Sweet Scene

Will Wanish, an 18-year-old recent high-school graduate, knows W exactly what he wants to do for his future: manage his own business and build his passion for maple syrup. While some 2022 graduates are planning for college or working for someone else, Will is an entrepreneur at-heart and has been shaping his future for at least five years-driven and dedicated to securing "liquid gold" from maple trees.

He began tapping maple trees with his uncle, Jon, in the Cadott, Wisconsin, area. Then, the next season, he decided to have about 50 tree taps in his yard. Each year since that time, he has added trees and modified his operation.

In 2019, he decided that he wanted to focus on this as a business and had a conversation with his mom and dad, Todd and Heather Wanish.

During that discussion, both parents told him that a business was completely different than a hobby and that he needed to have a plan for funding, sales and future opportunities. "We made a list of the equipment he would need, potential sales he could make and how he would be able to make this actually work," Todd says.