How I Built This: Building a Snow Cone Business in 30 Days

by Robert Solano

I built Davis Islands Ice LLC, a mobile shaved ice business in Tampa, Florida, and documented my experiences in a journal for 30 days. I recorded my thoughts and feelings from the moment I got the business idea until I made my first sale a month later. I was afraid I would forget important details during this fast-paced experience.

This is not an article, but rather my raw unabridged journal from the day I had an initial idea for a business through the first sale 30 days later. It is lengthy, but I hope that it will be a resource for other entrepreneurs who want to start a food truck business, particularly snow cone or shave ice businesses. I hope my journal inspires others to pursue their dreams and start a business in a relatively short time.

During those 30 days, I worked about 50 hours a week at my full-time job, traveled for work for 10 days, and made time for a date night and to watch the final season of Game of Thrones. However, this project consumed all of my free time since I had recently quit my PhD. I slept an average of 5 hours a night and was mentally and physically exhausted by the end of those 30 days.

The Origin of the Idea

Before I met my wife, Zaira, I had the pleasure of living in Hawaii from 2008 to 2012. It’s truly one of the most magical places on Earth, and I promised Zaira that I would take her there one day. Last Christmas, I finally made good on my promise and we spent two weeks in Hawaii over the holidays. Our trip was a mix of business and pleasure, and we did many typical Hawaiian tourist activities, like attending a luau, snorkeling, visiting Waikiki, and trying Hawaii’s unique local flavors – including shave ice, which quickly became a favorite of Zaira’s.

The Hawaiian shave ice is different from a snow cone, as the ice is shaved like powder snow instead of being chunky. It’s usually filled with vanilla ice cream and topped with sweetened condensed milk. Hawaiians refer to it as “shave ice,” dropping the “d” in “shaved ice” and it’s now accepted as the proper name for this iced confection. I use both terms interchangeably.

When done properly, Hawaiian shave ice is superior to classic snow cones, ice cream, or frozen yogurt. It’s incredibly delicious, or as they say in Hawaii, it’s “oh, so ono!” One of my favorite (and very popular) shave ice spots is Matsumotos on the North Shore of Oahu.

While in Hawaii, Zaira and I talked about opening a shave ice shop in our current hometown of Tampa, Florida. Although we both believed that a shave ice business would be very successful in Tampa, realistically, we didn’t have the time to open up a shop. It would require an investment in a storefront, expensive equipment, employees, and a lot of our time. This would be impossible, as we both had full-time jobs; Zaira as the owner and CEO of Solano Immigration Law Firm, and me as a full-time soldier in the Army (see my bio on LinkedIn). So, we tabled the idea and didn’t talk about it again until…

Day 0 – Monday, April 8th, 2019

I was Jon’s sponsor during his temporary assignment to our headquarters for 120 days. As his assignment in Tampa was coming to an end, I thought it would be a good idea to invite him and his family to dinner with my wife, Zaira, so that our wives could meet in a more casual, non-work setting. Although Jon and I had been working together during his time in Tampa, I wanted to strengthen our relationship by bringing our families together.

During the dinner, I met Kari, Jon’s wife, who ran a small shaved ice golf cart business without a storefront, a large investment, or multiple employees. I was impressed by her ability to run a successful business with limited resources, and I was intrigued by the concept of a shaved ice golf cart. I asked her many questions and became convinced that I could also start a shaved ice golf cart business.

After dinner, I ordered a Great Northern Shaved Ice Machine based on Jon and Kari’s recommendation, along with other necessary supplies to start my own shaved ice golf cart business.

Expenses (when possible, I’ve included links to the items or similar products)
Great Northern Shaved Ice Machine (click here to view on Amazon) – $222.08
Four different syrups (including Tiger Blood), napkins, snow cone cups, and other supplies – $178.09

Day 1 – Tuesday

After work, I spent about two hours researching golf carts for sale. The ones with a refreshment attachment ranged from $8,000 (used) to $22,000 (new), and my budget was up to $10,000 for the project, including the estimated $2,000 refurbishing cost.

I also familiarized myself with Florida’s food cart regulations, which apply to golf carts with food service capabilities. One requirement that caught my attention was the need for a commissary, since using a personal residence for water and utensil cleaning is prohibited. I plan to investigate the possibility of using a local restaurant as a commissary.

Expenses:
Wooden spoons – $12.99

Day 2 – Wednesday

Today was a long day in the office. After work, I spent about 30 minutes looking up golf carts for sale, but nothing else. My regular job is my priority, and I don’t want anyone to think that I’m neglecting my work to build this golf cart. Therefore, I’m being extra careful to keep this project completely separate from work and staying in the office as long as necessary to complete essential tasks before coming home to work on the golf cart.

Day 3 – Thursday

I continued to shop around for golf carts. I called a local golf cart shop, but they didn’t have any of the beverage cart-style carts. Then, I found one on eBay that is located in Fort Myers, only two hours away from me. I’m a little concerned because it is listed at $3,750, which is much cheaper than anywhere else. I will call the guy tomorrow to get more details.

Day 4 – Friday

I called the golf cart guy in Fort Myers and scheduled a pickup. From Google Maps, it appeared that he operated a used outdoor equipment shop that sold refurbished lawnmowers, forklifts, golf carts, etc. He was kind of an asshole. I tried asking him about the condition of the cart and he cut me off abruptly with, “Do you want the cart or not?” He was very terse and not interested in answering any more of my questions. His customer service sucked, but the golf cart was a really great deal. It was the best I found online across the nation, and it was only two hours away from me.

I also received the shaved ice machine.

My first test run was really chunky, like old-school snow cones from the Jersey Shore. For a moment, I thought that I made a huge mistake to think that I could create Hawaiian-style shave ice. Then I realized that I could adjust the blade to make the ice finer. I made my second shaved ice with ice cream and it was the bomb.

