VOA标准英语2015--Teen Business Owner Creates Recipe for Success

Teen Business Owner Creates Recipe for Success

ACCOKEEK, MARYLAND—

Like many people, Bree Britt dreamed of starting her own business. But unlike many people, the 16-year-old didn’t wait till she grew up to become an entrepreneur. She’s already launched her own business.

Bree may not have the experience, but she seems to have more than enough enthusiasm and support.

For Bree, nothing is more enjoyable, soothing¹ and fulfilling than working in the kitchen; measuring the ingredients, mixing the dough², preparing all kinds of desserts; cakes, cupcakes, cookies and fruit dipping sauce.

“I can be in the worst of moods and once I get started baking, just something turns on where I’m just in my whole other world. I’m just calm,” she said.

In the kitchen, she says, she can be innovative³ and creative.

“That is my outlet⁴, my way of expression. I like to compare myself to an artist. A painter has their canvas. I’m a baker⁵, so of course my cupcakes, cookies and all my sweet desserts are my canvas,” she said.

Bree started cooking with her great-grandmother when she was five years old.

“I can remember numerous times where I went to my grandmother's house [where her great-grandmother lives] and one of our favorite activities was baking together," she said. "She would show me how to do it, to the point where when I turned six, I was doing most of it on my own, with the exception of putting it in the oven and taking it out.”

Bree perfected her great-grandmother’s recipes, and came up with her own. And everyone in the family loved her creations.

“I was also making desserts for my aunts' and uncles' office parties and gatherings⁶, family gatherings and things of that sort,” she said.

When she was 12, she told her mother she wanted to open a bakery but did not get the response she had hoped for.

“[My mother] told me to really think about the sacrifices and the things I would have to go through, that I wasn’t going to be just a normal teenager or a normal kid anymore," Bree said. "She told me to really think about it. And I thought about it and I told her I wanted to do this.”

Bree’s mother, Charmaine Britt, thought it was just a fad⁷ but did in the end offer support.

“I thought it was going to fly by night, something that she would get tired of eventually once she saw how much work it would be," she said. "So my idea was - we would start online; you can bake and I'll deliver on weekends.”

Charmaine Britt says the online bakery made enough money that she decided⁸ to become her daughter's business partner. They rented a shop and opened Bree’s Sweet Treats. Charmaine runs the store during the day until Bree gets out of school.

Leo Harrington, a neighborhood barbershop owner, comes almost every day.

“Most of my clients really accuse me of causing this addiction⁹ for them coming down here. Bree’s cupcakes are different. They aren’t just like regular cupcakes. The flavor, she has great assortments,” says Harrington.

He says he admires Bree’s work ethic¹⁰ and what she’s accomplished¹¹.

“I watch her diligence; school, then here, baking all evening and getting ready for the next day. I've watched her since she started, she hasn't missed a step. She's been consistent,” says Harrington.

It's challenging, but Bree says studying and running a business taught her how to better manage her time.

“It taught me hard work and responsibility. It has also taught me to be more aware of people, and when they come into the store, [to be] more friendly. It's taught me a lot.”

Charmaine Britt says, whether it’s vanilla¹² or chocolate, key lime or strawberry, there is a secret behind Bree’s recipes.

“She found a way not to cook with a lot of sugar. Her cakes and cupcakes are made, are flavored with fresh fruits or more of the extracts, more so than the sugar,” she said.

Lillie Waller, Bree’s great-grandmother is delighted with her success and she keeps encouraging her.

“Be patient. It's hard work, cooking and baking. Keep trying and do whatever [you want] to do with baking. Be a good baker,” Waller tells her great-granddaughter.

And that's exactly what Bree is doing - creating new recipes and learning more about being both baker and business owner... and enjoying the sweet taste of success.

1 soothing   

adj.慰藉的；使人宽心的；镇静的

参考例句：

• Put on some nice soothing music.播放一些柔和舒缓的音乐。
• His casual, relaxed manner was very soothing.他随意而放松的举动让人很快便平静下来。

2 dough   

n.生面团；钱，现款

参考例句：

• She formed the dough into squares.她把生面团捏成四方块。
• The baker is kneading dough.那位面包师在揉面。

3 innovative   

adj.革新的，新颖的，富有革新精神的

参考例句：

• Discover an innovative way of marketing.发现一个创新的营销方式。
• He was one of the most creative and innovative engineers of his generation.他是他那代人当中最富创造性与革新精神的工程师之一。

4 outlet   

n.出口/路；销路；批发商店；通风口；发泄

参考例句：

• The outlet of a water pipe was blocked.水管的出水口堵住了。
• Running is a good outlet for his energy.跑步是他发泄过剩精力的好方法。

5 baker   

n.面包师

参考例句：

• The baker bakes his bread in the bakery.面包师在面包房内烤面包。
• The baker frosted the cake with a mixture of sugar and whites of eggs.面包师在蛋糕上撒了一层白糖和蛋清的混合料。

6 gatherings   

聚集( gathering的名词复数 )； 收集； 采集； 搜集

参考例句：

• His conduct at social gatherings created a lot of comment. 他在社交聚会上的表现引起许多闲话。
• During one of these gatherings a pupil caught stealing. 有一次，其中一名弟子偷窃被抓住。

7 fad   

n.时尚；一时流行的狂热；一时的爱好

参考例句：

• His interest in photography is only a passing fad.他对摄影的兴趣只是一时的爱好罢了。
• A hot business opportunity is based on a long-term trend not a short-lived fad.一个热门的商机指的是长期的趋势而非一时的流行。

8 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

9 addiction   

n.上瘾入迷，嗜好

参考例句：

• He stole money from his parents to feed his addiction.他从父母那儿偷钱以满足自己的嗜好。
• Areas of drug dealing are hellholes of addiction,poverty and murder.贩卖毒品的地区往往是吸毒上瘾、贫困和发生谋杀的地方。

10 ethic   

n.道德标准，行为准则

参考例句：

• They instilled the work ethic into their children.他们在孩子们的心中注入了职业道德的理念。
• The connotation of education ethic is rooted in human nature's mobility.教育伦理的内涵根源于人本性的变动性。

11 accomplished   

adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的

参考例句：

• Thanks to your help,we accomplished the task ahead of schedule.亏得你们帮忙,我们才提前完成了任务。
• Removal of excess heat is accomplished by means of a radiator.通过散热器完成多余热量的排出。

12 vanilla   

n.香子兰，香草

参考例句：

• He used to love milk flavoured with vanilla.他过去常爱喝带香草味的牛奶。
• I added a dollop of vanilla ice-cream to the pie.我在馅饼里加了一块香草冰激凌。