Ben and Jerry's: 9 scoops of wisdom that transformed two "failures in life" into $500m+ ice cream emperors

Scan time: 3-4 min / Read time: 5-7 min

Hey rebel solopreneurs 🦸‍♂️🦸‍♀️

Think you can't start over after multiple failures and still build something incredible?

Wrong!

Most people let past failures define their future - but that's exactly backwards thinking.

Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield were serial failures who couldn't succeed at anything they tried.

Jerry got rejected from medical school twice, Ben dropped out of every college and couldn't sell a single handmade pot.

But here's what'll blow your mind - they turned their failure streak into a $500 million global empire.

Let's investigate their secret formula!

🍹 The humble beginnings...

Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield met as the slowest, fattest kids running track in junior high school in 1964 - picture this!

They bonded over being last place in everything and shared a love for ice cream.

Jerry went to college for pre-med, worked scooping ice cream in the cafeteria to pay tuition.

He got rejected from medical school twice and felt like a complete failure.

Ben dropped out of every college he tried - Colgate, Skidmore, NYU, The New School.

He bounced between jobs as a McDonald's cashier, taxi driver, pottery teacher, and ER clerk.

Nobody would buy his handmade pots - ouch, right?

Both felt ashamed of what they'd achieved in life.

Jerry showed up at Ben's grungy New York apartment, dejected and lost.

They realized they were "pretty much failing at everything" they tried.

But here's the thing - instead of giving up, they decided to do something fun together.

Since they always liked to eat, they thought about opening a food shop.

They considered bagels first but the equipment cost too much.

So they settled on ice cream and signed up for a $5 correspondence course from Penn State.

Little did they know this "backup plan" would change their lives forever...

1. 🧠 Stop calling yourself a failure when you're just getting started

Ben and Jerry both labeled themselves as "total failures" and felt ashamed of their lives.

Jerry got rejected from med school twice and felt dejected.

Ben dropped out of multiple colleges and couldn't sell his pottery.

They were treating themselves as complete failures instead of people still figuring things out.

But here's what shifted everything - they stopped wallowing and started planning.

They realized that being "failures" meant they had nothing to lose by trying something new.

This mindset freed them to take risks without the pressure of protecting a perfect track record.

But they still didn't believe they'd succeed, so they made a backup plan that revealed their next limiting belief...

2. 🎯 Don't plan to fail - even when you expect to fail

Ben and Jerry were so convinced they'd fail that they planned to become truck drivers after two years.

They set a goal of making $20,000 each per year but didn't really believe they'd hit it.

This expectation of failure created a self-fulfilling prophecy in their planning.

They were already mentally preparing their exit strategy before they even started.

But something interesting happened when they committed to giving it their all for two years.

They focused on doing their best work within that timeframe rather than protecting themselves from disappointment.

The "two-year experiment" mindset actually freed them to take bigger risks.

Their next challenge showed them that perfect market research doesn't guarantee anything...

3. 📊 Don't let competition derail your plans - pivot and find your opening

Ben and Jerry spent months researching Saratoga Springs, New York as their perfect location.

They found a town with no ice cream shops and thought they'd found the ideal spot.

But while they were busy planning, another ice cream shop called Afternoon Delight opened.

Instead of competing, they decided to find a place with less competition.

They kept moving further north until they found Burlington, Vermont - cold but with little ice cream competition.

This forced pivot actually led them to a better location with a loyal community.

The "setback" of losing their first choice became the foundation of their success.

But finding the right location was just the beginning of their market validation process...

4. 📈 Validate demand with simple tools before you invest big

Ben and Jerry didn't just pick Burlington randomly - they bought clickers and counted foot traffic.

They stood at various street corners clicking as people walked by to measure traffic patterns.

This simple market validation told them where the most potential customers would be.

They learned from SBA manuals that ice cream is an impulse purchase driven by foot traffic.

Instead of guessing or going with their gut, they collected actual data.

This low-tech approach gave them confidence in their location choice without expensive market research.

The old gas station they chose had parking spaces where gas pumps used to be - perfect for impulse buyers.

Even with good location data, they still faced the challenge of getting startup funding...

