5 Tips for Small Business Owners in 2010

Since we are all considered small business owners, I thought it might be a good idea to grab a few good tips from the many articles that are out there on the web and put them here in ConcessionCentral (with proper citation and links of course). As I'm sure you're fully aware, there is a ton of information on the Internet on just about every subject possible. For many of us, it can be a daunting task to wade through it all to find a few good nuggets of helpful information.

With the year just getting underway, this seems to be a good time to review and refine some business practices for most of us. If your business is seasonal, this is a great time because it's cold out there and most seasonal business are closed.

So, from one small business owner to another, here's what I have found so far that I felt like passing on to you:

1. Offer Good Quality at a Fair Price
The second principle for business success with any product or service is that it must be of good quality at a fair price. If it's in competition with other similar products or services, it must have what's called a Unique Selling Proposition—one or more features or benefits that make it unique, different and superior to any competitive product or service.

This area of uniqueness is central to success in business. No product or service can succeed unless it's somehow unique and superior to any other product or service that competes with it. There's seldom any opportunity to build a business around a "me too" product—a product or service that's just the same as all the others, where the only difference is that it's you who happens to be selling it.

The safest business strategy is to start off with an accepted product that already has a widespread market and then find a way to improve upon it in some way. Deliver it faster, make it better or of higher quality, or lower the price of the product or service in some way. Instead of trying to invent a new business or industry, start off with a product or service that people are already using and find some way to make it more desirable. Courtesy of Score.org

2. Cut Personal Expenses: Find ways to cut costs outside of the business, because you’ll likely have to take home less pay and even go into your savings: 69 percent of small business owners say that current economic conditions are forcing them to reduce the amount of money they take home from their businesses, and 61 percent think they are very or somewhat likely to use their personal assets in the next year to keep their businesses afloat. Courtesy of Yahoo! Finance.

3. Create a social media policy: Social media is not a fad any more. It’s time to stop experimenting and start managing your social media strategy. Create a policy around social media, even if you’re only a one-person operation. Your social media policy should include your objectives for each site and any rules you have around posts, articles, pictures, etc. Creating this policy will eliminate employee confusion, problems and PR and potential digital reputation management nightmares. Courtesy of American Express Small Business Open Forum

4. Keep all documents.
When it comes to your taxes, it’s a good idea to be a pack rat. You’ll have peace of mind knowing you can produce any document at anytime, no matter what questions may come up. Always organize and carefully file away:

Credit card bills and receipts
Old checkbooks
Bills and invoices
Mileage logs and documentations
Canceled checks or proofs of payment (VERY important)
Any evidence that supports deductions and credit claims on your tax returns
Courtesy of ESB Journal

5. Put all agreements in writing.

The laws of your state require you to put some contracts and agreements in writing:
Contracts that will last longer than a year.
Contracts that involve the sale of goods worth $500 or more.
Contracts that transfer the ownership of copyrights or real estate.
Even if not legally required, it's wise to put almost everything in writing, because oral agreements can be difficult or impossible to prove. This includes leases or rental agreements, storage agreements, contracts for services (such as consulting or electrical work), purchase orders or contracts for goods worth more than a couple hundred dollars, offer letters of employment, and employment policies. Get in the habit of getting and giving receipts for all goods, services, and deposits, regardless of how much. Courtesy of Yahoo! Small Business

As you can see, I have pulled one tip from each of these sites. I would encourage you to go back and read each of these articles. They contain a lot of great information for business owners. Whether you're just starting out or you're a seasoned business owner, there are some great tips in these articles that will help you make your business more successful and profitable.

How to Successfully Market Your Concessions Business, Part 1

We have talked about marketing many different times over the past couple of years. It's topic that will always be on the forefront of any conversation about business until the end of time. Marketing and business are really inseparable.

Over the course of previous posts, we have also recommended various methods and resources to aid you in marketing your business too. The Small Business Administration's website has been mentioned more than once...and it's going to be recommended again now.

The SBA website (www.SBA.gov) is full of great, free resources to business owners and people who are considering going into business for themselves. I would urge you to spend some time digging through their website and see for yourself just how much valuable information is there.

Right now, my recommendation would be for you to take a look at the many different articles available there that are directly aimed at giving you (a business owner) tips and ideas on how to effectively market and advertise your business. This list of articles can be found by clicking here. One of the articles that I found most interesting so far is entitled, "15 Foolproof Ideas for Promoting Your Company". While every one of these points is not applicable to someone who owns a shaved ice or snow cone business, many of the points are very relevant and contain good suggestions.

