Ample Hills Creamery first came on the dessert and ice cream scene in 2011 when married cofounders Jackie Cuscuna and Brian Smith opened their first store in Brooklyn. The business expanded to 17 stores with an endorsement from Oprah, a partnership with Disney, and mentorship from Jerry of Ben & Jerry’s. But by 2020, the couple had to file for bankruptcy. After selling the company to Schmitt Industries for $1 million, they opened another dessert company called ‘The Social.’ In March of this year, they found investors and bought Ample Hills back, committed to rebuilding the business. And then, a couple of weeks ago, they were fired. We chatted with them in a very uncensored conversation about failure, resilience, and how to learn from your mistakes.


For more info on the ups and downs of this story, check out Jennifer Conrad's article.