Looking for a summer job? Maybe you should consider starting your own business instead. That’s exactly what Mik Bushinski did nine years ago, at age 16, with Mik Mart Ice Cream. What started as one ice cream truck has grown into five more trucks and two ice cream push carts.
In the early stages of brainstorming what type of business Mik should start, the Bushinskis put in a lot of research. “With his school and hockey, it needed to be something seasonal,” says Mik’s dad Scott. Ice cream was the perfect choice. “It was something that is fun. It was nostalgic–– something both children and parents would enjoy,” Mik says.
The business has since expanded to cater at corporate events all over the metro area. “It happened organically,” says Mik’s mom Kristi. “While we were out in Woodbury, parents who worked for places like 3M asked us to come to their events...Each year we grow and we get these great opportunities. We’ve started targeting those types of events,” Kristi says.
Due to the seasonality of the business, Mik has been able to keep it up through college. “I come home for the summer and it’s fast and furious,” Mik says about rejoining the business after the spring semester. Mik graduated this past summer with two degrees in political science and economics, and finished his MBA in general management last month. He plans to go to Yale next year.
“I will miss the business when I go to law school, and am less a part of the operation,” Mik says—but he’s confident it’s in good hands. “I am fortunate to be working with a good team: My family. We work well together.”
Visit the website for a schedule and a list of ice cream truck routes.
