...for entrepreneurship

What do you get when you add a young lady with a vision, a candy machine, and a pop machine?




Well, a young lady with a horse, of course!!




...and now for the rest of the story!

Marlee is a saver and an investor. She began saving her money from the beginning. Any bit of cash she made through odd jobs or received through gifts was immediately placed in her savings account.

An opportunity arose about two years ago for her to purchase a candy machine. (She and David actually purchased them together.) They went to several different businesses to evaluate how much traffic the stores received and whether or not the candy machines would do a good business. They took into consideration other candy machines already on the premises, as well as your typical snack machines. After deciding on where they would place the machines, they approached the business owners to ask permission.

The business owners were delighted with these young entrepreneurs (duh, they are cutest kids you have ever seen!), and agreed for them to have their candy machines placed in the businesses. Every week, the kids would go down to the stores, check the machines, clean them, and empty the change boxes.

After tithing, they would take their proceeds and place them in their savings account. Their Dad helped them keep track of the bookkeeping side of things.

After a year or so, another opportunity arose. This time for a pop machine. The kids were consulted, but David wasn't too thrilled with having to fork out the amount of cash that it would take to buy the machine and fill it. So, Marlee had a big decision to make. Did she use up most of her profits for this new solo venture, or did she pass it up? She chose to take the risk.

The pop machine does much, much better than the candy machines, and Marlee has been dutiful to save, save, save. In a little less than a year, she saved up enough money to buy her own horse! She looked through all the want ads she could get her hands on. She (along with Mom and/or Dad) looked on Dream Horse. She made lots of phone calls! A friend of hers (Hi, Abbey!) sent her a check list of questions to ask sellers, and ask them she did!

We took her to see a couple of different horses, but they just weren't the ones. Eventually, she came across a fine horse. We went to see this horse, and have Marlee ride him. He is older, but very well trained. He is an excellent horse for her to start on. He is very responsive, and has excellent ground manners. He doesn't know his name, but hey - that's okay!

After returning home, and 'talking business' with Dad, she was given permission to contact the seller. She called the gentleman that had the horse for sale, and she wheeled and dealed. She made an offer, he gave a counter offer, and they decided to meet in the middle. Her Dad did help with the finalization of the sale, but for the most part Marlee did everything herself.

We are thrilled, she is happy, and for all this we give all the glory, honor, and praise to our Lord for a wonderful daughter and for allowing Bart to join our family!