Two-time Emmy and three-time NAACP Image Award-winning television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Marcus Sonnier.
Founder of Snowie Atlanta:
🎯 Purpose of the Interview
To showcase Marcus Sonnier’s journey from corporate America to entrepreneurship, highlight the inspiration behind Snowie Atlanta, and share insights on financial literacy, legacy-building, and faith-driven decision-making.
🔑 Key Takeaways 1. From Corporate VP to Entrepreneur
- Marcus left a successful career as VP of PR supervision at a financial services firm to start Snowie Atlanta.
- He worked both jobs for five years before fully transitioning.
- His leap was guided by faith and a desire for self-reliance.
“I looked at my wife and said, ‘Hey, I'm getting one more bonus check. And then I'm jumping off the plane.’”
2. The Product: Shaved Ice with a Twist
- Snowie Atlanta offers customizable shaved ice with self-serve flavor stations.
- Inspired by childhood experiences in Louisiana with snowball stands.
“We give away the shaved ice, but we sell you the smiles.”
3. Family Legacy & Financial Literacy
- Marcus started the business to teach his sons about money—earning, saving, investing, and giving.
- His sons were involved from the beginning, learning entrepreneurship firsthand.
“I said, guys, look, we're going to be entrepreneurs in this business. We're going to do it together.”
4. Faith as a Driving Force
- Marcus credits divine guidance for his journey and connections.
- He views his business as a calling and a platform for community impact.
“I could feel God in my spirit saying, ‘Oh, you trust me, you really do.’”
5. Community Impact & Expansion
- Snowie Atlanta is expanding into Truist Park, home of the Atlanta Braves.
- The goal is to become a staple attraction and enhance the fan experience.
“I want all kids to want to go to a Braves game… to get a Snowie and have an experience.”
6. Giving Back
- Snowie Atlanta participates in fundraising for schools, churches, and nonprofits.
- Marcus finds joy in writing checks back to organizations that serve the community.
💬 Notable Quotes
- “You may not get everything you work for, but you will work for everything you get.”
- “We serve memories.”
- “I’m just trying to be obedient and do what I think God wants me to do in this business.”
#SHMS #STRAW #BEST
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hi.
Speaker 2 (00:00):
I am Rashan McDonald, a host the weekly Money Making
Conversation Masterclass show. The interviews and information that this show
provides are for everyone. It's time to stop reading other
people's success stories and start living your own. If you
want to be a guest on my show, please visit
our website, Moneymaking Conversations dot com and click the be
a Guest button. Chris Submit and information will come directly
(00:23):
to me. Now let's get this show started. My nexty
has left a successful career as the VP of Field
Supervision at a large financial services firm to launch a
small business called Snowy Atlanta. Snow Wee Atlanta. They serve
mouth watering shaved ice that you can top with many
(00:44):
different flavors. Already sounds good. Please welcome to Money Making
Conversations Masterclass. Marcus Sony Marcus. Did I see your last
name correct? Sanya?
Speaker 1 (00:55):
Yes?
Speaker 2 (00:57):
Okay, cool? You know it's it's n N I E R.
You know he one of them brothers.
Speaker 1 (01:01):
Man?
Speaker 2 (01:01):
You know, I know, I though, Man. You know I'm Rashon,
Ris Rich. You know Rashon. People say, is that rush
you knows Rashan little layer? Macha son Ye? How you
doing brother, tell me about this business man. You went
from the corporate world and now you're doing shaved ice. Now,
the first time I experienced shaved ice, I was in
(01:22):
New Orleans and they have this place in New Orleans
where people will line up around the corner to get
this shaved ice. So what exactly is shaved ice? Help
me out with that.
Speaker 1 (01:33):
Yeah, So, first of all, thanks for having me on
your show. Appreciates honor to be on the show. So
shaved ice originated in Hawaii. So it's a way to
shave ice in a fine, almost snow like manner, and
you get to top it with different flavors of your choice,
(01:55):
and it's just it's fantastic in the summertime. Are you
in the winter time?
Speaker 2 (02:00):
We had learned, right, So, like I've had this now,
you know, growing up because I'm from the hood. Now,
I had a version of this. You know, they they
beat up the ice. It wasn't shaved and then they
put that that that yellow in that red and grape
you know. I you know, I was happy, brother. They
weren't ice cream, but it was icey, but it wasn't
(02:22):
saved ice. I was just happy. That guy going in
the back and he'd just be breaking up that ice
man and getting it as fine as he could. That's
the version of saved ice that I grew up on.
Speaker 1 (02:32):
Now, yes, well, I was gonna say, we have a
machine that does it a lot better than that guy.