5. 💰 Don't let a bad business plan stop you - banks care more about your commitment

Ben and Jerry needed a loan but had no idea how to write a business plan.

They copied a pizza parlor business plan and crossed out "slice of pizza" everywhere, writing "ice cream cone" instead.

When they calculated their projected finances, the plan showed they'd lose money.

Rather than give up, they simply increased their sales projections to show a profit.

The bank approved their loan because they saw two committed entrepreneurs who'd done their homework.

The willingness to ask for help and adapt existing resources showed resourcefulness, not incompetence.

Getting the money was just the first step - surviving the brutal first winter tested everything...

6. 🧠 Turn your perceived weakness into your competitive advantage

Ben had anosmia - a condition that severely limited his sense of smell.

Most people would see this as a major disadvantage for someone making ice cream.

But Ben focused on taste and texture instead of smell, which his competitors ignored.

He insisted on large chunks of chocolate fudge and cookie dough while Jerry preferred small chunks.

Ben's "limitation" forced him to create a completely different sensory experience.

Customers loved the chunky texture that came from Ben's unique perspective.

What seemed like a disability became their signature differentiator.

But even great products couldn't save them from their first major crisis...

7. 💸 Don't suffer in silence when you can't pay - communicate before you default

During their first winter, sales dropped drastically and they couldn't make loan payments.

Instead of hiding from the bank or defaulting, they sought help from SCORE mentors.

Their mentor Manny advised them to ask for a moratorium - paying interest only until sales recovered.

They were terrified to approach the bank but explained their situation honestly.

To their surprise, the bank agreed to extend the loan terms.

This communication saved their business and taught them that lenders prefer honesty over silence.

Most small businesses fail because owners are too proud to ask for help when they need it.

Their survival strategy revealed something powerful about grassroots marketing...

8. 🎨 Let customers become your marketers by giving them something worth sharing

Ben and Jerry put bumper stickers on their store counters with no prizes or incentives.

To their amazement, customers started putting "Ben & Jerry's" stickers on their cars throughout Burlington.

People weren't paid or rewarded - they just loved supporting two genuine guys who needed help.

Their generous scoops and 16-hour days created fans who wanted them to succeed.

The authentic connection with customers turned into organic word-of-mouth marketing.

This grassroots support became more powerful than any paid advertising campaign.

But their biggest test came when a corporate giant tried to destroy them...

9. 🥊 Fight corporate bullies with creativity, not lawyers - rally your community

In 1984, Pillsbury threatened distributors: sell Haagen-Dazs or Ben & Jerry's, but not both.

Ben and Jerry realized they couldn't win a legal battle against such a massive corporation.

Instead of hiring expensive lawyers, they launched the "What's the doughboy afraid of?" campaign.

Jerry picketed Pillsbury headquarters alone with a hand-lettered sign.

They placed ads on buses, flew banner planes over sporting events, and put 1-800 numbers on ice cream containers.

The public rallied around the "little guys" fighting the corporate giant.

Bad press forced Pillsbury to back down from their bullying tactics.

This victory taught them something profound about using business as a force for good...

💰 The epic win

From their $8,000 investment in 1978, Ben & Jerry's grew to $4 million in sales by 1984.

By 1992, they reached $132 million in annual revenue.

Today the company generates over $500 million and operates in multiple countries worldwide.

They proved that caring capitalism could be wildly profitable while giving back to communities.

🥂 Your turn to shine bright!

That's it, my fellow rebels!

Think you can't start over after multiple failures and still build something amazing?

Ben and Jerry went from serial failures who got rejected from everything to building a $500 million global empire that changed how business gets done.

"Don't just do something because it's a trendy idea and will make you a lot of money. Any kind of venture involves going through difficult times. If you're doing something you are passionate about and really believe in, then that will carry you through," says Jerry.

"We measured our success not just by how much money we made, but by how much we contributed to the community," adds Jerry.

Stop letting your past failures define your future - use them as proof you've got nothing left to lose and everything to gain.

I have a feeling you're about to prove everyone wrong.

Keep rocking 🚀 🍩

Yours 'making success painless and fun' vijay peduru 🦸‍♂️