IS OWNING AN ICE POP FRANCHISE RIGHT FOR YOU?

If you’ve ever dreamed of owning your own business, you may have considered franchising. Owning a franchise combines the benefits of small business ownership with hands-on support and a proven product. Want to level up the fun? Consider owning an ice pop franchise—where nostalgic summer moments happen all year long, and deepening connections becomes your day-to-day.   

Benefits of owning an ice pop franchise 

Owning an ice pop franchise is fun, flexible, and community-driven work. It takes grit and hard work to get started—but ultimately, it’s one of the most accessible ways to become an entrepreneur. Some reasons to consider an ice pop franchise over other opportunities include:

• Low barrier to entry: You don’t need deep pockets or a business degree to find success. Compared to traditional food service and retail businesses, the cost of owning a popsicle franchise is relatively low. When you partner with King of Pops, you’ll enjoy one of the lowest initial investment costs in the industry. Low start-up costs make popsicle franchises an ideal option for young entrepreneurs, families who want to increase their income and their time together, and retirees craving time in their community. 
• Flexible schedule: Owning a pop franchise comes with all the benefits of working for yourself—including a flexible work schedule. Sleep in a bit later on Thursday, bring the kids for a festival on Saturday, and work a networking event on Monday with a friend. Your cart, your schedule. The best part? You’ll create moments of happiness no matter what day of the week it is. 
• Guidance and support: Starting a business can feel intimidating, no doubt. But owning a franchise can relieve some of those new-business-scaries. After all, you have a dedicated team behind you, and they’ve done this a time or two. At King of Pops, we’ve been doing this for 15 years to be exact. We’ve seen what works and what doesn’t, and we’re here to help you carve your own path to success.
• Mobile and scalable: If you thrive on new experiences or love chasing growth, you might make a great pop franchise owner. (We’d love to see you as a Cartreprenuer!). In this business, you have the freedom to set up anywhere in your territory—enjoying new views and new people. Plus, you can scale at a pace that works for you. At King of Pops, we support you every step of the way. 
• Good vibes, with a product that’s a smile on a stick: Honestly, the best part of this gig isn’t the pops (though they are really, really good—have you tried Chocolate Sea Salt?!). It’s the people. Your P&L might only account for pops sold (looks good, by the way!), but it doesn’t capture all the smiles shared. 
  
  

Finding success behind the cart 

No matter your business strategy, finding success as a pop franchise owner boils down to some key personality traits —grit, passion, persistence, and a love of people. You’ll probably enjoy it behind the cart if you:

• Are usually the first person to strike up a conversation. Sure, having knowledge of your pops is important, but understanding people is a must. If you love talking to new people, building community, and creating happy moments for others, this job could be for you.
  
  
• Have an entrepreneurial mindset. You don’t need an MBA, but being organized, and financially savvy helps. Go-getters with a proactive attitude typically see results faster. 
  
  
• Are motivated by making an impact, not just collecting a paycheck. Financial success is certainly the goal for any business venture. But if you look to other metrics to measure success—like time spent with friends or smiles shared—this might be the opportunity for you. 
  
  
• Aren’t afraid of putting in the work. With a pop franchise, you have the advantage of a  proven process and product. But you’re still building something special from the ground up. That takes hard work, endurance, and proper planning. If you’re constantly planning your next move and brainstorming business ideas in the shower, this could be the gig for you. 

It’s not always rainbows under the rainbow umbrella 

As one Cartreprenuer puts it, running an ice pop franchise may be simple, but it’s not easy. Many franchise owners experience similar challenges when starting out. But take heart— these  tend to dissipate as you get comfortable in your new role.

• Managing roles and responsibilities. Let’s face it: owning any business requires owners to wear a lot of hats. And sometimes, those hats are a little uncomfortable. When you get started with your ice pop business, you’ll likely be the marketer, salesperson, and operations manager—all at once. This can be overwhelming, but there are things you can do to ease your transition.
  • Rely on social media and other marketing tools to automate your outreach 
  • Create SOPs or use templates to build consistency for operations 
  • Build a sales strategy and stick to it 
  • Set an admin schedule for yourself to tend to housekeeping items
  • Ask for help! At King of Pops, you’ll tap into our franchisee network (of really cool humans, we might add), and receive expert guidance from our crew.
    
    
• Building brand awareness. Depending on your territory and brand, you may need to do a bit of brand-building. With an established brand like King of Pops, you’ll find consumers have brand awareness and loyalty right away. Ways you can help get the word out about your cart are: 
  • Request to vend at local events, markets, and festivals
  • Use social media to share behind-the-scenes content
  • Partner with schools, offices, or community groups for pop drops or fundraisers
    
    
• Staying energized. Any small business owner will tell you: it’s easy to experience burnout—especially in the beginning. Taking care of yourself is critical to the role. After all, you’ll be spending long summer days outside and wearing a smile while you do it. Ways to keep the good vibes flowing are: 
  • Prioritizing you. Yes, make sure you have proper pop inventory for your event, but also bring a care package for yourself—think: hydration, sunscreen, electrolytes, and protein-rich snacks. 
  • Hire help. At a certain point, you might not be able to run the business on your own—and that’s OK! Consider bringing a friend or hiring part-time help for big events. Or, book a virtual assistant to help with admin work. Determine what parts of your business fill you up and which parts drain you—and get help in the areas you need them.
    
    

A lifestyle that screams cool 

Most folks who step into ice pop entrepreneurship are excited about a lifestyle shift. As a franchise owner, you get to build a business on your terms. Many people become Cartrepreneurs to break free from their draining 9-to-5, and still others franchise as a side hustle. This franchise model can work for a variety of people, including:

• Young entrepreneurs eager to build something of their own
• Parents with young children, looking for flexible income and to spend more time together
• Career-changers who want to do something meaningful with their day-to-day
• Retirees craving community-driven work

What’s the investment—and the return?

The short answer is: it depends. At King of Pops, you’ll find one of the lowest initial investment costs in the industry. That means you can get started for around $9000, and ideally, you’ll have around $20,000 to invest. Plus, time from applying to pop-slinging is relatively short—about one to three months. Owning a pop franchise also boasts benefits like: 

• Franchise support—including training, marketing, and operations guidance
• Growth potential through events, catering, and retail partnerships
• Good profit margins from low overhead and direct sales

Your return will vary—and usually correlates to the amount of work you put in. Many franchisee owners report breaking even quickly, and see even quicker returns in lifestyle freedom and general happiness. 

Think you have a future in slinging pops?

Honestly, we hoped so. You seem really cool. If you’re excited about a change of pace, are motivated by conquering challenges, and prefer catching up with neighbors to speaking in corporate jargon, an ice pop franchise might be for you. 

At King of Pops, our application process is straightforward. Just complete the form below and you’ll hear back from our team soon. Oh, and when you apply by October 19, you’ll get your first 1000 pops free—because you deserve a little boost to break-even. We can’t wait to meet you.