And what makes our product really unique that you get
to create your own version. Right, So instead of just
having one or two flavors that you can select from,
(02:52):
you get to dispense the flavors yourself. So you get
to put as much as little and make any combination
that you would like. Has been a hit?
Speaker 2 (03:02):
Now you now you say it's you know it originated
in Hawaii? Where did you have an experience that you
went this? I liked it. This is something I want
to not so much to be an entrepreneur, but it
became a flavor that you are deserve, a go to
for you. What were you when you first experienced it?
Speaker 1 (03:18):
So I grew up in Losaete, Louisiana, and similar to
New Orleans, we had a snowball all of there snowball
stand on every other corner. So growing up, it was
a part of life, going to the snowball stand anytime
you had some extra money. Because I grew up in
(03:39):
in the hood too. So anytime you had a few
extra nickels, you would take me stand and just have
the best time.
Speaker 2 (03:48):
And it was because they had that old machine, that
old see see he has he has that modern machine.
Marcus has that modern machine. God bless him me. He's
an entrepreneur and everything. But the machine he grew up
on that was that old ice machine. Boy, it's shaved.
It's so fine, that big old thing sitting in the back. Man,
it would just be they put a block of ice
on top and they just shaving shaved. Am I telling you,
(04:11):
I'm telling you the truth?
Speaker 1 (04:11):
Correct? Oh, we were going to the same place. I'm sure,
very similar place. Absolutely labor intensive.
Speaker 2 (04:19):
And uh it was labor intensive. And but boy, when
you got it, man and they and you go, you go, okay,
I want to I want the grape, I want the strawberry.
Can I get three flavors? I get? I always got
the three flavors. Man, I got the lemon, I got
the strawberry, and I got the grape. And then I
eat Then I got to eat it. Then my lips,
my lips would be all the colors. It'd be grape
(04:40):
on one side, my tongue would be red boy. I'll
tell you, I'm just bringing back memories, man, because that's
what you served.
Speaker 1 (04:46):
You served memories, right, Marcus, Absolutely, absolutely, So this is
a byproduct for servant smiles. We always say we give
away the shaved ice, but we sell you the smiles.
It's the experience that we work hard to create. And
just a little bit about why that experience is so important.
(05:09):
When I was a little bit about my background, when
I was three and a half years old, my father
passed away and I was the baby boy of five
children that my mom and dad had. So I was
that oops kid after thirteen years from the last kid
(05:30):
I was there. My mom or dad would never admit it,
of course. So we would go to Borton's ice Cream
in Lafayette, Louisiana, or we would go to a snowball
stand and he would sit me on the top of
(05:52):
the car with my ice cream or snow cone. And
I always remember, even at a young age, how special
that family time was. And by my dad being taken
away so early in my life, I always had a void.
And by starting this business, I realized I'm able to
(06:17):
create those moments every day. Wow, hundreds of times a day,
and I get to watch families thank you so much.
I get to watch families do what we did. And
it's a special feeling that you can't buy. You just
can't buy it when you experience a father or father
(06:39):
and mother and kids after a baseball game or whatever
it was, having that moment together. Because with the connection
of phones and iPads, we always have a device in
our hands. But when you're eating shaved ice, you need
both hands. You need one hand for the cup of
shade ice fantasy extic flavors. But then you eat your
(07:02):
other hand or soon, and that means you can't have
a device in your hand. So those two to five minutes,
it's an organic connection between a family members and it's
magical because those moments we just don't get very often.
Speaker 2 (07:23):
Now, wow, we're talking to Marcus Sanier. You know he
owns a small business in Atlanta, Georgia called Snowy Atlanta. Now,
I Rader's resume. He has a business degree and he
went to an HBCU in bad Uge Southern University. He's
a jaguar. He's a jaguar. Everybody blue and gold. Now
(07:44):
you wanted to be just a career man a forty
hour week guy, Now you're an entrepreneur. How went to
tell people you work in eighty hours when you used
to work forty? Okay, now what made that shift in
your mind to say, you know, some want to be
an entrepreneur, I'm successful at being a corporate person. But
(08:07):
what started making that shift for you? Because there's a
lot of people listening to this show or where you
were at and don't know, don't do their fear and
I know faith played a major role in your decision.
Let's talk about that.
