Rotorua entrepreneur Kayl Guillosson making money old school way

Kayl Guillsson, 11, at his lemonade stand on Sunset Road. Photo / Stephen Parker

An 11-year-old Rotorua boy is spending his summer making money the old-fashioned way, and his profits aren't going towards lollies or new gadgets.

For the past four years Kayl Guillosson has set up shop outside his Sunset Rd home and sold everything from avocados to juice and more recently homemade lemonade.

Kayl's father, Stephen, said Kayl would get out and set up his stand whenever the weather was fine.

"It's not just juice, it could be avocados - anything, he's just one of those kids. We're not rich and he really enjoys making his own money," Stephen said.

Kayl's most recent brew from the weekend was made with lemons off the family's tree and just a little bit of sugar.

Stephen said Kayl spent hours squeezing the lemons in preparation.

Sometimes Kayl might save for something in particular, Stephen said, but often he will help out with his own school costs.

"If he wants to go on school trips, to help us out, he'll buy what he needs to take on the trip," Stephen said.

Stephen said his eldest daughter would often peddle her belongings at garage sales for extra cash to buy the extra things the family can't afford.

"He has six siblings, so there is nine of us altogether in the house. We don't struggle along but you have to wait your turn for some things if you know what I'm saying," Stephen said.

Stephen said Kayl usually made the lemonade and operated the stand by himself but sometimes his youngest brother, who is 5, would go out and keep him company for the day.

Kayl said he thought he had made $200 to $300 since he started selling things on Sunset Rd.

"I just got bored one day and asked my mum if I could do it - the idea just came to me," Kayl said.

"It's just fun to do, sit outside for the day and sometimes I get the same people coming past," he said.

Kayl plans to get out and man his stall as much as he can in the remaining weekends of summer.