Giving back to the community isn’t an easy task, but for Leroy’s LipSmack’n Lemonade, it comes naturally. From selling lemonade in his yard to having his own stand at Tiger Stadium, Leroy and his business have come a long way.

Leroy Hayward, the now-18-year-old entrepreneur, started his business alongside his family when he was just 6 years old. Leroy was also diagnosed with autism around this time, so his mother, Sherilyn Hayward, wanted to find something that would make her son happy. Her answer? A lemonade stand.

The family’s first time selling lemonade was May 12, 2012, for National Lemonade Day: a day centered around teaching kids about entrepreneurship through selling lemonade. Hayward knew this would not only delight her son but also teach him valuable life skills.

“ Leroy’s Lemonade is not just about the lemonade,” said Hayward. “This brand is actually purpose driven. It’s all about helping and making sure people with autism, like Leroy, are going to have a place in the world.”

When Leroy and his family made the lemonade for Lemonade Day, Hayward noticed that Leroy really enjoyed tasting the lemonade and began to smack his lips while drinking it; thus, the name Leroy’s LipSmack’n Lemonade came to be.

Leroy enjoyed the experience of selling lemonade in his front yard so much that his family started to do it more frequently. The family decided to use their newly founded business as a way to teach their son how to give back to the Baton Rouge community.

“ For Lemonade Day, they teach kids how to give back, so we wanted him to give back to the Children’s Hospital because they had helped him so much,” said Hayward. “When he took his donation to Children’s Hospital, I believed he loved that more than serving up the lemonade.”

Leroy’s business donates regularly to the Children’s Hospital, with over $75,000 donated through the years. The family makes giving back to the community their top priority by donating and volunteering, and they frequently show community support through local efforts like hurricane relief support, toy drives and donations to flood victims. They hope to have a lasting impact on every community by giving back to those in need.

READ MORE: What’s new with LSU fall sports? Everything you might’ve missed after a busy offseason

After years of selling locally and giving back to those in need throughout Baton Rouge, Hayward decided to contact Tiger Stadium to see if the Haywards could sell their lemonade there.

“ I sent an email because we knew Tiger Stadium was a big place, and if we wanted to make a big impact, we needed to get in Tiger Stadium,” said Hayward. “I emailed, and in about three months, someone in concessions emailed us back and said, ‘We have watched you all and I love the cause. What about we give you all a stand inside Tiger Stadium to help y’all make a bigger impact and give more money to the hospital?’”

The Haywards take pride in their lemonade and strive for it to one day be a household name. Due to this desire, Leroy’s lemonade is made with entirely fresh ingredients. This ensures that their lemonade is up to a high standard so that they can be the best on the market.

Hayward believes it’s important that her child be able to have his own sense of independence regardless of his different abilities. By teaching Leroy how to become an entrepreneur, it has allowed him to inspire others around him and show that his autism does not stop him from following his dreams.

“ Because he is autistic, the world may not have given him the chance or an opportunity because people may see him differently, and they may not think he could do certain things,” said Hayward. “So, by us teaching him to be an entrepreneur, he can control his own path and his own destiny.”

Hayward has one piece of advice for aspiring entrepreneurs: find your reason to keep going.

“ Leroy is the ‘why’ in this business,” said Hayward. “And I feel like because our ‘why’ is so strong, it keeps us going. It’s all about Leroy. And it’s all about inspiring the autistic community. I tell it to anybody in business: if you don’t have a ‘why,’ when things get tough, you’re going to give up.”

Resilience, determination and love for the community are key ingredients to Leroy’s success. With every sip, Leroy’s LipSmack’n Lemonade is pouring inspiration across Baton Rouge and beyond.