Cookie season is finished, or nearly finished, for most Girl Scouts about now. But this doesn’t mean that the 5 Skills girls are learning just disappear. Here are some ways to reinforce entrepreneurial and business skills even after the booth sales and deliveries end.

Goal Setting

It’s after cookie season that the benefits of goal setting start to show. Yes, she set a cookie goal. Whether she reached it or not, it was probably connected to earning funds to DO SOMETHING!! Be sure to show her the connection between her new adventure and her hard work in the cookie program. Sometimes it can be months after the cookie program has ended, so she might forget all that time and effort. Show her that goal setting means goal achieving.

Decision Making

When you’re making your plans to do something awesome with the troop’s cookie proceeds, keep girls at the center of decision making. Let them make the spending choices. Do they need to pick between Waterpark A and Waterpark B? Show them the prices and amenities, and then let them discuss value. Do they need to plan a meal for their field trip? Talk about the prices of restaurants compared to a bag lunch. Girls should continue to make decisions about their money all year long.

Money Management

Your troop might have made a budget during the cookie program based on your goals. Now is a good time to update it. Keep girls in-the-know about the status of their finances. It’s important to talk about how much of your budget you’re spending on supplies for take action projects or badge activities.

People Skills

When talking with each other about the troop’s finances and goals, girls will have to listen to other’s opinions and share their own about how to use their funds. They will learn to negotiate and build consensus on what to do by listening to others and speaking up for themselves.

Business Ethics

Girls might not be doing any selling throughout the rest of the year, but they are customers. Flip the script and talk about the ethics of being a customer. How do you talk to or behave with a waiter, ticket takers, or store clerk? Give the girls a chance to reflect on how their behavior affects the businesses and the staff they interact with.