What does your company do?

My company is an ice cream parlor so our main focus is creating a spot for the community where they can come and get a sweet treat and spend some quality time. Our slogan for the shop is “A Scoop of Ice Cream and a Good Chat is the Key to a Sweet Life.” For us it’s more than just ice cream, it’s about making a difference and by doing that we try  make every customer’s day a little brighter by the time they leave.

What is your background and how did you get into business? 

I was born and raised in southern Utah so growing up I spent a lot of time outdoors. When I moved to Florida I worked with a NASCAR team doing show-car events where I was handing out flyers and talking with customers about the company. After working two years with the NASCAR team I applied for a serving job at Salt Life Food shack where I spent the next three years working doubles back to back and saving my money. After three years at Salt Life, I got the opportunity to buy The Scoop and made that jump within a weekend and so began my ice cream journey. I have always loved customer service and that translated very well when I took over the shop.

What sets my company apart from others?

Our main company focus is excellent customer service. We go above and beyond to not only remember regulars but people visiting on vacation. We are known to know most of our customers by their first name! So, our customer service sets us apart as well as our atmosphere of the business. It is a beach themed laid back shop, everything is colorful, and we have tons of games to play. It’s not just a stop and go ice cream shop it’s a place to hang out. 

What is the biggest challenge your business faces?

Our biggest challenge that we face is not having a big enough space in the shop for what we want to do. During our really busy months sometimes we don’t have enough space to store enough ice cream for the number of customers coming in. Or enough space to bring in more menu items. 

What do you enjoy most about your job?

I enjoy the customers the most. Everyone coming in for an ice cream is usually having a great day, so I am constantly surrounded by happy workers and happy customers. We also have such an amazing group of local regulars that share their lives with us over ice cream, so I feel like I get to work around family every day.

What advice do you have for aspiring entrepreneurs?

“If you worry you suffer twice.”

That is a quote that I tell myself almost every day. If you’re worried that you will fail you will never try. If you are worried that you will get made fun of you will never try. If you are worried you aren’t qualified enough, you will never try. A lot of hold back comes from worries and when you take that away and say I will deal with the worries when they happen you get a lot more done and you can do it with a smile on your face rather than with panic.

What does being an entrepreneur mean to you?

Being an entrepreneur means to me that you are in 100% control of your life. You get to make the decisions, you get to decide how you want your life to be, you get to control how much success you will have, you get to control the people you want to be around, you get to decide everything and that is a very powerful thing.