It didn’t look very good; it was more of a low mound than the tall peak I was trying to make, but the flavor was on point—just how I remembered from Hawaii.

Day 5 – Saturday

I picked up a 20′ U-Haul van and drove to Fort Myers. I was a little anxious and had my fingers crossed that this guy was legit. When I arrived at his shop, he greeted me in the yard without a shirt. He was definitely classic Florida-country. He was actually nicer in person than on the phone, and most importantly, the cart was exactly what I was looking for – a used EZ-Go Refresher Golf Cart. It ran well, had new tires, and since it was an older 2003 model, I got it much cheaper than a new model. He sold it to me for $100 less than his online listed price.

He loaded the 1,000 lb cart on the U-Haul with a forklift. I didn’t know how I would unload the cart when I got home, but I had two hours to brainstorm ideas. If I failed, the cart would fall from the back of the U-Haul, which was about 4 feet high.

Ultimately, I settled on the idea of building wooden ramps. The ramps needed to be long so that the cart wouldn’t bottom-out on the back of the U-Haul. I stopped at Home Depot on the way home and purchased four 2″x12″x12′ planks. I bolted two planks together to make two ramps, each 4″ thick and 12 feet long.

Unloading the cart was a challenge. I slowly backed the cart onto the planks, afraid that they would slip out from the back of the U-Haul. In my head, I planned to jump away from the cart if it fell in order to avoid getting smashed by a 1,000 lb beverage cart. As soon as I was positive that the cart was stable on the ramp, I let go of the brakes and let the cart roll down the ramp as fast as possible. The planks creaked and bowed under the weight, but within a few seconds, I was safely on the ground – mission success.

That night, I did a little more shopping on Amazon. Then I informed Zaira, who had no clue what I was up to, that we are now the proud owners of a 2003 EZ-Go Refresher Golf Cart.

Expenses:
2003 EZ-Go Golf Cart: $3,650
Home Depot ramp supplies: $82.92
U-Haul rental: $359.42
Gas: $97.36
Amazon: foot pedal, wiring, etc: $91.71

Day 6 – Sunday

I woke up early at 6:00 am on a Sunday with nothing else on my mind except the shave ice cart. My goal for the day was to paint the cart, but I still needed to decide on a color scheme. I had tossed and turned all night trying to make a decision. To help calm my mind, I watched some TV before starting my day.

It was hard for me to believe that I had bought a golf cart the day before. Part of me imagined that I was dreaming and that when I went to the garage, it would be empty. However, when I got out of bed, fed the dogs, ate breakfast, and went to the garage, the golf cart was still there. I thought to myself, “Nope, not a dream. I can’t believe that there’s a freaking golf course beverage cart sitting in my garage. This is nuts.”

I got to work by removing panels and unnecessary pieces, sanding the cart’s surfaces, pressure washing it, and taping over the pieces I didn’t want to be painted. I estimated that the cart would require about 15 cans of spray paint and enamel – 10 for the cooler compartment and 5 for the body. Usually, I paint small projects in my yard, but 15 cans of paint would blanket my house and cars in the street with a damaging layer of paint dust. So, I built a makeshift paint booth in my garage using plastic drop cloths to create a booth and two box fans for intake and exhaust ventilation. I also used a home air conditioner filter over the exhaust fan to filter the out-blowing air. Additionally, I bought a 3M protective mask and goggles to protect myself while painting.

While preparing the cart for painting, I thought, “It would be cool if I could paint the body with a wicked design, like waves or koi fish or something.” Then I remembered that many cars use vinyl covers for intricate artwork. A quick Google search led me to vinyl covers for golf carts – score. I painted the cooler compartment gloss black and then ordered a blue vinyl cover for the cart. However, I was still having a hard time deciding what color to make the roof.

I believe that a dream becomes a plan once you put it on paper, so I made some quick concept art designs in Microsoft PowerPoint.

I have also been working on the name. I asked a few of my Facebook friends for their opinions on business names. Here were my first cuts:
a) Tiki Car: Hawaiian Shave Ice
b) Breaker’s Shave Ice
c) Davis Islands Shave Ice
d) Bay Breeze Shave Ice
e) Aloha Shave Ice Cart
f) Shaka Shave Ice

While moving the cart into my makeshift paint booth, I ran into a problem. The cart wouldn’t run. The engine turned over and appeared to idle, but nothing happened when I pressed the gas. I suspect that the water from the pressure washer short-circuited the battery somehow. I’m hoping that a simple battery charge will fix the problem, but I will need to deal with it tomorrow.

Expenses:
Lowes paint and hardware – $117.85
Vinyl skin – $377
Ice cream and food supplies – $27.78

Day 7 – Monday

It’s hard to believe that I committed to this idea less than a week ago, and now I have a golf cart sitting in my garage and am preparing to file for an LLC, insurance, a business bank account, and a food license.

Today was Monday, and I didn’t get home until about 7 pm in the evening. I compiled my Facebook friends’ name recommendations, and these are the results:

Island Ice – 6 votes
Aloha Shave Ice – 6 votes
Shaka Shave Ice – 5 votes
Hawaiian Snow – 5 votes
Breaker’s Shave Ice – 1 vote

I was already leaning towards calling the business Davis Islands Shave Ice, so the vote helped reaffirm my decision. Davis Islands is a unique community. First, it is awkwardly called Davis Islands (plural) because it was a real estate development built on two islands that were combined. Second, Davis Islands is a golf cart community. There is a local ordinance that authorizes golf carts to be on the streets, and many families will drive their golf carts to the small downtown, the dog park, the marina, the beach, or little league baseball field. Although it is a small community, there are plenty of outdoor areas where people congregate. The population on the island is about 3,000 people, and it is relatively affluent. We also have an annual golf cart parade.

