Popsicle entrepreneur offers cool business lesson to Brookwood Elementary School students

SNELLVILLE – “Dream big. Work hard. Anything is possible.”

That’s the lesson entrepreneur Steven Carse had for fourth-grade business students at Brookwood Elementary School Tuesday. 

Carse, a Shiloh High School graduate, opened King of Pops, a homemade popsicle company five years ago after getting laid off. Before he lost his job, Carse said he never would have had the courage to pursue the Atlanta-based business he created after he saw exotic popsicles being sold by vendors on a trip to South America. Carse told the students losing his job was a blessing in disguise and they could be successful like him if they follow their dreams and work hard. 

“When you own your own business there’s a lot you have to do because you have to be responsible, but you can also have fun,” said Carse, who has 25 full-time employees and 80 seasonal workers. 

Carse reported how and where the popsicles are made, what’s in them and students and teachers quizzed the entrepreneur, asking such questions such as “Do you get along with your employees?” and “How much money do you make?”

Snellville Councilwoman Barbara Bender, who also works to promote the city’s entrepreneur program in the community, was on hand to donate money from the city’s council members for students to get popsicles. 

“You can have these lessons that you are learning right now in fourth grade and when you grow up, you can take all that and turn them into a business,” BES teacher Jeane Sammons said during Carse’s visit. 

King of Pops can be found in Atlanta, Charlotte, Richmond, Charleston, Savannah and Athens. For more information visit www.kingofpops.net.

For more information on the city’s entrepreneur program visit www.snellville.org and click on “Economic Development” on the menu on the left.