How a high school student started his own gelato company | Dillon Hollingsworth | TEDxLFHS

I remember the first time I fell in love

I remember the first time I fell in love it was fantastic

it was fantastic

it was fantastic I remember exactly where I met the love

I remember exactly where I met the love

I remember exactly where I met the love of my life far away in an alleyway in

of my life far away in an alleyway in

of my life far away in an alleyway in Rome it was nighttime and we were the

Rome it was nighttime and we were the

Rome it was nighttime and we were the only things in the world at that moment

only things in the world at that moment

only things in the world at that moment I had had my first taste of gelato

I had had my first taste of gelato

I had had my first taste of gelato I had it every day I was in Italy and

I had it every day I was in Italy and

I had it every day I was in Italy and had developed severe addiction to it

had developed severe addiction to it

had developed severe addiction to it after I was forcefully removed from

after I was forcefully removed from

after I was forcefully removed from Italy and brought back home I

Italy and brought back home I

Italy and brought back home I immediately went to the store to try

immediately went to the store to try

immediately went to the store to try gelato when I tried it though to my

gelato when I tried it though to my

gelato when I tried it though to my utter dismay it was nothing like the

utter dismay it was nothing like the

utter dismay it was nothing like the stuff back in Italy after going through

stuff back in Italy after going through

stuff back in Italy after going through months of mild depression from the lack

months of mild depression from the lack

months of mild depression from the lack of good gelato I decided to do something

of good gelato I decided to do something

of good gelato I decided to do something to change it

to change it

to change it I decided to start my own gelato

I decided to start my own gelato

I decided to start my own gelato business I didn’t really know how to

business I didn’t really know how to

business I didn’t really know how to make a business or what to do but I’d be

make a business or what to do but I’d be

make a business or what to do but I’d be cool to have an aunt it couldn’t be that

cool to have an aunt it couldn’t be that

cool to have an aunt it couldn’t be that hard

hard

hard soon all I could think about was

soon all I could think about was

soon all I could think about was creating my own gelato empire this

creating my own gelato empire this

creating my own gelato empire this seemed as if it’d be easy enough because

seemed as if it’d be easy enough because

seemed as if it’d be easy enough because a gelato business appeared as it would

a gelato business appeared as it would

a gelato business appeared as it would be a good business to get into there’s

be a good business to get into there’s

be a good business to get into there’s far more brand loyalty in gelato than

far more brand loyalty in gelato than

far more brand loyalty in gelato than most food items in the food and food

most food items in the food and food

most food items in the food and food industry itself is alway renowned for

industry itself is alway renowned for

industry itself is alway renowned for its brand loyalty plus running a gelato

its brand loyalty plus running a gelato

its brand loyalty plus running a gelato business sounded fun

business sounded fun

business sounded fun it’s a gelato business I can’t not be

it’s a gelato business I can’t not be

it’s a gelato business I can’t not be fun to start I decided to make by gelato

fun to start I decided to make by gelato

fun to start I decided to make by gelato make and just start making gelato

make and just start making gelato

make and just start making gelato I started tweaking my recipe changing

I started tweaking my recipe changing

I started tweaking my recipe changing the churn speed and the proportions of

the churn speed and the proportions of

the churn speed and the proportions of ingredients until I finally had the best

ingredients until I finally had the best

ingredients until I finally had the best recipe possible I then though had an

recipe possible I then though had an

recipe possible I then though had an existential crisis I had not the

existential crisis I had not the

existential crisis I had not the slightest clue on what to do next where

slightest clue on what to do next where

slightest clue on what to do next where would I make it how would I transport it

would I make it how would I transport it

would I make it how would I transport it where would I sell it how would I sell

where would I sell it how would I sell

where would I sell it how would I sell it all of a sudden I realized I creating

it all of a sudden I realized I creating

it all of a sudden I realized I creating my gelato Empire made me be a little bit

