Zach Russ was getting a little anxious when he couldn’t find a summer job.
“As a young college student, it’s tough to get a job,” he said. “I need to make money.”
Not wanting to sit at home all day, Russ decided to create his own opportunity.
It started with a hot day when the idea of a lemonade stand popped into his mind. But what he really wanted was a Freezie. But why stop there?
Soon, the 18-year-old Georgetown student was on his way to creating Zach’s Confectionery. But if he was going to do it, he knew he had to do it the right way.
Russ registered his business, got approval from the Town to set up shop in six Halton Hills parks, got insurance and approval from the Halton Region Health Department. Though it sounds like a lot of work, Russ said it all went pretty smoothly.
Then came the hard part.
“I’m a shy person. I couldn’t really imagine doing anything like this before,” he said. “You just have to force yourself out there.”
So throughout the summer, he's been in various Halton Hills parks selling chips, chocolate bars, water, pop and Freezies.
Russ said this has given him a boost in confidence and said meeting different people is now the best part of the job.
Though there are some slow days, he said it’s been very busy when he sets up at sports tournaments.
Russ said he’ll see how the rest of the summer goes before committing to it next year. But he has picked up some valuable business skills, such as keeping inventory and cost analysis. The visual arts student is now thinking about picking up a couple of business courses next year.
“It’s been a learning experience,” he said.
And if there are other students who find themselves in a similar situation, unable to find a summer job, Russ has a simple piece of advice.
“Just go for it. I thought ‘Should I do this? What if something happens?'” he said. “The more you think about it, the more likely you are to just stay at home. You’ve got to get your foot out the door and try.”
