Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Marcus Sonnier.
Marcus and his wife, Marvis, realized their sons, Ryan and Dylan were very good, and experts asking for money as you would expect from teenage boys.
They decided they needed a way to earn some extra income, while also learning the values of being an entrepreneur.
From that idea, Snowie Atlanta was born. They have been involved in every aspect of starting and developing this business, which has been a real eye opener for them. They are now starting to understand the hard work, dedication as well as, costs associated with opening and operating our own business.
Their hope and prayer was that they learned operating our shaved ice business would provide them with skills that will guide them throughout their lives.
Company Description *Shaved Ice is our SWEET spot!! We are a top-tier food truck with a focus on customer service.
Talking Points/Questions *1) What was your reason or your “Why” that caused you to start Snowie Atlanta?
2) Is it true that you worked a full-time job for 5 years while building Snowie Atlanta?
3) What sacrifices had to be made along the way?
4) What made you leave a successful career as the VP of Field Supervision at a large Financial Services Firm?
5) What advice would you give to other entrepreneurs reluctant to follow their dreams?
#AMI
#BEST
#STRAW
#SHMS
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:05):
Welcome to the show.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
I am Rashaan McDonald, the host of Money Making Conversations Masterclass,
where we encourage people to stop reading other people's success
stories and start planning their own. Listen up as I
interview entrepreneurs from around the country, talk to celebrities and
ask them how they are running their companies, and speak
with dog profits who are making a difference in their
(00:26):
local communities. Now, sit back and listen as we unlock
the secrets to their success.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
On Money Making Conversations Masterclass. Hey dad, this is Rashan McDonald.
Welcome back to Money Making Conversation master Class. The interviews
and information that this show provides are for everyone. It's
time to stop reading other people's success stories and start
living your own. I'm here to help you reach your
American dream. Now, if you want to be a guest
on my show, because I hope you want to be
(00:52):
a guest on the show. I know a lot of
people listen. I know a lot of small business owners.
I know a lot of entrepreneurs. A lot of people
have great product. I want to talk about it. I
want to talk about how you came up with the idea.
I want to talk about your business plan. I want
to talk about your mistakes. I want you to share
with my listeners and also giving you an opportunity to
tell your story and why you're so excited about your story.
(01:13):
Please visit my website, Moneymakingconversations dot com and click the
be a Guest button. Please visit Moneymaking Conversations Conversations dot
com and click to be a guest button. My next
guest left a successful career as the VP of Field
supervision at a large financial services firm to launch a
(01:33):
small business called Snowy Atlanta. Snow Wee Atlanta. They serve
mouthwatering shaved ice cream icecu meil, I want to say
ice cream lover. They serve mouthwatering shaved ice that you
can top with many different flavors. Already sounds good. Please
welcome the Money Making Conversations Masterclass. Marcus Sony Marcus, did
(01:56):
I say your last name? Correct? Sonya?
Speaker 3 (01:59):
Very close?
Speaker 1 (02:01):
Okay? Cool? You know it's it's in I E r
You know he won them brothers, man. You know I
know I though, Man. You know I'm Rashan rishe rich.
You know Rashon. People say, is that Russia knows Rashan
Little layer Marcus how you doing, brother, Tell me about
this business man. You went from the corporate world and
(02:23):
now you're doing shaved ice.
Speaker 3 (02:24):
Now.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
The first time I experienced shaved ice, I was in
New Orleans and they have this place in New Orleans
where people will line up around the corner to get
this shaved ice. So what exactly is shaved ice? Help
me out with that.
Speaker 3 (02:38):
Yeah, So, first of all, thanks for having me on
your show. Appreciate honor to be on the show. So
shaved ice originated in Hawaii. So it's a way to
shave ice in a fine, almost snow like manner, and
you get to top it with different flavors of your choice,
(03:00):
and it's just it's fantastic in the summertime or even
in the winter time. We have learned, right, So.
Speaker 1 (03:07):
Like that I've had this now, you know, growing up
because I'm from the hood. Now, I had a version
of this. You know, they they beat up the ice.
It wasn't shaved and then they put that that that
yellow in that red and grape you know. I you know,
I was happy, brother. They weren't ice cream, but it
was icy, but it wasn't saved ice. I was just
(03:28):
happy that guy going in the back and he'd just
be breaking up that ice man and getting it as
fine as he could. That's the version of shaved ice
that I grew up on.
Speaker 3 (03:37):
Now, yes, well, I was gonna say, we have a
machine that does it a lot better than that guy
in them. And what makes our product really unique that
you get to create your own version. Right, So instead
of just having one or two flavors that you can
select from, you get to dispense the flavors yourself. So
(04:00):
you get to put as much as little and make
any combination that you would like. Which has been a hit?
Speaker 1 (04:06):
Now you now you say it's you know it originated
in Hawaii? Where did you have an experience that you
went this? I liked it. This is something I want
to not so much to be an entrepreneur, but it
became a flavor that you are deserve, a go to
for you. What were you when you first experienced it?
Speaker 3 (04:23):
So I grew up in Loasayete, Louisiana, and similar to
New Orleans, we had a snowball this collumn there snowball
stand on every other corner. So growing up, it was
a part of life going to the snowball stand anytime
you had some extra money because I grew up in
(04:44):
the hood too, So anytime you had a few extra nickels,
you would take wall stands and just have have the
best time.
