Teaching Kids To Be Money Smart By A Fries Franchise Co-Founder Who Sold Gagamba As A Boy

Jorge Wieneke, a co-founder of the popular Potato Corner fries franchise, had an early start at entrepreneurship without even knowing it then.

He recalls in an interview with Smart Parenting that his parents had to stick to a budget to make sure the family's needs were met. So he couldn't ask them for money when he wanted a new toy or gadget.

"What I’d do, I’d save my allowance," Jorge tells us at the first meetup of the daddy community he belongs to, DadBud PH, held in April 2023. "Kung kulang pa rin ang savings, I’d look for things in the house to sell."

For instance, young Jorge would sell his old clothes or he'd rent out his toys, like a handheld device made by video game company Nintendo (possibly a Game & Watch). At some point, he also sold gagamba (spider) that kids at that time liked to put into a fighting match, as well as kalapati (pigeon) for pets.

"Without knowing I was already crafting the entrepreneurship within me," he points out. "Nakukuha ko ang gusto ko in my own pace, in my own effort...Since that’s the exposure I got my parents, that was also the method in my four boys. May gusto kayo, pag-ipunan n’yo, or mag-isip kayo kung paano kayo kikita."

That's also the "best tip" Jorge can give to his fellow parents in raising money smart kids. "At the same time, you’re also teaching them how to be self-sufficient. You’re also teaching them how to be creative. Creativity is finding ways to solve a problem, di ba? You’re also teaching them entrepreneurship."

He adds, "The entrepreneurship within the person is being ignited by a crisis. Maybe that crisis is wanting to buy something na hindi nila kayang bilhin." Aside from getting into buying and selling stuff for some profit, he says kids can earn from using their talents, such as taking good photos.

Here's another tip from Jorge, who also started the Tokyo Tempura and other food franchise entities: "Start your kids early on how to save. The rest is okay, that’s the very foundation. Teach them to save.

"The benefit of teaching them how to save is also teaching them how to spend wisely, and at the same time, giving them a discipline on how to save for the rainy days."

Tingnan ang post na ito sa Instagram

Isang post na ibinahagi ni Jorge Wieneke (@wienekejorge)

The father of four also has this advice in helping kids decide which college courses to take: "Depending on what they want. Si parent will just show the landscape and make them understand each course, so they can choose properly. At the end of the day, kung ano ang gusto at hilig ng bata.

"In my case kasi we give our kids freedom what course, what degree, what profession ang gusto nila. We don’t pressure them to work for our company."

Read here for more tips in teaching kids how to have healthy money habits.