Speaker 1 (08:23):
No, that's a great question. So, very successful career at
a very large financial services company, getting to the point
of a vice president, as you mentioned, But what I
would see in corporate America was how quickly that job
(08:45):
could be taken away from you. And there aren't many
weeks that go by that. I don't speak to someone
I know who hadn't been laid off from a really
good job in corporate America. Jobs they thought they would
retire from jobs where they were treated very well, performing
very well, and then one day you get a call saying, hey,
(09:09):
don't come into the office today. You've been downsized, replaced,
whatever fancy word you want to use. So I always
mentioned to my wife that I never wanted to be
in that situation. I wanted to work toward moving away
from that situation and being more self reliant. So I
(09:33):
took the leap and I said, you know what, I'm
going to start snowing Atlanta. Now. I worked my corporate
job along with building this business for five years. So
some of the advice that I would share with your listeners,
it's not easy to just jump out and start your
(09:57):
entrepreneurial path without maintaining what you do currently. Some people can.
Some people have the financial back end and that's fantastic.
But for me, I needed to work both jobs well
the job and follow my passion at the same time
(10:17):
until it became obvious that, okay, this this is really
a real business. And I looked at my wife and
I said, hey, I'm getting one more bonus check and
then I'm I'm jumping out the plane. I'm gonna get
one more bonus chet and then I'm jumping out. That's
the Harvey's phrase. I'm jumping out the plane and I
(10:41):
feel comfortable about what's going to happen afterwards. So that
was my leader.
Speaker 2 (10:46):
So is your idea are you working full time basically
started gradually becoming a full time role doing weekend stuff.
Was where was your company at at that point? Did
you have a food truck or well you're just doing weekends.
Did you have equipment? Where were you at when you
jumped at that plane? As far as.
Speaker 1 (11:06):
Assets, okay, initially are after or after five years?
Speaker 2 (11:12):
After five years?
Speaker 1 (11:14):
Okay, So after five years we had developed six different
units that included two vans and we have fourced stationary
units that well, one lives at our Minor League stadium
here at Cooery Field, the one that Striper's and then
replaced the other ones at other parks and at other events.
(11:37):
So we were positioned well enough at that point. After
five years, we had leased the space for all of
our equipment to live in and the business was continuing
to grow organically, word of mouth. We we were just growing.
We were growing, and God basically had a conversation with
(12:00):
me and he said, okay, it's time. He said, you know,
it's time to do it. And that's where the faith
part was huge, because I didn't know. You can't read
the future, and that's where faith comes in. And after
taking that leap, I could feel God in my spirit saying,
(12:25):
oh you trust me, you really do. And then he
just started laying out the next steps. He started putting
people in my path. For Sean that it's no way
I could have had the people lay a path out
the wads and laid had it not been Forgot himself
(12:46):
putting his hands on my shoulders. And that's what I feel.
Speaker 2 (12:51):
Well, I feel you're stating accurately, but I also want
to put in this man had a business plan. Okay,
he had a business plan. Yeah, you know, he didn't
jump out there year one. He started putting together a
business plan. That's why ask him when you left, when
you made that jump, that leap leap of faith because
a lot of people use that word leap of faith.
(13:12):
Where were you at?
Speaker 1 (13:13):
Man?
Speaker 2 (13:14):
Say, I got six six vehicles that was at the
minor league stadium. I was leasing that spaces all while
he was maintaining his full time job. So there was
a plan in place. Now he's gonna tell you actually
why he started this company. He has two young boys.
They're not young no more because they're hardworking. But this
(13:34):
is why he actually started this business. We come back
from this break, you're gonna hear why don't go anywhere.
We will be right back with more insights from money
Making Conversations Masterclass. Welcome back to money Making Conversation master
Class hosted by me Rashaan McDonald. Money Making Conversation Master
(13:56):
Class continues online at Moneymaking Conversations dot com and follow
money Making Conversation master Class on Facebook, X and Instagram.
A small business called snow Wee so n w Ie Atlanta.
They served mouth water and shaved ice that you can
top with many, many different flavors. We've lived those moments,
and I'm gonna tell you how I met this young brother.
(14:18):
I was at the n ms DC conference that was
in Atlanta, Big o'cnference, and I saw a person I
saw in a long time, and I thought that was
Magic Johnson. And it wasn't Magic Johnson. A good friend
of mine named Donovan, and he walked past me and
then he stopped and talked to Marcus, and then I
still didn't really recognize him at all, and then he
(14:40):
waved back at me, and then we came over, and
that is how I met Marcus.
Speaker 1 (14:43):
Correct, Marcus, that is exactly right. So Donah was a
good friend of mine, and we saw you in the
distance and Donovan he said, is that Mashon? And I
looked at Donovan and I said, you know, Rashan and
he was like, man, that's my buddy. And you know,
I was like, yeah right. And so he walked up
(15:05):
to you. You guys greeted each other that you've been
knowing each other.
Speaker 2 (15:11):
And I didn't recognize that magic, and we were just
laughing about it. And and and so when I told Marcus,
I told Marcus, I want you.
