Masters of Scale How a summer job grew into an ice cream empire, with CEO Ben Van Leeuwen
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Jul 10, 2025 
Ben Van Leeuwen, CEO and co-founder of Van Leeuwen Ice Cream, shares his inspiring journey from driving an ice cream truck to building a booming dessert empire. He dives into the creative process of developing unique flavors, even experimenting with quirky options like Kraft Mac and Cheese ice cream. The conversation also covers the challenges of scaling the business and the importance of personal relationships, especially when navigating co-founder dynamics. Expect insights on quality ingredients and innovative strategies fueling their rapid growth.
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Start From Ice Cream Truck Days
- Ben Van Leeuwen's ice cream business began with his teenage summers driving ice cream trucks and a serendipitous moment seeing a Mr. Softee truck after college.
- Despite no ice cream-making experience, he decided to start the business by buying used post office trucks and creating artisanal recipes.
Bootstrapping With $60k and Trucks
- Ben and his team raised $60,000 through personal connections and bought used trucks on eBay to retrofit into ice cream trucks.
- They started with maxed out credit cards and only $500 left in the bank on day one, demonstrating scrappy early hustle.
Youth Drives Startup Agility
- Younger entrepreneurs possess a unique energy and hunger that enable them to do more with less capital.
- Larger, established companies often struggle to replicate the scrappiness and agility of startups despite greater resources.
