Get Lost Shave Ice, a Hawaiian shave ice shop owned by Stephanie and Todd Askins, generated $408,500 in revenue for 2025, according to figures shared by Todd during the interview (23:53). On average, the shop brings in $40,000 a month, but during peak season that number climbs to $95,000 in a single month (0:05). Those figures come from a business built on what Stephanie calls a deceptively simple product.
“It's absolutely delicious and honestly life-changing.”
The shop operates seasonally, running primarily from April through the end of summer when kids return to school (4:09). That compressed window makes the peak-month revenue figure more meaningful: the business has to generate the bulk of its annual income in roughly five months.
Startup Costs Ran Double the Original Estimate
Stephanie put the initial startup cost estimate at $60,000, but the actual figure ended up being double that (29:47). The gap between projection and reality is a recurring theme in food and beverage businesses. UpFlip has documented similar cost overruns across its food business coverage, including a fried chicken sandwich operation that budgeted $63,000 to launch Fry the Coop before costs escalated. For Stephanie, the lesson is built into her advice to new operators: understand what you're getting into before you commit.
| Metric | Figure |
|---|---|
| Initial startup estimate | $60,000 |
| Actual startup cost | ~$120,000 |
| Average monthly revenue | $40,000 |
| Peak monthly revenue | $95,000 |
| 2025 annual revenue | $408,500 |
Stephanie's advice on the regulatory side was direct: look into food and beverage licensing requirements before opening, not after (36:49). Permitting timelines and local health codes can delay a launch by weeks or months, and those delays hit harder when the operating season is already short.
Ice Quality and Menu Simplicity as the Core Product Principles
Hawaiian shave ice, which is served at Get Lost Shave Ice, is distinct from a standard snow cone in texture. The ice is shaved rather than crushed, producing a fine, soft consistency that absorbs flavored syrups differently. Stephanie was specific about what separates a good product from a mediocre one.
“You want to make sure your ice is not crunchy.”
The shaved ice machine is central to that outcome. Operators who cut corners on equipment risk producing a product that's closer to a snow cone than the Hawaiian-style dessert customers expect. Stephanie's guidance on the menu side was equally straightforward: resist the urge to launch with a wide selection.
“I would go ahead and start keeping it simple.”
A focused menu reduces waste, speeds up service, and makes training easier. It also lowers the barrier to entry for someone starting with limited capital. Stephanie's position echoes what UpFlip has heard from other food entrepreneurs who scaled successfully from a single product: complexity tends to add cost before it adds revenue.
How to Start a Shave Ice Business: Operational Checklist
Based on Stephanie's guidance throughout the interview, the path to opening a shave ice operation, similar to her Get Lost Shave Ice breaks, is down into a clear sequence of steps:
- 1Research local food and beverage regulations and obtain required permits before signing a lease or purchasing equipment.
- 2Budget realistically — Stephanie's experience suggests doubling your initial cost estimate as a planning baseline.
- 3Invest in a quality shaved ice machine capable of producing fine, non-crunchy ice; this is the product's defining characteristic.
- 4Start with a simple menu of core flavors before expanding; complexity adds overhead before it adds customers.
- 5Plan your operating calendar around the seasonal window (typically April through late summer) and build cash reserves to cover the off-season.
- 6Identify your location and foot traffic patterns early — seasonal businesses depend heavily on volume during a compressed window.
The seasonal structure of the business means that a single strong summer can define the year. At $95,000 in a peak month against a $408,500 annual total, roughly 23% of annual revenue can come in during the best 30-day stretch. That concentration puts a premium on being fully operational and well-stocked when demand is highest. UpFlip has covered other food businesses where seasonal timing proved equally decisive, including a food truck that built its $41,000 monthly average around a tight peak-season playbook.
For anyone considering the shave ice category, Stephanie's numbers make a clear case that the model works at scale. The harder question is whether a new operator can absorb a startup cost that may reach $120,000 and survive the off-season months before the next April rolls around.
