Entrepreneurship: Brought to You By Fortnite

Eli and Mason’s Quest for an Xbox

Raise your hand if your kids can’t stop talking about Fortnite. Even though I can’t see it … I know you raised your hand.

Pretty much ever since the video game became the obsession of apparently every kid in the country, my sons Eli and Mason have been begging us to get them an Xbox. My wife priced it out, discovered the whole package would be somewhere around $400, and told them to put it on their Christmas list.

Turns out, that wasn’t quite soon enough for my sons. Recognizing a teachable moment, I told them if they wanted to shoot down their friends in Fortnite any time before Christmas, they’d need to find a way to earn the money. Eli was already getting a few bucks to help us pull weeds and cut the grass — the kid couldn’t wait for the grass to grow every week — but not quite enough to save up for an Xbox just yet.

Together, we came up with a plan for them to earn the money they needed. People in my neighborhood already seem to have a lawn guy, so, since my sons had previously helped their mom wash her car before, we decided to set up a mobile car wash instead.

First, they had to drum up some business, The three of us got in the golf cart and went door-to-door around the neighborhood. I sat back in the cart while they walked up, rang the doorbell, and gave their pitch. Honestly, it was awesome to watch. Over time, their speech evolved — they made sure to convey the car wash was mobile, our neighbors could schedule a time for the boys to swing by, and they weren’t charging a penny; they were only working for tips. They were even up front about what they were saving for.

I gotta give it to my neighbors; everyone was really receptive to their idea. Even the one guy who didn’t want a car wash paid them 20 bucks not to come back. Within a few days, the emails started coming. My kids organized their incoming emails and put themselves on a schedule.

When the time came, we loaded up our cart and zoomed over to the car we were washing. We grabbed soap, buckets, towels, sponges, and our hose, and we brought the whole setup to our neighbors. I worked right alongside the kids but tried not to overstep. To their credit, they did a great job, aside from the occasional times they sprayed each other “on accident” with the hose or missed a spot for me to fill in. When it came time for payment, my kids were so appreciative to our neighbors. I can tell you, these people were being extra generous with their tips. It meant a lot that they would join in on teaching my kids this valuable life lesson, and of course, the kids and I made sure that their cars were sparkling clean.

It only took them a little over a month to amass the $400, buy Fortnite, and start playing with their friends. And they’re already thinking of more ways to make and save money for the future. I’m proud of them for setting a goal and sticking to it with a solid work ethic. Honestly, I feel like this kind of thinking is a massive head start for young people who’ll enter the workforce in a few years. I can already see a budding entrepreneurial spirit in my kids, applying their creative abilities and drive to build the lives they want to live, even if it’s still early days. For now, Fortnite and school are enough to keep them busy, but I’m pretty sure we haven’t washed our last car.