Business Fundamentals I Learned at $4.25 an Hour
My first job was working concessions at our small-town movie theater. It paid $4.25 an hour and required customer service, handling cash, serving food, and following an exceedingly detailed inventory and cash drawer procedure at the start and end of every shift.
It didn’t seem like much to a 16-year-old. But after 30 years in the workforce — and now running a multiple six-figure service business — I think about that job all the time. It was the essence of small business.
In the days before debit cards and digital inventory systems, everything was manual: paper tracking, physical cash, hand-counted stock. Quarters, nickels, and dimes exchanged for Jolly Ranchers, popcorn, and pickles (yes, we even counted every pickle in the 5-gallon glass jar at the start and close of each shift).
Unofficially, I became the shift lead — the one trusted to count the cash drawers and sign off on inventory. I didn’t know it then, but those responsibilities would lay the foundation for how I think about business today.
The parallels between that $4.25/hour job and running a boutique service business are striking. Here’s what has stayed true:
Your Feature Film is Your Service
The movie was the main event — the reason people showed up. But a warm greeting at the counter, hot popcorn, and clean theaters enhanced the experience. In your business, your core service is the feature film. It’s what people come for. But the quality of everything around it — communication, environment, customer care — turns a one-time sale into loyalty.
The Small Stuff Matters
Even the 25-cent Jolly Ranchers mattered. Miscount a few here and there, and it added up. Ignore the "small stuff" in your business — minor charges, overlooked follow-ups, forgotten opportunities for delight — and you leave real money (and real goodwill) on the table.
Cash (or Revenue) is King
In the concessions stand, the drawer had to balance — down to the penny. In business, your bank account and financials must tell a true story, even if you're not handling literal cash. Accuracy, awareness, and ownership of your numbers will never go out of style.
Trust is Earned Through Stewardship
At 16, being trusted to manage cash and inventory wasn't about my title — it was about how I showed up. In your business today, trust (from clients, team members, and even yourself) grows when you consistently steward the resources, relationships, and responsibilities you've been given.
Closing thought:
Sometimes the biggest business lessons don't come from an MBA program or a high-end conference room. They come from the humble, gritty, seemingly "small" roles that teach us attention to detail, care, and pride in a job well done.
And the truth is: those skills scale beautifully.
