SOWPub Small Business Forums  
 

Click Here to see the latest posts!

Ask any questions related to business / entrepreneurship / money-making / life
or share your success stories (and educational "failures")...

Sign up for the Hidden Business Ideas Letter Free edition, and receive a free report straight to your inbox: "Idea that works in a pandemic: Ordinary housewife makes $50,000 a month in her spare time, using a simple idea - and her driveway..."

NO BLATANT ADS PLEASE
Also, please no insults or personal attacks.
Feel free to link to your web site though at the end of your posts.

Stay up to date! Get email notifications or
get "new thread" feeds here

 

Go Back   SOWPub Small Business Forums > Main Category > SOWPub Business Forum
Register FAQ Members List Calendar Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read

SOWPub Business Forum Seeds of Wisdom Forum

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old December 1, 2011, 10:37 PM
Bozo
 
Posts: n/a
Default Hauling Ice

I polished the headlights on a Volvo semi truck yesterday, and learned a bit about the ice business. The driver, who turned out to be the owner of a trucking business, had on a T-shirt that said "Hauling Ice" on the back.

He owns five trucks, that run full time, and have been on the road for eight years. All he hauls is new ice machines from Ice House America. There are two machines in my small town, and the web site reports over 2,200 of the things sold already.

Who knew the ice business was such a big thing? Billions of dollars a year spent on ice and water.
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old December 3, 2011, 02:48 PM
Dien Rice Dien Rice is online now
Onwards and upwards!
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 3,357
Default Re: Hauling Ice

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bozo View Post
I polished the headlights on a Volvo semi truck yesterday, and learned a bit about the ice business. The driver, who turned out to be the owner of a trucking business, had on a T-shirt that said "Hauling Ice" on the back.

He owns five trucks, that run full time, and have been on the road for eight years. All he hauls is new ice machines from Ice House America. There are two machines in my small town, and the web site reports over 2,200 of the things sold already.

Who knew the ice business was such a big thing? Billions of dollars a year spent on ice and water.
Thanks Boz,

Many years ago, I remember I was browsing the internet, reading a lot of articles (as I tend to do when I procrastinate)...

This article said something like - it's only once you start a business, that the opportunities start rolling in!

At the time, I had only just started in business... So, at that time, I didn't quite know what it meant...

However, what you wrote about is a great illustration of how it works.

By cleaning headlights, new knowledge and information is coming to you - probably every day, from those customers you speak to, and from others, too...

Some of that information constitutes opportunities that could be built on, if you choose to do so.

However, if you had never started in business in the first place - that knowledge, and those opportunities, would have stayed away!

By just being in business, you are constantly getting new information - and new opportunities - that you would not even know about, otherwise.

Also - the more established you are in business, the more opportunities will come your way!

However, you have to get started for this to happen, and you have to be open-minded to new information. (Don't shut your mind off!)

It's counter-intuitive, but it's true.

I think it's one of the most remarkable - and fascinating - things about being in business!

Best wishes,

Dien
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old December 3, 2011, 07:59 PM
Bozo
 
Posts: n/a
Default Re: Hauling Ice

I tend to chat up every person that will hold still for it. I find out as much about them as I can, from what they do, down to the name of their cats and kids.

Like you said Dien, one can learn a lot from business encounters. Get people to talking about themselves, and sit back and take notes.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old December 4, 2011, 05:17 AM
Phil
 
Posts: n/a
Default Blocks of Ice:Turning Water into Gold! ... Once again, The Key(s) To The Castle! ...

Nice little Fortunes [standing-by] Simply by Digging, Spying & Snooping around... Surprising At What You Can Find These Days! ...

Studying, Learning and Applying these Particularly {Smart} Specialized ideas, Services including misc. Investment (type) Thinking into Different areas, Dealerships, Licensing opportunities Etc. etc...

Headlights... Water... Ice... And 1000's of Other Specialized possibilities/Opportunity(s)...

Remember those Good ol' 2012 Trends, Predictions... The Future of Just about [Everything] Niche Specialized [2012] is Yours for the taking...

Those Living in particularly Hot Climates and Places... Specialized events, EveryWhere...

Develop Simple work-related Training Programs for the Homeless etc... Contract, work with and License a mix of Select Groups of possibilities and Applicants... Marketing... {Smart & Creatively} Branded Ice-Cold water as per the Following quick examples into Misc. business models...

Sell 1,000's (Upon) 1,000's of bottles [W/ Marked Up] Revenues of course... Smartly Branded Ice-Cold water at (Endless Specialized Events, possibilities) in/on Hot Climate(s) Days and Places...

EveryWhere... Guaranteed ''Ongoing'' Revenues if you Do it Right & {Simply} Make it Happen! ...

