Pre-Recorded Video Courses

This 2-hour video covers the fundamental aspects of starting an ice cream business. It is designed for those who are new to the idea of starting their own venture but haven't decided on the specific route yet. We will help you make an informed choice based on factors like budget, time commitment, and target market. We will explore options such as mobile carts, food trucks, and brick-and-mortar stores, as well as alternative choices like pop-up shops, farmers' markets, and shipping container units. Additionally, we will guide you through the initial steps of starting a business, including establishing a business entity, obtaining a federal EIN, creating a business plan, and exploring financing options. Furthermore, we will discuss different forms of business entities and their advantages, along with topics such as business insurance, Google verification, permits, and licenses. Consider this session as a comprehensive introduction to starting a business.

During this two-hour video session, you will acquire knowledge on effectively handling your most crucial resources, namely, your workforce. If your objective is to expand your business and avoid personally attending to every customer, hiring employees is essential. Throughout this class, we will impart the following skills: implementing optimal hiring strategies, creating an employee handbook, establishing policies and procedures, providing comprehensive training to employees, conducting assessments, managing opening and closing duties, overseeing time clock operations, utilizing scheduling software, handling payroll matters, utilizing point of sale systems, implementing employee incentives, and nurturing a healthy employee-employer relationship.

In this two-hour video class, you will gain knowledge about all aspects of constructing a physical ice cream shop. From developing your initial concept to completing the construction and opening your doors, we will guide you through the entire process. The class will cover the following subjects: selecting a suitable location, determining target pricing for a space, planning the layout and flow of customers, designing interior and exterior signage, calculating seating capacity and occupancy, meeting bathroom requirements, choosing an architect and builder, exploring build-to-suit options, obtaining necessary permits, arranging a meeting with the health department, understanding plumbing and electrical requirements, determining freezer needs, considering unique features and special considerations, ensuring security with cameras, and incorporating speaker and music systems. Additionally, we will cover the construction process and associated costs.

In this three-hour video class, you will gain all the necessary knowledge to achieve financial stability in your ice cream business. This class is highly sought-after at ice cream school, as it provides you with a solid foundation in understanding the financial aspects of your business. When starting a business, one of the biggest uncertainties is predicting sales and profits. However, there is no need to worry, as we will guide you through this process. The class will cover various topics such as basic budgeting, expected rent, the correlation between rent and sales, the influence of sales on labor costs, effective management of labor costs, analyzing food costs, setting appropriate prices for your products, utilizing loss leaders, calculating average ticket sales, determining profit per customer versus margin, projecting daily, monthly, and yearly sales, analyzing sales by hour and day of the week, predicting seasonal sales, considering miscellaneous costs, understanding loans, and assessing your potential earnings.

The video class does not provide instruction on creating ice cream mix from scratch, but it does cover the advantages and disadvantages of doing so. We will be using an Emery Thompson machine, although your machine may vary, the fundamental principles of ice cream production still apply. Throughout this course, we will explore various topics including selecting an ice cream base mix, the benefits and drawbacks of making your own base, vanilla, ingredients, suppliers of ingredients, flavorings, purees, and inclusions, preparing fruit for ice cream, using a refractometer, small equipment needed, machinery and equipment, batch freezers, blast freezers and whether they are necessary, storage freezers, tempering your ice cream, dipping cabinets, and the different types of cabinets such as flip top, glass front display, and gelato cabinets.

During this 4-hour video course, you will acquire comprehensive knowledge required to expand your ice cream business by offering a wide range of dairy-free, vegan, and other frozen desserts. We will carefully analyze the key components that contribute to a well-balanced frozen dessert and guide you on how to incorporate these principles into any recipe of your choice! You will also be taught how to create scrumptious non-dairy "ice cream" using ingredients such as almonds, coconut, cashews, peanut butter, hemp milk, fruit sorbets, and other dairy-free and vegan flavors. Moreover, we will discuss and utilize different products from various suppliers that enable you to swiftly produce dairy-free desserts, eliminating the need for raw ingredients and thus saving your valuable time and money. It is important to note that this course does not include any financial or business-related information covered in our ice cream basics or ice cream finances course. The following topics will be covered throughout this course: Coconut Bases, Almond Milk Bases, Cashew Milk Bases, Peanut Butter Base, Oat Milk Base, Hemp Milk Base, Fruit Sorbets, and Other ready-to-use products from varying suppliers.

If you're considering starting a mobile ice cream business, you're in for a sweet treat! With the rising popularity of food trucks and the timeless appeal of ice cream, a mobile ice cream business can be a lucrative and enjoyable venture. One of the key advantages of a mobile ice cream business is the flexibility it offers. You can set up shop at popular events, parks, beaches, or even drive around neighborhoods to cater to ice cream enthusiasts. With a well-designed truck or cart, enticing menu options, and a focus on excellent customer service, you can quickly become a favorite summer destination for ice cream lovers of all ages. Additionally, being mobile allows you to reach a wider customer base and cater to different events and locations, maximizing your earning potential. As with any business, it's important to research and plan thoroughly, ensuring you comply with local regulations, investing in high-quality equipment, and developing a unique brand and marketing strategy. With the right approach, a mobile ice cream business can be a refreshing and profitable endeavor.