In the February 2022 Newsletter
  Girl Scouts Build Hope / Events

Girl Scouts Build Hope

While world leaders address war, economic supply chain chaos, cybersecurity threats, and energy shortages, what can you do? One way is to continue to build hope and encouragement through the power of children as exemplified in Girl Scouts.

Every organization benefits when team members work passionately together toward a common, meaningful goal. The reward is not only the pot of gold at the end; it includes enjoying the journey. Now is the season when Girl Scouts across the country are running their own business by selling Cookies. I call it being a “Cookie Entrepreneur as a Pursuit of Passionate Purpose.” Whether you have a daughter, granddaughter, niece, friend, or neighbor, you can help these young women grow; and in the process you help yourself.

What Girl Scouts Gain I remember my daughter many years ago when she started selling cookies as a first grader. She was shy and uncomfortable in talking to potential customers. To strengthen her confidence, we would role play her sales pitch, and strategize about her goals and her plan to achieve them.

By the time she graduated High School, she had gained confidence, communications skills, entrepreneurial acumen, and so much more. She sold 1,000 cookie boxes to partially fund a mother-daughter trip to the International Girl Scout Center, Our Chalet. As a Girl Scout leader, I have also seen this growth in the other girls in my troops. Girl Scouts who sell cookies learn how to run a business with these skills:

	Strategic planning. Each year, the scouts set a goal to raise $x money by selling y boxes of cookies. This brings in money in order to go on some Girl Scout adventures such as camping and traveling. And the scouts earn prizes and patches as recognition of their accomplishment.
	Decision making and financial management. Girl Scouts learn to count and handle money, how to be responsible with it, and store it in a safe place.
	Project and time management. There is a short cookie season to run this business. The scouts determine how to use their time effectively to reach customers, close the sale, and deliver the goods.
	Communications and people skills. The scouts learn to interact with the public and talk about the benefits of buying cookies. They sometimes work with other scouts too.
	Sales skills. Annie would scope out her territory in our neighborhood. Over the years, she had her regular customers. She first would knock on doors and over the years get their phone number and email address so she could reach out to them remotely. She also participated in booth sales and made promotional signs.
	Computer skills. Now Girl Scouts can set up an online store for selling cookies with online payment and shipping options. They’re getting hands-on e-commerce experience.
	Supply chain, economics, and business management skills. This year there have been supply chain challenges, so Girl Scouts have learned about supply and demand, different players in the chain, how to order early to get cookies before inventory runs out, and much more. The Wall Street Journal carried this story on the front page, Inflation and Other Woes Are Eating Your Girl Scout Cookies.
	Enjoy the process. When you’re having fun and being joyous along the way, you are more creative and can get in the flow. Most Girl Scouts love selling cookies. When asked, it’s often one of their top reasons for being a Girl Scout.
	Confidence, courage, and character. Girl Scouting builds girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place.

What Adults Gain

	People-to-people interactions. Coming after the pandemic, people are hungry for personal interactions. Adults enjoy talking with Girl Scouts at cookie booths or during door-to-door sales and delivery.
	Love those cookies! And, of course, we get to eat and enjoy the cookies.
	Join the movement. Whether you are part of the fifty-nine million American women alive today who participated in Girl Scouts growing up, by supporting cookies sales you are part of the journey.
	Educate the next generation. Know that in buying a package of cookies or donating to the cause you are building the future; these Girl Scouts become strong women who change the world.

According to the Girl Scouts Organization, “the Girl Scout Cookie Program is the largest girl-led business in the world. Girl Scouts sell about 200 million boxes of cookies — nearly $800 million worth — during each cookie season. There’s more to Girl Scout Cookies than what’s in the box.” Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) is the largest leadership organization for girls in the world. Currently, there are about 2.6 million girl and adult members worldwide.

There are many famous Girl Scouts.

	Girl Scout alums in the world of public service include former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
	Seventy-six percent of female U.S. senators are Girl Scout alums.
	Fifty-two percent of women serving in the U.S. House of Representatives are Girl Scout alums.
	Three of the four current female governors are Girl Scout alums.
	Star athletes who are Girl Scout alums include tennis players Venus and Serena Williams.
	Media greats Katie Couric, Barbara Walters, and Robin Roberts are Girl Scout alums.
	Virtually every female astronaut who has gone in space is a Girl Scout alum.

It Is a Pursuit of Passionate Purpose

Unknown to them, the scouts use a universal 4-step proven ‘Pursuit of Passionate Purpose” process which brings success in pursuing important goals. Those steps involve:

1. Finding Passion. Girl Scouts find their passion by aligning their strong self with their abilities to run their cookie business.

2. Aligning Passion with a Purpose. The Girl Scouts have a purpose of building girls with courage, confidence and character.

3. Pursuing the Purpose with a Plan and People. Girl Scouts determine their business plan and then pursue it persistently.

4. Assessing Progress. This is the stage to evaluate progress, recognize success, appreciate, and determine what’s next. Here is the pot of gold. In addition to funding adventures and having fun selling cookies along the way, the courage, confidence, and character building for the Girl Scouts and the Adults is the real reward!

Summary

What big goals are you working toward? Learn from Girl Scouts in finding a passion, aligning it with a worthwhile purpose, pursuing it with a plan, and then assessing progress. You and your teams should use this “Pursuit of Passionate Purpose” process too and you’ll find hope in getting to your pot of gold. As an alum and lifetime Girl Scout, I love being a Girl Scout! There’s still time to buy cookies. Check with your local council.

Upcoming Events

March 31, 2022. Mark your calendars for a Business and Professional Women’s program by Donna Roe Daniell, author of A Midlife Voyage to Transformation, about her journey finding meaning in climbing Mount Kilimanjaro and other life events. Boulder, Colorado. More details to follow soon at BoulderBPW.org.

Theresa M. Szczurek, Ph.D.
C-Level Global Executive, Corporate Director, and Colorado CIO of the Year

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