The Business of Girl Scout Cookies

Every year from January to March the streets are buzzing with Girl Scouts and their cookies. We all have our favorites from Thin Mints to Tagalongs and Samoas; and each year we line up to get cookies at our local cookie booth.

What most people do not know about the Girl Scout Cookies program is that, it is just that: a program run by girls for girls. It turns them into young entrepreneurs. The girls are setting goals, managing money, and working as a team to achieve an overall goal. Each year girls have to create new and innovative ways to help promote their troops cookie sale, aside from traditional cookie booths and door – to – door sales. In fact, the Girl Scout Cookie program produces more female business owners than universities.

In a recent New York Times interview, Barbara J. Krumsiek, chief executive and chairwoman of the Calvert Group Ltd., credits selling Girl Scout Cookies as one of her early business experiences.

“I always vied for the top selling awards,” said Krumsiek. “I remember having a troop leader have confidence in me that I could go off and lead a group of girls to start the campfire or whatever.”

The Girl Scout Council of the Florida Panhandle, which covers the nineteen counties of the Florida Panhandle, had ten girls sell over 2,000 boxes of cookies this year. Their motivation: a new net-book computer. The top seller, Julia Filloon, from troop 292 in Tallahassee, FL sold 3,039 boxes; a new personal record for the 8th grader. Julia was not the only top 10 seller in her troop. Dakota Putnal was 5th in the overall sales, selling 2, 030 boxes. Both credit their success to each other and determination to achieve their goal.

“Julia’s goal was to win the computer, and so was mine,” said Putnal. “We were in this together.”

Both girls were overjoyed when awarded their computers, saying that it will come in handy going into the 9th grade.

The ten top sellers include: Shelby Faul from troop 349 in Tallahassee sold 2,068 boxes; Hannah Noles from troop 178 in Madison sold 2,061 boxes; Sha’Asia Williams of troop 558 in Marianna sold 2,120 boxes; Amelia MacMongal from troop 181 in Panama City sold 2,010 boxes; Tori Meeks from troop 181 in Panama City sold 2,002 boxes; Toni Jones from troop 592 in Panama City sold 2,001 boxes; Taylor Warren from troop 592 in Panama City sold 2,001 boxes; and Cheyenne Dugas from troop 1500 in Ft. Walton Beach in sold 2,000 boxes of cookies.

“The accomplishments of these girls demonstrates how the Girl Scout Cookie Program creates savvy business women of the future,” said Raslean M. Allen, CEO of the Girl Scout Council of the Florida Panhandle. “It was my honor to award these girls a net-book computer for their strong commitment to Girl Scouting.”

The Girl Scout Council of the Florida Panhandle invites girls from kindergarten to twelfth grade, to join the adventure and empower themselves through courage, confidence and character, to make the world a better place. Currently, the council serves 7,150 girls and 2,400 volunteers across 19 counties of the Florida Panhandle. To volunteer or join Girl Scouts, contact the local council office at 1-800-876-9704 or visit www.gscfp.org.