Today we’d like to introduce you to Ondrey and Mia Lawson.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
It all started with a trip to the outlet mall. While shopping, we passed an Italian ice kiosk and I decided to get a cup. I asked my husband if he wanted a cup as well, and he replied that he didn’t like snow cones (because of the icy consistency) and that he had never heard of Italian ice.
As we walked off (surprised that this frozen treat was foreign to him), I explained how the consistency of Italian ice is completely different than that of shaved ice, how it’s full and rich with flavor, and urged him to taste some. He did, and to his surprise, it was delicious! As he went on to eat what was pretty much my entire cup, he said aloud, “How can this Italian ice be so good and I’ve never heard of it?!”
We went on to talk about how great of a business idea it would be to introduce Italian ice to more Houstonians via a mobile Italian Ice cart, especially given the city’s warm climate. After six months of research, planning, and development, Phrostbite Italian Ice was born!
In terms of how we’ve gotten to where we are, we have been blessed to connect with some incredible entrepreneurs, market personnel, and community leaders who believed in our vision, our product and gave us a chance to put our business on display and grow our following. Since we launched in June 2021, we have seen tremendous growth and have provided services for a variety of different marketplaces, private events, festivals, birthday parties, school events, and more. We are grateful to be able to provide frozen deserts and smiles to the citizens of Houston!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Although we are a young business and are approaching our one-year anniversary, we have faced several challenges of varying magnitude and scope. As we were starting out in 2021, moving through the stages of application and inspection to obtain proper licensing for operations proved to be cumbersome and stagnant. This was due to the strain on local government agencies as they were in the process of leading COVID responses and recovery for the community. Additionally, supply chain issues that have plagued many businesses across the globe since the pandemic began have also hindered our progress and operations to an extent.
However, we have, and will continue, to face obstacles head on and do what it takes to develop solutions that keep our business thriving. The true joy for us is in the sometimes challenging, yet exciting journey of starting and growing this business, and seeing our hard work pay off. It has been an incredible journey thus far!
As you know, we’re big fans of Phrostbite Italian Ice. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Phrostbite Italian Ice is not your average “Phrozen” dessert. Our premier dairy-free and fat-free treat perfectly pairs a soft, smooth ice cream-like consistency with richly infused fruity flavors. With its air beaten texture and mouth watering taste, one can’t help but to indulge in the delicious sensation it brings your sweet tooth!
We are Houston’s premier mobile Italian Ice cart and we are here to serve refreshing and tasty desserts to people all over the city! We offer mobile catering, popup vending and delivery services for corporate and personal special events.
With our various fruit infused flavors, there is something for everyone to enjoy. Follow us across social media platforms @phrostbiteice to see our locations and catch our special release flavors!
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
Something that many people may not know about us is that we’ve always been kind of “serial entrepreneurs” in the sense that we have had several business ideas in the past that we’ve either paused or let go because of time restrictions and/or other life moments and commitments. Some endeavors we’ve attempted include an athleisure clothing line (2 of them actually), a professional consulting firm, a virtual personal assistant operation, and a digital identification startup to name a few. We believe that the culmination of all our experiences with those ventures led to the breakthrough and success that is Phrostbite Italian Ice! When reports and articles mention that typical entrepreneurs experience several failed (or postponed) businesses before their first success, we can attest that they are right on the money.
Contact Info:
- Email: phrostbiteice@gmail.com
- Website: https://www.phrostbiteice.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/phrostbiteice/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/phrostbiteice
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/phrostbiteice
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/phrostbite-italian-ice-atascocita?osq=phrostbite
