About Be Ice Cream Or Be Nothing

Be Ice Cream Or Be Nothing is a dream come to life so let me tell you how it began.

I’m Ryan, founder of Be Ice Cream Or Be Nothing, a business dedicated to encouraging families to get in the kitchen and make memories together. That wasn’t always the focus. In 2015, after a week in my hometown of Queensbury, NY, enjoying all my favorite ice cream spots, I returned to California craving some local ice cream but had difficulty finding some. After googling “how to make homemade ice cream,” I tried my first batch, Cookie Butter Ice Cream, and while the texture wasn’t what I was going for, the flavor was amazing. I bought a Culinary Ice Cream Machine (the same one I use today), and my second batch of ice cream was perfect. 

I grew up with ice cream staples like Stewart’s Shops and Martha’s Dandee cones right in my backyard. My home region was also covered with local favorites like Rookie’s in Fort Edward, Rob & Deb’s in Glens Falls, Twin Scoops in Hudson Falls, etc. Of course, we had Hillbilly Fun Park in Fort Ann for our mini golf and ice cream needs. Ice cream was a part of every celebration and every occasion, and as an adult, I loved learning how to make it myself.

In 2015, I began the ice cream page @beicecreamorbenothing, and I would make ice cream for friends and family to get feedback on my recipes. In 2017, after investing in a commercial ice cream machine, I partnered with Journey Coffee in Vacaville to sell my ice cream in their coffee shop. I sold it there until 2020, and when the pandemic shifted business, I brought the business home. Instead of focusing on brick-and-mortar locations, I wanted to make Be Ice Cream Or Be Nothing a family business. I began working on a children’s book I had initially written in 2018, and after searching for the right illustrator in August 2021, things started moving in the right direction. For about a year, I worked with illustrator Nhat Hau Nguyen on Is This Your Favorite Ice Cream?, which arrived in Summer 2022, debuting as an Amazon Best Seller!

My wife, Allie, and I have two daughters, Raegan and Sienna. I absolutely love being a family man. When Be Ice Cream Or Be Nothing started, I dreamed of owning my own location in Downtown Vacaville, where I’d work, sell ice cream, and build a business. As my girls got bigger and life got sweeter, I realized all I wanted to do was build with them. I created the YouTube series Be Ice Cream Or Be Nothing in 2018, and for years, we’ve been teaching people how to make ice cream at home. Additionally, my goal is to recommend the most amazing local ice cream shops around so that families like ours can find and try new ice cream shops, making lifelong memories with their kids. 

Thank you for being here. Stay awhile and visit any time you’d like. I’m honored to have you as a part of our community. 

-Ryan