I searched the internet and Florida business registry to make sure that no one else was using a similar name. In the process, I also did some competitor research.

There are plenty of ice cream shops and an Italian ice shop in Tampa, but the nearest shaved ice shop is over 14 miles away from me. The nearest shop is a food truck called Kona Ice. It is based in the town of Brandon, which is about 30 minutes away from me. They serve shaved ice with flavor syrup but do not serve ice cream or condensed milk. A few of my coworkers who live in Brandon are frequent customers of Kona Ice when the truck visits their children’s school sporting events.

The Kona Ice truck is my biggest competition, but it is so far away from downtown Tampa that I don’t have much to worry about.

On the islands, my only local competition is the single ice cream shop on Davis Islands. This shop will make it challenging to sell shaved ice in our downtown area, but I have a unique advantage because I can drive my business to the baseball fields, parks, beaches, and neighborhoods.

Across the nation, there are many other businesses that have versions of “Island Ice” in their business name. For example, there is Islands Ice Cream & Treats in Alabama, Island Ice in North Carolina, and Island Ice Cream Co in New Jersey, and Big Island Ice Company in Hawaii, but within my local market, there are no Island Ice businesses, and especially not any business with a similar name to Davis Islands Ice.

I also created a motto, “Da Kine from Hawaii.” “Da kine” is a Hawaiian pidgin (slang) term that means the best. So our motto actually means, “The best from Hawaii,” but it also sounds like, “The kind from Hawaii,” which fits our brand.

After completing my trademark and copyright research, I filed an LLC, created a Facebook Page and Instagram account, refined the design in PowerPoint, and ordered plastic panels for the signage on the side of the cart.

It took about 5 minutes to file an LLC. Filing a business may seem like a daunting task, but the hardest part is really deciding on a name and doing due diligence to ensure you’re not violating anyone else’s copyrights or trademarks. If this were a bigger project, I could have hired a lawyer to do the research and file for me, but this project was low-risk, so I did it myself.

To file an LLC, you need to submit articles of incorporation, which is an online form that creates the LLC. Some people spend a lot of time trying to figure out how to write the purpose of their business, which is a requirement of the Articles of Incorporation. I kept it simple. This was my purpose: “The purpose of Davis Islands Ice LLC is to engage in any lawful activity for which a Limited Liability Company may be organized in this state.”

I also purchased a domain name through Bluehost, islandsice.com. Fortunately, the name was available and cheap.

Expenses:
Plastic panels (x2) – $109.80
LLC fee – $125.00
Domain name registration – $23.87

Day 8 – Tuesday

My friend, Jennifer, has been busting my chops about the golf cart. She jokes that my wife, Zaira, can go buy a couple of Louis Vuitton purses since I’m spending so much on the cart. I have always advocated that you get more happiness from spending your money on experiences rather than material goods. This golf cart, no matter what becomes of it, has been an amazing experience. I generally don’t stop my wife when she wants to buy nice things, but for me, this golf cart is much more exciting and rewarding than buying a designer bag or luxury car.

Today, I reassembled the cart after finishing the paint. I tried to crank it again, and it worked. I think that the last time I tried to crank it, the clutch must have slipped, possibly from the pressure washer water, or maybe I wasn’t pressing on the gas hard enough to engage the clutch. I drove the cart up and down the street to test it out. I stayed on the back streets away from public view because it still looks like a piece of junk. I’m glad I didn’t need to take the cart to a mechanic.

The hardest part today was planning how I would sew the overhead canopy. I found the design I wanted earlier in the week, a pineapple pattern made from outdoor umbrella fabric, but I couldn’t figure out how to make a scalloped edge with white piping (aka valance). I know that there are attachments that you can put on a sewing machine to help make the edge binding, but they come in so many different sizes that I couldn’t figure out what I should order. I spent about two hours looking up sewing machines and sewing machine attachments. Finally, I decided to order a sewing machine and the fabric and worry about the edging at a later time.

Expenses:
Sewing machine and thread – $130.31
Pineapple canopy fabric – $92.45

Day 9 – Wednesday

Everything is proceeding well. The cart is coming together and I have a handful of long lead items on order, including the canopy, vinyl wrap, side display panels, and a small generator. I am confident that once everything arrives, I will be able to pimp out the cart and make delicious Shave Ice. The cart will definitely turn heads on the Islands.

One of the challenges I face when ordering parts is that I don’t always know what things are called. For example, I need to replace the locks that secure the Plexiglas doors on my cabinet, but I couldn’t find the name of those locks online. So, for now, the doors are zip-tied closed.

I spent about two hours trying to figure out how to power the cart. Originally, I planned to use a deep cycle battery, but someone recommended a generator instead. I purchased a 2000 watt generator that is supposed to be small and quiet, so I plan to mount it on the front of the cart. I figure that I can use the extra power later for a small refrigerator or powered cooling compartment.

I also ordered signage for the side of the cart. I plan to use large window decals stuck on plastic boards. I designed the signage in PowerPoint, which is a great, simple alternative to Photoshop.

Tomorrow, I’ll start the challenging process of figuring out how to legally sell Shave Ice and be compliant with all the health codes and regulations. I challenged myself to go from idea to a profitable business in less than 30 days, so my goal is to start selling Shave Ice no later than May 8th.

Yesterday, someone asked me if I have a business plan. Nope. I’m just following my instincts and passion. I admit that this isn’t the most prudent approach, but it’s fun.

Expenses:
2000 Watt Generator: $519.72
Food production accessories (larger cups, food pan, etc.): $114.72
Signage for the side of cart: $89.28

Day 10 – Thursday

Normally, I struggle to get up by 7:00 am and hit the snooze at least twice before getting out of bed, but today I popped out of bed at 6:00 before my alarm clock went off. I was unable to sleep or calm my mind.

