3 Key Lessons in Business Growth from Ben & Jerry

The mindsets that made “The Best Ice-cream in America”

Ben and Jerry’s Icecream is a beloved household name. But like all big brands, they didn’t start that way. In the mid-1970s, Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield opened a small ice-cream shop in Burlington, Vermont. By the 80’s, their small business had spread across the country. Time magazine called it the “best ice cream in America.” Today they still remain one of the top-selling ice cream brands in the world.

So what were the beliefs behind their success?

1. Don’t be afraid to Steal Ideas

The idea of profiting off ice-cream wasn’t new. Ice-cream parlours were becoming trendy in major cities in American. Ben & Jerry believed there was an untapped opportunity to bring this offering to smaller college towns.

Same concept, different market.

To build their business, they needed a loan from the bank. To issue a loan, the bank required a workable business plan. Knowing little about business, they took inspiration from an existing business model from a small pizza shop. Quite a lot of inspiration. In fact, they copied the whole thing. They changed every instance of the word “pizza” to the word “ice-cream”, and that was it.