It all started at the lemonade stand.

As a child and as was the thing to do in the ‘90s, I loved having lemonade stands with my brother. We would wait for the first warm Baltimore day and then get everything ready at the end of our driveway. We vigorously mixed the Minute Maid frozen lemonade concentrate with water, carefully placed graham crackers on a plate, neatly stacked the napkins, and meticulously designed the sign advertising our sales. We thought hard about our pricing and how we would encourage potential customers to stop by.

I craved the opportunity to be a business owner.

Looking back, I realize that at a young age I craved the opportunity to be a business owner. It allowed me the chance to be independent, to lead, to innovate, and to be taken seriously. I was able to feel “adult” in those moments of selling graham crackers and lemonade. I could interact with our neighbors on a different level and in a different way than normal—I was no longer just a kid, but respected for providing a service. I enjoyed the thrill of chatting with customers and being creative in our marketing and sales tactics—always trying to improve the product and service.

As you can imagine, I also loved making a profit.

Little did I know, my parents were setting me up for a career in philanthropy.

As crazy as it sounds, the lemonade stand was where my philanthropic journey began. At the end of an afternoon at our little booth at the end of our driveway, my brother and I were eager to count our earnings. We were fortunate growing up to have what we needed plus some, and so we knew where our funds raised would go. Our parents encouraged us to give the money earned to charity. We would select a cause or nonprofit that we felt passionate about, and at a young age, we were empowered to be philanthropists. What an amazing journey that sent me on!

Although I’m sure I questioned my parents for a split second that we would have to give the money away, I understood that this was the right thing to do. That even our small earnings of $10 or $15 could have an impact on someone’s life and that other people needed it more than we did. That we could make a difference, even with just a small contribution.

It was a reminder that I’m on the right path.

I was recently at my family home going through old boxes when I found an original sign from our lemonade stand. I have been thinking a lot recently about what those lemonade stands meant to me as a child and now as an adult, and it was fortuitous that I came across this homemade sign when sifting through memorabilia. It was a reminder that I’m on the right path of building my own business in the social impact space. That the drive I felt in innovating and running my own lemonade stand would transcend decades to the present, when I am finally becoming an entrepreneur. And that the lessons learned as a young child about supporting those in need and paying it forward have left an indelible mark on me—a longstanding desire and commitment to give back. Personally and professionally.

What is your lemonade stand moment? Where did your journey truly begin?