Two Boys Show Initiative with Car Wash
News Five viewers enjoy our features on entrepreneurs and new businesses, but it is not often that we get to bring you a new venture run by children. Today, Paul Lopez met two young men who are energetically cleaning, washing and waxing cars they themselves are too young to even drive.
Paul Lopez, Reporting
Eleven-year-old Myrick August and thirteen-year-old Reginald Hardiman are neighboring best friends with a lot of free time on their hands. To make use of all that free time, these teenage boys decided to open a car wash.
Myrick August
Myrick August, M&R Car Wash
“We mih geh my friend power wash right, and then we mih think how we could make money with it , like fih wash car and thing. Suh, wih seh we wah duh that. So then we gawn dah the neighbor and we ask ah fih wash I car. That dah how we start.”
Reginald Hardiman, M&R Car Wash
“We sih weh latta kids they do pan the street and we wah try get off ah it so we nuh get into violence and suh.”
Reginald Hardiman
The two boys operate from Myrick grandmother’s yard on Fabers Road.
Myrick August
“We duh interior and basic wash. Then we have carpet cleaning, waxing, and stuff. We clean the windows them, clean off the dash board. Then we vacuum the bottom part of the vehicle. Then we use the power wash and spray it down. We soap it and just wash it off after that.”
Paul Lopez
“This takes a lot of energy right? Where you get a lot of energy from to do all of this?”
Myrick August
“Well sometime I just wah sit down, then I guh dah shop and buy like dalla sweet and sit down and eat all a den deh. Then I go try start back.”
Myrick’s grandmother, Marcelline Reyes, says initially the boys were made fun of for washing cars. But, she encouraged them to follow through with their plans.
Marcelline Reyes, Grandmother of Myrick August
“As a retired teacher, and mother and grandmother, I was very excited to help him in his endeavor. He is always willing to make money. So, we teach him that you have to work to make money.”
Marcelline Reyes
These young entrepreneurs do not own their own equipment. They are operating on a borrowed inventory. One of their goals is to own their own equipment.
Paul Lopez
“You guh dah school?”
Reginald Hardiman
“Yes sir.”
Paul Lopez
“What class unu the eena?”
Reginald Hardiman
“Standard six”
Paul Lopez
“Suh how unu wah work the business when school reopens?”
Reginald Hardiman
“We only wah wash cars pan weekends.”
Paul Lopez
“Is it your hope that maybe you could employ other young people as well?”
Reginald Hardiman
“Yes sir, we wah employ other people, but we just want get lot ah money suh we could pay them.”
Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez.
