After university, Sarah Mandelson joined her mum, Alix, in Serendipity Ice Cream, a business Alix started in 1966 when she decided to make her own ice cream at home. At the time, there wasn’t much available in the way of good ice cream or interesting flavours in Sydney.
“I was wondering what I would do when I finished university and since I’ve always had a love of food and making it, it seemed like a good fit to join mum in the business,” explains Sarah.
What was initially a small business venture is now one of Sydney’s well-established boutique ice-cream brands.
Sarah’s favourite part of running Serendipity Ice Cream is the development of new products and flavours.
“We are constantly re-inventing the wheel in terms of flavours, but always with exacting standards in mind. Our products are generally denser than most commercial brands, and are lower in sugar, but the main criterion is taste. “I love creating new flavours and new products. When I’m making a new flavour for a particular client, I love learning what they intend to do with the finished flavour and that informs how I design the flavour or the product for them – so it’s a collaboration.”
For anyone starting out in a new business, Sarah recommends that you measure your financials regularly, measure yourself against your competition and learn from them and their marketing strategies.
Sarah Mendelson’s advice for startups:
- If you don’t know, don’t pretend. Just ask!
- Business should be a passion, but it’s also an investment. Try to see it from both angles.
- If your business is not a passion, don’t do it. It won’t last.
