Scoops of Jupiter: Entrepreneurial Students Create a Summer Business

olympia ice cream truck
Emily Wakefield and Joe Jupiter pose proudly in front of their business on wheels.
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By Morgan Willie

Edward Jones Block AdToday’s job market can be difficult to cut into. Plenty of college students have a hard time finding jobs for the summer, and the ones who’ve found jobs must sacrifice part of their break to work for someone else’s business. However, Olympia residents Emily Wakefield and Joe Jupiter have found a solution to this matter.

After browsing for local work and finding no luck, Wakefield and Jupiter decided to start their own business – an ice cream truck. They looked on craigslist.com, found an old Jeep for $3400, pooled their resources and secured a business license online. Scoops of Jupiter was born.

olympia ice cream truck
Emily Wakefield and Joe Jupiter created their own summer employment.

The couple has been doing well so far, and they hope to continue sales for the rest of the summer before returning to the University of Portland.

“We’ve broke even a while ago,” Wakefield said. “I think it’s a good job to do because we get to choose when we work and make our own business plan. We’re in charge.”

But, the path to starting their ice cream business was a rocky road.

“It was difficult,” Jupiter said.

“We thought it was going to be a lot easier than it actually was,” Wakefield added. “Since we’re not working for anyone, we had to get all the licensing and handle the Jeep. Finding a truck was a big thing.”

And even after the couple found their dream Jeep, they were thrown a little curveball. When they brought it to the DOL, Wakefield and Jupiter were charged an extra $400.

“We were amazed because you have to pay sales tax if you buy a vehicle online. We were pretty surprised about that. We forgot about that,” Wakefield noted.

This misfortune didn’t discourage Wakefield and Jupiter for a moment. They paid the money and moved on. They realized the benefits of working for themselves would outweigh anything else.

olympia ice cream truck
The couple’s business was started for under $4,000 and has already broken even.

“I’m a business major, so it might help me in college if I tell my professors that I had my own small business,” Jupiter noted. “And, I assume that if I start another business that it’ll be a little bit easier next time because I’ve done it once already. Just having the experience is good.”

Their efforts have gotten them plenty of attention among friends and the community, too.

“We’ve gotten lots of compliments on how we’re cute ice cream people,” Wakefield commented. “When our friends found out about the truck they didn’t believe it at first! They said, ‘Wait, you actually have one? That’s so cool! I want to be your first customer.’ They were kind of jealous.”

Now, the couple has a set route around their neighborhoods, but they are always on the hunt for new places with hungry customers. If you don’t have an ice cream truck in your neighborhood, you can post to the Scoops of Jupiter Facebook page and request that Wakefield and Jupiter stop by.  You won’t be dissatisfied with their sweet smiles and frozen treats!

Scoops of Jupiter will be traveling southeast Olympia and Tumwater neighborhoods routes between 3:00 – 6:00 p.m. daily throughout the summer.  They will also be catering special events, birthday parties, company picnics, and other celebrations.  To schedule Scoops of Jupiter, call 360-259-4885.

 

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