Sharon’s letter and the Sales Canyon checkpoint have inspired me to make my own ultimate customer letter. It’s not quite 1000 words and it’s a first draft but I think it has captured my feelings pretty well. (and hopefully my target market) (And Bradley, I haven’t forgotten about our date with my accountability letter. That’s coming shortly.)

Dear Ultimate Customer,

I know you. I’ve seen you selling lemonade on the corner during the hottest day of the summer. You are the girl all your parents’ friends call when they need a babysitter. You are the guy that mows lawns in the summer and shovels snow in the winter. It’s great to have spending money that you don’t have to beg your parents for. I know.

But it’s more than that, isn’t it? Sure the extra money is great. But you want to do more. You have a great new idea that will solve a problem you are passionate about. Maybe you were bullied in school and have an idea that will help other kids who are bullied. Maybe you want to raise awareness of how serious teen depression is. You have ideas and solutions that you want to put into motion and make great changes in your school, community or the world!

I’ve been working with kids and teens for over 20 years (and not just my own 5 kids). I know that many of you feel like you have to wait to become an adult to start a business, make money or change lives. You’ve told me. You started out in elementary school hearing how you can do anything you want in life but somewhere along the lines all that positive talk from the adults in your life changed. You start to hear things like “you are just a kid” or “wait until you are older.” In other words, your dreams are squashed before you are even given a chance.

You are ready to start working towards your dreams, aren’t you? Unfortunately, everyone is telling you that you are too young. But you know that your age has nothing to do with being able to make a difference in the world, don’t you?

Guess what? You are right. Your age doesn’t matter. It really is just a number. Some of the smartest people I have known have been teens. You were born into this technological age and have intuitively learned about it. You are teaching your parents and other adults how to use the internet, social media and the latest gadgets. You are Generation Z.

There are stories all over the internet about teens (and even younger kids) starting businesses. REAL businesses, making real money AND having an enormous impact on their communities and social issues they care about. Most teens are not that ambitious, are they? But you? Yes! You are!

You are motivated and passionate and care about making a difference in your community. You have a lot of great ideas and aren’t afraid to take chances. I love that about you! I’m the same kind of person. I love to learn new things. I am not afraid to try something new. I love the energy of helping others.

You and I? We are social entrepreneurs at heart! Right down to our core.  I am passionate about helping you become an entrepreneur and an agent of change. I know you can do it. You can start a business. You can serve your community. You CAN do anything you want.

I created this course for you. I have seen how smart, sophisticated and savvy you are. I see the passion and the desire. I’m going to take you step by step through the process. From finding your ideal business and deciding on the cause you will work for to writing a business plan and getting your first customer! You will transform from a typical teenager to an elite entrepreneur!

Will there be obstacles? Will you get stuck? Of course, all entrepreneurs do. Maybe you have no idea what kind of business to start. We’ll talk about the types of business you can start and help you narrow it down to the one great business. Maybe you are not very good at managing money. That’s okay. You will learn how to balance your bank account, how to track your expenses and even how to price your products or services. We are not all good at everything. This course will teach you how to overcome your weaknesses and turn them into strengths.

My promise to you is that I will be there to help you every step of the way. You are going to do great things. I just know it. Your whole life is ahead of you and this is the first step in creating your future. I’m so thrilled to be on this ride with you.