Normally, I would have a few choice four-letter words for a solicitor approaching my door.

But when my bell rang the other night, I found myself completely inspired by the entrepreneurs on the other side.

Two little girls — likely too short for the scariest of amusement park rides and too young for movies rated anything other than G — presented an offer that was far harder to refuse than a magazine subscription deal from a hippie college student.

The girls were out of school for the holidays and decided to set up a manicure stand a few apartments down. Would I like a manicure? they asked.
 Had I not been on the phone, I might have taken them up on their offer. I also had just gotten a manicure and pedicure a few days earlier. They said “thank you, anyway” and went on to knock on another door in the North Side apartment complex.

The next night, as I was pulling into my garage, I saw the girls sitting across from one another with an upside down cardboard box — a makeshift manicure table — between them.

I didn't stop for a manicure that night, choosing instead to head for the gym. But I intend to be the first one in line the next time I see these girls' makeshift salon open.

 Lots of little kids set up lemonade stands in movies, on TV and in real life. But I've never known any who have ventured into the likely more lucrative nail business.

Where did they think of the idea? I wondered. Had they seen how often their mom gets manicures or how much she spends on nail care each month?

My last manicure and pedicure, the cheapest the salon offered, cost about $50. If I had more money and was more willing to spend it on my nails, I'd probably get those services every week. Lemonade, on the other hand, I've never really liked. I couldn't even tell you the last time I bought a glass of lemonade.

Granted, a manicure from an 8-year-old probably won't mirror the one I could get from the salon down the street. But to encourage these creative, young entrepreneurs, a less-than-perfect polish job is a trade-off I could live with.

Besides, these girls have shown persistence and a drive to not give up. It wasn't until the second time they rang my bell that I answered. And despite my turning them down as others in my complex did, they didn't put away their cardboard box-turned-manicure table.

There are a lot of adults who dream of opening their own businesses and never do it. These girls might eventually grow into these adults.

But I hope they never lose the inspiration that pushed them to turn a cardboard box upside down on a cool winter's night and pull out all the nail polish they could find.