Speaker 1 (04:53):
And it was because they had that old machine, that
old see see he has he has that modern machine.
Marcus has that modern machine. Bless him. He he's a
the entrepreneur and everything. But the machine he grew up
on that was that old ice machine. Boy, it's shaved.
It's so fine, that big old thing sitting in the back. Man,
it would just be they put a block of ice
on top and they just shaving, shaving. Am I telling you,
(05:15):
I'm telling you the truth? Correct?
Speaker 3 (05:16):
Oh, we were going to the same place for sure,
on very similar places. Absolutely labor intensive and uh it.
Speaker 1 (05:24):
Was labor intensive. And but boy when you got it,
man and they and you go, you go, okay, I
want to I want the grape, I want the strawberry.
Can I get three flavors? I get? I always got
the three flavors. Man, I got the lemon, I got
the strawberry, and I got the grape. And then I eat.
Then I got to eat, and then my lips, my
lips would be all the colors. It'd be grape on
(05:45):
one side, my tongue would be red boy. I'll tell you,
I'm just bringing back memories, man, because that's what you served.
You served memories.
Speaker 3 (05:52):
Right Marcus, Absolutely, absolutely, So this is a byproduct for
servant smiles. We always say we give away the shade ice,
but we sell you the smiles. It's the experience that
we work hard to create. And just a little bit
about why that experience is so important. When I was
(06:15):
a little bit about my background, when I was three
and a half years old, my father passed away and
I was the baby boy of five children that my
mom and dad had, so I was that oop's kid
after thirteen years from the last kid I was there.
(06:39):
My mom or dad would never admit it, of course,
So we would go to Borton's ice Cream in Lafayette, Louisiana,
or we would go to a snowball stand and he
would sit me on the top of the car with
my ice cream snow cone. And I always remember, even
(07:03):
at a young age, how special that family time was.
And by my dad being taken away so early in
my life, I always had a void. And by starting
this business, I realized I'm able to create those moments
(07:23):
every day, wow, hundreds of times a day. And I
get to watch families thank you so much. I get
to watch family do what we did. And it's a
special feeling that you can't buy. You just can't buy
it when you experience a father or a father and
(07:43):
mother and kids after baseball game or whatever it was,
having that moment together. Because with the connection of phones
and iPads, we always have a device in our hands.
But when you're eating shaved I you need both hands.
You need one hand for the cup of shade ice
(08:04):
fantastic flavors, but then you lead your other hand or
soon and that means you can't have a device in
your hand. So those two to five minutes, it's an
organic connection between a family members and it's magical because
(08:25):
those moments we just don't get very often.
Speaker 1 (08:27):
Now, wow, we're talking to Marcus Sanie. You know he
owns a small business in Atlanta, Georgia called Snowy Atlanta. Now,
I Rader's resume. He has a business degree and he
went to an HBCU in bad Ruge Southern University. He's
a jaguar. He's a jaguar. Everybody blue and gold. Now
(08:49):
you wanted to be just a career man, a forty
hour week guy. Now you're an entrepreneur. How went the
people you work in eighty hours when you used to
work for it? Okay, now what made that shift in
your mind to say, you know something, I want to
be an entrepreneur. I'm successful at being a corporate person.
(09:11):
But what started making that shift for you? Because there's
a lot of people listening to this show or where
you were at and don't know, don't do their fear
and I know faith played a major role in your decision.
Let's talk about that.
Speaker 3 (09:28):
No, that's a great question. So, very successful career at
a very large financial services company, getting to the point
of a vice president. As you mentioned, what but what
I would see in corporate America was how quickly that
(09:49):
job to be taken away from you? And there aren't
many weeks that go by that I don't speak to
someone I know who hadn't been laid off from a
really good job in corporate America, jobs that they thought
they would retire from, jobs where they were treated very well,
performing very well, and then one day you get a
(10:11):
call saying, Hey, don't come into the office today. You've
been downsized replaced whatever fancy word you want to use.
So I always mentioned to my wife that I never
wanted to be in that situation. I wanted to work
toward moving away from that situation and being more self reliant.
(10:36):
So five years ago is when I took the leap
and I said, you know what, I'm going to start
snowing Atlanta. Now. I worked my corporate job along with
building this business for five years. So some of the
advice that I would share with your listeners, it's not
(10:58):
easy to just jump out and start your entrepreneurial path
without maintaining what you do currently. Some people can. Some
people have the financial back end and that's fantastic. But
for me, I needed to work both jobs well the
(11:21):
job and follow my passion at the same time until
it became obvious that, okay, this is really a real business.
And I looked at my wife and I said, hey,
I'm getting one more bonus check and then I'm jumping
out the plane. I'm gonna get one more bonus check
(11:41):
and then I'm jumping out. That's the Barb's phrase. I'm
jumping out the plane, and I feel comfortable about what's
going to happen afterwards. So that was my lead.
Speaker 1 (11:53):
Cool, So it's five years period started your idea, Are
you working full time basically starting actually becoming the full
time road doing weekend stuff? Where was your company at
at that point? Did you have a food truck or
were you just doing weekend stuff? Did you have equipment?
Where were you at when you jumped out that plane?
(12:14):
As far as assets.
Speaker 3 (12:18):
Okay, initially are after or after five years?
Speaker 1 (12:21):
After five years?
