November is National Entrepreneurship Month and NeW is proud to celebrate the many successful female-owned businesses that help our country thrive. Meet one NeW leader who is a budding entrepreneur, Peyton Froehlich, from NeW at the University of Iowa, who started an ice cream and coffee shop with her mom, Stacey Wedemeyer.
What does your company/organization do?
We are a local coffee shop and ice cream store that was designed to satisfy everyone’s inner sweet tooth. Casey Creamery also sells hand designed merchandise.
Why did you decide to start your business?
We saw the need for growth and development in Casey, IA. We are a small town that has the potential to grow into new things. We also restored an old building into a functional facility very quickly, along with the help of other small businesses.
What has been your favorite part of running your own company?
Seeing the satisfaction of customers when receiving their ice cream or coffee, and creating a positive environment in Casey, Iowa for all to enjoy. We also love being able to offer something new to the area.
What has been the most challenging part of running your own business?
COVID-19 has been the most challenging for us because we started in the middle of the pandemic. We have also struggled with supply and demand due to lack of storage in our facility. During the hot summer months, we were struggling to keep up with how many customers we had and how much ice cream we had on hand! Simply put, we were trying to find space for every little thing!
What has been the biggest thing you’ve learned in your journey of becoming an entrepreneur?
We have learned so much about business policy and regulation that we would have never gotten to experience. We have also learned how much community means to a small business, and supporting local really makes all the difference in a town atmosphere.
What advice do you have for women interested in starting their own business?
Don’t ever give up once you’ve started, even when it gets tough. Working hard and seeing the results will put a smile on your face. Always be kind and patient, then you will see your results.
How have government policies impacted your business?
COVID-19 specifically has impacted the way we have been able to initially start our business. These regulations are not always easy for a small location and cause frustration in customers.
By the way our LLC was created, we were able to successfully open our businesses quickly and with ease. We are so thankful that we are able to operate a small business in today’s society.