I was flying to Atlanta later in the day and would be away for the weekend. Zaira would return from Atlanta with me on Sunday, and it would be her first time seeing the cart. I wanted it to be the best-looking I could get it before she saw it. I worked for about 45 minutes painting the cart before I got ready for work.

Right after work, I packed and headed to the airport.

My wife and friend, Jennifer, continue to bust my chops for spending thousands of dollars on a golf cart without a business plan. I was at the airport today and had some time to spare, so I caught up on some bookkeeping.

Currently, I have $6,394.62 invested in this project. I anticipate no more than $7,500 all-in. The cost per shave ice is $1.23 in consumable products. I plan to sell them at $5 per cone, which is a 300%+ profit margin.

The profit margin on bottled water is also 300%. At $5 per cone, I will need to sell 1500 cones to break even. I estimate that I will sell 12 cones per hour and will operate the cart for about 8 hours per week, for a total of about 100 cones per week. Therefore, I should break even in 15 weeks or less. These numbers don’t include the cost of labor. Numbers will change if/when I hire help, which I plan to do no later than four weeks after launch.

I would like to note that many of my neighbors on Davis Islands spend $10,000 on their personal use golf carts, which have zero profitability. Although I want to grow this into a self-sustaining profitable business, I will be more than happy to ride around Davis Islands on my pimped-out golf cart and spread Aloha spirit even if I barely make any money.

*When Zaira read the draft of this article, the one comment she made was about this paragraph. She correctly pointed out that my subconscious was giving me an excuse to fail. I was telling myself that it was ok if I didn’t make any money. This attitude is sure to result in a non-profitable business. I love my wife for showing me that I was self-sabotaging. I left the paragraph in the blog as a learning point, but I am actively trying to convince myself that failure is not an option. As Jen Sincero says in You Are a Badass, “If you’re serious about changing your life, you’ll find a way. If you’re not, you’ll find an excuse.”

Day 11 – Friday

Today, I did some shopping on Amazon for small items such as extension cords, door locks, receipt tickets, ticket holders, and juice bottles. Additionally, I purchased a Bluetooth speaker since I anticipate needing some tropical-themed ice cream truck-style music. It seems like Amazon enjoys my patronage as they deliver to my home almost every day. I also delved into the health inspection regulations and eventually found the online application for Florida mobile food vehicles. I will require a commissary, which essentially will be a restaurant, grocery store, or catering facility that I can utilize for storing food, washing dishes, and disposing of dirty water. On the island, there are about 10 restaurants, so I plan to approach their respective owners next week to try and convince one of them to let me use their facilities as a commissary. After reviewing the relevant regulations, I now have a clear idea of the required documents, equipment, and other items that I will need. Based on my research, I will require the following items to operate my golf cart legally.

• Business Limited Liability Company (LLC) registration
• Hand washing station, potable water, and waste water bin
• Trash bin
• Food Protection Manager Course certificate of completion
• General liability insurance
• Commercial Insurance
• Workers Comp insurance
• Commissary letter of agreement
• Business bank account
• Federal Employer Identification Number
• Scaled design drawings
• Photos from each of the four sides
• Sales tax registration and number
• Proof of water and wastewater
• Menu
• Plan review and license combination form
• Food safety department inspection
• DMV registration (maybe?)
• Environmental insurance (maybe?)
• Restroom agreement (maybe?)

Day 12 – Saturday

According to regulations, I need a cold and hot water pressurized hand-washing sink with the water temperature being over 100°F. This seems like overkill for a shaved ice cart. So, I spent about two hours today researching options for small or tankless water heaters, water pressure systems, pumps, immersion heaters, etc. I have a few ideas for the system, but since I am traveling, I can’t measure the cart to see if the tanks and equipment will fit.

I also registered for an online food safety manager course and started completing it. It’s an 8-hour course, and there will be an 80-question online proctored exam at the end, which I will schedule later this week.

Expenses:
Food Manager Course – $124

Day 13 – Sunday

Today was Zaira’s first time riding in the cart. We rode down to the park at the end of the island and had a sunset picnic. We got a few smiles and waves along the way. A few times the canopy blew off while driving because I removed the screws while working on it. We had to each hold the canopy down with our hands while we drove—it was fun. We both laughed at how silly we looked driving down the street while holding the canopy down with our hands.

Afterward, Zaira helped me install the first half of the body vinyl. I rewarded her for helping me with a shave ice. I improved my technique and can now make taller peaks similar to the ones I remember from Matsumoto’s Shave Ice store in Hawaii. She liked it but complained that I skimped on the syrup (she has a sweet tooth).

It’s coming along. I’m still trying to figure out how to install a pressurized hot and cold hand washing station per health regulations. My goal is to be operational and have permits submitted no later than May 8th.

Day 14 – Monday

I continued to install the body vinyl wrap and side panels with company logos. I also spent a few hours taking the food safety course in preparation for my exam tomorrow.

During the test run yesterday, I realized that I need a sanitized place to put down my snow cone cups and utensils while preparing. I decided that I will install cutting board surfaces to use as food preparation surfaces and use an acrylic tray as a cone holder. I found an online shop that custom cuts cutting boards and placed two on order.

I probably could have made the cutting boards myself and saved about 50% of the costs. There are a few other items that I probably could have done cheaper but would have required more research and fabrication time. I am challenged to get this cart operational in less than 30 days; therefore, I’m taking shortcuts which sometimes cost more. I estimate that my need for speed has added about $500 to the cost of this project.

The cart is starting to look professional. I’m no longer embarrassed to drive around in my 16-year-old golf course beverage cart.