Speaker 3 (12:23):
Okay? So after five years we had developed six different
units that included two vans, and we have four stationary
units that well, one lives at our minor league stadium
here at coopray Field, to one at Striper's and then
replaced the other ones at other parks and at other events.
(12:46):
So we were positioned well enough at that point. After
five years, we had leased the space for all of
our equipment to live in and the business was continuing
to grow organically, word of mouth. We were just growing.
We were growing, and God basically had a conversation with
(13:09):
me and he said, Okay, it's time. He said, you know,
it's time to do it. And that's where the faith
part was huge, because I didn't know. You can't read
the future, and that's where faith comes in. And after
taking that leap, I could feel God in my spirit saying,
(13:34):
oh you trust me, you really do. And then he
just started laying out the next steps. He started putting
people in my path. For Sean that it's no way
I could have had the people lay a path out
the wads and laid had it not been Forgot himself
(13:55):
putting his hands on my shoulders. That's what I feel.
Speaker 1 (14:00):
Well, I feel you're stating it accurately, but I also
want to put in this man had a business plan. Okay,
he had a business plan, y'all. You know he didn't
jump out there year one. He started putting together a
business plan. That's why I asked him, when you left,
when you made that jump, that leap leap of faith
because a lot of people use that word leap of faith.
(14:22):
Where were you at? Man? Say, I got six six vehicles.
That was at the minor league stadium. I was leasing
that spaces all while he was maintaining his full time job.
So there was a plan in place. Now he's gonna
tell you actually why he started this company. He has
two young boys. They're not young no more because they're hardworking.
(14:43):
But this is why he actually started this business. We
come back from this break, You're gonna hear why my
man Marcus son yek HBC you Graduate Son University left
ye had board is doing so good in the ice
shaving business.
Speaker 4 (15:00):
Please don't go anywhere. We'll be right back with more
money Making Conversations Masterclass. Welcome back to the Money Making
Conversations Masterclass hosted by Rashaan McDonald. Money Making Conversations Masterclass
(15:22):
continues online at Moneymakingconversations dot com and follow money Making
Conversations Masterclass on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram's.
Speaker 1 (15:31):
VP of Field Supervision and a large financial services HBCU
graduate a small business called snow Wee son Wie Atlanta.
They serve mouth water and shaved ice that you can
top with many, many different flavors. We've lived those moments,
and I'm gonna tell you how I met this young brother.
I was at the n NMSDC conference that was in Atlanta,
(15:55):
Big O' conference, and I saw a person I had
sat in a long time. I thought that was Magic
john and it wasn't Magic Johnson. A good friend of
mine named Donovan, and he walked past me and then
he stopped and talked to Marcus, and then I still
didn't really recognize him at all, and then he waved
back at me, and then we came over, and that
is how I met Marcus.
Speaker 3 (16:14):
Correct Marcus, that is exactly right. So Donad was a
good friend of mine and we saw you in the
distance and Donovan he said, is that Rashon? And I
looked at Donov and I said, you know Rashan and
he was like, man, that's my buddy, and you know,
I was like, yeah, right. And so he walked up
(16:36):
to you. You guys greeted each other that you've been
knowing each other.
Speaker 1 (16:40):
Oh that was And I didn't recognizing that magic list
and we were just laughing about it. And and and
so when I told Marcus, I told Marcus, I want
you on my show. He went really, yeah, your entrepreneur,
I want you on my show. He said, you're kidding, right,
I said, come on, brother, And that was just last week,
(17:00):
and now he's on my show today. That's how important
this relationship is. Why this show is key because individuals
like him. But when he told me his story about
financial literacy, the reason this business is here to create
financial literacy and currency respect for his boys talk to
us about that.
Speaker 3 (17:20):
Marcus, absolutely absolutely, But before I do, I just want
to mention the way we met. That's God's hands on
this thing, right, because I'm not supposed to meet you
in that way. It's just God moving. But my two sons,
So in twenty nineteen, I had a seventeen year old
(17:42):
and a fourteen year old, two boys playing competitive baseball.
In fact, one played Division one baseball and the others
actually a top rated cheer athlete at David University. But
they were both in baseball at the time, and we
(18:03):
were buying bats for three and four hundred dollars and
gloves for two three hundred dollars. And I don't think
they understood that where money came from. That you have
to go to work, and that little machine we go
to and get money out of, you have to put
something in there. And these little magic cards, these credit
(18:24):
cards are you really have to pay bills? So I said,
you know what, I have two fantastic boys. It's time
for them to really understand business and to learn how
to earn money, how to save money, how to invest money,
how to give money away in a charitable way. So
(18:47):
I said, you know what, We're going to start to
save Dice business and they were super excited. I said, guys, look,
we're going to be entrepreneurs in this business. We're going
to do it together, and the money we make, we'll
get a chance to divide it up and you'll earn
money now so you can buy the things that you want. Wow.
And so yes. So that was why, because I felt
(19:08):
like they needed to understand how money worked, and that
was the best lesson. Once they learned that lesson, if
Snowy Atlanta didn't do anything else but teach them and
the hundreds of people who've worked for us along the way,
how to earn money, particularly young people who never had
(19:31):
an opportunity to be in a business, and to see
a business owner that looked like me. I remember going
to a school, never forget this, an elementary school, and
this young black kid, young man probably in the third grade,
and he looked up at me he said, is this
your business? I said, yes, sir, it is. He said wow.
(19:57):
And the impact right there. Who knows what that is?
