We recently connected with Dolphin Coley and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Dolphin , thanks for joining us today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

When I first Moved to Atlanta in 2014 , I had a vision of Being the 1st Black Owned Italian Water ice distributor in the South . My mission was to Bring a Philadelphia Treat to Atlanta Georgia & Create a frozen Dessert Evolution by introducing the South to Real Philly Style Water Ice Also Know as Philly Style Italian Ice. Most of the South Grew up on Shaved ice and Snow Cones which is Merely Crushed ice with Flavored Syrup poured over it oppose to Real Philly Water ice that’s made out of All Natural Fruit base with a smooth consistency of a sherbet without Any Dairy .. Water ice is an All natural, Fat Free , Dairy Free , Cholesterol free & Glutton free Frozen dessert that’s a much healthier option .

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

I’ve Been in the Water ice Business since the late 90’s and learned how to make my own product in 2004. I’ve had several locations between Philly, Jersey and Atlanta and always gave my brand 💯 percent of my time. A few of the Hardest things to find being an entrepreneur is Balance, Patience & Perseverance . Balance is needed because your business will require all of your time in order to grow. If your a family person , parenting or have a significant other you also need to balance that time as well so Balancing the 2 can be very challenging.. Patience is needed because you will have a lot of adversity to deal with on the road to success , you absolutely cannot win if you’re scared to fail and you have to fail quite a few times in order to learn and in Order to Grow .. Perseverance is where you will find your break through all the adversities along the way . No matter what issues arise you have to keep Pushing forward No Matter What!

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

At one point during my entrepreneurial journey I came to a crossroad and I was contemplating on letting the business go and get a job . I had to Make a decision during a time my business wasn’t making the profits that I need to see to sustain my financial responsibilities . I honestly Prayed on it ! I asked GOD to give me the strength to keep pushing through and I told GOD that if he would bless my business that I’d be willing to do the work ! “Faith without works is Dead” meaning you can pray all day but if you’re not willing to put the work in then you will never prosper.

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?

As with anything you have to crawl before you can walk . When I 1st stared my business I started very small with a used Mobil cart that was purchased online and canopy set up. I did as many small events I could do and reinvested all profits back into the business.. after the 1st year I was able to show a track record of which events made the most profit and which ones did not so that when the upcoming year came I knew which annual events were gonna make sense to me. You would be surprised on how many ppl quietly will watch your journey and investors will start to approach you.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.Dolphinswatericefactory.com
• Instagram: @dolphinswaterice_atl
• Facebook: Dolphins Water ice Factory
• Linkedin: Dolphins Water ice Factory