Checking in: a Q&A With Leigh Christie

The new executive director of the Entrepreneurs Foundation of Central Texas chats with us about one of her favorite events, Lemonade Day, and the vital value in teaching kids entrepreneurial skills.

By Trinity King

Web Exclusive

It’s safe to say Leigh Christie knows a thing or two about the sweet side of life. A native Austinite, Christie was recently named the executive director of the Entrepreneurs Foundation of Central Texas, an organization with the mission of helping entrepreneurs and their teams build successful corporate cultures. While new to the position, she’s been with the foundation for the past seven years. Each May, the foundation hosts one of her favorite events, Lemonade Day, a citywide opportunity for kids to learn entrepreneurship skills through manning and managing their own lemonade stands.

Austin Woman chatted with Christie about her takeaways from this year’s Lemonade Day and what sweet plans she has up her sleeve for the future of the foundation.

Austin Woman: Tell us more about Lemonade Day. How is it unique to Austin?

Leigh Christie: Lemonade Day is an annual day where kids can come learn entrepreneurship skills and how to apply those skills in everyday life. They are given the tools needed to have a successful lemonade stand and get to decide how and where they want to set up their stand and how much each drink will cost. They’re also given the advice to come up with a story of why they are selling lemonade, because more people will buy their product if they believe in their story.

AW: How has the annual event grown since its first year?

LC: It’s been crazy. Our first year, we hit up every person we knew and had 2,500 kids sign up. This year, we had more than 20,000 kids participate. Since its start in 2009, Lemonade Day has served 115,000 kids, and we continue to grow every year.

AW: What’s the most rewarding aspect of working with entrepreneurs?

LC: Watching an entrepreneur come up with an idea and go after it with everything they have is the coolest thing. I find that mentality completely captivating and exhilarating. I am entranced by it.

AW: How has any previous experience helped prepare you for your new role as executive director of the Entrepreneurs Foundation of Central Texas?

LC: I learned how important it is to accomplish tasks on your own while putting myself through undergrad and law school. During law school, I also learned how to ask the right questions, a feat that has come in use since working with [CEO of the Entrepreneurs Foundation] Eugene Sepulveda. He encourages and pushes me daily to stretch and try out new things. All of these lessons have helped me sharpen my desire to go after what I don’t know in order to accomplish a task.

AW: As the new executive director, what goals are you setting for the foundation?

LC: Our short-term goals are to sharpen what we offer and how we provide it to our companies, as well as how we encourage, guide and engage with our companies. Other short-term goals include:

debuting a new website
kicking off Eugene’s brainchild, Culturati 2017, an event where more than 125 Austin CEOs and leaders of their fields gather to discuss the culture of their businesses
launching the new summer program, Make Something Great, [a program] for emerging high-school students that teaches entrepreneurship and design thinking

Our long-term goals revolve around helping businesses grow their culture, as well as listening to what our [Austin-based] nonprofits need and how we can plug in our companies to fit their needs.

AW: Have there been any kids go from Lemonade Day to starting their own companies?

LC: Yes, Mikaila Ulmer [the 11-year old owner of Me & The Bees Lemonade] has shined as an entrepreneur since I met her in 2010 at the Best Lemonade Tasting Competition. She has an unbelievable support system, and continued to show up every year to the Best Tasting and Lemonade Day until she was noticed. [Ulmer] genuinely believes in what’s she’s doing.

AW: Do you see a part of yourself in these young entrepreneurs?

LC: Growing up, I always had a support system that pushed me to accomplish things on my own, but [my parents] were also always there to encourage me through everything. I love seeing kids across the board have this same support system who push them, believe in them and support them through everything. I really do believe entrepreneurship is the ticket to everything, so, I hope they come back next year and that, no matter what, they just keep doing it.

Photos courtesy of Leigh Christie. Child photo courtesy of Entrepreneurs Foundation Austin.