Who knows what that will be? But I was able
to spend a minute with him to say, hey, you
can have one like this. He said, I can. I said,
of course, if you do well in school, if you
listen to your teachers and your parents and work hard,
why not you can do this too. So I realized
(20:20):
that it was a deeper calling. And I still feel
like that deeper calling on what I'm doing, and I
don't even know what it is yet, what it all
is yet. I'm just trying to be obedient and do
what I think God wants me to do in this business.
So well, we'll tell you some market that answers it.
Speaker 1 (20:40):
Oh, absolutely well, it's trying to make that big announcement man,
about what's going to happen to your business in twenty
twenty five. I'll give you a week drum roll, but
you don't need that. Tell everybody a big contract you
got coming out for twenty twenty five.
Speaker 3 (20:55):
Oh my god. So one of my goals was to
expand with the Atlanta Braves and just didn't know how
that was going to happen. And what I realized was
that I didn't have to know how that was going
to happen because it was already being ordered by higher power.
So we are literally in the contract phase of figuring out, Okay,
(21:21):
where's Snowy going to be in Truest Park for the
Atlanta Braves. They're building some new areas there, so the
particulars we don't have ironed out. But twenty twenty five
you will see snowy Atlanta in Truest Park for the
Atlanta Braids. So I'm just super excited.
Speaker 1 (21:41):
Wow, you know, you know, I go back to this story,
unfortunately delivered that sad story about the early death of
your dad, and I think about now that your son's
You built this business to inspire your son to understand
financial literacy, and now you are that young kid. Now
(22:01):
I can tell you for a fact that kids remember.
I remember stuff. I remember. I remember things all the
way back to my sister sticking me with a diaper,
a diaper pan, Okay, I remember that. I've dad. I
remember stuff now and uh so uh. But the reality
is is that you're representing a community. A lot of
(22:23):
people say, is it's not normal, But it is normal.
And that's the whole thing about this conversation. That's the
reason I have this show, Money Making Conversation, masaclict so
people can hear about you, hear about how you're translating
and creating legacy, Hear about how your brand is being
accepted at one of the more prominent sports brand in
(22:44):
the country. That's the lane break. Let me tell you
something over Atlanta. If you guys know anything about Atlanta,
they don't need no vendors at Truest Park. That stadium
is sold out every game. It is one of the
most incredible a life experience of the whole layout, the
way I've created is like a giant eat eat a
(23:05):
throng and festival around outside and inside that facility. Now,
when you make a decision to go like that, what's
the next steps in your life with your business, with
your sons, with your wife, and how you're moving forward
with the business of Snow Atlanta Marcus.
Speaker 3 (23:21):
Yeh No, that's a great question. I would say getting
there will require discipline and being very consistent, which we
worked hard over the last five years to be And
that's something that I've always expressed to my kids that
(23:42):
nothing will come easy. Nobody owes you anything. You're going
to work for every You may not get everything you
work for, but you will work for everything you get,
and that's how it's brought up. So now going into
Truest Park, the goal is to absolutely create a legacy.
(24:03):
It is to create an environment. And I want to
be a benefit the Truest Park because Truest Park is
not having me in there because I'm good looking, which
I don't know, but I believe with everything in me
(24:27):
that Truest Park they're having us in there because we're
going to add value. We're going to do something that
no one else can. We're going to create a product
offering that will be desirable to the masses. My goal
is for kids to want to go to a Braves game,
(24:47):
not only to see the braves. That's important, that's why
you're going, But I want that other underlying reason to
be I'm going to go and get a snowy and
I'm going to have an experience and I'm going to
get to make my own creation. And so it's the
product offering, it's how we're going to deliver it. And ultimately,
(25:10):
again my goal is to even increase attendance at Truths
at Truest Park for the Atlanta Braves. I want I
want to I want to add value, right, I don't
want you to just have us in there. I want
to add value. So at the end of it all,
at the end of the year, in the three or
four years, they look back and we've become a staple
and truist Park.
Speaker 1 (25:32):
I know you do a lot of catering your food trucks.
Tell everybody how they can reach out to you, that.
Speaker 3 (25:37):
Marcus, absolutely, So you can reach out to us by
going to www. Dot Snowing. That's s n O w
I E A t L dot com again that snowyat
l dot com. Or our phone number is six seven
(25:59):
eight three zero four nine five seven seven. And we
do a ton of fundraising. We're at so many different
local high schools and elementaries for kids fun days. So
that's one of the pieces that brings George to me
as well. When we get to write a check back
(26:20):
to a school or church, our nonprofit organization that's doing
something for the community, that's just that's just session good.
Speaker 1 (26:30):
Hey, Marcus, thank you man for coming on my show.
Until Donald it's going to air in Houston, Texas, So
Donovan is going to listen when it airs in Houston, Texas.
But appreciate your brother. Your story is humbling and your
story is outstanding, and you brought back memories for me.
So thank you for coming on Money Making Conversations Master
Class Show. Sir okay, my pleasure. Thank you bye bye.
(26:50):
Keep your faith, man, keep your faith.
Speaker 3 (26:52):
We'll do, We'll do.
Speaker 1 (26:53):
This is another edition of Money Making Conversation master Class
hosted by me Rashaan McDonald. Thank you to our guests
on the show today and thank you our listening audience now.
If you want to listen to any episodes and want
to be a guest on the show, visit Moneymakingconversations dot com.
