Northeast Times 10-19-2006

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Business 101 for Scout Troop 111

By Diane Villano
Times Staff Writer

Fifteen minutes is all Mike Beck asks. The time is not for him but rather for the budding entrepreneurs of Boy Scout Troop 111.  The Northeast Philadelphia scouting troop meets weekly at Christ the King Church at Chesterfield Road and Morrell Avenue.  Older scouts such as Beck’s son Chris and Holy Ghost Prep junior Andrew Callaghan — who are known as Boy Scout corporate sales development specialists — visit businesses to pitch them on buying popcorn and listening to a presentation on the virtues of scouting.
The younger scouts pitch their Trails End popcorn while in uniform. But the older ones, like Beck and Callaghan, trade in their neckerchiefs for shirts and ties during their meetings with the honchos of area businesses.  Their dress isn’t the only thing more professional about their appearance. Mike Beck has trained these scouts in sales, communication, public speaking and management as they undertake these fund-raising campaigns.  They suggest that businesses might purchase some of their nine varieties of popcorn to distribute as holiday gifts, a thank-you to customers, or as morale boosters for their employees. "If they give a gift, let us see what we can do to help," Mike Beck said.  Callaghan and Chris Beck visited a Center City corporation a few weeks ago. Their 15-minute popcorn pitch turned into a one-hour business meeting.  It wasn’t until the end of the meeting that the businessmen asked the savvy Boy Scouts how old they were.  "When we told them we were fifteen and sixteen, their jaws just about dropped on the table," Callaghan recalled. These meetings with business representatives, he explained, are intended to deliver an important message. "More than (popcorn) we were selling scouting, our troop, our pack," Callaghan said. "We’re also trying to reach out beyond ourselves and help a father in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba."  Mike Beck explained that the father of a fellow troop member is one of about 30 soldiers stationed at Guantanamo who find it difficult to communicate with their families and spend more than $250 monthly on phone cards. If they earn a leave to come home, flights can cost as much as $1,000, which they must pay themselves, according to Beck.  Troop 111 is devoting part of the proceeds of its popcorn sales to assisting those families.  While the corporate approach is new this year, the scouts have had three years of successful sales experience, thanks to a sales program that Mike Beck developed for the boys.  In fact, for the third year in a row, Troop 111 is the highest selling group in the country. Last year they sold 7,683 units of popcorn.  It all began four years ago, when Beck’s wife asked him to develop a sales program for the boys, who had never realized more than $1,500 in popcorn sales. He did, and the rest is history.  Now Mike Beck is the business mentor and merit-badge counselor for salesmanship, communications, public speaking and personal management for Troop 111.  Beck’s sons, Cody and Chris, were the first youngsters to receive training. They were responsible for training two others who, in turn, trained others and continued the learning chain until all the scouts received their orientation.
Now there are 40 Cub Scouts and 23 Boy Scouts participating in the sales program. Only scouts older than 15 participate in the corporate program.  The older scouts also are responsible for assisting the younger scouts.  While some parents might feel that their painfully shy child could have trouble pitching popcorn, Mike Beck disagrees. He has that all figured out.  "We put two extroverted boys with one that’s introverted," he explained.  Andrew Callaghan recalled one young scout who was nervous at first.
"He was shy for the first ten minutes. As soon as (another) scout came over, he popped right out of his shell. It was amazing," the youngster said.  It wasn’t a surprise to Beck.
"Kids learn better by doing. Surround them with success and that breeds additional success," he said. The confidence the boys gain is invaluable. Scouts in the program have no trouble comfortably addressing hundreds of people.  Callaghan, for example, spoke at a recent awards dinner.  "I had to talk about my scouting experience and a community service project I had worked on," he said.  Rather than rely on notes during his speech, he spoke from "in here," Andrew said, tapping on his chest and adding that he received a standing ovation.  Mike Beck showed a recording of a presentation that his son Cody had done before hundreds of people at an awards dinner when he was just 10 years old. Cody had the crowd in the palm of his hand.  "There’s no fear there," Mike Beck said. That kind of confidence has already translated into success for the boys.  Archbishop Ryan senior Joe Farrant, 17, said the sales and communication program has helped him with presentations in class. Callaghan, who is 16, finds that his experience speaking in front of hundreds of people helps him on his school’s forensics team.  More than anything, according to Mike Beck, it gives the boys the opportunity to develop their skills and bolster their self-esteem.
"Andrew has taken an interest in all aspects, (including) inventory and scheduling," Beck said of Callaghan. "He’s learning a great deal, being able to go in front of VPs. It’s the next evolution. If they can do it at this age, imagine what they’re going to be like when they grow up." ••
To schedule a business appointment, to order popcorn, or for more information, check out http://www.freewebs.com/troop111mm/index.htm
Reporter Diane Villano can be reached at 215-354-3036 or dvillano@phillynews.com