So, during the offseason (for those of you who own seasonal shaved ice and snow cone stands), I would encourage you to take some time to read these articles. Print them out and read them when you're offline.

There are some "good tools" on the SBA website for your business operation "toolbox" that will help you operate your business more successfully.

Look for Part 2 in How to Successfully Market Your Business in the coming days!

Take care!

Lynchburg, VA Shaved Ice Stand in the News

Recently, The Frigid Frog made the news in Lynchburg, VA. This usually seasonal business has decided to stay open year round in its current location. During the cooler months they will be serving coffee and hot chocolate in addition to the 100 flavors of shaved ice and other goodies that they sell.

Read the entire article and file it away. As a shaved ice or snow cone business owner, it's always important to read about other owners, their thoughts and ideas. As we've said before, we call these "magic lanterns" because they offer a bit of insight and spur all of us on with ideas for our own businesses.

We hope that The Frigid Frog will continue to have a successful year! If you're in the Lynchburg area...stop in for a cup of coffee or even shaved ice (it's still delicious in the winter time too).

HawaiianShavedIce.com Now has a Facebook Fan Page!

That's right, HawaiianShavedIce.com has made the 'leap' into the world of social media. We have created a Facebook Fan Page. If you are already a Facebook user, please visit our fan page. Please add us as friend. We just started the page and are thrilled to see that we have 115 friends already. Wow! If you are not using Facebook just yet...well, what are you waiting for? It's free, so sign up today and give it a whirl.

We have discussed the importance of using social media for your business and now we're putting it to the test ourselves. We hope to be able to give you honest, first hand experience and recommendations based on our own usage of this powerful, free marketing tool.

We look forward to putting together some creative uses for our Fan Page. Do you have any suggestions for ways that you'd like to see us use it? If so, please feel free to leave us a comment here on the blog. We appreciate and invite your input!

The Entrepreneurial Spirit

Entrepreneur: a person who organizes and manages any enterprise, esp. a business, usually with considerable initiative and risk. (courtesy of Dictionary.com)

Keywords to consider from this definition: considerable initiative and risk.

As many of you already know, starting your own business is a serious commitment. It involves a great deal of risk on your part. But most business owners who stick with it and build up a successful business will tell you that the risk is definitely worth the reward.

In the blog here, we feature articles that we find about shaved ice, snow cones, and cotton candy from all over the globe when we can find appropriate information. We do this because at 1-800-ShavedIce.com, HawaiianShavedIce.com, and CottonCandyExpress.com, we admire the entrepreneurial spirit and we understand it...from the risk side and the reward side.

So, we offer this recently found article about a gentleman in Florida delving into the snow cone business. He's garnered some positive attention for his business locally and that's great. We hope that he'll continue to work hard and invest in his company! Check out the article about Mr. Trujillo.

Thanks!

27 Years in the Snow Cone Business...Wow!

"The Snow Cone Lady" as she is affectionately called has been cranking out delicious snow cones for 27 years in Frisco, TX. I recommend that you read the entire article at neighborsgo.com. As usual, there are some great nuggets of information to hold onto and apply in your own business.

One thing that we discuss frequently in our posts here is the need for consistency in everything you do with your business. After 27 years of being in the snow cone business, one thing I can guarantee is that her product is consistent and people like it. Evidence of that fact can be found in the following quote:

"Mathis said she’s seen more customers this opening season than any time in the past. While she always expects a few more people due to increased population and word of mouth — she never advertises — the increase this year was significant.

“I think that the economy probably has something to do with part of that increase because I try to keep my prices reasonable,” she said."

Again, I encourage you to read the entire article. Will you be able to sustain your snow cone or shaved ice business for 27 years? We hope so! By constantly evaluating your business practices, maintaining consistent customer service and offering your customers a quality product at an affordable price, you should be able to look forward to many, many years of success!

Young Entrepreneur in Las Vegas Chooses Shaved Ice Business

I came across this article today about a young man and his shaved ice business in Las Vegas, NV. I thought it was definitely worth sharing with our readers. It's always encouraging to read about young people who have solid goals in place and a strong work ethic to help them attain those goals! It looks like Jeff Brunner is hard at work to achieve his long term goals. I hope you don't quit pursuing your goal Jeff (I'm a pilot and flying airplanes is such a blast!).

