Even though I’m usually more cautious (thanks to many hours of true crime podcasts), I had the overwhelming feeling that I needed to help. I opened the door.
93% of Lemonade Stand’s employees chose to work there because of their culture operating system, called Build Then Bless. I am in the 7%—the small group who either chose Lemonade Stand for a different reason altogether or because they didn’t know what Build Then Bless was.
I found Lemonade Stand through a mutual acquaintance and heard such great things about their remote work culture that I was instantly hoping to get hired. I had no idea that on top of kind employees and a top-notch culture, employees also received $50 a month to bless others.
During the employee onboarding process, I found out about Build Then Bless, learned how it worked, and received my company card. I was absolutely floored that this wasn’t some elaborate prank or seasonal giving opportunity—it quickly became clear to me that it was a monthly, company-wide practice. After hearing a few employees share how they had used their funds for the month at a company meeting, the pressure was on to find a random, micro opportunity to give back.
A Knock on My Window
On a Friday night during my first month at Lemonade Stand, my husband and I were driving downtown to eat dinner. At a red stoplight, I looked over and saw a car stopped in the middle of the road with the hazards on. I made eye contact with the young woman sitting in the front. She looked terrified. She hesitated for a second and then got out of her car and ran to my window and started knocking.
My husband—who is usually more inclined to help even when it seems reckless—immediately said, “Don’t open the door.” Our passenger side window wasn’t working, so he knew I would have to open the door to be able to talk to her. Even though I’m usually more cautious (thanks to many hours of true crime podcasts), I had the overwhelming feeling that I needed to help. I opened the door.
Her eyes were wide and scared. She told me her car was old and had run out of gas even though the fuel levels didn’t look too low on her dashboard. Near tears, she begged us to get gas and come back for her. It was pitch black outside, she was in a busy intersection, and the gas station was just down the road. I knew we had to help.
“I just knew you would help me …”
I grabbed the work debit card that was burning a hole in my pocket and paid to fill a gas can, and we went back. We stopped right behind her, with cars flying on both sides of us. I got out with my husband and we spilled a substantial amount of gas on the road trying to fill her tank up.
Over the traffic and honking cars, I asked if she was okay. She said she had just moved to Boca Raton that week to start medical school. She didn’t know anyone here and was terrified trying to figure out how to get home. “When you pulled up next to my car and I saw you, I just knew you would help me,” she said. She grabbed her phone out of the front seat and said, “My dad wants to say thank you.”
Her dad was still on the phone and had been trying to talk her through the situation and make sure she was safe. He thanked my husband and me and offered to pay us back for the gas. We wouldn’t take anything from them. I was thrilled to have used my Build Then Bless funds in such a random, important way. She was so, so grateful and shocked by our help. We wished her luck in medical school and went on our way.
The following day, I found myself at the same intersection on the way to the beach. I looked down to my right and saw gas stains all over the road from the night before. They stayed there for a long time, and it was always a reminder to choose to be the one to help.
A Reason Why I Stay 
Three years later, Build Then Bless is undoubtedly one of the reasons why I’ve enjoyed working at Lemonade Stand so much. It’s made me a better person at work and in my personal life. There are no negative side effects to giving your employees the means and opportunity to look outside of themselves. Even though I didn’t accept an offer from Lemonade Stand because of Build Then Bless, it’s one of the reasons why I’ve stayed.
