“This is the most fun job I’ve ever done and I can make more money doing it for myself,” says Steven Elton of Akron, Ohio.    Motivated to “get off the system”, as he puts it, Elton spent a year planning and training before opening the Ice Cream Shop,  a licensed ice cream truck business operating in the Akron and Canton areas.  While a consumer of Ohio Rehabilitation Services Commission (RSC), Steven worked closely with EnterpriseWorks.  Elton’s RSC counselor, Susan Ritz, arranged for him to work with EW’s self employment coordinator, Charles Smith, who guided Steven in building a cohesive business plan and realistically preparing for the demands of a small business operation.  Steven described his experience with EnterpriseWorks as teaching him to develop a business plan that anticipates potential problems and identifies the comprehensive needs of the business.  Because he planned for business costs such as inventory, storage, fuel, and emergency situations, Steven was prepared with the resources to pay for repairs when his truck broke down unexpectedly. 

The Ice Cream Shop operates from March through the beginning of October.  Steven works for another business as a delivery man during the winter months.  Impressed with his sound business plan, the Bureau of Vocational Rehabilitation (BVR) helped Steven purchase his first month’s inventory, two deep freezers for inventory storage and a gas generator to be used during power outages to prevent inventory loss.  Steven committed his own resources to the new business as well.  He used his income tax return to purchase a used ice cream truck that is working well as an initial business investment. 

Elton is still striving to meet his own demanding, financial goals, but earned enough income to successfully close his case with RSC in August 2011.  He would like to purchase and operate a second ice cream truck within a year and, one day, hopes to expand to a small fleet of vehicles.  Steven feels confident that using the organizational skills and cash flow sheet process he learned from EW’s Charles Smith will enable him to accurately project when and how he will grow his business. 

Right now, the Ice Cream Shop is a true family operation.  The three Elton children, ages 10, 11 and 13 help out with stocking inventory while Mrs. Elton assists in tracking sales and is currently taking classes in small business management.  The Ice Cream Shop brings more than financial benefits to the Elton household.  Steven shares that, “When a kid gets a popsicle or a sucker it brightens the kid’s day and those happy faces just make my day.”  For more information about the Ice Cream Shop, contact EnterpriseWorks at 614-228-1043.