A Young Entrepreneur Found The “Fun” In Running A Business
While the name of her business is a contradiction in terms, there’s no question Hannah Hughes of Midlothian is onto a hot idea.
Hannah, a ninth-grade homeschooled student, opened her own snow cone truck in March of this year. The name? Frozen Phoenix.
“My favorite creature is a Phoenix, so I thought I would name my business after that. Frozen because snow cones are frozen,” she said, adding, “And I love the meaning behind Phoenix.”
Phoenix is the name of the mythical bird that repeatedly rises up from a pile of ashes after burning. It is a symbol of renewal and rebirth.
Hannah said she has long wanted to open a food truck business. A snow cone business, especially in Texas, where it’s warm most of the year, seemed like the best idea.
It wasn’t long after purchasing the truck that she got very busy. Sales were great, including a lot of private events. And even though as winter approaches sales are slowing some (though not completely, it is, after all, Texas), she planned ahead.
“Business is slow with cooler months, but that’s expected and I’m okay with that,” she said. “I learned to budget my money to account for the slow cold months.”
Hannah said she learned a lot from her mom (Shawn) and dad (Scott). Likewise, they are quite proud of her.
“I’m extremely proud of Hannah for following her dream and making it a reality,” Shawn said.
“I love seeing her creativity,” Scott said. “She came up with her own name and designed her own logo. I love that her name has meaning.”
Making Her Vision Come To Life
Hannah gets help running the business from her family as well, including mom and dad. Her dad drives her to events and her mom helps inside the trailer with organization and cleaning.
Hannah said the most popular flavor she sells is Tiger’s Blood and “all the blue flavors.” While she’s not creating any new flavors for the holidays, she is considering adding hot chocolate and coffee to her menu.
“I think it would be perfect for the colder months,” she said.
“I love watching her success,” Shawn said. “This is her dream and her vision coming to life.”
She dreamed it and made it happen.
“This is a great learning experience for her. It’s real life. It’s hands-on learning.”
Along with budgeting her money, Hannah has learned to order products and gauge how much she needs to keep stocked.
As for whether she plans to go into business when she’s an adult, Hannah isn’t sure. She is sure about one thing, though, selling snow cones is fun.
“I’m not sure what I want to do when I grow up, but I do know that I plan to have my snow cone business for years to come,” she said excitedly.