Our social media handle is money Making Conversations. Join us
next week and remember to always leave with your gifts.
(27:14):
Keep winning. Your American dream is available to you. Just
keep listening. This has been another edition of Money Making
Conversation Masterclass hosted by me Rashaun McDonald. Thank you to
our guests on the show today and thank you our
listening to the audience now. If you want to listen
to any episode I want to be a guest on
the show, visit Moneymakingconversations dot com. Our social media handle
(27:36):
is money Making Conversation. Join us next week and remember
to always leave with your gifts. Keep winning.
Welcome to the show.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
I am Rashaan McDonald, the host of Money Making Conversations Masterclass,
where we encourage people to stop reading other people's success
stories and start planning their own. Listen up as I
interview entrepreneurs from around the country, talk to celebrities and
ask them how they are running their companies, and speak
with dog profits who are making a difference in their
(00:26):
local communities. Now, sit back and listen as we unlock
the secrets to their success.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
On Money Making Conversations Masterclass. Hey dad, this is Rashan McDonald.
Welcome back to Money Making Conversation master Class. The interviews
and information that this show provides are for everyone. It's
time to stop reading other people's success stories and start
living your own. I'm here to help you reach your
American dream. Now, if you want to be a guest
on my show, because I hope you want to be
(00:52):
a guest on the show. I know a lot of
people listen. I know a lot of small business owners.
I know a lot of entrepreneurs. A lot of people
have great product. I want to talk about it. I
want to talk about how you came up with the idea.
I want to talk about your business plan. I want
to talk about your mistakes. I want you to share
with my listeners and also giving you an opportunity to
tell your story and why you're so excited about your story.
(01:13):
Please visit my website, Moneymakingconversations dot com and click the
be a Guest button. Please visit Moneymaking Conversations Conversations dot
com and click to be a guest button. My next
guest left a successful career as the VP of Field
supervision at a large financial services firm to launch a
(01:33):
small business called Snowy Atlanta. Snow Wee Atlanta. They serve
mouthwatering shaved ice cream icecu meil, I want to say
ice cream lover. They serve mouthwatering shaved ice that you
can top with many different flavors. Already sounds good. Please
welcome the Money Making Conversations Masterclass. Marcus Sony Marcus, did
(01:56):
I say your last name? Correct? Sonya?
Speaker 3 (01:59):
Very close?
Speaker 1 (02:01):
Okay? Cool? You know it's it's in I E r
You know he won them brothers, man. You know I
know I though, Man. You know I'm Rashan rishe rich.
You know Rashon. People say, is that Russia knows Rashan
Little layer Marcus how you doing, brother, Tell me about
this business man. You went from the corporate world and
(02:23):
now you're doing shaved ice.
Speaker 3 (02:24):
Now.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
The first time I experienced shaved ice, I was in
New Orleans and they have this place in New Orleans
where people will line up around the corner to get
this shaved ice. So what exactly is shaved ice? Help
me out with that.
Speaker 3 (02:38):
Yeah, So, first of all, thanks for having me on
your show. Appreciate honor to be on the show. So
shaved ice originated in Hawaii. So it's a way to
shave ice in a fine, almost snow like manner, and
you get to top it with different flavors of your choice,
(03:00):
and it's just it's fantastic in the summertime or even
in the winter time. We have learned, right, So.
Speaker 1 (03:07):
Like that I've had this now, you know, growing up
because I'm from the hood. Now, I had a version
of this. You know, they they beat up the ice.
It wasn't shaved and then they put that that that
yellow in that red and grape you know. I you know,
I was happy, brother. They weren't ice cream, but it
was icy, but it wasn't saved ice. I was just
(03:28):
happy that guy going in the back and he'd just
be breaking up that ice man and getting it as
fine as he could. That's the version of shaved ice
that I grew up on.
Speaker 3 (03:37):
Now, yes, well, I was gonna say, we have a
machine that does it a lot better than that guy
in them. And what makes our product really unique that
you get to create your own version. Right, So instead
of just having one or two flavors that you can
select from, you get to dispense the flavors yourself. So
(04:00):
you get to put as much as little and make
any combination that you would like. Which has been a hit?
Speaker 1 (04:06):
Now you now you say it's you know it originated
in Hawaii? Where did you have an experience that you
went this? I liked it. This is something I want
to not so much to be an entrepreneur, but it
became a flavor that you are deserve, a go to
for you. What were you when you first experienced it?
Speaker 3 (04:23):
So I grew up in Loasayete, Louisiana, and similar to
New Orleans, we had a snowball this collumn there snowball
stand on every other corner. So growing up, it was
a part of life going to the snowball stand anytime
you had some extra money because I grew up in
(04:44):
the hood too, So anytime you had a few extra nickels,
you would take wall stands and just have have the
best time.
Speaker 1 (04:53):
And it was because they had that old machine, that
old see see he has he has that modern machine.
Marcus has that modern machine. Bless him. He he's a
the entrepreneur and everything. But the machine he grew up
on that was that old ice machine. Boy, it's shaved.
It's so fine, that big old thing sitting in the back. Man,
it would just be they put a block of ice
on top and they just shaving, shaving. Am I telling you,
(05:15):
I'm telling you the truth? Correct?
Speaker 3 (05:16):
Oh, we were going to the same place for sure,
on very similar places. Absolutely labor intensive and uh it.
