders.
Here are some lessons we can all take home.
Set Realistic, but Ambitious Goals
One of the top skills Girl Scouts promotes is goal setting with the motto, "I know I can do it." Girl Scout troops team up to work together to set a goal for their cookie selling season and figure out how to spend the money from donating to an animal shelter to a troop excursion. Many business owners set such unattainable goals they run out of steam before they can start scaling. Set small but ambitious goals that can be met to keep the momentum going and working toward the broader picture.
Adapt with the Times
Girl Scouts started out going door-to-door to sell cookies throughout their community. As technology evolved, so did the Girl Scouts business strategy. Today’s troops still do some door-to-door selling, but adapted to the times and also sell online via email and their own websites. The organizations empowered their members by developing the Digital Cookie e-commerce tool to sell more cookies in a wider variety of places.
The troops learn about running a modern business with hands-on experience in digital marketing, online customer service and tracking their goals and sales through a digital dashboard. Businesses can follow the Girl Scout’s example by reviewing successful organizations to see what they’re doing right and evolve their own web strategy before choosing a website builder or hiring a developer.
Stay Confident
Even in the digital age, Girl Scouts still set up booths and engage in their community when selling their cookies. Retailers who sell online can still benefit by meeting face to face with the public at festivals, farmers markets and community events. But the Girl Scouts do more than sit around and rack up sales. They tell customers about their goals, what their troop is working on and about their plans on what to do with their revenue. Retailers and business owners can team up with a volunteer organization or non-profit to help support their mission and give back all while raising their public profile.
Group Collaboration
Being a leader means being able to make group decisions and delegate. The Girl Scouts continuously collaborate on daily goals from where they will sell cookies to who will man the booth. They also decide as a troop on what to do with their revenue like donating to a local charity. Whether you’re opening a store or selling exclusively online, it’s not a one-man show. Your staff, support and vendors all affect how you market your goods and how to reinvest the profits.
Embrace Financial Literacy
According to the National Foundation for Credit Counseling, (NFCC), only 39 percent of U.S. adults say they have a budget and keep close track of their spending. Fortunately, the Girl Scouts turn young girls into financially savvy women. Troop members learn about sales goals, net revenues and how to budget and allocate their money. When they’re done, they might even be able to teach their parents a thing or two.
You don’t have to tackle your money issues solo. Business owners who struggle with balancing their books and managing cash flow can reach out to a financial planner, corporate accountant or bookkeeper to get up to speed on how to manage their money and help keep them on track.
