Scoops of Success: The Underdog Tale of Ben & Jerry’s

In the late 1970s, two guys, Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, felt a bit stuck. College dropouts, and not particularly wealthy, decided to do something they were passionate about: ice cream.

They take a $5 ice-cream-making course and scrape together $12,000—borrowing half—to open their first shop in a renovated gas station in Vermont. They were like the garage startups of the ice cream world. They even gave out free cones on their one-year anniversary to thank the community... giving back this early in a journey!

They soon realized they couldn't compete with big brands in advertising. Instead, they got creative, infusing fun and unique flavors that can't be found anywhere else. Cherry Garcia, anyone? And they stuck to values like sourcing ethical ingredients and supporting local farmers. Eventually, their grassroots approach works. Word of mouth spread and the business took off.

They never compromised on their values, even when they became a global brand. Despite being up against giants like Häagen-Dazs... which tried to prevent the duo from distributing their products in the Boston area (unsuccessfully), carved out their niche, and thrived.

This is a story of two regular guys with a dream, turning scoops into smiles, overcoming doubt and adversity, and changing the business landscape. It's all about staying true to who you are and what you believe in... and seeing what happens.

The Value of Staying True to Yourself

Can you imagine how many people would laugh, doubt, make fun of, or even try to change your mind if you had a passion for ice cream?

These aren't bad reactions but real ones that we have all dealt with. We can't control them but we can control how we receive their responses and what we do with them to move forward.

And that's it.. we can control how we receive and act on our pathway. It's ours to control and when we feel heavy with doubt, feel heavy with fear, or feel heavy with helplessness- look to people who turned ice cream into a big business and brand that many of us enjoy!

We can look at many underdog stories to get some motivation and inspiration and face our adversity with belief.

“The greatest thing in the world is to know how to belong to oneself.” - Michel de Montaigne

Respecting ourselves is the first step ➡️ toward earning respect from others. Here are some ways to cultivate self-respect:

1. Set Boundaries: Make it clear what's acceptable and what's not—both to yourself and others.

2. Speak Your Truth: Honesty with oneself is key. The more authentic you are, the more you'll be respected.

3. Prioritize Self-Care: Nutrition, exercise, and mental health aren't selfish; they're essential. When you take care of yourself, it shows.

4. Be Accountable: Own your actions, whether they're good or bad. Accountability breeds integrity.

5. Celebrate Wins: Don’t downplay your achievements. Celebrate them, however small, as they build your self-worth.

6. Empower Others: Empowering others not only boosts their respect for you but also reinforces your sense of purpose.

The more you can embody 🔄 these principles, the more naturally respect will flow your way—both from yourself and others. Our healthy habits form over time but ensuring we are taking small steps will help us on the pathway to success.

For more ways to invest in ourselves and work on our mindset to keep moving forward, check out my book Physician Underdog.