As I've mentioned in the past, it's always good to read about other people's experiences in our industry. I think there are several good, key points to remember from this article. One major thing to take away from this article is that it is incredibly important to find out what laws and regulations are in place that will affect your business and your potential location. Do your homework!

I hope you enjoy the article!

Snow Cones for the "Refined Palate"?

I came across an article recently featuring a snow cone stand with a twist. You won't fine the usual blue raspberry or strawberry snow cones coming through the customer service window at this stand. Instead, you will see exotic concoctions such as watermelon-basil or green tea-pear. It sounds interesting. And, as a result, it spurred me to ask my readers this question: do you feature exotic flavors at your stand? If so...please share your flavors with us and let us know what the response is from your customers. I think it would be interesting to find out...

Thanks!

Hot Summer Days + Cold, Refreshing Shaved Ice = Potential Profits

Summer in many portions of the US has started out to be a hot one! If you operate a shaved ice or snow cone stand in these "warm" regions of the US, I hope you're enjoying a busy start to the summer.

In Amarillo, Texas, this stand is certainly reaping the benefits of hot summer days! Read more about their sales and other information that may be helpful to you in the operation and management of your own business.

I have friends who recently let me know that it was 102 degrees where they live in Texas. My suggestion to them? FIND A SHAVED ICE or SNOW CONE STAND to help them cool off!

It's hot out there! Some people don't like the heat and see it as burdensome. However, for folks like us, when we see the thermometer rise, we see dollar signs too! I hope your summer continues to be a hot and profitable one!

There Has to Be a Story Behind This Somewhere

I came across this article a couple of weeks ago. As many of you know, I like to look for shaved ice, snow cone, and cotton candy information that appears in the news media and then post it here.

This article and the local ordinance it discusses was amusing, but at the same time slightly annoying. Who in the world decided it was a good idea to set an arbitrary date for when a business could start selling snow cones and shaved ice. My first reaction was..."hmm...do they have a date for when ice cream sales can begin? what about hamburger and hot dog sales?" Anyhow...I thought it was interesting and worth posting a link to the article here in the blog.

Personally, I have never heard of a law like this being enforced. Have you? If so, please share the story with us!

Thanks!

Interesting Article about Shave It

As you know, I always like to feature shaved ice, snow cones or cotton candy articles that appear in the mainstream news. Last week, I came across an article from April of this year discussing a new start up company called Shave It (a California based franchise).

As usual, I encourage you to read the article about their store (as of this article, there are 3 locations in So. California). I also encourage you to visit their website (www.shaveitice.com). Check out their menu, their prices and how they market their company. There's a great deal of helpful, useful information there that may be of use to you in promoting your own shaved ice business. It's just good fuel for thought. Another "magic lantern" moment as I like to refer to them.

I hope you find it helpful for your own business.

NY Times Piece on Shaved Ice

I came across this short article in the New York Times today about a place in the city called Dessert Club. The article gives some good information about two types of shaved ice made and served there. It also gives you a couple of prices for those delicious sounds treats too. Again, this is just good information to know and use when looking at developing new menu items or verifying your pricing structure for the items you sell. Click here to read the article (it's short).

Check Out Other Shaved Ice Vendors

It's always good to look at other companies that are in the same industry as you. What are they doing well? What are they doing wrong? How does my own business rate in comparison?

There are good, helpful lessons to be learned in observing how another shaved ice company operates. I know this is beginning of the busy time for most concessionaires. But, I think it would be prudent to perhaps take an afternoon and observe some other shaved ice businesses operations. While doing so, ask yourself a few questions:

1. What is the initial appeal that draws customers to their stand?
2. Do they serve unique products?
3. Pricing - Are your prices in line with theirs?
4. Customer Service. Are they friendly and helpful?
5. Is their stand clean and visually appealing?
6. Does their staff operate in a professional, respectful manner?

If you are up to it (and if they don't necessarily know who you are), go ahead and order a shaved ice from them. Pay attention to their interaction with you. Watch how they make your shaved ice.

Taking the time to observe and perhaps interact with another stand from a customer viewpoint can give you insight into some areas where you may need to improve the operation of your own concessions business. It can also reassure you on some things that you are doing well.

As I've said before, I label these as "Magic Lanterns" - events and information that you can always go back to and use to refine your business. It's important to take time to evaluate your business and how it operates.

