COLUMBUS (WCMH) — When 11-year old Te’Lario Watkins II found out he would be one of a dozen Scouts to serve as a delegate for the Boy Scouts of America, he was pretty happy.
“I felt excited. I felt very excited. I couldn’t stand still,” said Watkins II.
Watkins went to Washington D.C. as the scouts delivered their “Report to the Nation”, a report that describes the successes and progress made by the Boy Scouts organization. The report was delivered to the biggest names in politics, from Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and President Donald Trump in the oval office.
“The first thing I did when I walked into the Oval Office was look up cause I wanted to see if it was actually an oval and it was actually an oval,” said Watkins II.
Watkins has been a Cub Scout since he could first sign up and it was one of his first activities with them that inspired his business.
“Well, my first meeting at Cub Scouts, we grew cat grass and basil and it was so interesting that I started growing stuff. Then my parents wondered what we could grow in the winter and I said mushrooms cause mushrooms can grow in the dark,” said Watkins II.
And that is how Tiger Mushroom Farms was born. In 2015, he was on Steve Harvey talking about his young business. Now four years later, Watkins II says business is good.
“The business has been booming. It has been expanding. We also got new products. I sell them at farmer’s markets, grocery stores, and a restaurant and a hospital,” said Watkins II.
The scout turned entrepreneur and yes, even author, has achieved a lot already. But there’s still one big goal he has in mind.
“I knew it before I went to DC.” said Watkins II. “I always wanted to be President of the United States. Once it was Barack Obama, President of the United States, that’s me!”