Friday, June 15, 2012

Pitfalls Of A Young Entrepreneur

My motivated 15 year old son is attempting a landscaping/pet sitting summer business with his friend. They made colorful pamphlets and delivered them on their bikes to mailboxes within 1/4 mile radius. The ads looked good, professional even.  My sons phone number was first on the list to call.  He looked at his phone and said, "Oh crap! I missed it! We got our first call!  It is a potential customer! oh no!  I never changed my voice mail!"
which was:
"hello."... pause.
"hello?" ... pause.
"What?"... pause
"I can't hear you."...pause.
"Can you talk louder?"..pause
 "Just leave a message."
beep...
The message is so real it sounds like his voice and not a recording...and is kind of annoying because everyone falls for it... too funny, but not really funny if you are looking to hire some kid or be the kid who wants to be hired!! The guy called the next number and they have their first pricing tomorrow at 8am...

102 comments:

  1. Good for your son. He learns so much with an effort like this.

    ReplyDelete
  2. What a praise to have a motivated son! Glad things worked out. Obviously, there was a lesson learned! By the way, one of our clients, a gentleman in his 60's has the same type of message on his phone. Always good for a laugh!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Ha! Too funny, but a good lesson in business.

    ReplyDelete
  4. oh how funny! My two brothers tape recorded themselves and put at the top of the stairs...Mom...Mo-om...Mooooom!...MOM! Mom...

    She stood in the kitchen...what? what?? WHAT????

    it was so dang funny

    ReplyDelete
  5. Sooo cute! The voicemail!!! I always fell for my brother's that was similar.

    ReplyDelete
  6. waow.. thats good lesson for 15 olds to be young entrepreneur.. and ahahaha.. its so funny voicemail..

    ReplyDelete
  7. Oh no!!! That is kind of cute and funny too. Hopefully he won't lose any business from it. They might even get a kick out of his creativity and wit!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hahaha that's funny! I had the same type of msg on my phone for years, except I had the evil laugh at the end when I told them that if they left a msg I am sure I would be able to hear that. :P

    ReplyDelete
  9. Haha! one of the first business lessons he will learn, but really I think that sounds like a fun message.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Yep, it would be good for your to change that message. My son had a message like that a while back and I fell for it every time.

    ReplyDelete
  11. awwww! that totally sucks! i hope he gets a customer though! :D

    ReplyDelete
  12. awww - he sure seems a creative geniu tho :)

    (and hello on your space :))

    ReplyDelete
  13. That's a great message, although as you said, not the best for a new business.

    ReplyDelete
  14. ha, i am glad they called the second number...in college we had a similar message on the machine...good on them for being productive...

    ReplyDelete
  15. What a go getter. He will take this lesson to heart and move forward.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Good for the guys. I hope they are very successful!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Ah, yes. All the entrepeneur details. Good luck to them.

    ReplyDelete
  18. LOL aw! Cute post!

    Best wishes for them!

    Have a great weekend!

    xoxo -Shar

    ReplyDelete
  19. Haha, your blog is so funny. You hear the funny in your kids and not the annoying stupid kid sound that often comes out of them. LOVE it.

    ReplyDelete
  20. I have always said...a kid with a mower, rake or snow shovel can make money. Good luck to you young man. Smiles, Susie

    ReplyDelete
  21. Cute story :) Inspiring he's being such a great entrepreneur at a young age! Newest follower- thanks for stopping by my Friday's Fancies :)

    ReplyDelete
  22. Best wishes for your son's new venture--and tell him to keep rocking out those marketing skills ;)

    ReplyDelete
  23. You can be proud of his creativity and his ingenuity. He sounds like a great guy! I sure hope his business pans out. :D

    ReplyDelete
  24. Oh, too funny! Best of luck to your son and his friend. :)

    ReplyDelete
  25. Ah, yes, the real world has come crashing down around him. ;) Some kids figure out they should remove the earring and other jewelry (not saying your son has one), cut the hair, and get out of Facebook when they get into the business world, no matter how small the business. ;)

    All the best of luck to the two guys to make their business profitable! Young entrepreneurs rock! They are the future.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Sounds like this will be a great life lesson for your son and his friend!

    ReplyDelete
  27. I bet he's changed his voice mail really fast! He must be very inventive and motivated.

    ReplyDelete
  28. Hahaha! My brother-in-law had this greeting on his phone for awhile and my husband was fooled the first time he heard it. Best wishes to your son and his friend in their business! Good for them.

    ReplyDelete
  29. Your son seems very creative.

    ReplyDelete
  30. The lessons he learns with this will probably stick with him always! Nice to have an energetic boy!