Expenses:
Custom-sized cutting boards – $59.06
Plastic riser for cone holder – $42.68

Day 15 – Tuesday

I completed the food manager course today. It was my first time taking an online proctored exam. It was an interesting experience. I had to let the proctor remotely connect to my computer and had to show him around my room using my webcam. The proctor made sure that I didn’t have any cheating material in the room or on my laptop and then administered the exam. At any time during the exam, they could look at me through my webcam and look at my computer screen to make sure I wasn’t cheating. Once again, there were cheaper courses in town, but I paid a little extra for the convenience and time savings of not leaving my own home.

I passed my Food Safety Manager’s Course with an A-minus.

I also spent about an hour working on a minor issue. Last night while installing the vinyl skin, I sheared a bolt that holds the windshield. This is one of four bolts that supports the structure and unfortunately, it is tapped into the steel frame. I spent about 2 hours last night trying to drill it out. Two broken drill bits later, I hadn’t made much progress. I stopped at Lowe’s this afternoon and picked up some high-strength drill bits, and I’m back at it again. I spent about an hour tonight trying to drill and pound it out, but I didn’t make a lot of progress.

Expenses:
Lowe’s drill bits: $20.47

Day 16 – Wednesday

Today, I woke up and checked my email. Earlier in the week, I found a mobile hand washing station that would fit in my cart, but the only suppliers were in England. Most of the suppliers wouldn’t ship to the United States but finally, I received an email back from a supplier that would. I submitted payment and ordered the hand washing station. Shipping was pricey, but I couldn’t find anything stateside that compared. Hopefully, the hand washing station can pass the health inspection.

The sink was incredibly expensive for such a simple piece of equipment. I am sure I could have fabricated something for half the price, but it would have taken me at least a day of work. Essentially, the sink is two plastic bins with a simple spigot. I was surprised that I couldn’t find any similar products in the United States (future business idea?).

On another note, we ate dinner tonight at Sparkman’s Wharf in Tampa, which has about 10 food truck-like establishments. While walking past the food trucks, I casually inspected each kitchen to look at how they handled their hand washing and three-sink dishwashing stations.

Expenses:
TEAL Mobile hand washing station – $316.91

Day 17 – Thursday

Yesterday, I attended the monthly networking event of Masterminds Tampa, a local entrepreneur group. During the event, I spoke with another member, Oscar, about my challenge in finding a commissary. He suggested that I look into local industrial kitchens that food prep delivery services use. After the event, I searched Google and found a local kitchen called Pro Kitchen Hub Tampa that offers commissary services for food trucks at a monthly rate of $40. This was a great solution, and I plan to visit the facility next week.

In addition, I received an email informing me that the canopy fabric I had ordered was unavailable. I received a refund and ordered the fabric from a different supplier, which saved me about $10.

Expenses:
Fabric refund: -$92.45
New fabric order: $82.87

Day 18 – Friday

I am traveling this weekend and will not be able to do any fabrication on the cart. So today I worked on the cart diagrams which are required as part of my health inspection application. Once again, I used PowerPoint to make some simple diagrams.

Day 19 – Saturday

I attended a wedding in Atlanta today and didn’t have any time to work on the cart. A few people have told me that they think $5 for shaved ice is too much. I find this interesting because none of these people have tried my shave ice, especially not on a hot summer day. Sure, the product alone may not be valued at $5, but a food service business (or any service business for that matter) can increase the value of their product by providing additional value beyond the product. For example, we add value by 1) being mobile and delivering our product to the point of need, 2) selling in an environment where the outside temperatures normally exceed 95 degrees, 3) delivering a unique product that you can’t find anywhere else in Tampa, 4) having a local story, and 5) delivering each product with Aloha Spirit. With all of this extra value, $5 is actually a great deal for our shave ice.

Day 20 – Sunday

A small generator will be handy if we need to cater events or for emergency power during hurricane season. Earlier in the week, I received the generator. It is much larger than I expected. It is too large to mount on the front of the cart, and the only way I could use it is if I kept it in the passenger seat. Running a gas-powered generator next to the driver and passenger would not be very convenient.

I realized that I will need a battery system after all. I spent about two hours online researching battery systems and other parts for the cart. I kept the generator to use if I ever need to cater an event for a long period of time. I expect that a deep-cycle battery will only power the shaved ice machine for about 3 hours. So, a generator will be necessary if we want to work a farmers market or other event where we will need to power the machine for a long time and may need to bring a powered freezer.

I got home from Atlanta late at night, so I watched Game of Thrones and then crashed.

Day 21 – Monday

After being away for the past three days, today was my first day back in town where I could work on the golf cart. I felt like I wasn’t making any progress while traveling. Although I was doing a lot of technical research while away, the cart wasn’t getting any closer to being street ready.

Today, I finally got a good amount of work done, including mounting the shave ice machine, completing the vinyl wrap, reinstalling the windshield, and doing a few other small tasks. I stopped at Lowe’s and picked up some more hardware – a circular 1.5” drill bit, new bolts, drain tubes, spray paint, and plywood to make a menu sign. It’s amazing how much I’ve been spending on the “little stuff.” I expected some of these costs, but not as much as I’ve had. I keep thinking about the little things I need to make the cart functional.

I still need to figure out the battery situation. I think I’ll purchase two 6-volt golf cart batteries and run them through an inverter to the shaved ice machine. I’m hoping that the batteries will last three solid hours of selling, but I can’t be sure until I test them out. I still have a lot of uncertainty about how many amps and watts I need for the system.

I’m also uncertain about the health requirements for selling ice cream. I have a feeling that the safety inspectors will require me to have a powered freezer. I found two options. The first is to purchase a conversion kit that can turn my golf cart’s cooler into a powered freezer. The other option is to purchase a portable powered freezer/cooler. The conversion kit would be ideal, but it would require elbow grease and about $900 for the coils and condenser combo. The electric cooler is cheaper, less than $200, but I don’t have a convenient place to mount it on the cart. I would basically need to keep it in the passenger seat.

