Montreal: Young Entrepreneurs / Entrepreneurial Spirit

Montreal, Quebec – In an inspiring and educational setting, a Montreal family stood out during an entrepreneurial event by introducing the youngest members to the world of business. A homemade lemonade and popcorn stand, run by three children, drew not only curious visitors but also attention for its powerful message: entrepreneurship has no age limit.

Shilo, 9 years old, proudly explains: "We’re doing this to help my dad with his business. And also for us, to improve our own business. Maybe we’ll do even better next year."

Beside him, his older sister Zara, 11, adds: "I’m doing this to help my dad with his business too, and to help people who need money."

Their colorful little stand offered fresh lemonade and homemade popcorn. Their message, simple but powerful: “Never give up on your dreams, and always be kind to people.”

Behind this initiative is Thierry Lindor, a well-known entrepreneur and co-founder of Happle, who saw in this project a unique opportunity to introduce his children to the entrepreneurial world.

"I recently traveled to Japan, Brazil, Denmark, Paris... and my kids kept asking: Where’s dad? What’s he doing? So I told them: Come see what I do. But I didn’t want them to just watch."

Instead of passively attending a conference, Thierry presented a real challenge: his children had to pitch a business plan. Zara took the lead, involving her brother Shilo and their younger sister Adelle, 7. Together, they developed their project, invested in a popcorn machine, and designed a small self-run kiosk.

Their stand also followed a participatory model: visitors could get popcorn and lemonade for free, provided they scanned a QR code that led to a pitch competition—an opportunity for anyone to present an idea in 30 seconds for a chance to win up to $10,000.

Beyond the playful experience, Thierry emphasizes the deeper message:

"Entrepreneurship is a culture. If we can introduce our kids to sports at age 6 or 7, why not to entrepreneurship? With sports, you might play until you're 30 or 40. But entrepreneurship is for life."

He concludes with a clear vision for Black communities: "We invest a lot in sports culture for our kids. It’s time we invest just as passionately in entrepreneurial culture. We need to dare to plant that seed."

This family project thus becomes much more than a simple lemonade stand. It represents a seed of ambition planted early, a lesson in leadership, and tangible proof that entrepreneurship can—and should—begin at a young age.