Excellent Resources for Concessionaires

I've discussed the Small Business Administration in previous articles, however I wanted to mention them again. There are some excellent resources available at the SBA Website.

I would encourage you to go to the site and review some of the great tools and information that is available to you. Remember...it's a FREE resource for you. Well, not completely free since you are a taxpayer. So, with that said though, take advantage of your tax dollars!

Not interested in reading through articles? Try out some of their podcasts. Download them and listen to them while you're driving to your stand or during a slow period. Some podcasts that stand out to me are:

Check List for Starting a Business

Featuring Wendy Baumann, President
Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corp.
Milwaukee, Wisconsin

How can a prospective entrepreneur know if he or she is ready to start a business? This checklist helps you identify what you need to know and what you need to do to start a small business.

Is Entrepreneurship for You?

Featuring Cheryl Mills, Associate Deputy Administrator
Office of Entrepreneurial Development
U.S. Small Business Administration

Each year more than 600,000 new businesses are started in the United States. Many will succeed while others fail. Find out if you have what it takes to be an entrepreneur and how training maybe be the key to success.


The SBA Small Business Training Network—Log On!
Featuring Jim O’Connor, Director
Small Business Training Network
U.S. Small Business Administration

To succeed in business entrepreneurs must stay competitive. An essential ingredient to being competitive is training. Learn how SBA’s online Small Business Training Network—a virtual campus—can help potential and current small business owners start, grow and succeed.

This is only a sampling of the many podcasts that are available for free download. While these podcasts will not directly discuss concessions businesses, they are certainly full of tips for any small business and helpful.

If you get a chance to listen to one of their podcasts and find the information in it helpful, I would encourage you to leave a comment here so that other 1-800-Shaved-Ice.com customers can benefit from it too. Thanks!

Interesting Article about a Snow Cone Business in Texas

I found this article today discussing a snow cone stand called Cajun Cones, which operates in Abilene, Texas. I like to share this kind of stuff with you because you can always gain a few little insights here and there from other businesses and the information written about them. Some highlights from this article include: their popular flavors, additional menu items, pricing and customer reactions to their products. All important things to consider and use to evaluate your own stand!

As I have discussed in the past, I like to label these things as "Magic Lanterns" because they are helpful and insightful. Enjoy the article!

Chilly Dilly’s – Ice Cream & Hawaiian Shaved Ice in York, PA

If you’re from the York, PA area, then there’s a strong possibility that you are already familiar with Chilly Dilly’s. Their popular, recognizable fleet of five trucks has faithfully been serving up tasty ice cream treats and Hawaiian Shaved Ice in neighborhoods and special events for five seasons now. Recently, I had a chance to ask Dylan Bauer, owner of Chilly Dilly’s, some questions about his business. For anyone who is thinking of starting their own concessions business, we hope you will glean some helpful information from Dylan’s experience.

What is the length of your season?

Dylan: We usually begin our season near the end of March, first part of April. We run until Halloween. Our final run is in the York Halloween Parade.

Why did you decide to incorporate Hawaiian shaved ice into your ice cream trucks?

Dylan: Simply put…profit. Shaved Ice has a huge profit margin. For example, on my trucks I sell a small cup of shaved ice for $2.00. The cost of making that cup of shaved ice runs me around $0.15 to $0.20. A large cup sells for $3.00, with a total cost of approximately $0.25. People love our shaved ice. It’s fresh and made to order just for them. People like that personal touch. I’m not a fan of snow cones. I think they are boring, cheap, wet, and watery. Shaved ice on the other hand is refreshing and a much better, tastier product.

What type of shaved ice machines do you use on your trucks?

Dylan: All 5 of my trucks use the Hatsuyuki 12 volt cube ice shavers. Since my trucks all use cold plate freezers for their ice cream products, the 12 volt ice shavers work very well for us. We use deep cycle marine batteries which allow our trucks to sit at a special event all day long serving ice cream and making shaved ice without any power issues at all. I also went with cubed ice shavers simply because cube ice is readily available. If, for some reason, one of my drivers runs out of ice on his route, it’s easy to find a convenience store or grocery store where cubed ice may be purchased.

How do you like the Hatsuyuki ice shavers?

