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Charlee and Leeyah Hamilton (15), Micah (14), and Jordyn (11) run Twice as Nice Shaved Ice, a famous business noted for its snowballs and snow-capped lemonade.
They launched their company in 2018 with the help of their parents, Lee and Charvonne Hamilton, who provided the initial funding. The sisters stated their love of sweets prompted them to establish the firm.
Charlee told The Baltimore Times, “Our mother [Charvonne Hamilton] inspired us to start thinking about starting our own business. We went through several business ideas, but our mom was the one who suggested a snowball business. The startup costs were minimal, and it was something we could get up and running quickly.”
The sisters began their business with a pawn shop snowball machine, a table, a tent, and ten flavors. Their parents continue to help them with tasks such as event planning, transportation, procuring supplies, and financial management.
The sisters operate from a mobile trailer, allowing them to bring the entire snowball experience to their consumers. Leeyah, 15, explained that dealing with unpleasant customers teaches them patience as they aim to keep their rates low.
Each sister has different professional objectives, such as starting their own business or working in sports medicine, but they all want to go to college, according to her. “Charlee and I want to attend an HBCU. We are setting money aside from the business for college and a car, along with other things like investing,” she said.
Charvonne, their mother, revealed that the proceeds from the firm are split equally among the sisters. They set aside some money for personal expenses and the rest for long-term investments. The siblings are generally available for private events and like to stay within a 20-mile radius of their house. They are, nevertheless, eager to venture beyond that distance.
“People usually reach out to us because they see the trailer around town or through word of mouth. We also seek out the opportunity to participate in larger events over the summer. This has led to us being vendors at the Annapolis Juneteenth Festival and Kunta Kinte Festival, in addition to several other festivals held throughout the summer,” Charvonne revealed.
Because of their hectic event schedules, the sisters must occasionally sacrifice time with family and friends. Running Twice as Nice Shaved Ice, according to 11-year-old Jordyn, provides them something practical to do when school is out, and 14-year-old Micah simply enjoys working together with her family.
