🍦 From $20 to $2 Billion: The Sweetest Deal Ever

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Hey there, Deal Lifters! 👋
Grab a spoon because this story is dripping with inspiration (and a little melted ice cream). Picture this: a $20 kitchen gadget, a dash of determination, and one lawyer-turned-entrepreneur shaking up the dessert world. This isn’t just about ice cream—it’s about grit, growth, and the guts to dream big. Let's dig in. 🍨

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🧑‍⚖️ From Lawyer to “Ice Cream Guy”

Justin Woolverton wasn’t your typical founder. Back in 2011, he was a hypoglycemic corporate attorney in L.A., craving sweets that wouldn’t send his blood sugar skyrocketing. Disappointed by store-bought options, he rolled up his sleeves, bought a $20 ice cream maker, and turned his kitchen into a mini lab. Mixing Greek yogurt, stevia, and erythritol, Justin churned out a healthier dessert. It wasn’t perfect at first (early batches probably tasted like regret), but he kept at it.

💡 Lesson #1: Great ideas often start in unlikely places—like your kitchen.

🛠️ Building Halo Top, One Scoop at a Time
By 2012, Justin was so obsessed with his creation that he ditched his law career (brave, right?) and teamed up with another lawyer, Doug Bouton. Together, they scraped together funds—family loans, credit cards, and some serious hustle—to launch their brand, Halo Top. But it wasn’t all sprinkles and sunshine. 🌩️

🔧 The ice cream had shipping issues.
⚖️ They got slapped with a lawsuit over their original name (RIP Eden Creamery).
😅 By 2013, sales were a lukewarm $250k, and supermarkets were ghosting them.

💡 Lesson #2: Entrepreneurship is messy. But persistence tastes better than failure.

🔥 The Breakout Moment
Fast forward to 2016. Sales are still melting slower than a popsicle in winter—until a GQ writer decides to eat nothing but Halo Top for 10 days. The article goes viral, and BOOM: sales explode. That year, the company scooped up $130 million in revenue. By 2017, Halo Top dethroned ice cream giants like Ben & Jerry’s and Häagen-Dazs as the best-selling pint in the U.S. 💥

💡 Lesson #3: All it takes is one viral moment. Be ready when it comes.

💰 The Sweet $2 Billion Exit
By 2019, Halo Top was a household name, stocked in freezers worldwide. With private equity and food giants circling, Wells Enterprises came knocking. The rumored price? A cool $2 billion. Not bad for a business that started with a $20 machine, huh?

🎯 The Scoop You Can Take Away
So, what’s the secret sauce? It’s not just sugar alcohols or Greek yogurt—it’s persistence. Justin’s journey proves that sticking with your idea, even when it’s melting before your eyes, can lead to monumental success.

🚀 Deal Lift Challenge: Got a half-baked idea sitting in your “maybe later” list? Dust it off, take the first step, and see where it takes you. Your $2 billion exit might be closer than you think.

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That’s all for now, Deal Lifters! 🍦 Remember, persistence + a sprinkle of creativity = your next big win.

Catch you in the next scoop! ✌️