Sold As Ice

This story appears in the September 1998 issue of Startups. Subscribe »

Sno Shack's shaved ice is smarter than the average snow cone. With 80 flavors, ranging from Tiger's Blood to Mai Tai, the company's ice treats sell at beaches, swap meets, concerts--almost anywhere people gather.

Sno Shack first appeared on the concession-stand scene in 1978 after founder and president Cheryl Lewis saw a shaved ice business operating in an abandoned train ticket office. Convinced there was a market for a mobile shaved-ice stand, Lewis opened her first Sno Shack location. "We were so well- received that first summer, we were able to set up eight more [locations] by the following [season]," says Lewis. Sno Shack now has about 1,200 stands nationwide and distributors in seven countries.

Entrepreneurs who own ice cream or yogurt shops can add Sno Shack's fat- and cholesterol-free shaved ice treats to their product lines for $2,300, which includes a warranted shaver, exclusive flavors and other supplies.

Those interested in a larger investment can purchase Sno Shack's turnkey business opportunity package for $13,500. This includes Sno Shack's mobile steel building with its self-contained water system, sinks, holding tanks, and indoor and outdoor signs, as well as all other necessary supplies. Sno Shack owners receive training manuals, videos and technical support.

For more information, call (801) 466-1771.

The Chain Gang

Everyone knows diamonds are a girl's best friend. But most girls and guys are equally enthusiastic about sterling silver, gold or any precious stone they can slip around their fingers, necks and earlobes.

Whether it be a Southwestern bracelet or a costume jewelry necklace, Albuquerque, New Mexico-based Bosco Jewelers Inc. has been providing customers with quality jewelry at close to 70 percent below listed retail prices since 1979. As a Bosco Jewelers representative, you use the company's catalogs as marketing tools to sell merchandise to people who then resell it at locations such as flea markets, fairs and workplaces. You can also sell to retail stores.

Many Bosco customers have been ordering consistently since the 1980s. "We've been steadfast, provid-ing quality jewelry at reasonable prices," says company founder and president Robert Duck. "That's the way to develop repeat business."

Detailed information about Bosco's manufacturing process is included in the company's literature, so becoming a representative requires no special background. The minimum initial order ($25 worth of jewelry) needn't be purchased until you've secured a sale for that amount.

For more information and a free Bosco jewelry catalog, call (800) 967-0338.

Claims To Fame

"Illness doesn't discriminate," says John Travlos, president and CEO of Island Automated Medical Services Inc. (IAMS). Whenever people get sick, paperwork must be processed--and with today's complex health-care system, there's more paperwork to handle than ever before. IAMS packages specialized software, training, marketing and sales plans, along with a telephone and Internet support system, to create its $8,495 Platinum medical claims processing business opportunity.

Founded in 1990, IAMS has more than 3,000 centers across the country. IAMS' three-day seminars provide training in all technical aspects of medical claims processing, including procedure code analysis (PCA), claims cost analysis, and sales and marketing techniques.

The IAMS Platinum package includes medical and dental claims processing software, PCA and claims mergers, and brochures, literature and videos to help you explain your services to clients. A $95 annual administration fee (waived the first year) buys unlimited telephone and Internet support, and IAMS software updates.

For more information, call (800) 538-2205, ext. 720.

Contact Sources

Bosco Jewelers Inc., P.O. Box 8426, Albuquerque, NM 87198

Island Automated Medical Services Inc., http://www.iams-inc.com