Melissa Tavss, the founder and CEO of Tipsy Scoop, has turned her passion for ice cream and alcohol into a successful business venture. With three brick-and-mortar barlours in New York, nationwide shipping through Goldbelly, and plans for nationwide franchising, Tipsy Scoop is making waves in the boozy ice cream industry.
Tavss’s journey with Tipsy Scoop began when she left her full-time job in marketing and PR in the wine and spirits industry. Feeling burnt out and unsure of her next steps, she decided to go to graduate school. It was during this time that she started developing recipes for boozy ice cream, using her ice cream cart for events around New York City.
The inspiration for Tipsy Scoop came from Tavss’s background in marketing for wine and spirits brands. She often planned events and launch parties that featured food infused with alcohol, sparking the idea to create alcohol-infused ice cream. Drawing on her family’s history of ice cream-making, Tavss experimented with adding alcohol to her homemade ice cream recipe, leading to the creation of Tipsy Scoop.
To get her side hustle off the ground, Tavss started by developing recipes and purchasing an ice cream push cart. She began by catering events for former clients and people in the alcohol industry, eventually expanding to friends’ weddings and other events. By starting small and focusing on events, Tavss was able to test the market and gradually add components to her business, such as ecommerce, wholesale, and brick-and-mortar locations.
One of the biggest challenges Tavss faced while building Tipsy Scoop was transitioning from a side hustle to a full-time business. However, by slowly adding revenue streams and listening to customer demand, she was able to grow the business organically. Today, Tipsy Scoop is a multimillion-dollar company with multiple franchises and company-owned stores.
Tavss’s advice for aspiring entrepreneurs is to start small and not be afraid to take the first step. By starting with something manageable and realistic, entrepreneurs can grow their businesses organically and avoid feeling overwhelmed. Tavss’s journey with Tipsy Scoop serves as a testament to the power of passion, creativity, and perseverance in building a successful business.