Speaker 1 (15:20):
On my show.
Speaker 2 (15:20):
He went, really, yeah, your entrepreneur, I want you on
my show. He said, you're kidding right now, He's on
my show today. That's how important this relationship is. Why
this show is key because individuals like him. But when
he told me his story about financial literacy, that the
reason this business is here to create final financial literacy
(15:42):
and currency respect from for his boys. Talk to us
about that.
Speaker 1 (15:46):
Marcus, absolutely, absolutely, But before I do, I just want
to mention the way we met. That's God's hands on
this thing, right, because I'm not supposed to meet you
in that way. It's just God moving. But my two sons,
So in twenty nineteen, I had a seventeen year old
(16:08):
and a fourteen year old two boys playing competitive baseball.
In fact, one played Division one baseball and the other
it's actually a top rated cheer athlete at dav University.
But they were both playing baseball at the time, and
(16:29):
we were buying bashs for three and four hundred dollars
and gloves for two three hundred dollars. And I don't
think they understood that where money came from. That I
have to go to work, and that little machine we
go to and get money out of you have to
put something in there. And these little magic cards, these
(16:49):
credit cards are you really have to pay bills? So
I said, you know what, I have two fantastic boys.
It's time for them to really understand business and to
learn how to earn money, how to save money, how
to invest money, how to give money away in a
(17:11):
charitable way. So I said, you know what, we're going
to start to save that business. And they were super exciting.
I said, guys, look, we're going to be entrepreneurs in
this business. We're going to do it together, and the
money we make, we'll get a chance to divide it
up and you'll earn money now so you can buy
the things that you want. Wow. And so yeah, So
(17:32):
that was why, because I felt like they needed to
understand how money worked, and if that was the best
lesson once they learned that lesson, if snowy Atlanta didn't
do anything else to teach them and the hundreds of
people who've worked for us along the way, how to
earn money, particularly young people who never had an opportunity
(17:58):
to be in a business and to see a business
owner that looked like me. I remember going to a school,
never forget this, an elementary school, and this young black kid,
young man, probably in the third grade, and he looked
up at me he said, is this your business? I said, yes, sir,
(18:19):
it is. He said, wow. And the impact right there.
Who knows what that is? Who knows what that will be?
But I was able to spend a minute with him
to say, hey, you can have one like this. He said,
I can. I said, of course. If you do well
in school, if you listen to your teachers and your
(18:40):
parents and work hard, why not you can do this too.
So I realized that it was a deeper calling. And
I still feel like that deeper calling on what I'm doing.
And I don't even know what it is yet, what
it all is yet, I'm just trying to be obedient
and do what I think God wants me to do
(19:01):
in this business. So well, we'll tell you something market
that answered it.
Speaker 2 (19:05):
Oh, absolutely, Well, it's trying to make that big announcement man,
about what's going to happen to your business.
Speaker 1 (19:12):
One of my goals was to expand with the Atlanta Braves,
and just didn't know how that was going to happen.
And what I realized was that I didn't have to
know how that was going to happen because it was
already being ordered by higher power. So where's only going
to be in Truest Park for the Atlanta Braves. They're
(19:34):
building some new areas there. So the particulars we don't
have turned out, but just super excited.
Speaker 2 (19:42):
Wow, you know, you know, I go back to this story.
Unfortunately you delivered that sad story about the early death
of your dad, And I think about now that your
son's You built this business to inspire your son is
to understand financial literacy, and now you are that young kid.
(20:02):
Now I can tell you for a fact that kids
remember I remember stuff. I remember I remember things all
the way back to my sister sticking me with a
diaper a diaper pin. Okay, I remember that, I've tad,
I remember stuff now and uh so. Uh But but
the reality is is that you're representing a community. A
(20:24):
lot of people say is an it's not normal, but
it is normal. And that's the whole thing about this conversation.
That's the reason I have this show, Money Making Conversations,
Masacolact so people can hear about you. Hear about how
you're translating and creating legacy. Hear about how your brand
is being accepted at one of the more prominent sports
brand in the country. That's the land break. Let me
(20:47):
tell you something over Atlanta. If you guys know anything
about Atlanta, they don't need no vendors at Truest Park.
That stadium is sold out every game. It is one
of the more it's incredible life experience of the whole layout.
The way I've created is like a giant eat eat,
a throng and festival around outside and inside that facility. Now,
(21:11):
when you make a decision to go like that, what's
the next steps in your life with your business, with
your sons, with your wife, and how you're moving forward
with the business of snow Atlanta.
