She arrives at her first house. Knocking on the door with anticipation, she holds out a carton of eggs as the door opens. Every Friday evening as school comes to an end, senior Madison Asato prepares to deliver chicken eggs to her clients as part of the mini business she runs.
In 7th-grade Asato started selling chicken eggs from home as a good way to make quick money. She has a variety of chicken breeds including silkies, americanas, and new jersey giants but she rarely sells her chickens instead she sells chicken eggs for three dollars a dozen.
At first, the idea of a chicken business came from her mom, but it soon became hers. Asato began her business when she bought her first chicks and they produced eggs.
“I’ve always really been drawn to animals, and I kinda just wanted to start something new before I moved here,” Asato said.
Asato believes that by selling eggs she has made new connections outside of school. Asato puts her customers as her first priority and ensures this by selling eggs from free-range chickens which gives her eggs a higher nutritional value than other chicken farms.
“I never knew how many connections I would actually make when I would actually sell eggs because it is the most unusual business connection out there,” she said.
Because of a chicken’s size, they have many predators making them difficult to care for. To confront this issue, Asato keeps her chickens in a coup at night and lets them out in the day to free-range. As another part of her routine, she also replaces their feed and keeps their water clean.
“It’s pretty difficult not gonna lie there,” Asato said, “as long as you keep feeding them, keep their water clean and replace their shavings.”
Asato will begin studying at Tarleton State University next year and wants to live on campus so she will no longer manage her business. Although Asato will no longer be home, she still wants her business to continue.
“I hope that my parents as long as they live here will take care of the business and still keep selling eggs,” Asato said.
Her dad, economics teacher Mr. Michael Asato, believes his daughter’s business has made her more responsible and has given her more knowledge on how to run a business. After Asato goes to her preferred university, her parents will take over the business.
“She has become more responsible and knowledgeable about business practices such as cost of feed, laying schedule, distribution of eggs and more,” Mr. Asato said. “She will move away for college and the business will fall into our hands.”
Asato believes her business has helped her become more comfortable talking to people which has helped her anxiety because she makes connections with her customers and likes the joy she gets when she sees her client’s face light up.
“If you really want to start thinking about raising animals, just know that it will be a lot of work, but at the end of the day, it’s just peaceful, and I really love what I do,” Asato said.
