Handmade, Small-batch Ice Cream Pints

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Sarah Cochran, owner and founder of Ice Cream Girl, located in Chicago, IL, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

My business is Ice Cream Girl. I sell pints of ice cream via pickup and delivery throughout Chicago. I started during the pandemic after returning to the U.S. and being unable to work in restaurants, which was my previous job. I knew how to make ice cream from my previous job and wanted to share so many flavors from my travels that I knew I had to try this!

The menu features many pun inspired names, as well as three monthly flavors. I have just as much fun coming up with the flavors as I do the names and my customers enjoy the names as well! My direct customers are anyone that loves ice cream in the Chicago area. With three monthly flavors and a year-round menu full of classics and travel-inspired flavors, some are foodies, some just want the experience of pickup/delivery pints, and some are nostalgic for the flavor they had while on their own travels.

Tell us about yourself

Do you ever look back on your life and think, "Man, it all makes so much sense now?" That's exactly how I feel every day. I took my first "resume" into an ice cream shop when I was 12 and asked if I could shadow for a day to learn how to make ice cream. At 15, I started my first job scooping ice cream after school. After studying Hospitality Administration at Cornell University, I landed a job in food and beverage management in Chicago.

After working in restaurants, both front-of-house and back-of-house around Chicago, I spent a year traveling in search of fun and unique ice cream flavors around the world. I came back to the U.S. wanting to share these ideas with all of Chicago. The nickname "Ice Cream Girl" was given to me by a co-worker at one of Stephanie Izard's restaurants in Chicago while making the ice cream for her (at the time) three restaurants.

My customers absolutely motivate me every day. Whether it's their first time ordering and they share their excitement in wanting to try it, or they tell me how amazing a flavor is, they keep me going every day to make new flavors and keep me delivering in Chicago all year, but especially in the winter and sometimes by bicycle. They are constantly sharing the pints of ice cream with friends and family, which is a fun memory for me since I would often have pints of ice cream growing up to celebrate birthdays and other special occasions.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Growth. When I first started, I had no idea if anyone would even buy my ice cream! Now, I have plenty of repeat customers. Seeing them re-order every month is definitely an accomplishment as it's enabled me to move into a shared kitchen, order custom pints with my logo, and be nominated for Chicago Reader's "Best Ice Cream."

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

There are so many decisions to make! Whether it's what monthly flavor to put on next month's menu or how to handle a customer's issue, there is always something to do and think about. Each decision could impact your growth and customer satisfaction, so I take each one seriously. I love getting creative in the kitchen with the menu and talking to my customers; however, there's always some decision to make!

We recently changed our ordering website, and there were a lot of factors to consider besides cost, such as the features it offers and the implementation period. While challenging and time-consuming, I enjoyed researching the different sites and learned a lot about them and how to compare them all to hopefully make the best decision.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

Start. Don't be afraid to start. There are so many things I overthought and things I thought I would do, but once I started, things made a lot more sense of what worked and what didn't. I could then focus more of my energy on what worked. It's easy to get wrapped up in the planning phase as there are endless amounts of reading and researching, but if you just do it, you'll quickly learn more than you ever could before!
Don't fear the competition. Often, I have gotten inspiration from the competition or even gained a member of my support system from them! I have my own story, recipes, etc., which is what keeps my customers coming back, so I should continue to do my thing and let the competition do theirs. We can both succeed in the same space.
Know your worth. It's easy to sell yourself short by either charging a lower price or not accounting for all the time you put into creating a product. Know your value and have confidence in it, as it will shine through in whatever you're doing!

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.icecreamgirlco.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IceCreamGirlCo/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/icecreamgirlco/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahecochran/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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