With just $60K from friends and family, O’Neill and her cofounders grew Van Leeuwen without any outside investment for the first 10 years. They grew smartly and profitably, so that when they raised capital in 2018, Van Leeuwen Ice Cream had a strong, proven business model and could raise additional funds for growth without giving up control.VL MadougalFind great people to collaborate with. Good partners are the most important ingredient to starting a business.
Grow lean and profitably. Anyone can start a business with a ton of money. If you can do it lean and succeed, then you’re actually a business.While leading Van Leeuwen, O'Neill also finds time to be in a band and rock climb.When they started Van Leeuwen Ice Cream, it was one of just a few premium, all-natural ice cream brands in the freezer. Now there are many. Van Leeuwen has pivoted to focus on vegan, cashew- and oat milk-based ice cream to maintain brand loyalty and win new customers.
· Dabble. I worked a bunch of jobs over the years in various fields and many of them helped me find my path.