Orient Express

by Josh Davis

When Bruno Tropeano and I graduated with degrees in finance from Bentley University outside Boston in 2005, we knew that we didn’t want to take a traditional path into the corporate world. Instead, we wanted to build our own business.

Some of you may be considering doing the same and creating a company or non-profit on campus, in Maine, or elsewhere in the world. Perhaps you’ve sought guidance from the Career Planning Center or the McKeen Center for the Common Good. We have learned many lessons over the past three years at The Gelato Fiasco, and we thought it might be helpful to share some of them with you. 

1. Understand that it’s going to take a lot of work. The idea of “being your own boss” is often glorified in popular media. In reality, it means that there’s no boss to turn to when something needs to get done, and you’ll spend many, many more hours working than you ever expected. While I wouldn’t want to work for anyone else, working for yourself really means you can’t just leave work at the end of the day and forget about problems until the next morning. Midnight phone calls and 6 a.m. text messages become the norm.

It has taken a tremendous amount of commitment for Bruno and I to build our business, and we have consistently celebrated milestones along the last three years like “first weekend off,” “first week off,” and “first paid vacation.” We like to work—and we care passionately about making The Gelato Fiasco the best is can possibly be—but the schedule is certainly not for everyone and can become overwhelming.

If you understand that and decide to be your own boss, always take time to evaluate your goals and your responsibilities. Then decide which of your responsibilities can be effectively managed by other members of your team.

2. It’s not necessary to invent something new. Steve Jobs didn’t invent the MP3 player (remember the Rio or the Creative Nomad?). Instead, he took a promising concept and perfected it with the iPod. We’ve tried to do the same thing. Our motto is, “Inspired by Italy. Perfected in Maine.” We took something that was already time-tested in Italy and built upon it by making a few key adjustments.

First, many gelato creators in the United States use a “cold process” of gelato creation, where they combine a commercial flavor mix with milk and freeze it. We adopted a “hot process,” where we take raw ingredients—including Maine milk, cane sugar, and real fruits, nuts, and confections—and create a product that’s been recognized as superior by gelato connoisseurs throughout the United States.

Second, we realized that service would be just as important as the product. When I scouted out Brunswick and someone told me that there was nowhere to go after 6 p.m. (besides Joshua’s), we realized that late hours might be a big draw. Sure enough, we’re open until 11 p.m. daily, and Bowdoin students seem to love that opportunity for, dare we say, Super Snack seven days a week. Other detailed things—such as offering unlimited flavors in any dish, generous flavor sampling, and quirky promotions—have become hallmarks of our company.

3. Set small goals. Anyone can set big goals, but it’s nearly impossible to reach them without incremental goals along the way. The key: creating a framework in which to hold yourself accountable. In the past year, we’ve added a wholesale division and moved our products into more than 50 grocery stores, cafes, and restaurants. This wasn’t accomplished by saying, “I will build a wholesale business.” Instead, I needed to set small, actionable items: “I will call five potential partners today,” or, “I will sign two new customers this week.” If this didn’t happen, then I immediately knew that we failed and needed to push harder or change our strategy.

4. Be aware of moments of truth. Offering a consistent level of service at every level of interaction with your company is the best way to develop a strong brand. We consider each and every interaction with a customer to be a brand experience—an opportunity for them to think positively about us. Customers might get to know us through a conversation with an employee in the store, a visit to our web site, an interaction on our Facebook Page (www.facebook.com/gelatofiasco), an article in a magazine or newspaper, a phone call, or even when they notice the condition of our restrooms. Each of these instances represent a moment of truth—an opportunity to test the strength of an organization’s training, its commitment to service and quality, and its ability to quickly respond to every customer’s specific needs. We strive to be consistent during each moment of truth and attempt to exceed expectations at that moment. For us, that means offering great products, clean facilities, thoughtful brand materials, and helpful employees.

5. Be nice and have fun. When you build a successful organization, people will get to know you. Some Bowdoin kids see me about town and know me as “the gelato guy.” We’re often written about in the press (look for us in Rachael Ray Magazine next month). We also employ more than 15 people who work long, hard hours. We interact with a lot of people, and we want to be known as businessmen who are having a positive impact on our community and state. That’s why, no matter how harried or hectic things get, it’s always important to be kind to co-workers and customers and attempt to see the fun in what you’re doing.

Bruno and I have always tried to keep things in perspective by telling each other out loud: “You have to work somewhere—why not a gelateria?” At the end of the day, we are thankful to work with each other, with a great group of people and customers who we look forward to seeing daily, and for the opportunity to achieve our goal creating world-class gelato in a unique atmosphere.

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Of course, we learn new things every day—thanks in big part to our awesome customer base in Brunswick and on the Bowdoin campus. Building a business is an enormous undertaking. It’s also something that’s enormously fulfilling.