Speaker 1 (05:24):
Was labor intensive. And but boy when you got it,
man and they and you go, you go, okay, I
want to I want the grape, I want the strawberry.
Can I get three flavors? I get? I always got
the three flavors. Man, I got the lemon, I got
the strawberry, and I got the grape. And then I eat.
Then I got to eat, and then my lips, my
lips would be all the colors. It'd be grape on
(05:45):
one side, my tongue would be red boy. I'll tell you,
I'm just bringing back memories, man, because that's what you served.
You served memories.
Speaker 3 (05:52):
Right Marcus, Absolutely, absolutely, So this is a byproduct for
servant smiles. We always say we give away the shade ice,
but we sell you the smiles. It's the experience that
we work hard to create. And just a little bit
about why that experience is so important. When I was
(06:15):
a little bit about my background, when I was three
and a half years old, my father passed away and
I was the baby boy of five children that my
mom and dad had, so I was that oop's kid
after thirteen years from the last kid I was there.
(06:39):
My mom or dad would never admit it, of course,
So we would go to Borton's ice Cream in Lafayette, Louisiana,
or we would go to a snowball stand and he
would sit me on the top of the car with
my ice cream snow cone. And I always remember, even
(07:03):
at a young age, how special that family time was.
And by my dad being taken away so early in
my life, I always had a void. And by starting
this business, I realized I'm able to create those moments
(07:23):
every day, wow, hundreds of times a day. And I
get to watch families thank you so much. I get
to watch family do what we did. And it's a
special feeling that you can't buy. You just can't buy
it when you experience a father or a father and
(07:43):
mother and kids after baseball game or whatever it was,
having that moment together. Because with the connection of phones
and iPads, we always have a device in our hands.
But when you're eating shaved I you need both hands.
You need one hand for the cup of shade ice
(08:04):
fantastic flavors, but then you lead your other hand or
soon and that means you can't have a device in
your hand. So those two to five minutes, it's an
organic connection between a family members and it's magical because
(08:25):
those moments we just don't get very often.
Speaker 1 (08:27):
Now, wow, we're talking to Marcus Sanie. You know he
owns a small business in Atlanta, Georgia called Snowy Atlanta. Now,
I Rader's resume. He has a business degree and he
went to an HBCU in bad Ruge Southern University. He's
a jaguar. He's a jaguar. Everybody blue and gold. Now
(08:49):
you wanted to be just a career man, a forty
hour week guy. Now you're an entrepreneur. How went the
people you work in eighty hours when you used to
work for it? Okay, now what made that shift in
your mind to say, you know something, I want to
be an entrepreneur. I'm successful at being a corporate person.
(09:11):
But what started making that shift for you? Because there's
a lot of people listening to this show or where
you were at and don't know, don't do their fear
and I know faith played a major role in your decision.
Let's talk about that.
Speaker 3 (09:28):
No, that's a great question. So, very successful career at
a very large financial services company, getting to the point
of a vice president. As you mentioned, what but what
I would see in corporate America was how quickly that
(09:49):
job to be taken away from you? And there aren't
many weeks that go by that I don't speak to
someone I know who hadn't been laid off from a
really good job in corporate America, jobs that they thought
they would retire from, jobs where they were treated very well,
performing very well, and then one day you get a
(10:11):
call saying, Hey, don't come into the office today. You've
been downsized replaced whatever fancy word you want to use.
So I always mentioned to my wife that I never
wanted to be in that situation. I wanted to work
toward moving away from that situation and being more self reliant.
(10:36):
So five years ago is when I took the leap
and I said, you know what, I'm going to start
snowing Atlanta. Now. I worked my corporate job along with
building this business for five years. So some of the
advice that I would share with your listeners, it's not
(10:58):
easy to just jump out and start your entrepreneurial path
without maintaining what you do currently. Some people can. Some
people have the financial back end and that's fantastic. But
for me, I needed to work both jobs well the
(11:21):
job and follow my passion at the same time until
it became obvious that, okay, this is really a real business.
And I looked at my wife and I said, hey,
I'm getting one more bonus check and then I'm jumping
out the plane. I'm gonna get one more bonus check
(11:41):
and then I'm jumping out. That's the Barb's phrase. I'm
jumping out the plane, and I feel comfortable about what's
going to happen afterwards. So that was my lead.
Speaker 1 (11:53):
Cool, So it's five years period started your idea, Are
you working full time basically starting actually becoming the full
time road doing weekend stuff? Where was your company at
at that point? Did you have a food truck or
were you just doing weekend stuff? Did you have equipment?
Where were you at when you jumped out that plane?
(12:14):
As far as assets.
Speaker 3 (12:18):
Okay, initially are after or after five years?
Speaker 1 (12:21):
After five years?
Speaker 3 (12:23):
Okay? So after five years we had developed six different
units that included two vans, and we have four stationary
units that well, one lives at our minor league stadium
here at coopray Field, to one at Striper's and then
replaced the other ones at other parks and at other events.
(12:46):
So we were positioned well enough at that point. After
five years, we had leased the space for all of
our equipment to live in and the business was continuing
to grow organically, word of mouth. We were just growing.
