Simone Squash: The Backstory

            

Simone Squash: The Backstory

    Simone always looked up to her older brother. She smiled when she remembered Stanley starting his dog-walking service, his first business. Although just eight-years old, Stanley knew how to communicate with his clients, how to make them feel valued. Of course, that translated into happy dogs, ones who seemed to hover near the front door, anticipating Stanley’s arrival. He even had a waiting list!
     Viewing those interactions made Simone long to also become a business owner. During middle school, one of her teachers required the entire class to find ways to help others. Simone chose to organize a neighborhood event to gather gently worn clothing and shoes from Ocean Lane and nearby Pineapple Lane families to share with homeless shelters. Simone anticipated it would take her four weekends to collect enough items to fill up a bin. In fact, that occurred in two weekends because the community embraced her quest to enrich the lives of homeless individuals and families. People cleaned out their drawers and closets and joyfully assisted Simone in transporting the clothing and shoes to the drop-off locations.
     Simone’s startling success caused her to evaluate what motivated others to assist her. Completing her mission seemed to be important to them, too. After some time of reflection, Simone realized that she was a natural motivator. Her enthusiasm for the task-at-hand radiated to others, inspiring them to ask if they could assist her.
     With that awareness, a few years later, Simone began planning her first moneymaking business. Simone combined her strong organizational skills with her zest for motivating people to succeed despite the odds. “Success with Simone” was born.  Its core goal was to ensure that middle-school children successfully set and achieved personal and academic goals. Each middle-schooler received brief individualized daily and customized weekly sessions, ones that helped them to establish and evaluate goals in all aspects of their lives. Her planning skills truly paid off! Kids’ lives were transformed, and Simone was able to set aside the money she made to pay for part of her future tuition to Fruitland University.