Teen her own boss in Garner

Lots of teens have summer jobs, but Regatta Olinger, 17, is her own boss.

Olinger started working at Tropical Sno when she was 12 because her parents, Matt and Mary Olinger of Clear Lake, own the Tropical Sno stands in Mason City and Clear Lake.

On July 9 she opened her own Tropical Sno business in Garner.

She told the Mason City Globe Gazette it seemed like a natural thing to do because ?it?s been a part of my life for a long time.?

Also, ?I decided it would be a good way to pay for college,? said Olinger, who will be a senior at Clear Lake High School in the fall and hopes to attend North Iowa Area Community College after she graduates.

Her stand is located at 246 State St.

Tropical Sno has locations in every state in the United States and more than 30 countries around the world that sell flavored shaved ice treats.

Earlier this summer Olinger attended the Youth Entrepreneurship Academy at the John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center at NIACC.

The high school students attending the academy were required to make a pitch explaining their idea for their own businesses.

Olinger was one of the winners of the pitch-off competition at the academy for her idea ? opening a Tropical Sno stand in Garner.

The next day she went to the bank to get a loan.

She said she had to jump through a lot of legal hoops to get the business going.

?It?s so complicated,? she said.

The stand is open from 2 to 9 p.m. daily unless it rains or the temperature gets below 70 degrees.

She has a couple of employees who help her.

She said the Garner Tropical Sno stand has been busy.

The hot weather helped, as well as the crowds in Garner for the annual Duesey Days celebration July 12-13.

She said as the owner instead of just an employee, her job involves a lot of money management.

?I also talk to a lot more adults than I did before,? she said.

Olinger said what she likes best about having her own business is ?no one telling me what to do.?