When Daniel Golik first pitched his dad and mom a enterprise thought in 2012, it wasn’t simply an entrepreneurial experiment — it could grow to be the muse of a rising frozen dessert franchise — and a supply of energy for a household coping with loss.
Daniel, then in his early 20s and planning to go to medical faculty, discovered a novelty ice cream store in central Florida that used liquid nitrogen to flash-freeze scoops on demand. “They hadn’t actually discovered the method to do it, however there have been traces of individuals ready. I believed it was a cool thought,” he says.
Intrigued by the idea and its crowd-drawing potential, he started experimenting with recipes at house and ultimately consulted cooks. With a marketing strategy and a working prototype, he made an Elevator Pitch-style presentation to his dad and mom.
Associated: Contemplating franchise possession? Get began now to seek out your customized record of franchises that match your way of life, pursuits and price range.
Picture Credit score: Chill-N
Profitable pitch, then tragedy
His father, George, shortly grew to become the corporate’s first believer, signing working agreements and backing the buildout of what would grow to be the primary Chill-N Nitrogen Ice Cream store in Pinecrest, Florida. However simply because the enterprise was getting off the bottom, George handed away unexpectedly, leaving Daniel and his mom to maneuver ahead with out him.
“That half was undoubtedly the problem for me,” says Donna Golik, Daniel’s mother, who stepped right into a co-founder function after her husband’s dying. “However it gave us an incredible deal with one thing that the household was doing collectively.”
The primary location introduced in $350,000 in 2012, its first 12 months, thanks partially to buzz generated by optimistic press and a enterprise mannequin that provided each a singular product and an interesting buyer expertise.
Associated: She Was a Lawyer with No Restaurant Expertise. Now, She’s Reviving an Iconic Restaurant Chain.
Enhancements and innovation
In contrast to conventional scoop retailers, Chill-N flash-freezes every cup of ice cream on demand utilizing liquid nitrogen, a -320°F fuel, with each cup made to order. This fast freezing technique ends in smaller ice crystals, which might create a smoother texture than conventional ice cream. Using liquid nitrogen additionally produces seen vapor throughout preparation, including a visible ingredient.
In 2019, after seven years in enterprise, the corporate reached a milestone. “The choice to franchise was pivotal,” Daniel says. “Making an attempt to proceed to open shops organically wasn’t one of the best ways to do it.”
Daniel says he spent all day, every single day, of their shops for a number of months. “We checked out each single merchandise — what are the ache factors, the gradual hyperlinks within the chain?”
He and his crew ended up creating proprietary franchise techniques and measuring gear. “That basically unlocked the pace and consistency aspect,” he says. In addition they automated the nitrogen mixing course of with completely different algorithms tailor-made to base sort and portion dimension. “Earlier than, we have been struggling to do 30 or 40 ice lotions an hour,” he says. “Now, we do 120 an hour.”
Associated: How a Police Officer Began a Pet Care Enterprise Making $3 Million a Yr
Household on the core
For Donna, the method of rising Chill-N has been greater than skilled — it was deeply private. The partnership along with her son has been greater than a job; it has been an emotional journey. Nonetheless, mixing household and enterprise requires clearly outlined boundaries to safeguard each side of the connection. “We do attempt to discover a good stability,” she says. “At work, we attempt to keep in our personal lanes. He is extra operational, and I am extra administrative.”
And, from the start, she made certain Daniel was acknowledged because the model’s founder: “I actually tried to let him be the face of Chill-N,” she says. “I am a co-founder, however I stand beside him.”
Associated: How Shaq Is Bringing Enjoyable Again to Papa Johns
Scaling, however not altering
Chill-N now has 17 places throughout 4 states, almost 200 workers and expects 18 extra franchises to open by 12 months’s finish. So, how does a family-owned firm keep its identification because it grows? “There’s two sides of it,” Daniel says. “On the product aspect, we have been in a position to make use of automation to make consistency simpler. And on the individuals aspect, 90% of our franchisees have been already loyal prospects. That is helped protect the model’s unique tradition.”
As Chill-N strikes towards nationwide growth and the Goliks look again on their success, Donna presents recommendation for different dad and mom whose kids dream huge — even when it means not going to medical faculty: “Encourage them,” she says, “If they’ve an thought, help them and consider in them — and at all times be versatile.”
Associated: 64 Million U.S. Households Have a Pet. This is How This High-Ranked Franchise Is Making Busy House owners’ Lives Simpler.
When Daniel Golik first pitched his dad and mom a enterprise thought in 2012, it wasn’t simply an entrepreneurial experiment — it could grow to be the muse of a rising frozen dessert franchise — and a supply of energy for a household coping with loss.
Daniel, then in his early 20s and planning to go to medical faculty, discovered a novelty ice cream store in central Florida that used liquid nitrogen to flash-freeze scoops on demand. “They hadn’t actually discovered the method to do it, however there have been traces of individuals ready. I believed it was a cool thought,” he says.
Intrigued by the idea and its crowd-drawing potential, he started experimenting with recipes at house and ultimately consulted cooks. With a marketing strategy and a working prototype, he made an Elevator Pitch-style presentation to his dad and mom.
The remainder of this text is locked.
Be a part of Entrepreneur+ right now for entry.