    ReplyDelete
  31. Ha ha! I guess it is a lesson learned but it is actually a cute message!

    ReplyDelete
  32. Funny message. I'm glad the guy called the second number. Good for the boys to be so enterpreneueal.

    ReplyDelete
  33. Oh my gosh... that is too funny! I fall for those messages all the time! :) Happy to hear they have their first potential customer!

    ReplyDelete
  34. This is how financial empires get started. Someday these kids will have you rolling in clover.

    ReplyDelete
  35. Good for him and his business. Hopefully he'll get his phone message fixed.

    http://joycelansky.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  36. Oh no that is too funny. Not for your boy but kind of ironic he probably thought that message was so cool until it was a potential business call, I wonder if he'll ever put the message back on again after his work finishes. Hmmm Im thinking maybe not.

    ReplyDelete
  37. It's definitely a good lesson for him to have learned right away with his business!

    Oh yes, experience is a much better teacher than...say....MOM telling him to change his message! :)

    ReplyDelete
  38. Very clever message! I may use it...I am a retired schoolteacher, and could use some levity in my life.

    ReplyDelete
  39. We had one like that we used to crank call when I was younger, but his was very colorful language. I guess it was funny to 10 year olds then, not so much now.

    Anyhow, YAY for your sons new business! I hope he has a prosperous summer!

    ReplyDelete
  40. How funny -- my son had that message for over a year when he was in high school and I can't tell you how many times I fell for it. Sad. Good for your ambitious young man -- he's going to go places!

    ReplyDelete
  41. At least he's young and has an excuse. I hate when I call someone that is SUPPOSED to be an adult and they have something like that on their phone. Can't help wondering what their work thinks, when they call.

    ReplyDelete
  42. For sure a kid answer message...ohhh, I've talked to those before. Well, that's great they have a business. Bravo for them.

    ReplyDelete
  43. I love clever phone messages, I finally got my family to do a very cheerful message for us on the house phone where we all say a part...We have my father-in-law call it sometimes to say I just wanted to hear you guys say hello...goodbye!

    ReplyDelete
  44. Oh- it must be a boy thing! My oldest son had that for the longest time but I was never really sure if it was really him or the stupid recording! xo Diana

    ReplyDelete
  45. The voice mail is very funny, but it's not proper for business opportunity. Hope the business is going well :)

    ReplyDelete
  46. Anne Marie,
    This is great. I am so happy that you found my blog, Adorned From Above. I love your Wordless Wednesday post. Thank you for following me. I just started following you.
    Sincerely,
    Debi Bolocofsky
    www.adornedfromabove.com

    ReplyDelete
  47. This story is hilarious! I had the same voicemail in high school :). I am glad to hear everything worked out!

    Lynn
    CARMEN VOGUE

    ReplyDelete
  48. This is funny. Sounds like something my son would do.

    ReplyDelete
  49. Great learning experience. sandie

    ReplyDelete
  50. Annmarie, One time when I called my son, who at the time was 16 and living with his mother in Florida, I asked him what he was doing for fun!? He said...fun? Between working full time at the grocery store, ROTC and studying, I don't have time for "fun". He went on to say, "What worries me Dad is that I think that this may be what real (adult) life is all about." From the mouths of babes... Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

    ReplyDelete
  51. Ohhhhhhhhh that is funny!! At least they still got the client!!!!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  52. Luckily there is no, or it is not required to have any voice mail in our blog post.

    ReplyDelete
  53. How great that your son and his friend have taken the initiative to earn some cash. I wish them well!

    ReplyDelete
  54. Too bad for your son :(
    Sorry I'm late to follow back, but I was away from my Blog for few days <3

    ReplyDelete
  55. :))))
    Love your kids! The best of luck on your dear son's new venture!!
    Blessings,
    - Irina

    ReplyDelete
  56. He must have had some laughs with that message though. Good for him, setting up a business project. Clearly a young man who will go far. I wish him lots of luck.

    ReplyDelete
  57. Thanks for checking out my blog,you had a great blog,,,, the voice mail was hilarios,goodluck for your son and friend :)

    ReplyDelete
  58. Thanks for sharing this wonderful story. This makes me think of how many times I have started on something and really concentrated on it being perfect-so much so one little thing was overlooked.
    Congrats on your son getting his first client for his first business! Also have a wonderful weekend!

    ReplyDelete
  59. Hehe, a funny story with a great ending! So happy the guy rang the other number. I wish the boys success with their summer venture.

    ReplyDelete
  60. Too funny! Wishing the boys a summer full of needy lawns and pets =)

    ReplyDelete
  61. I remember when my oldest daughter did that, with flyers and all. Egad...she is nearly 33 years old.

    Good for your son.