my gelato Empire made me be a little bit

my gelato Empire made me be a little bit harder than I initially anticipated to

harder than I initially anticipated to

harder than I initially anticipated to deal with the sudden revelation I

deal with the sudden revelation I

deal with the sudden revelation I started looking online for places that

started looking online for places that

started looking online for places that claim they made gelato well I would make

claim they made gelato well I would make

claim they made gelato well I would make it out of my home it’s illegal to do so

it out of my home it’s illegal to do so

it out of my home it’s illegal to do so since you can’t sell a frozen item in

since you can’t sell a frozen item in

since you can’t sell a frozen item in the store that hasn’t that isn’t made at

the store that hasn’t that isn’t made at

the store that hasn’t that isn’t made at a facility that has the USDA and FDA

a facility that has the USDA and FDA

a facility that has the USDA and FDA certified eventually after a few months

certified eventually after a few months

certified eventually after a few months of looking I finally found a small

of looking I finally found a small

of looking I finally found a small quality place in Ohio that can make my

quality place in Ohio that can make my

quality place in Ohio that can make my product I had production solved the

product I had production solved the

product I had production solved the problem though was that Ohio still

problem though was that Ohio still

problem though was that Ohio still pretty far away from Illinois while it’s

pretty far away from Illinois while it’s

pretty far away from Illinois while it’s so close for food energy standards

so close for food energy standards

so close for food energy standards that’s a long way to transport gelato

that’s a long way to transport gelato

that’s a long way to transport gelato transporting gelato is difficult because

transporting gelato is difficult because

transporting gelato is difficult because it’s frozen and therefore cannot be

it’s frozen and therefore cannot be

it’s frozen and therefore cannot be allowed

allowed

allowed to melt if gelato melts before gets to

to melt if gelato melts before gets to

to melt if gelato melts before gets to the store then it must be thrown out to

the store then it must be thrown out to

the store then it must be thrown out to solve this dilemma

solve this dilemma

solve this dilemma I started looking excessively online for

I started looking excessively online for

I started looking excessively online for cold storage distributors who could

cold storage distributors who could

cold storage distributors who could transport my product finally I found an

transport my product finally I found an

transport my product finally I found an overly complicated chain of companies

overly complicated chain of companies

overly complicated chain of companies that can bring my gelato here now I had

that can bring my gelato here now I had

that can bring my gelato here now I had two questions off my list I have sold

two questions off my list I have sold

two questions off my list I have sold this distribution in production and I

this distribution in production and I

this distribution in production and I only had to figure out how to sell it

only had to figure out how to sell it

only had to figure out how to sell it and where to sell it

and where to sell it

and where to sell it I started looking on Google for high-end

I started looking on Google for high-end

I started looking on Google for high-end boutique stores and eventually I found

boutique stores and eventually I found

boutique stores and eventually I found one I was gonna make my first pitch at 8

one I was gonna make my first pitch at 8

one I was gonna make my first pitch at 8 a.m. in the morning I shuffled up out of

