Charlee, Leeyah, Micah, and Jordyn Hamilton, four Black teen siblings ages 11 to 15 from Anne Arundel County, Maryland, are the owners of Twice as Nice Shaved Ice, where they sell delicious snowballs and their famous snow-capped lemonade.
In 2018, they started the business after their mother, Charvonne, inspired them to start their entrepreneurial journey. Through the initial investment from their parents, they launched the snowball business with just one snowball machine they purchased from a pawn shop, a table, and a tent, offering 10 flavors of snowballs and snow-capped lemonade.
Although running a business comes with challenges, like long working hours at events and dealing with difficult customers, the sisters remain determined and patient. They also strive to keep their prices affordable, making their treats accessible to everyone.
“Our primary business goal is to make our customers happy as we continue to grow our business and invest enough money to help us be successful in the future,” Leeyah told The Baltimore Times.
Twice as Nice Shaved Ice is primarily booked for private events within a 20-mile radius of their home, but they are open to traveling farther for special opportunities. But their ambition doesn’t stop at their current success; they aspire to expand with more trucks and teach other young people how to run the business. It is always something to keep them productive even during school breaks.
“Instead of sleeping in every day and staying in the house all summer, we are out working. Even though we work most of the summer, we always make time for family vacations,” Jordyn said.
Beyond managing their business, the four sisters have diverse career goals, ranging from entrepreneurship to sports medicine. Twins Charlee and Leeyah particularly wanted to attend an HBCU. The girls split all their profits equally, allocating a percentage for spending and the rest for their college funds, a car, and other long-term investments.
“I love it because I don’t really have a boss. I get to learn and grow as an entrepreneur and develop a strong work ethic,” Charlee said.
What’s more, the most important part is that they find joy and fulfillment in their work despite some challenges.
“Some days are harder than others, but because we enjoy what we do, it doesn’t always feel like work. Running our own business has led to us meeting some amazing people and has led to amazing opportunities, including being a featured vendor for the Baltimore Ravens at their training camp for the last three years,” Micah said
