Young entrepreneur hits the streets of Eston
By Joan Janzen
Do you need to be an adult to become an entrepreneur? Wayne Bernard doesn’t think so. This Grade 4 student from Eston was in bed thinking about ice cream and how awesome it would be if it could be delivered to him on a cart. And that’s how his story begins.
Like all entrepreneurs, Wayne was willing to work overtime or at least past his bedtime. He drew a diagram of a cart and showed his parents, who began helping him look for materials.
Wayne Bernard hits the streets of Eston, ringing his bell and selling treats to hungry and thirsty customers. PHOTO BY HELENKA BERNARD
“The plans I drew didn’t work out, so I got an old bike trailer and cut the materials off of it,” Wayne explained. “I tried different options. It was hard to find what I needed and the tools to build it.”
He discovered the cooler box was too large, but then his mom came to the rescue, suggesting they make a roof with a pull-down front. “It is a work in progress,” Wayne admitted.
Wayne is still dreaming about ice cream. “I’m not selling ice cream yet; it melts in the box, and I have to find a way to get dry ice,” he said. But he is selling pop, iced tea, freezies, water, as well as candy bags that he makes up in advance. “I try and see what is in demand,” the businessman reasoned.
He puts a small amount of water in his cooler box and freezes it before his mom helps him fill it with ice. Like most entrepreneurs, Wayne already has a busy schedule. So when he’s not attending school, swimming, or playing ball, he hits the streets of Eston selling his goods.
Folks in town will hear him coming as he rings his bell, which he plans to improve. “I got the idea to record my bell sound and play it on a speaker,” he said.
You might be curious about what Wayne plans to do with his hard-earned money. Well, he has a business plan. “I wanted to save up for a game, but then I realized I need a better cart to sell ice cream,” he said. “So now I’m saving up for a cart or a box that won’t melt my ice cream.”
You can be assured Wayne won’t be satisfied until he’s selling ice cream to his customers. And his parents are so proud of him.
His mom, Helenka, said, “I’m so proud of this kid! He went as far as saying when he’s not busy, he’ll use the cart to shop for people.”
Now there’s an entrepreneur who is interested in serving people, and as a result, his business will prosper. All the best to you, Wayne! Listen for the bell, folks, and be sure to have some cash in your pockets.