Dylan: They’re great. I’ve had one of the machines for 5 years now and it’s seen a lot of use. But, it still is doing a great job. One tip that I would like to make people aware of is this: very cold ice can cause the machine to lock up. It will freeze up, requiring you to take it apart and clean it out. It’s okay to have your ice cold…just not really, really cold!

I know that you sell from trucks on neighborhood routes. But, tell us what else you do in addition to your regular, established routes?

Dylan: Our routes make up the bulk of our sales. But, we also spend about 30% of our time catering special events. We will do business events, parties, and other local, special events. For some of our business parties, we will charge a per-person rate for a two hour block of time. We also have our own website, www.ChillyDillys.com, where people can contact us for special events. We also have a “neighborhood request” form on our site which allows people to request a truck for their neighborhood.



What advice would you give to someone interested in starting their own shaved ice/ice cream business?

Dylan: If they’re going to use a truck…drive slowly! Really, I’d say to focus on the profitable items. Shaved ice is our biggest money maker. It’s popular and cheap to produce.

Typically, how many servings do you sell in a day on a truck?

Dylan: We average about 400 sales per day per truck. Out of that number, around 150 sales per day are shaved ice orders on each truck.

How has 1-800-Shaved-Ice helped you and your business?

Dylan: I have used them since day one. My very first purchase was through them. It’s a great company. When I call in to order, they know who I am and I appreciate that. I prefer to call in my orders rather than use the website. I like the personal interaction. They always ship my items out to me as soon as possible. I’ve never really had any problems. I did have one issue once with bottle pourers…the manufacturer had changed them and I didn’t like them at all. I called up and they took care of the problem immediately. Great customer service!



Since you run dedicated routes, are there any funny moments with customers or employees?

Dylan: Nothing specific comes to mind. I do know that it’s great to roll up to a routine stop and see a line of kids (and parents) already there waiting for you. For us, maintaining a consistent routine is vital for our success. People expect us to be at a particular place at a certain time.

What is your favorite shaved ice flavor?

Dylan: Tiger’s blood. I love it! I think we have the best flavors out there. My customers love our flavors too. We make our own simple syrup and use the flavor concentrates from 1-800-Shaved-Ice.

Thanks for taking the time to discuss your business with us Dylan. I know that people will appreciate your input and suggestions for them. From everyone at 1-800-Shaved-Ice, we thank you for your business and hope that your upcoming season will be a busy and very profitable one!

Byrd House Enterprises, Arkansas

Byrd House Enterprises is a company owned by Patrick Byrd which is involved in many different areas of the business world (property management, furniture, online marketing, and shaved ice). I had the opportunity to talk to Brandy, who manages and operates the shaved ice portion of Byrd House Enterprises. Here’s what Brandy had to say about how they operate their shaved ice business in Arkansas.

What’s the name of your shaved ice business?

Brandy: We chose to just go with just calling it Hawaiian Shaved Ice.

How many years have you been in business?

Brandy: We are starting our 3rd season. We are opening our stand on April 1st. Our season will end on August 31st. We used to stay open until October. However, once school started back up, our sales dropped tremendously. So, we’ve decided to shorten our season.

Why did you choose to go into the shaved ice business?

Brandy: Simply put…money. When the location became available to us after another stand moved away, we decided to open our own stand in that same location. We knew that there was only one other shaved ice business and it was on the opposite side of town. We saw the potential and went for it.

Would you tell us a little about your equipment and where you operate?

Brandy: We purchased a 6’x14’ trailer from 1-800-Shaved-Ice.com and love it. It’s sharp looking and attractive to our customers. We use a New Orleans Block Machine. It’s extremely dependable and makes great shaved ice. In my opinion, it’s the perfect machine for a high volume stand. We only sell shaved ice. We are a neighborhood stand and have an excellent location. It’s a prime spot. Of course, we produce an excellent product which brings people back time after time, but our location is a major factor to the success of our stand too.

One thing that’s interesting to me is the fact that most of our customers (around 60%) are adults. After school gets out, we see a lot of kids. During the summer break, we get a lot of kids too. But, most of the time we serve more adults than kids. We also have a couple of local businesses who will come over on a regular basis and order shaved ice for all of their employees. They’ll bring a list with everyone’s order, we’ll make them, box it up and they take them back to everybody.

What advice would you give to someone interested in starting their own shaved ice business?