I have 9 days left to meet my goal of launching the business in 30 days, and unfortunately, I’ll be traveling for business for 6 of those days. My goal while traveling is to finish the health department paperwork and order all remaining supplies so that I can hit the ground hard as soon as I get back. It will be challenging to meet my 30-day goal, and honestly, I don’t know if I’ll be able to do it without pulling an all-nighter when I get back.

Expenses:
Lowe’s hardware and items – $107.26

Day 22 – Tuesday

Today, I visited a local industrial kitchen called Pro Kitchen HUB Tampa. It’s a shared workspace for chefs who can sign up for various memberships to use the facilities for food preparation, storage, utensil cleaning, etc. Full use of the entire kitchen and food storage spaces costs $300-$500, but there’s a cheaper $40 option for food trucks that only need access to potable water and wastewater, garbage, and oil dumping facilities. The most important thing is that they provided me with a registration checklist and will help me pass my initial health inspections. The owner said that if I completed all my paperwork, she could probably get me an inspection in about 7 days.

The manager also helped me and answered a few questions that I had. For example, I was uncertain if the health inspector would require a powered freezer for my ice cream. The kitchen manager gave me an excellent idea to help pass the inspection. Instead of buying an auxiliary freezer, she recommended that I operate the cooler on a test run, periodically recording the results to determine if the ice cream temperature remains stable throughout the peak temperature of the day.

Expenses:
Pro Kitchen Hub Tampa application fee – $106.70
Pro Kitchen Hub Tampa monthly membership – $42.68

Day 23 – Wednesday

Today, I designed and ordered business cards. I decided to use the same model as a local coffee shop that uses its business card as a loyalty card. If people buy 9 shave ices, they will get one free. I bought a thumbs-up stamp to mark the cards after each purchase. In the future, I may look into loyalty programs that use apps, but for now, I’m keeping it simple.

I also did more Amazon shopping. I settled on a 1200-watt battery inverter. I also have an idea for a three-compartment sink (food industry standard). I plan to use three bread loaf pans as sink basins.

Expenses:
Business Cards – $37.25
1200-watt inverter (click here to view on Amazon)– $312.92
Amazon: sink supplies, etc. – $230.22

Day 24 – Thursday

I wrote the menu and submitted it to FedEx online for printing. The menus were expensive. I ordered 10 laminated menus. With shipping, they came out to over $50. I probably could have saved money if I printed them myself or picked them up from the store, but in order to meet my launch date in a week, I need to save as much time as I can.

I also purchased a credit card reader, did some more shopping on Amazon, and submitted my license application.

Expenses:
License and Plan Review w/ Department of Business and Professional Regulations – $397.00
LLC Certificate of Status – $5.00
Square Reader – $10.85
Laminated Menus – $52.26

Day 25 – Friday

Today was unproductive. I am limited by being away on travel. I already accomplished most of the tasks that I could do remotely, and now I need to be home to finish the big items. I expect that I will have about 20 shipments waiting for me when I return. A few of the big remaining items include installing the battery system, sewing the canopy, cleaning the cart, and testing the production process.

Although I submitted the required license application, I expect that it will be about 10-15 days before I can schedule an inspection. When the time comes, I will need to figure out how I can squeeze that into my work schedule and may need to take a day of leave to get the inspection. I will also need to figure out how to get the cart from my home to the inspection site at the commissary. The cart only goes about 5 mph, so the 7-mile trip would take over 90 minutes on the cart. I will probably need to rent a truck and trailer from Home Depot to get the golf cart to the inspection site.

Although I expect to have a medium amount of business on the island, if I want to sell at larger events or private functions, I will probably need to buy a new truck and trailer. I am trying to delay that expense until I recoup some of my initial investment and hire someone to join the team.

My goal is to hire someone as soon as possible because I really want this business to work for me and not for me to work for the business.

I expect that this week will be intense. I get home tomorrow night and really only have Monday and Tuesday evenings to work on the cart before I start selling on Wednesday. I will probably work on the canopy on Monday and then clean the cart on Tuesday in preparation for Wednesday. If the battery arrives in time, I’ll probably just set it on the passenger seat instead of properly mounting it in the engine compartment. If the battery doesn’t arrive in time, I will probably just park the cart in front of the house and run an extension cord from the garage.

Really, there is a lot more that I want to do on the cart before I feel it is ready, but meeting this 30-day deadline is forcing me to focus on the most important tasks and make decisions incredibly fast.

Day 26 – Saturday

I traveled to Orlando today to speak at a leadership workshop. Our friend Audrey Chilsom invited Zaira and me to speak at the Annual Revolution Leadership Retreat in Orlando. The purpose of the retreat is to provide high school seniors with leadership training, business skills, and financial management education in preparation for college. I didn’t do any work on the cart today, but speaking to those students and helping a friend was definitely worth it.

Day 27 – Sunday

I got home from my trip and continued to work on the cart. It is coming along and is nearly complete. The only remaining items are the battery system and canopy. I was also informed that I submitted my license application to the wrong government agency. Apparently, I submitted my application to the Department of Business and Professional Regulations, which covers hotel restaurants, but I should have submitted my application to the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (DACS). The regulations and roles of the different agencies are very confusing. I will resubmit my application to DACS tomorrow, but I will not have my health inspection by my 30-day goal.

Day 28 – Monday

I completed the canopy today, start to finish in one day. I surprised myself. It isn’t perfect, but it looks good for now. All major assemblies are complete except for the battery system. I am still waiting to receive the battery. I had very little sewing experience but managed to sew a halfway decent canopy.

