Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Kelli Bell. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Kelli, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Risking taking is a huge part of most people’s story but too often society overlooks those risks and only focuses on where you are today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – it could be a big risk or a small one – but walk us through the backstory.
I opened an ice cream shop. I saw that there was a need for a place where families and friends could gather just to enjoy each others company in a fun, upbeat environment. There were no dessert or ice cream shops in our community, so I took a huge risk and invested all of my own savings, and took out personal loans, to open Chillville. Eight years later, we have achieved our goal above and beyond our expectations. We’ve now opened a second location, and are a staple in our community for creating lifelong memories.
Kelli, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I was born and raised on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. I opened my first ice cream shop in 2002. That experience opened the doors for what would eventually become my passion for owning a small business and curating memories for my community. We go above and beyond to try to achieve a perfect guest experience, not just sell a product. I am most proud of our long-term, loyal staff, and the community support from our loyal customers.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
Opening our doors in 2018, our first hardship became road construction that disabled the ability for customers to get into our parking lot for six months. Our second challenge was in 2019, when an algae bloom shut down our beaches on the gulf coast, which greatly impacted tourism. Our locals helped keep us afloat. The following year, 2020, was the biggest challenge I’ve ever faced: a global pandemic, and a cancer diagnosis. That year was a solid 12+ months of struggles to stay open, amid personal struggles including hospital visits, chemo, and all other challenges that come with trying to beat cancer. Five years later, I am cancer-free and our business is booming, all thanks to my amazing family, friends, and team. I hope to see our business continue to grow into more locations.
Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?
Product consistency, high guest service expectations, and variable media outlets.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://chillville-creamery.com/
- Instagram: @chillvillegulfcoast
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chillvillegulfcoast/
Image Credits
Rachel Vaughn