We were growing, and God basically had a conversation with
(13:09):
me and he said, Okay, it's time. He said, you know,
it's time to do it. And that's where the faith
part was huge, because I didn't know. You can't read
the future, and that's where faith comes in. And after
taking that leap, I could feel God in my spirit saying,
(13:34):
oh you trust me, you really do. And then he
just started laying out the next steps. He started putting
people in my path. For Sean that it's no way
I could have had the people lay a path out
the wads and laid had it not been Forgot himself
(13:55):
putting his hands on my shoulders. That's what I feel.
Speaker 1 (14:00):
Well, I feel you're stating it accurately, but I also
want to put in this man had a business plan. Okay,
he had a business plan, y'all. You know he didn't
jump out there year one. He started putting together a
business plan. That's why I asked him, when you left,
when you made that jump, that leap leap of faith
because a lot of people use that word leap of faith.
(14:22):
Where were you at? Man? Say, I got six six vehicles.
That was at the minor league stadium. I was leasing
that spaces all while he was maintaining his full time job.
So there was a plan in place. Now he's gonna
tell you actually why he started this company. He has
two young boys. They're not young no more because they're hardworking.
(14:43):
But this is why he actually started this business. We
come back from this break, You're gonna hear why my
man Marcus son yek HBC you Graduate Son University left
ye had board is doing so good in the ice
shaving business.
Speaker 4 (15:00):
Please don't go anywhere. We'll be right back with more
money Making Conversations Masterclass. Welcome back to the Money Making
Conversations Masterclass hosted by Rashaan McDonald. Money Making Conversations Masterclass
(15:22):
continues online at Moneymakingconversations dot com and follow money Making
Conversations Masterclass on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram's.
Speaker 1 (15:31):
VP of Field Supervision and a large financial services HBCU
graduate a small business called snow Wee son Wie Atlanta.
They serve mouth water and shaved ice that you can
top with many, many different flavors. We've lived those moments,
and I'm gonna tell you how I met this young brother.
I was at the n NMSDC conference that was in Atlanta,
(15:55):
Big O' conference, and I saw a person I had
sat in a long time. I thought that was Magic
john and it wasn't Magic Johnson. A good friend of
mine named Donovan, and he walked past me and then
he stopped and talked to Marcus, and then I still
didn't really recognize him at all, and then he waved
back at me, and then we came over, and that
is how I met Marcus.
Speaker 3 (16:14):
Correct Marcus, that is exactly right. So Donad was a
good friend of mine and we saw you in the
distance and Donovan he said, is that Rashon? And I
looked at Donov and I said, you know Rashan and
he was like, man, that's my buddy, and you know,
I was like, yeah, right. And so he walked up
(16:36):
to you. You guys greeted each other that you've been
knowing each other.
Speaker 1 (16:40):
Oh that was And I didn't recognizing that magic list
and we were just laughing about it. And and and
so when I told Marcus, I told Marcus, I want
you on my show. He went really, yeah, your entrepreneur,
I want you on my show. He said, you're kidding, right,
I said, come on, brother, And that was just last week,
(17:00):
and now he's on my show today. That's how important
this relationship is. Why this show is key because individuals
like him. But when he told me his story about
financial literacy, the reason this business is here to create
financial literacy and currency respect for his boys talk to
us about that.
Speaker 3 (17:20):
Marcus, absolutely absolutely, But before I do, I just want
to mention the way we met. That's God's hands on
this thing, right, because I'm not supposed to meet you
in that way. It's just God moving. But my two sons,
So in twenty nineteen, I had a seventeen year old
(17:42):
and a fourteen year old, two boys playing competitive baseball.
In fact, one played Division one baseball and the others
actually a top rated cheer athlete at David University. But
they were both in baseball at the time, and we
(18:03):
were buying bats for three and four hundred dollars and
gloves for two three hundred dollars. And I don't think
they understood that where money came from. That you have
to go to work, and that little machine we go
to and get money out of, you have to put
something in there. And these little magic cards, these credit
(18:24):
cards are you really have to pay bills? So I said,
you know what, I have two fantastic boys. It's time
for them to really understand business and to learn how
to earn money, how to save money, how to invest money,
how to give money away in a charitable way. So
(18:47):
I said, you know what, We're going to start to
save Dice business and they were super excited. I said, guys, look,
we're going to be entrepreneurs in this business. We're going
to do it together, and the money we make, we'll
get a chance to divide it up and you'll earn
money now so you can buy the things that you want. Wow.
And so yes. So that was why, because I felt
(19:08):
like they needed to understand how money worked, and that
was the best lesson. Once they learned that lesson, if
Snowy Atlanta didn't do anything else but teach them and
the hundreds of people who've worked for us along the way,
how to earn money, particularly young people who never had
(19:31):
an opportunity to be in a business, and to see
a business owner that looked like me. I remember going
to a school, never forget this, an elementary school, and
this young black kid, young man probably in the third grade,
and he looked up at me he said, is this
your business? I said, yes, sir, it is. He said wow.
(19:57):
And the impact right there. Who knows what that is?
Who knows what that will be? But I was able
to spend a minute with him to say, hey, you
can have one like this. He said, I can. I said,
of course, if you do well in school, if you
listen to your teachers and your parents and work hard,
why not you can do this too. So I realized
(20:20):
that it was a deeper calling. And I still feel
like that deeper calling on what I'm doing, and I
don't even know what it is yet, what it all
is yet. I'm just trying to be obedient and do
what I think God wants me to do in this business.
So well, we'll tell you some market that answers it.
