Jeni Britton is the Founder and Chief Creative Officer of Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams. A pioneer of the artisan ice cream movement, Jeni opened her first ice cream shop, Scream, in 1996, before founding Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams in 2002. She is the author of the New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling book, Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams at Home, which won the James Beard Award in 2012.

Jeni joins me today to discuss the art and science of ice cream and life. She describes how her introduction to the world of scent led her to start an ice cream production company. You’ll hear about her entrepreneurial journey, the challenges she met along the way, and how she overcame them. You’ll also learn why creatives should spend time on input and the importance of cultivating trust between a business and its customers.

“Flavors can come from anywhere, not just from ice cream. It can come from colors, stories, sentences, images, or cultures. There’s never an end.” - Jeni Britton

This week on Kathy Sullivan Explores:

●     How falling in love with the world of scent ignited Jeni’s passion for ice cream

●     What “noses” are and how they’re different from perfumers

●     The mechanisms behind smelling and how scents can transport us to a different time and place

●     Jeni’s childhood and early experiences with her keen sense of smell

●     What influenced Jeni to start a business

●     Moments of massive importance and Jeni’s first explorations with perfume

●     Self-education, trial-and-error, and how Jeni learned about the science of ice cream

●     The barriers and resistance she met in her entrepreneurial journey

●     Jeni’s first business partner and scoop shop

●     How entrepreneurs can build trust between customers and their business

●     Incorporating Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams and how they create new ice cream flavors

●     How Jeni works in her test kitchen and the importance of naming their products

●     The role of science in creativity

●     How Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams reacted to the Listeria panic

●     The ice cream flavor that best represents Jeni and how Roald Dahl inspires her

●     The Bronze Goddess Sundae and why Jeni built her business as a benefit company

Our Favorite Quotes:

●     “My grandmother said, ‘if you can’t get a job, make a job.’ And that’s what entrepreneurship is.” - Jeni Britton

●     “The best creative people are the ones who spend time on input.” - Jeni Britton

Connect with Jeni Britton:

●     Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams

●     Book: Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams at Home

●     Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams on LinkedIn

●     Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams on Instagram

●     Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams on Facebook

●     Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams on Twitter

●     Jeni Britton on LinkedIn

●     Jeni Britton on Instagram

●     Jeni Britton on Facebook

●     Jeni Britton on Twitter

Spaceship Not Required

I’m Kathy Sullivan, the only person to have walked in space and gone to the deepest point in the ocean.

I’m an explorer, and that doesn’t always have to involve going to some remote or exotic place. It simply requires a commitment to put curiosity into action.

In this podcast, you can explore, reflecting on lessons learned from life so far and from my brilliant and ever-inquisitive guests. We explore together in this very moment from right where you are--spaceship not required.

Welcome to Kathy Sullivan Explores.

Visit my website at kathysullivanexplores.com to sign up for seven astronaut tips to improving your life on earth and be the first to discover future episodes and learn about more exciting adventures ahead!

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