HOUSTON, Texas  (KIAH) — It’s a time-honored tradition that still makes kids smile — a lemonade stand. And one local student is being recognized for all of his efforts for successfully bringing this time honored tradition to an entirely new level.

Myles Brown has been named the 2021 Lemonade Day Houston Youth Entrepreneur of the Year. Myles is a 12-year-old resident of Sugar Land. On Oct. 7, he was a special guest at a celebration sponsored by Cadence Bank. He, along with his cousin Kyira, his first employee, were presented with a new bicycle and gift packages. 

He also has been entered into the Lemonade Day National Youth Entrepreneur of the Year Contest sponsored by Limoneira citrus growers, a national Lemonade Day sponsor as of 2019.

Bailey Kinney, the Lemonade Day Houston executive director, surprised Myles and his mother, Megan Brown, with the good news in a recent Zoom video meeting. 

“We are ecstatic! Myles has worked so hard!” Megan Brown, Myles’ mom, said.

The Lemonade Day Houston team chose Myles for several key reasons. Despite many challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic, Myles completed the Lemonade Day business lessons and operated his stand in person this summer; achieved impressive sales results and secured the full number of points in the scoring system that is used for evaluating all Lemonade Day Houston Youth Entrepreneur of the Year candidates.

Myles has participated in Lemonade Day for five years and has continued to grow his business, Juicy King, each year. He has also participated in several Lemonade Day Houston events over the years, winning the Lemonade Day Illustration Contest in 2020.

Juicy King offers freshly squeezed organic lemonade, and this summer expanded to include snow-cones. Myles sold his signature lemonade snow-cones as well as watermelon, strawberry, raspberry, bubble gum, blueberry, sugar-free, pineapple, and grape. Juicy King also promotes literacy, and Myles donates 10% of his lemonade sales to The Neuhaus Education Center. His donations provide literacy training to teachers and support for students who struggle with dyslexia.

“This cause means the world to me as one in five students struggle with reading, and I struggled with reading as a first-grade student,” Myles said.

This year, Myles expanded his business model by hiring his five-year-old cousin, Kyira. His goal for 2022 is to continue to grow the snow cone side of the business and have Kyira manage the lemonade stand side. Myles’s slogans are “Try Juicy King Lemonade… we are “Myles” above the rest” and “If life brings you lemons…make lemonade!”

“I am impressed that Myles has been working the Lemonade Day business and financial lessons to the fullest for five years. He sets goals, works his business plan, and achieves his dreams each year. He is a hard worker and aims high! He is striving to sell Juicy King in a supermarket one day. His grit and tenacity are the signs of a true entrepreneur,” Kinney commented.

Cadence Bancorporation Chairman & CEO Paul B. Murphy, Jr. added:

“Myles has done a tremendous job navigating challenges and growing his business year over year. He has a great entrepreneurial mind, and we couldn’t be more impressed with his determination and fresh thinking. Myles is a leading example of the business and life skills that can be gained by participating in Lemonade Day.”

Lemonade Day is a non-profit organization dedicated to teaching youth important business, financial, character-building, and life skills that are the key ingredients of entrepreneurship. For more information, please visit www.lemonadeday.org/Houston.