Speaker 1 (20:40):
Oh, absolutely well, it's trying to make that big announcement man,
about what's going to happen to your business in twenty
twenty five. I'll give you a week drum roll, but
you don't need that. Tell everybody a big contract you
got coming out for twenty twenty five.
Speaker 3 (20:55):
Oh my god. So one of my goals was to
expand with the Atlanta Braves and just didn't know how
that was going to happen. And what I realized was
that I didn't have to know how that was going
to happen because it was already being ordered by higher power.
So we are literally in the contract phase of figuring out, Okay,
(21:21):
where's Snowy going to be in Truest Park for the
Atlanta Braves. They're building some new areas there, so the
particulars we don't have ironed out. But twenty twenty five
you will see snowy Atlanta in Truest Park for the
Atlanta Braids. So I'm just super excited.
Speaker 1 (21:41):
Wow, you know, you know, I go back to this story,
unfortunately delivered that sad story about the early death of
your dad, and I think about now that your son's
You built this business to inspire your son to understand
financial literacy, and now you are that young kid. Now
(22:01):
I can tell you for a fact that kids remember.
I remember stuff. I remember. I remember things all the
way back to my sister sticking me with a diaper,
a diaper pan, Okay, I remember that. I've dad. I
remember stuff now and uh so uh. But the reality
is is that you're representing a community. A lot of
(22:23):
people say, is it's not normal, But it is normal.
And that's the whole thing about this conversation. That's the
reason I have this show, Money Making Conversation, masaclict so
people can hear about you, hear about how you're translating
and creating legacy, Hear about how your brand is being
accepted at one of the more prominent sports brand in
(22:44):
the country. That's the lane break. Let me tell you
something over Atlanta. If you guys know anything about Atlanta,
they don't need no vendors at Truest Park. That stadium
is sold out every game. It is one of the
most incredible a life experience of the whole layout, the
way I've created is like a giant eat eat a
(23:05):
throng and festival around outside and inside that facility. Now,
when you make a decision to go like that, what's
the next steps in your life with your business, with
your sons, with your wife, and how you're moving forward
with the business of Snow Atlanta Marcus.
Speaker 3 (23:21):
Yeh No, that's a great question. I would say getting
there will require discipline and being very consistent, which we
worked hard over the last five years to be And
that's something that I've always expressed to my kids that
(23:42):
nothing will come easy. Nobody owes you anything. You're going
to work for every You may not get everything you
work for, but you will work for everything you get,
and that's how it's brought up. So now going into
Truest Park, the goal is to absolutely create a legacy.
(24:03):
It is to create an environment. And I want to
be a benefit the Truest Park because Truest Park is
not having me in there because I'm good looking, which
I don't know, but I believe with everything in me
(24:27):
that Truest Park they're having us in there because we're
going to add value. We're going to do something that
no one else can. We're going to create a product
offering that will be desirable to the masses. My goal
is for kids to want to go to a Braves game,
(24:47):
not only to see the braves. That's important, that's why
you're going, But I want that other underlying reason to
be I'm going to go and get a snowy and
I'm going to have an experience and I'm going to
get to make my own creation. And so it's the
product offering, it's how we're going to deliver it. And ultimately,
(25:10):
again my goal is to even increase attendance at Truths
at Truest Park for the Atlanta Braves. I want I
want to I want to add value, right, I don't
want you to just have us in there. I want
to add value. So at the end of it all,
at the end of the year, in the three or
four years, they look back and we've become a staple
and truist Park.
Speaker 1 (25:32):
I know you do a lot of catering your food trucks.
Tell everybody how they can reach out to you, that.
Speaker 3 (25:37):
Marcus, absolutely, So you can reach out to us by
going to www. Dot Snowing. That's s n O w
I E A t L dot com again that snowyat
l dot com. Or our phone number is six seven
(25:59):
eight three zero four nine five seven seven. And we
do a ton of fundraising. We're at so many different
local high schools and elementaries for kids fun days. So
that's one of the pieces that brings George to me
as well. When we get to write a check back
(26:20):
to a school or church, our nonprofit organization that's doing
something for the community, that's just that's just session good.
Speaker 1 (26:30):
Hey, Marcus, thank you man for coming on my show.
Until Donald it's going to air in Houston, Texas, So
Donovan is going to listen when it airs in Houston, Texas.
But appreciate your brother. Your story is humbling and your
story is outstanding, and you brought back memories for me.
So thank you for coming on Money Making Conversations Master
Class Show. Sir okay, my pleasure. Thank you bye bye.
(26:50):
Keep your faith, man, keep your faith.
Speaker 3 (26:52):
We'll do, We'll do.
Speaker 1 (26:53):
This is another edition of Money Making Conversation master Class
hosted by me Rashaan McDonald. Thank you to our guests
on the show today and thank you our listening audience now.
If you want to listen to any episodes and want
to be a guest on the show, visit Moneymakingconversations dot com.
Our social media handle is money Making Conversations. Join us
next week and remember to always leave with your gifts.
(27:14):
Keep winning. Your American dream is available to you. Just
keep listening. This has been another edition of Money Making
Conversation Masterclass hosted by me Rashaun McDonald. Thank you to
our guests on the show today and thank you our
listening to the audience now. If you want to listen
to any episode I want to be a guest on
the show, visit Moneymakingconversations dot com. Our social media handle
(27:36):
is money Making Conversation. Join us next week and remember
to always leave with your gifts. Keep winning.
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