Brandy: Three things come to mind. First, take the time to find a prime location where the market isn’t flooded with competitors. Securing a great location is incredibly important to the success of any business. Do some research and find the best location possible. Second, work the stand yourself. Be dedicated to the success of your business. The best way to grow your business is to be directly involved in the day to day operations. Finally, keep your stand clean. People notice. A clean stand serving great products adds up to quality. Quality matters to your customers. Quality creates repeat customers.

What has been your best day as far as gross sales?

Brandy: July 4th has been our best sales day. I don’t have an absolute figure that I can give you. However, we probably sold 350-400 servings that day at an average price of $2 per serving. Conservatively, I’d say our profit margin runs about 30%. We have never really put “pen to paper” to run the numbers and come up with those kind of figures. So, 30% is probably a very conservative number.

How has 1-800-Shaved-Ice.com helped your business?

Brandy: Dealing with 1-800-Shaved-Ice.com is great. I know that I can call Carly, tell her what I need and it’s on its way to me. Sometimes I have called her three times in one day…she’s great. Their support is fantastic and their products are unrivaled.

Have you had any funny moments with customers or employees?

Brandy: The only thing that comes to mind is that we had a customer who, for some reason, had her mouth wired shut for close to three months. She came to our stand everyday for lunch and dinner…everyday! She always ordered the same thing, Honolulu Hawaiian with cream. I think our stand was the only way she survived for those three months!

What’s your favorite shaved ice flavor?

Brandy: My all time favorite is definitely mango with cream.

I want to thank Byrd House Enterprises and especially thank Brandy for taking time out of her busy schedule to discuss their shaved ice business with me. I know that their insight into operating a neighborhood shaved ice stand will prove to be invaluable to other concessions owners and potential shaved ice owners. From everyone at 1-800-Shaved-Ice.com, we wish you a “long hot summer” full of sales!

FREE Business Resource

Not many things in life are free. In the business world, it's virtually impossible to find something worthwhile that is truly free. Here is a resource that is a valuable tool and yes, it's really free.

"SCORE "Counselors to America's Small Business" is a nonprofit association dedicated to educating entrepreneurs and the formation, growth and success of small business nationwide. SCORE is a resource partner with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).

SCORE is headquartered in Herndon, VA and Washington, DC and has 389 chapters throughout the United States and its territories, with 10,500 volunteers nationwide. Both working and retired executives and business owners donate time and expertise as business counselors. SCORE was founded in 1964."

In the past, we have talked about the importance of creating a good "toolbox" of resources for your business. We've also referred to "magic lanterns" from time to time too (a definition we adopted from David Ogilvy). SCORE should definitely be considered an invaluable tool for your toolbox and a magic lantern (a resource to go back to time and time again).

I would encourage you to visit SCORE's website. It alone has a ton of valuable information addressing a multitude of topics. You also have the ability to ask questions through their website. They also list their low cost workshops online. And, if you're interested, you can find a SCORE office near you where you can set up a time to get face to face advice from a seasoned, professional business person.

Check it out and use this resource to answer your questions! It's a great FREE resource!

Snowballs and Snowcones in St. Louis

I found this quirky article today that discusses quite a few different snowball and snow cone stands in the St. Louis metro area. While the dialog in the article is a bit goofy, I think the quick reviews of each stand might be helpful to other concessionaires.

So, when you get a chance, read through the article and you might gain a few useful insights for operating your own business more efficiently and profitably.

An Interview with Britton Roller: College Student and Entrepreneur in Oklahoma

Britton Roller, college student and business owner at 22 years of age. Britton is one busy guy! When he’s not attending Southeast Oklahoma State University studying for his degree in aviation, he pretty much spends the rest of his time inside his shaved ice stand. While at school (between classes of course!), Britton took some time to talk with me about his shaved ice business and answer some questions.

What’s the name of your shaved ice business?

Britton: I just use the traditional name, Hawaiian Shaved Ice.

How many years have you been in business?

Britton: I’ll be starting my 3rd season on April 12th. I’ll only be open a couple of days each week until the spring semester ends. Once I’m out of school though, I’ll be open seven days a week. I’m open from 11am to 10pm Monday thru Saturday and 2pm to 10pm on Sundays.

Why did you choose to go into the shaved ice business?