Day 29 – Tuesday

I woke up early and resubmitted my license application to the correct agency. Surprisingly, the agent called me back the same day to schedule an opening inspection. I also found out that I will need to complete a quarterly ice test to ensure that my ice is free of pathogens and fecal matter.* This is the first I heard of this requirement and will need to figure out how to get ice inspections. This will require more research and additional overhead costs.

I also filed for a Florida Tax ID before going to work. After work, I cleaned the cart. Throughout the construction process, it became quite dusty and had a lot of metal shavings throughout. I gave the cart a thorough vacuuming followed by a full wash with soapy water, a freshwater rinse, and then another wash with sanitizing solution. A few neighbors walked by and were excited to try the shave ice tomorrow.

Afterward, I ran through my operating procedures with Zaira. We briefly discussed how I would greet customers, take their orders, and how we would work as a team to serve the shave ice.

The deep cycle battery has not arrived yet, so the plan for launch day is to either use a small generator that we will carry in the passenger seat, or potentially to just park in front of the house and run an extension cord from the garage.

I won’t be able to schedule an opening inspection for 1 to 2 weeks, but I plan on proceeding with a soft opening anyway. Of course, there is risk associated with operating without a license. Most notably, I assume I could get fined or suspended, but I am willing to accept the risk. I plan to use this period to refine my operating procedures, start generating buzz, and potentially find an employee. This will be my market research before an official launch.

I’m anxious, excited, and also exhausted. I’ve been working on this cart from 7 pm until midnight every free workday for the past month. Tomorrow is the real deal.

*When I talked to the inspector on a later date, he informed me that I did not need quarterly ice inspections. He originally thought I was an ice dispensary. When he realized that I was selling shaved ice, he corrected himself and told me that the quarterly ice inspection was not required.

Expenses:
Florida Tax ID: $129
Additional Ice Cream, Condensed Milk, and Bottled Water: About $30

Day 30 – Wednesday

I set a goal to launch my Shave Ice business within 30 days of starting this project. Today was day 30. Honestly, I didn’t feel like I was ready. I didn’t install the battery power, I didn’t set up my credit card system, I didn’t create a website, I didn’t advertise, I didn’t finish my sink system, I didn’t create my operating procedure, and I didn’t get my inspection. I didn’t feel like I was ready, but I set a 30-day goal and stuck to the plan.

I got home from work at 6:30 pm, loaded the cart and hit the road. It was cloudy and looked like it was going to rain, but we proceeded anyway. I had a great assistant with me, my wife, Zaira Solano. For power, I loaded a portable generator in the passenger seat. We drove down to the dog park… it was empty. Then, my portable speaker playing tropical music crapped out on me. We drove for 20 minutes without a sale, but we kept driving. Then we saw some kids playing flag football. We waited for them to finish.

After the game, we had one kid come up to the cart and ask for whatever we were selling. I don’t think he knew what we were selling, but he wanted one anyway. He was about 8 years old. I asked him, “Hey buddy, what’s your name?” “My name is Knowledge,” he said confidently. Then he looked over his shoulder and saw his mother standing behind him. “I mean… my name is Jeremy.” Clearly, Knowledge was his street name, but his mother did not approve. I asked him what flavor he wanted and he asked for “the best flavor.”

“Alright. The best flavor is all four flavors together. I’ll hook you up.” I started making Knowledge a shave ice, but then the generator wouldn’t start. I pulled the starting cord for five minutes, I tried adjusting the choke, loosened the fuel cap, and turned the damn thing on and off— nothing. Here I am, my first paying customer and the damn generator won’t start. I was incredibly frustrated.

As I was trying to start the generator, the flag football coach approached us. He asked about the business, and we talked to him about his practice schedule. He told Zaira that we should come out after a game and he will buy all the kids Shave Ice. I’m glad that Zaira was there because I was so frustrated with the generator that I barely noticed anything he said. I couldn’t believe that the generator failed on my very first day.

Then, after 5 minutes, which seemed like a lifetime, it started. #amen I made Knowledge a shave ice with the best flavor—Blue Raspberry, Cherry, Pina Colada, and Tiger Blood. Zaira collected his $5 and then we got dinner in town. Along the way, we smiled and waved to a few dozen happy inquisitive neighbors. Honestly, I smiled and waved at neighbors because I knew it was good for business, but it also made me feel good too. After all, these were my neighbors. Usually, I drive by them and never think twice, but on the golf cart, we noticed a lot more of our neighbors and neighborhood than we had in the past.

Before we parked for the night, we sold one more shave ice to our next-door neighbor who texted us afterward, “It was yummy, it’s a lot!” In total, we spent just over an hour driving around the island. We sold two ices for a total of $10.

It’s funny. I told myself that I would be happy if I sold ANY shave Ice on my first day. I was successful in making a sale, but another part of me—the overachiever part—secretly wished that I would have sold over $100 on my first day. The rational part of my brain knows that selling $100 on my first day (when I only worked for an hour before sunset, on an evening when it was preparing to storm) is completely unrealistic, but I still find it so hard to turn that part of my brain off.

At the end of the day, I drank some wine and took a long relaxing bubble bath. I had been going H.A.M. for the last 30 days and finally felt like I could unwind. Regardless of what happens next, I am incredibly grateful for the experience these past 30 days.

Total Expenses (first 30 days) – $8,279.45

Day 48 – Sunday, May 26th

I passed my health inspection on Friday, 46 days after I started this project. Overall, the inspection was easier than I expected. The inspectors checked to make sure that I had the following items:

• Overhead cover
• Commissary letter of agreement for my water supply and utensil cleaning
• Cooler system for the dairy products (my non-powered cooler was fine)
• Thermometer in my cooler
• Probe thermometer for checking food temperatures
• Hand washing station with tepid water (100° F was not required for my type of business)
• Knowledge about foodborne illnesses
• Trash bin

The inspection took about 10 minutes. The best part about the inspection is that it is valid for the life of my business. I will only get inspected again if I receive a complaint.

