Lickity Split Chocolate Information

Lickity Split operates with sponsorship from a non-profit economic development foundation, Legacy CDC. They receive business training and support from the Small Business Development Center. Since the youth are not allowed to participate in the chocolate business without a sustainable grade point average of at least 2.5, community volunteers tutor them in their school studies. Thanks to a VISTA supported program called Utah Tech Corp, each Lickity Split youth was given a computer to help with their schoolwork. Tutoring takes place two days per week and the children are excelling as much in their studies are they are in their business. The best part of Lickity Split is the development the youth have shown. They are highly motivated to make this business succeed and in the process they have become competent business professionals. They create new products, make customer contacts, conduct staff meetings, attend trade shows and even balance the company books. Ask any one of them what goes into pricing a product and they will calculate the cost of labor, materials and overhead for you. The company owners are being taught to fully operate the business after a yearlong mentoring process. As Elaine Borgen says, "It's great to look back several years and see these kids who spent hours watching TV and playing computer games now working up a strategic business plan, conducting staff meetings, developing a website and meeting with top business and government officials." The youth live in San Juan County where poverty rates reach upwards of 40 percent. Their home is located in a beautiful but vast, remote, area where good jobs are scarce. Native owned businesses within the county consist of less than 1 percent of the established commercial industry inventory, yet the Native population is greater than 50 percent. Lickity Split Chocolate Studio offers hope that the future success of these young entrepreneurs and the prosperity of San Juan County will be shaped by the industriousness shown by these youngsters and the ...