When March rolls around, Ava Rogers isn’t spending the weekends at the beach or on vacation.
The 10-year-old Ocean View resident prefers to be outside storefronts around the island selling Girl Scout cookies.
And Ava’s hard work appears to be paying off.
Last year, she sold about 2,235 boxes of Girl Scout cookies, more than any Girl Scout on the Big Island. This year, she’s aiming for 2,500.
“(Last year) we just set up in front of KTA and sold and I just believed in myself,” Ava said. “My favorite part is probably just meeting people. Sometimes they’re nice and just so amazing.”
Ava’s parents both come from sales backgrounds, mom Leslie Rogers said, and think the 10-year-old “comes by it naturally.”
“To be honest she’s just very dedicated,” said Leslie, who’s also the cookie manager for Ava’s four-member Girl Scout troop. “Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday we’re out pushing cookies. There’s no beach during March, there’s no (additional) fun time and no vacation. She has that cute factor which you got to play on — she’s only 10 — but she’s very good.”
Most houses in Ocean View are far apart with “long driveways and big dogs,” Mom said, so Ava sells most of her cookies outside grocery stores and drugstores around the island. She also solicits sales at church and from family and friends. Ava has a mild speech impediment and Leslie said cookie selling has helped her gain confidence.
“The last two years in talking to customers, she’s learned to look them in the eye and not be shy,” Leslie said. “It’s really improved her (confidence) and she’s grown a lot from it. There’s a lot to learn about personal growth, money management and goal setting — it’s not just the sales.”
Ava said selling cookies ignited her interest in business. She’s also interested in forging a career someday as a baker.
“We haven’t figured out her niche, yet, but I’ve always said, as long as you can sell you’ll never go hungry,” Leslie said. “… everything is about sales. I just want a confident girl moving forward who can take on anything and feels she can do anything.”
Email Kirsten Johnson at kjohnson@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
