Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Vanessa Richaud. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Vanessa , thanks for joining us today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – walk us through the story?

I was 10 years old when my dad started having me work in his business. My dad and Uncle taught me everything from bookkeeping to sales, I was blessed enough to have a head start in what owning a business was really like. I quickly learned what it was like to be an entrepreneur when I took a big risk at 21 years old to start my own business. I franchised Chill N Nitrogen Ice Cream at 20 years old and was talking to the corporate team before that at 19 years old. At first it was absolutely scary to think what did I just get myself into and now I have successfully had my business open for almost 3 years this 2025.

Vanessa , 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?

My Name is Vanessa Richaud I am 23 years old, I am an entrepreneur as well as a board member for 2 amazing non profits. I am a native of vibrant Mexico City, I charted my entrepreneurial journey from an early age when I delved into the world of business. In the dynamic environment of entrepreneurship, I honed my skills in accounting, bookkeeping, and management, fostering a keen sense of business acumen. Fueling my entrepreneurial spirit, I embarked on a quest to find my ideal venture in 2019. Undeterred by the challenges presented by the global pandemic, I persevered, and in July 2022 I opened Chill N Nitrogen Ice Cream store in San Antonio. I stand out not only for my business achievements but also for the remarkable milestone of becoming a franchise owner at the age of 21, a brand ambassador for my company at 22, and a Board member for 2 non profits at age 23. A trailblazing Latina, I defied expectations and demonstrated resilience in the face of adversity. My story exemplifies the embodiment of youth, determination, and success, marking me as a rising star in the entrepreneurial landscape.

Chill-N Nitrogen Ice Cream brings fresh energy and innovation to the ice cream scene. We’re a fast-paced franchise fostering a fun and creative environment, constantly evolving to surprise and delight our customers. Every cup is made to order, allowing you to customize your perfect scoop with unique flavors and Mix-N’s to accommodate almost all dietary restrictions. Our automated processes and use of liquid nitrogen guarantee the smoothest, most delicious ice cream you’ve ever tasted.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

For me one of the most effective strategy for growing my clientele is knowing first who my audience is (which for me is families and kids) I focused on finding the right location that would be the ideal place to bring that audience in ( schools around the area, lots of families, their income, the community) from there I worked my way up in working with schools and the community to do fundraisers and get families to come out and support their community and schools which also helped us get noticed. We also worked with a lot of influencers that are well known in my area to promote the business, but the cheapest and effective way to grow your clientele will always be word of mouth!

How do you keep in touch with clients and foster brand loyalty?

We keep in touch with our clients through different ways, we have a loyalty program that we can keep track of many things such as birthdays, favorite flavor, how many times they have ordered, etc. We are able to send out promotions to our loyal customers on random days as well as special occasions. I also personally have built a strong relationship with a lot of my customers so I personally will reach out and see how they are doing if I haven’t seen them in a while.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.chillnicecream.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chilln.sanantonio/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chilln.sanantonio/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vanessa-richaud-aa2b662b6