With the inspection in hand, we had our official launch on Sunday, May 26th. I created a Yelp page and posted an announcement on the NextDoor app. We drove to the dog park and were immediately met by a retired couple that saw our post. The gentleman was stationed in Hawaii when he was in the Marines and was very happy to see our Hawaiian shave ice. We sold a few more at the dog park, then a few more when we drove through downtown.

Another neighbor who saw our post on NextDoor invited us to her pool party to serve her children and friends. As I drove to her house, I ran out of gas. Luckily, I was close to home and walked half a mile to the house to get an emergency gas can.

We arrived at the pool party and were greeted by half a dozen excited children. We sold out of ice cream and block ice. We had four additional orders that we could not fulfill because we sold out.

One of our customers was the owner of a local ice cream shop, Dairy Joy. We talked to him for about 20 minutes and learned about his story and experiences in owning an ice cream shop.

We drove home after a successful day. In total, we were out for about 3 hours. Accounting for the gas fiasco and chatting with the neighbors, we were actively selling for about 2 of those hours. We sold 20 ices for about $100 in revenue.

The unit cost is $1.84 for a kid size and $2.06 for an adult size. This is more than my original estimate of $1.23 per unit. The cost per unit is still cheap, and I anticipate that I will be able to reduce this cost by 10-20% when I start bargain shopping and buying in bulk.

The cost for an adult shave ice breaks down like this:

Ice Cream – 69 ¢
Flavor Syrup – 68 ¢
Flower Cup – 25 ¢
Paper Cone & Straw – 13 ¢
Sweetened Condensed Milk – 12 ¢
Loyalty Card – 7 ¢
Spoon – 6 ¢
Napkins – 5 ¢
Total unit cost – $2.06

So we spent about $40 in supplies and made about $60 in profit in 3 hours, or $20 per hour. The profit margin isn’t great considering that we had two people working, Zaira and myself. I really need to sell at least 10 cones or $50 per hour to justify hiring a $15 per hour employee.

Now that I’ve built this business, my next major milestone is to hire a person or team that can help it grow and be sustainable without me working the cart. In the future, my plan is to increase hourly sales by targeting big events like little league games, pool parties, and farmers’ markets.

I am inspired by my competition, Kona Ice. I had never heard of the company before I started my market research, but learned more about them along the way. Kona Ice was founded by Tony Lamb in Kentucky. In 2007, Tony was disappointed with the creepy ice cream trucks in his neighborhood. So with no restaurant or food truck experience, he took out a $500,000 loan and built five Kona Ice trucks. Today, Kona Ice is one of the fastest growing franchises with over 1,000 trucks in 48 states. The estimated fleet revenue is over $125 million and the corporate revenue is about $25 million. The cost to start a Kona Ice franchise is $100,000.

Comparatively, I’ve spent $8,763 on this business. I need to make two more large purchases. First, I need to buy a freezer chest for the garage ($200) so that I can make more ice blocks. Second, I need to buy a 5 x 8-foot trailer ($750) so that I can tow the cart to farmers markets and other events off the island. At the end of the day, I will be all-in for about $10,000. My investment is much cheaper than a Kona Ice franchise and my shave ice is superior and more authentic.

This has been a great experience, and I am very happy for my small successes. Now, I have the challenging task of building this into a sustainable, profit-generating business.

Update

We operated Davis Islands Ice for about a year. I found a niche market at the local little league fields and had great success on Fridays and Saturdays when there were games. I eventually hired a part-time employee, a local high school student. When I was busy, he would take the cart out by himself. I paid him $12 an hour and with tips, he usually made $20-$25 an hour. On a busy Saturday, I would make about $100 in profit after paying his salary and expenses. The best part was that I made that profit without having to sell the cones myself. Unfortunately, business fluctuated significantly around the little league season.

Then in 2020, the COVID pandemic hit. Little league was temporarily shut down and my wife and I were extra precautions because we were trying to get pregnant. We were very afraid that getting COIVD would affect our ability to get pregnant. So we paused business operations. In late 2020, I also received military orders to move to Pittsburgh in 2021.

At the time, I was also writing my first book, Alpha Couples: Build a Powerful Marriage Like a Boss (which is now published. You can get it on Amazon, Audible, or wherever books are sold).

With the pandemic still ongoing and the pending move to Pittsburgh, I decided to sell Davis Islands Ice. I posted an announcement on my Facebook and Instagram pages and a former part-time Davis Islands Ice employee, who helped with a few farmers market and other festival events, offered to buy the cart. She bought it for $8,000. At the time, the business was closed for over 6 months due to the pandemic.

I estimate that the cost of the capital equipment (cart, trailer, machine, syrups, etc) was about $10,000 to $12,000. That is not including all the labor I put into creating the cart. At $8,000, I sold it for a loss; however, the income I earned over a year and half, pulse the profit from the sale, more or less broke even with my investment (not including significant amount of manhours I put into it).

If the COVID pandemic didn’t happen, I am sure that I would have made much more profit during the year-plus that the business was shut down, and I also could have probably sold the business for more. Still, I am happy that I was able to sell the business during a global crisis and recuperate some of my investment.

After I sold the business, I bought another snow cone machine for personal use and frequently make snow cones for my children, family, and friends during the summer (we live in Arizona now). The shave ice is always a big hit and I love telling the story of Davis Islands Ice.

I learned invaluable business lessons from the experience, but most importantly, I learned that a shave ice business is not for me. While fun at the time, I learned that I would rather focus my energy on writing my books and leadership coaching.