Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Tamara Keefe, CEO of Clementine's Naughty and Nice Creamery, located in St. Louis, MO, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Clementine’s Naughty and Nice Creamery is a St. Louis based micro creamery featuring unique “nice” flavors, vegan options, and a “naughty” (booze-infused) line of ice creams. In 2019, our Gooey Butter Cake Ice Cream was even named on Oprah Magazine’s “The O List” as the “sexiest ice cream alive.” Since I founded Clementine’s in 2014, we’ve grown to 6 six scoop shops in the St. Louis area and also ship our ice cream nationwide, with plans to expand further. We place emphasis on locally sourced ingredients as well as strong community ties. We are one of the few micro-creameries in the Midwest, which is an important distinction for us. Ice cream should not only taste great but also be a positive force for responsible and ethical social practices.
Tell us about yourself
To start Clementine’s, I quit my high-profile marketing gig in corporate America, which had me traveling a majority of the time, to put down roots in my local community that I care about so much - St. Louis, MO. I cashed in my 401K to start Clementine’s and invested in making ice cream - a passion that stemmed from my childhood when I would make ice cream each Sunday with my mother. I noticed that members of our church would stop to get ice cream after service. While I longed to do the same, my mother explained how it was cost-prohibitive with a big family. One day, my mom found a $2 hand crank ice cream machine at a local yard sale. My family started to make ice cream on Sundays, and when the church members got word, they started to want our homemade ice cream! Everyone pitched in and contributed milk, cream vanilla - all the ingredients needed, and our home became a gathering place. Ice cream gave me a sense of community, and I hope to create the same feeling at each of our scoop shops.
When I first started out, I was delivering pints myself to area restaurants and customers. Now, Clementine’s is a thriving business with six locations, nationwide shipping, and national awards and accolades. I hope my story inspires someone else to follow their dream.
I am motivated each day by helping people. Something I’m really proud of is the goodwill we’ve been able to build in the St. Louis community through key charity partners (i.e., the Bee the Change flavor benefitting Tribe All Good) and giving back to local healthcare workers–both are initiatives we’re extremely proud of!
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
A big accomplishment for me in the past year or so was being invited to participate in the James Beard Foundation’s Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership program. In the program, I have spent the past couple of years connecting with fellow women culinarians, developing a network of cohorts from across the country I can draw upon for support, information, assistance, and general camaraderie as we move our careers and businesses forward. Female entrepreneurs, especially in the food space, are still too much of a rare breed.
I’m also extremely proud to currently be at six scoop shops with big plans for expansion. Additionally, I’m really proud of the incredible team we’ve built that allows us to keep moving forward.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
The path isn’t always easy, and there are always challenges to overcome as a business owner. Everything takes twice as long and costs twice as much as you plan it to. Around every corner, there was a new license, a new cost, and a new timeline, so those were obstacles and challenges I had to overcome.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Be fearless.
- Never take no as an answer. A no is always a gift that leads you to something better.
- Take care of your people first– lead with empathy and kindness.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.clementinescreamery.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/clementinescreamery
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clementinescreamery/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ClementinesSTL
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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