Our youngest two boys, Max and Charles, launched Mcaide last weekend. It's a homemade arcade experience they developed and includes Fish Toss, Clown Toss, Basket Hoop, Touchdown, and Flick Soccer. They hosted Jen, Stone, and I to an exclusive opening last Sunday and the three of us competed in their series of games while they hosted and ushered us through. They wore costumes and had a menu for food items they would serve us during our experience. You accumulate points from the games that can be exchanged for prizes including gum, a remote control helicopter, and other items.
During the week, they opened up Mcaide to a couple neighborhood friends. After the first day, however, local authorities had to halt the operation when it came to their attention kids had spent up to $50 in the arcade. However, after consultation with each participants supervisor, operation was resumed and some refunds were issued. The neighborhood friends are still working hard to accumulate points in order to redeem some coveted items from the store (namely the remote control helicopter - an unused Christmas gift found in a closet).
Each of the boys have also earned some funds the past few weeks by writing notes to Grit Camp signups and delivering merch the past couple weekends. On top of the kids regular academic and spiritual education, it's great to see them learning and navigating the world of entrepreneurship and customer service. It's helpful for them to learn at a young age that their time and efforts can be redeemed for currency (even though more of those funds are used for video game 'battle passes' that I would care to admit). It's a simple formula for the real world to find a need or interest people have, find a way to fulfill it in a cost effective way, and then deliver on what you promise. At the end of the day, that's what every future career will require and this is something it's important for each of us to remember. Sometimes as adults we seem overcomplicate things, ha.
My challenge for us this week is to follow the lead of these young people and be creative and find a way to add value to other people's lives...and you just might make some money along the way as well! Have a great week!