Do you remember a particular summer job that helped inspire your interest in business? Richmond BizSense has 6 stories from entrepreneurs who were inspired by the jobs they worked during one summer long ago. One of those people is Jennifer Whitlock. She now owns a help desk company, but she still remembers the job she held as a “burger flipper.”
The first job I had was working at Burger King in Richmond when I was 15. I had to get a work release to allow me to work. My French teacher at Freeman was taking a group of students to Europe for a three-week trip, and I wanted to go and my parents said if I could raise half the money, they would pay the rest. I worked the drive-thru and cooked the burgers.
I liked having money but didn’t like having the polyester uniform. I worked for $3.35 an hour, and the trip was a few thousand dollars.
I was raised to know that if you want something you work for it. I think I learned I definitely wanted to go to school. I saw if you don’t apply yourself and go to college that’s kind of where you’re going to be. It was a juggling act, but it taught me how to do that.
Photo by ebru