We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Barry Reed a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Barry, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.

The initial seed for Italian ice was planted in 1982-83 when I was living near and working center city Philadelphia, PA. My co workers had been asking if I had tried Italian ice yet. In Philly they call it water ice ( wooder ice). I thought it was a great product, but how it was made and who manufactured the machines was a big secret and this was long before Google or the internet. The idea was kind of shelved as I pursued my career as a finish carpenter and cabinet maker.

Fast forward to 2012 and I’m starting to get those letters from Social Security telling you how much you’re not going to get. And I’m thinking this number is no way going to work. And I started to think “ what can I do long term” that is when the seed that was planted so many years ago sprouted and with the magic of Google I was able to find the company that invented the machines 117 years ago. It is still owned and operated by the same family and the grandson of the inventor is the CEO of the company. Steve spent probably close to an hour on the phone with me talking machines, ices and ice cream and graciously gave me his recipe for lemon Italian ice. Which I changed to fit my own tastes. And has developed into 70 different flavors of Italian Ice ( or wooder ice if you’re from Philly) ))

Believing in the quality and experience of the product was key in wanting to bring Italian ice to West Michigan. I knew there was nothing like it here and felt that the market was ripe for the introduction of this tastes frozen treat. So in 2014 I bought my first cart and actually bought ice from a large Italian ice manufacturer out of Norristown, PA. I literally had no idea where I was going to sell it so there was a learning curve finding good venues to travel to. As I was literally pioneering Italian Ice in West Michigan there were a lot of free samples given just so people could experience the product.( I used to go through close to 600 spoons every weekend just in test tasting) l knew this was the right place for the product it was just matter of enough people trying it, enjoying to get it into the culture.

Can you talk to us about how your funded your business?

Funding this business was a matter of pure determination to teach a goal.

A little over a year before starting I had been diagnosed with inoperable cancer and do to the drugs they gave me along with radiation I was unable to work and ended up homeless as a result.

Once I was able to work again I started to push for the goal of starting the first Italian ice business in West Michigan. So I worked two jobs saved every penny I could and lived like a rat. Finally I had saved up enough money to purchase my first cart, buy ice and pay for my health department license and city license.

Then it was a matter of finding places that would allow me to sell my product.

I should say right here that I have little patience with those that say “I can’t” or it’s to hard or any other of the long list of excuses. It is quite simply that you do not want it bad enough to do the work and sacrifice to teach your goals.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

There are a couple of books that every entrepreneur should read. The first one is “ The E Myth” by Michael Gerber it literally is the difference between starting your own job versus owning a business.

The other is by Eli Goldratt “ The Theroy of Constraints” this book is more about manufacturing bottle necks, but much of it could also be applied to cash flow.

There are many others such as “The Four Hour Work Week, Think and Grow Rich, Guerilla Marketing. They may not apply directly to your business, but there may be a concept that you can use to improve operations, cash flow, people Management etc.

Contact Info:

• Website: https//:iceicebarry.com
• Instagram: Barryg’s_italianice
• Facebook: Barry G’s Italian Ice