    ReplyDelete
  62. good for him.
    I would like to be a fly on the wall in your house with all the funny stories you tell on here. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  63. That is a cool voice mail message.

    ReplyDelete
  64. What a scream. Sounds like a learning summer. Have a great weekend.

    ReplyDelete
  65. That's so exciting! Good for them! Lucked out on the voicemail thing though!

    ReplyDelete
  66. Good for you, enterprising kids are great :) I have to say that is some original voicemail message LOL.

    ReplyDelete
  67. So funny about his voicemail. He's learning, that's very good.
    Have a nice week end ;)

    ReplyDelete
  68. Bahahahaha! Got my belly laugh in for the day!!

    ReplyDelete
  69. That is hysterical! Enjoy your weekend!

    ReplyDelete
  70. An enterprising lad AND a great sense of humor! He'll go far.

    ReplyDelete
  71. This made me and my Hubby chuckle...how we love our children!

    ReplyDelete
  72. How enterprising of your son and his friend. I hope they do really well with it.
    I had to laugh at his voicemail, my daughter had one like that too and we always fell for it - very frustrating but funny too.
    Many thanks for you visit and comment on my blog - I really appreciate it :)
    Have a great weekend.

    ReplyDelete
  73. My son did the lawn care and pet sitting. I just love seeing the flyers these kids create. The teenagers love having fun with their voicemail message. LOL Good luck to your son!

    ReplyDelete
  74. Haha! That just reminds me of when I was younger I would do that! I guess every generation does it! Good Luck to him!

    ReplyDelete
  75. Tell me you secret. My grandson, age 19, isn't even motivated to get a job. He did so poorly in college last year, it's doubtful that he will go back, but he just sits in front of the TV, watching movies, or playing games, also drinking and staying out until the early morning hours, then sleeping all day. His mom and I have done everything but kick him out trying to get him to do something, even if it's only working fast food. This is a guy with personality plus, and a wonderful mind. A year ago he was so pumped to becoming a lawyer, now look. He's just wasting all that. I am about to practice some "tough love," buy him a tent and send him down to live under the river bridge. LOL!

    ReplyDelete
  76. Bahahahaha! Good lesson on being professional:)

    ReplyDelete
  77. Ha ha ha i can't stop lol!!

    ReplyDelete
  78. That's such a cool voice-mail message I'm thinking of changing mine to just that.
    Thanks for the 'follow' Annmarie, I'll keep popping over to PA to see how things are shaping up.

    ReplyDelete
  79. That is really funny! Glad the guy tried the second number!

    ReplyDelete
  80. :) Much success upon this adventure.

    ReplyDelete
  81. I have heard that message before and am always suckered in until the very end.. Dahhh.. smile..
    Good luck for your son...

    ReplyDelete
  82. lol. its funny but i can imagine the caller's frustrations and even your son's.

    ReplyDelete
  83. Looks like you have a businessman there, Momma, and he has a delightful sense of humor!

    ReplyDelete
  84. Haha- too funny! He sounds like a real professional. I am glad he got the job! I am hysterical!

    ReplyDelete
  85. Congratulations to your son & friend on getting their customer. Sometimes you have to learn the hard way to not make the same mistake twice.

    ReplyDelete
  86. Ha! A friend of mine in high school had a voicemail like that. Got me every time too!

    ReplyDelete
  87. Congrats to your son! I hope he's changed his voice mail :)

    ReplyDelete
  88. You have to admit he's got a very good sense of humor :) But I hope he's changed the voice mail if he wants to grow his business.

    Hugs

    ReplyDelete
  89. Haha that is too hilarious. I bet it is super convincing!

    A Southern Drawl

    ReplyDelete
  90. awesome XD i guess i will never change my mailbox from the standart one!

    ReplyDelete
  91. HA ha!
    my voice message is worse!
    Mine goes something like this:

    Oh hell I ain't had time to put a proper message on here... so just leave me a message and at some point I'll get back to you!

    ReplyDelete
  92. aww... glad that things are working out anyways!

    ReplyDelete
  93. It's a good thing they had foresight to leave two numbers and the other young person had a more user friendly phone? Good luck to the young men. It's hard enough for adults out there, they need even more perseverance.

    ReplyDelete
  94. Too funny! My 12-year-old is the entrepreneur of the house, determined to follow on his mom's footsteps (I owned a translation company). He is such a good salesperson! It is too funny... not so much when he endlessly tries to negotiate punishments! Thanks for following my blog, and I will do the same for you!!! Have a peaceful Sunday.

    ReplyDelete
  95. Pretty cute for a kid to think of a way how to earn his own money. A very responsible thinking.

    ReplyDelete