Moving into the seventh grade can be a difficult transition for many young adolescents. Neenah resident Veronika Asplund, 18, was overwhelmed going from a small private school to a public middle school — until her parents made a far-reaching decision.

“My parents’ philosophy is that all of life is a learning experience — we just have to be open and ready to learn,” Veronika said.

Parents Regina and Raymon Asplund decided to home school Veronika and her two younger siblings, Nora, 17, and Erik, 15.

“We learned to be very independent and decisive because of our parents and our opportunity with home schooling,” Veronika said.

That philosophy came in handy when Veronika was working 25 hours a week at Cafe Latte, a downtown Appleton coffee shop when the owner decided to sell the business she’d run for over a year.

After much family discussion, Veronika and Nora decided to dip into their “college-business-or home” fund and join their parents in purchasing the coffee shop business. They signed a three-year lease on the 1,500-square foot College Avenue space and opened for business on April 1, 2004.

“My mom and dad and my sister and I are equal-share owners,” said Veronika, adding that she must use patience and tact when dealing with vendors who ask to talk to her parents. “I just tell them my mom’s not here and I can make a decision. It’s not a normal thing to have kids running a business.”

After renaming the coffee shop Brewed Awakenings, a name Regina found through an Internet chat room, the family spent about $10,000 in facility improvements and expanded the menu.

“We have ideas for more improvements, but we have to see how well (the business) goes,” said Regina, who has been assigned to watch the business’ bottom line and create profit and loss statements.

Raymon Asplund owns and operates Fibrenew, a vinyl repair business, and is “our handyman and cooks omelets on Saturdays,” Veronika said.

With Starbucks, a heavyweight in the coffee shop business, just two doors away, the Asplunds are learning valuable lessons about marketing and competition. Instead of tossing out discourteous customers who drink from their green-logoed cups at Brewed Awakenings, Veronika has a different approach.

“Instead of getting angry, we just offer them a cup of our coffee; we have a better product at lower prices,” she said. “It makes more of an impact if you’re kind.”

Nora hadn’t baked since she made muffins for her grandfather at 7 years old. Now while juggling high school home studies in science and math, she creates all the pastries, having found her “passion” in baking.

“If this doesn’t work, I want to start my own bakery business,” Nora said.

Starting a new business is usually a financial struggle and experts say the first three years are most difficult. Brewed Awakenings is still looking to make a profit, but this April is much better than last year, Regina said.

“My goal is to help them through so they can stand on their own two feet,” Regina said.

While serving coffee and tea, breakfast and lunch, the young entrepreneurs offer inside seating for 95, enclosed courtyard seating, Internet access on two computers, hand-dipped ice cream, live musical entertainment on Friday nights and summer Sunday hours.

“It’s hard being a local business owner, but it’s a lot of fun,” Veronika said.