a.m. in the morning I shuffled up out of

a.m. in the morning I shuffled up out of my car

my car

my car crawled in the door and slithered to the

crawled in the door and slithered to the

crawled in the door and slithered to the owner Dominic an old Italian man he

owner Dominic an old Italian man he

owner Dominic an old Italian man he speaks with a thick Italian accent I

speaks with a thick Italian accent I

speaks with a thick Italian accent I handed him a dozen pints and meekly

handed him a dozen pints and meekly

handed him a dozen pints and meekly whispered hi mister Parata want to try

whispered hi mister Parata want to try

whispered hi mister Parata want to try some of my gelato we said a few more

some of my gelato we said a few more

some of my gelato we said a few more lines before I sprinted out the door and

lines before I sprinted out the door and

lines before I sprinted out the door and back into my car and my mind is

back into my car and my mind is

back into my car and my mind is unbelievably successful I’d made my

unbelievably successful I’d made my

unbelievably successful I’d made my company’s existence known to the world

company’s existence known to the world

company’s existence known to the world or at least started the process of doing

or at least started the process of doing

or at least started the process of doing that encouraged by this massive success

that encouraged by this massive success

that encouraged by this massive success I repeated this a few more times before

I repeated this a few more times before

I repeated this a few more times before finally on the third time asking can I

finally on the third time asking can I

finally on the third time asking can I sell my gelato in your store to which

sell my gelato in your store to which

sell my gelato in your store to which you responded oh yeah sure

you responded oh yeah sure

you responded oh yeah sure I was ecstatic on the inside the problem

I was ecstatic on the inside the problem

I was ecstatic on the inside the problem was though I didn’t really know what

was though I didn’t really know what

was though I didn’t really know what comes next

comes next

comes next so I’m in your store but what happens

so I’m in your store but what happens

so I’m in your store but what happens now I asked him so do you want me to

now I asked him so do you want me to

now I asked him so do you want me to stock it he said okay sure stock it over

stock it he said okay sure stock it over

stock it he said okay sure stock it over there pointing toward his entire frozen

there pointing toward his entire frozen

there pointing toward his entire frozen section I walked over not quite sure

section I walked over not quite sure

section I walked over not quite sure where to put it it wasn’t as if there

where to put it it wasn’t as if there

where to put it it wasn’t as if there was a hole there magically waiting for

was a hole there magically waiting for

was a hole there magically waiting for me to put my gelato finally I decided

me to put my gelato finally I decided

me to put my gelato finally I decided the only other frozen dessert at the

the only other frozen dessert at the

the only other frozen dessert at the time was taking up far too much space I

time was taking up far too much space I

time was taking up far too much space I crammed it in this side to make room for

crammed it in this side to make room for

crammed it in this side to make room for my own after that I sprinted back in my

my own after that I sprinted back in my

my own after that I sprinted back in my car I was ecstatic on the inside I was

car I was ecstatic on the inside I was

car I was ecstatic on the inside I was in a real store selling a real product I

in a real store selling a real product I

in a real store selling a real product I was in certifiable business my gelato

was in certifiable business my gelato

was in certifiable business my gelato empire had started from there I have

empire had started from there I have

empire had started from there I have quickly expanded to where I am now and

quickly expanded to where I am now and

quickly expanded to where I am now and over a dozen stores across the

over a dozen stores across the

over a dozen stores across the Chicagoland area now throughout this

Chicagoland area now throughout this

Chicagoland area now throughout this entire experience I’ve learned a lot of

entire experience I’ve learned a lot of

entire experience I’ve learned a lot of really important things this entire time

really important things this entire time

really important things this entire time I’ve always been on the verge of

I’ve always been on the verge of

I’ve always been on the verge of disaster I’ve learned that nothing gets

disaster I’ve learned that nothing gets

disaster I’ve learned that nothing gets easier over time and the disaster the

easier over time and the disaster the

easier over time and the disaster the challenges you have now will be dwarfed

challenges you have now will be dwarfed

challenges you have now will be dwarfed by the challenges you have in the future

by the challenges you have in the future

by the challenges you have in the future the gelato business is

the gelato business is

the gelato business is absurdly Satch oversaturated market that

absurdly Satch oversaturated market that

absurdly Satch oversaturated market that really requires you to think out of the

really requires you to think out of the

really requires you to think out of the box if you don’t want to be completely

box if you don’t want to be completely

box if you don’t want to be completely drowned out by the limitless limitless

drowned out by the limitless limitless

drowned out by the limitless limitless competition the differentiate yourself

competition the differentiate yourself

competition the differentiate yourself really requires you to come up with

really requires you to come up with

really requires you to come up with unique solutions to sudden unexpected

unique solutions to sudden unexpected

unique solutions to sudden unexpected problems problems will come up which you

problems problems will come up which you

problems problems will come up which you will never have expected for example a

will never have expected for example a

will never have expected for example a few months ago my distributor at the

few months ago my distributor at the

few months ago my distributor at the time when thousands of dollars worth of

time when thousands of dollars worth of

time when thousands of dollars worth of product they somehow in an awe-inspiring

product they somehow in an awe-inspiring

product they somehow in an awe-inspiring display of ineptitude forgot that gelato

display of ineptitude forgot that gelato

display of ineptitude forgot that gelato is frozen and let all my product melt

is frozen and let all my product melt

is frozen and let all my product melt this wasn’t something that could be

this wasn’t something that could be

this wasn’t something that could be overcome in a day or a week or a month

overcome in a day or a week or a month

overcome in a day or a week or a month this was something that brought my

this was something that brought my

this was something that brought my entire business to the verge of

entire business to the verge of

entire business to the verge of destruction but instead of giving up and

destruction but instead of giving up and

destruction but instead of giving up and accepting my fate I decided to fight

accepting my fate I decided to fight

accepting my fate I decided to fight back

back

back I stood up straight and tried as hard as

I stood up straight and tried as hard as

I stood up straight and tried as hard as I could and slowly I’ve been able to

I could and slowly I’ve been able to

I could and slowly I’ve been able to survive and regain my previous pace so

survive and regain my previous pace so

survive and regain my previous pace so trying as hard as you can I learned that

trying as hard as you can I learned that

trying as hard as you can I learned that you can avoid disaster thank you so much