From Florida Today Newspaper

Chef Q and A: Little Jimmy’s Italian Ice

Aug 25, 2011

What do you do when you need a little extra cash and your kids loved slushies?

For Donna Jackson, the answer was simple. She started her own Italian ice business. If you’re in the youth sports circuit, you may run into Jackson and her Little Jimmie’s Italian Ice stand, at least if Jackson has any say in it.

Here’s more.

How did you get into the Jersey slush business?

I was looking for an avenue to create additional income plus do something that my sons would also enjoy. My sons would always want a slushie, but I didn’t like the idea of all that syrup that would eventually settle to the bottom, so I found a healthier and tastier alternative.

How long have you been making these?

I don’t actually make it. I order it from New Jersey. I have had the business for three months now and am actively trying to get my name out there.

Are you from Jersey?

I am from the North but not from New Jersey. I was born and raised in Maine and moved to Melbourne in 2001.

Most of my background is in the medical field as an administrative assistant, but I always dreamed of owning my own business. After my husband sold his landscaping and lawn care business that he had for seven years, it was my turn to try entrepreneurship.

Because I had been active in sports, this business fits in perfect at the ball field.

What is Jersey slush? What makes it unique?

It is actually true Italian ice and serves like ice cream, unlike some Italian ice that you buy in a small cup and that is so hard you can’t eat it.

Shaved ice has all that sugary syrup all over it, and then the syrup settles to the bottom. My Italian ice is premixed and doesn’t separate. It has no fat or cholesterol and is only 15 calories per ounce.

When we were in Michigan in October, I received a message on my cell phone from a teacher at an all boy’s academy in Ypsilanti, MI. The teacher, Lawrence, wanted me to speak to his class of 3rd -5th graders about being in business and entrepreneurship. I said sure, we would do it, so my brother Tom and I headed over to their school and met a great group of young men very interested in becoming businessmen. The school last year started with 5 kids and now has grown past 20 and we were very impressed with the job Lawrence was doing with his students. The video below is a talk I gave and questions the students in Ypsilanti had for us. After our talk, they actually started to do fundraisers to get themselves started in their own Italian Ice business.
Here is a link to their school if you want to help them out. DM