Quick! ... Turning Water into Gold...
http://www.ehow.com/how_7362636_keep...ater-cold.html
http://www.ehow.com/how_7350212_keep...old-event.html
http://www.ehow.com/list_7388462_cre...ol-events.html

Blocks of Ice:Turning Water into Gold

Of course [Lots] more ways of Twisting & Turning Water into Gold...
http://www.tribune.com.ng/sat/index....into-gold.html
http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/...f-dollars.html
http://www.globalwaterintel.com/insi...-business.html
http://www.google.com/search?q=water...w=1440&bih=692
http://www.investorideas.com/Water-Stocks/
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43443146.../#.TtiJD1as_0Q
http://www.businessweek.com/the_thre...il l_try.html
http://waterindustry.org/

Once again, The Key(s) To The Castle! ...

"Have you been sitting on your ass, wishing you had a way to make some extra cash?"

Due Diligence and How to Evaluate a Business or Money Making Opprotunity...
http://www.sowpub.com/forum/showthread.php?p=29442

All the best...

Phil

Last edited by Phil : December 4, 2011 at 05:25 AM. Reason: additional info...
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old December 5, 2011, 01:25 PM
RickC
 
Posts: n/a
Default Re: Hauling Ice

Being stuck in my 9 to 5 job with no place to go, no raises in three years, multiple supverisors telling you what to do at any given time, and having pesky gnats to fly in my face during lunch. I have been looking for an offline business to persue for about 9 months now.

Bozo, I am seriously looking into this and did a lot of homework on it over the weekend. This company has a really great product at a great price. They are NOT in my area of the woods yet. I have emailed them for more info about dealerships/ownership possibilities. My only conern is that I am in a northern state and maybe this affects the ice business during the colder months....I don't know. I'm going to ask the local sellers of ice how it goes during this time of year.

Thanks for posting this. It may or may not work out but my wife and I are certainly checking it out and believe it has potential for us to begin something very worthwhile.
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old December 5, 2011, 05:54 PM
GordonJ's Avatar
GordonJ GordonJ is offline
Administrator
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: West Palm Beach, FL
Posts: 3,471
Default Re: Hauling Ice

Rick,

For your consideration...more parties between Thanksgiving and New Years Day than at any other stretch of time...

guess what all parties need? Did you say Ice?

Do some local homework, do you have colleges (they like to party)...

Clubs, like Eagles...although many have their own ice machines, you could show them how to save money with TWICE THE ICE...that's the big sales pitch for these guys...and the bottled water, which is the lowest I've seen...






Quote:
Originally Posted by RickC View Post
Being stuck in my 9 to 5 job with no place to go, no raises in three years, multiple supverisors telling you what to do at any given time, and having pesky gnats to fly in my face during lunch. I have been looking for an offline business to persue for about 9 months now.

Bozo, I am seriously looking into this and did a lot of homework on it over the weekend. This company has a really great product at a great price. They are NOT in my area of the woods yet. I have emailed them for more info about dealerships/ownership possibilities. My only conern is that I am in a northern state and maybe this affects the ice business during the colder months....I don't know. I'm going to ask the local sellers of ice how it goes during this time of year.

Thanks for posting this. It may or may not work out but my wife and I are certainly checking it out and believe it has potential for us to begin something very worthwhile.

Also, you may be able to provide purified water to mom and pops who don't have the volume to have a big jug or their own system...but want to use it in their coffee.

The guy here, this is his third one...so he probably makes some dough.

Investigate...and wait a few days. Our SowPubber is working on a report all about low cost franchises and even low cost SUCCESSFUL licensing deals...he may find something that might be perfect for you.

Gordon
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old December 5, 2011, 07:21 PM
RickC
 
Posts: n/a
Default Re: Hauling Ice

Hi Gordon!

I do appreciate your insight along with so many others here. I'll be 50 next June. I have been with my current employer 21 years. I've had enough. I do appreciate having a job in this economy....but I want to do something else. There is nothing left there anymore.

I think differently from other people. I DON'T want to retire. I want to find something I absolutely love to do....and do it until I can't anymore! On my terms. It works for actors and politicians. They do their thing until they almost die. I'm NOT worried about retirement. I believe the financial planners have it all wrong for some of us. If I stay healthy enough and can get around and choose this niche, I may be in the Ice business until I'm 85.

I am ready to do my own thing. I will take this slowly and really look into it. Also looking forward to the the Sowpubber report.

I appreciate your posts, too. There are many here that know and give so much info. It is appreciated. I feel like I am in single A when many of you are in the Majors.
Reply With Quote
Reply


Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

Other recent posts on the forum...


Seeds of Wisdom Publishing (front page) | Seeds of Wisdom Business forum | Seeds of Wisdom Original Business Forum (Archive) | Hidden Unusual Business Ideas Newsletter | Hotsheet Profits | Persuade via Remote Influence | Affia Band | The Entrepreneur's Hotsheet | The SeedZine (Entrepreneurial Ezine)

Get the report on Harvey Brody's Answers to a Question-Oriented-Person


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 03:53 PM.


Powered by vBulletin Version 3.6.0
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.