Britton: After spending a summer working at a factory with low pay and bad hours, my dad and I sat down to discuss other ideas for generating income for me so I could pay for college. We came up with the plan of opening our own shaved ice stand and operating it during the summer months. I did a lot of research about the business online. I found the 1-800-Shaved-Ice.com website, downloaded and printed out their COLD CASH business manual. After more research, my dad and I went through it all together. Once we had looked at everything and the cost vs. profit, we put our plan into action. My dad loaned me the money to start up the business (which I paid back in full during my first season of operation).

Would you tell us a little about your equipment and where you operate?

Britton: Fortunately, my dad and I were able to design and build the stand ourselves. Initially the building was 15’x30’. However, due to the need for more freezers, we expanded the building and it is now 15’x45’. We have a great location in a business parking lot in town. I have a New Orleans Block Machine and it’s perfect for our stand. It creates the best shaved ice around! We make our own block ice in-house too. During my first season, we underestimated the amount of ice we would need and consequently had to purchase additional block ice from a local ice house. However, after adding on to the building, we now have 2 upright freezers for making ice and 3 deep, floor freezers for storing ice blocks. I go through about 15-25 blocks of ice every day. When I first opened my stand, there were two other stands in town too. However, they have both closed since then, leaving me without any local competition. There are several stands in the larger town just north of us.

What advice would you give to someone interested in starting their own shaved ice business?

Britton: I would have to say that they should expect to put a lot more time into it than they originally plan. It’s very time consuming. Your time invested goes way beyond just the hours you are open for customers. Also, I’d recommend that they operate it themselves. If you’re looking to make the most money, you need to do it yourself. I work everyday and don’t have any employees. I feel that I’m fortunate though because by doing this, I don’t have to work at all during the school year.

Be open to customer suggestions too. I’ve had customers suggest different flavors or recipes and I’ve tried them. If they’re popular, I’ve added them to my menu. Customer service is critical and part of that is responding to their requests.

Another thing I would recommend to someone interested in operating their own shaved ice business is to set your hours and stick with them. Be consistent! You can’t close just because you have something else that you want to do that particular day. You will lose customers! You have to set your hours and be open in order to build repeat customers.

What has been your best day as far as gross sales?

Britton: On my busiest days, I’ll bring in about $300-315 per day. I probably make about 150-200 servings on those days. My profit margin is pretty high because my expenses are very limited. I’d say that my profit margin runs around 80%.

How has 1-800-Shaved-Ice.com helped your business?

Britton: 1-800-Shaved-Ice.com is fantastic. When I first started my business, I ordered everything from them. I ordered my machine, mixing supplies, bottles, utensils…everything came from 1-800-Shaved-Ice.com. Now I order all of my flavors, sugar free base packs, and other items through them. I think their customer service is awesome. I know that I can call them, ask a question and they’ll get an answer for me. When I ordered my machine in the beginning, Gary called us up and counseled us in making a decision on a machine that was slightly higher in price, but much better in quality. He was right and we really appreciated the time and effort he took in helping us choose a great machine for our business.

Have you had any funny moments with customers or employees?

Britton: One thing I enjoy is knowing what my customers are going to order. Because I’m a neighborhood stand, I get a lot of repeat customers. It’s fun to have a customer ask me, “What is it that I order all the time?” They get a kick out of the fact that I can remember their order and they can’t.

Another thing that I find interesting is the amount of people who will come and just order a plain cup of ice (no flavor). They just like the ice that our machine produces. I have a boy who’s about 4 years old that comes by with his grandma just about every day. He likes to get a cup of plain ice with a blue straw. A lot of times I’ll see him coming across the parking lot and I’ll have it ready, sitting under the counter, waiting for him. He gets a thrill when I pull it out and hand it over to him.

I also had a customer come through, order a cup of shaved ice, taste it, and ask: “Are your flavors from that company in North Carolina?” I was blown away. I told them yes, it was from 1-800-Shaved-Ice.com and they said they could tell just by the taste! Apparently they used to own or work at a stand where they used the same flavors. It just goes to show you that people can taste the difference between cheaply made syrups and the quality syrups made by 1-800-Shaved-Ice.com.

What’s your favorite shaved ice flavor?

Britton: My favorite is called a “Salty Dog.” Some people may make it in different ways, but I make it with strawberry syrup, real lemon juice, and margarita salt.

Thanks for taking the time to talk about your stand with us Britton. We really appreciate your insight! Everyone here at 1-800-Shaved-Ice.com admires your dedication to your customers and the hard work you put in to your business. We wish you the best with your education, flying, and your shaved ice business!