Speaker 1 (21:20):
Marcus, Yeah, No, that's a great question. I would say
getting there will require discipline and being very consistent, which
we work hard over the last five years to be.
And that's something that I've always expressed to my kids
(21:42):
that nothing will come easy. Nobody owes you anything. You're
going to work for every You may not get everything
you work for, but you will work for everything you get.
And that's how it's brought up. So now going into
tru as par the goal is to absolutely create a legacy.
(22:04):
It is to create an environment. And I want to
be a benefit the Truest Park because Truest Park is
not having me in there because I'm good looking, which
I don't know.
Speaker 3 (22:24):
But I believe with everything in me that Truest Park.
Speaker 1 (22:30):
They're having us in there because we're going to add value.
We're going to do something that no one else can.
We're going to create a product offering that will be
desirable to the masses. My goal is for kids to
want to go to a Braves game, not only to
see the braves. That's important, that's why you're going, But
(22:54):
I want that other underlying reason to be I'm gonna
go and get a snowy and I'm to have an
experience and I'm going to get to make my own creation.
And so it's the product offering, it's how we're going
to deliver it. And ultimately, again my goal is to
even increase attendance at Truths at Truest Park for the
(23:15):
Atlanta Braves. I want I want to I want to
add value, right, I don't want you to just have
us in there. I want to add value. So at
the end of it all, at the end of the year,
of the end of three or four years, they look
back and we've become a staple and Truist park.
Speaker 2 (23:33):
I know you do a lot of catering, uh your
food trucks. Tell everybody how they can reach out to you,
that Marcus absolutely.
Speaker 1 (23:40):
So you can reach out to us by going to
www dot Snowing. That's s n O W I e
A t L dot com again that snowya t L
dot com. Or our phone number is six seven eight
(24:02):
three zero four nine five seven seven. And we do
a ton of fundraising. We're at so many different local
high schools and elementaries for kids fundays. So that's one
of the pieces that brings joy to me as well.
When we get to write a check back to a
(24:22):
school or church, our nonprofit organization that's doing something for
the community. That's just that's just session good.
Speaker 2 (24:31):
Hey Marcus, thank you man for coming on my show.
This has been Money Making Conversation masterclads with me Rashaun McDonald.
Thanks to our guests and our audience. Visit Moneymakingconversations dot
com to listen or register it to be a guest
on my show. Keep leading with your gifts, keep winning
Hi.
Speaker 2 (00:00):
I am Rashan McDonald, a host the weekly Money Making
Conversation Masterclass show. The interviews and information that this show
provides are for everyone. It's time to stop reading other
people's success stories and start living your own. If you
want to be a guest on my show, please visit
our website, Moneymaking Conversations dot com and click the be
a Guest button. Chris Submit and information will come directly
(00:23):
to me. Now let's get this show started. My nexty
has left a successful career as the VP of Field
Supervision at a large financial services firm to launch a
small business called Snowy Atlanta. Snow Wee Atlanta. They serve
mouth watering shaved ice that you can top with many
(00:44):
different flavors. Already sounds good. Please welcome to Money Making
Conversations Masterclass. Marcus Sony Marcus. Did I see your last
name correct? Sanya?
Speaker 1 (00:55):
Yes?
Speaker 2 (00:57):
Okay, cool? You know it's it's n N I E R.
You know he one of them brothers.
Speaker 1 (01:01):
Man?
Speaker 2 (01:01):
You know, I know, I though, Man. You know I'm Rashon,
Ris Rich. You know Rashon. People say, is that rush
you knows Rashan little layer? Macha son Ye? How you
doing brother, tell me about this business man. You went
from the corporate world and now you're doing shaved ice. Now,
the first time I experienced shaved ice, I was in
(01:22):
New Orleans and they have this place in New Orleans
where people will line up around the corner to get
this shaved ice. So what exactly is shaved ice? Help
me out with that.
Speaker 1 (01:33):
Yeah, So, first of all, thanks for having me on
your show. Appreciates honor to be on the show. So
shaved ice originated in Hawaii. So it's a way to
shave ice in a fine, almost snow like manner, and
you get to top it with different flavors of your choice,
(01:55):
and it's just it's fantastic in the summertime. Are you
in the winter time?
Speaker 2 (02:00):
We had learned, right, So, like I've had this now,
you know, growing up because I'm from the hood. Now,
I had a version of this. You know, they they
beat up the ice. It wasn't shaved and then they
put that that that yellow in that red and grape
you know. I you know, I was happy, brother. They
weren't ice cream, but it was icey, but it wasn't
(02:22):
saved ice. I was just happy. That guy going in
the back and he'd just be breaking up that ice
man and getting it as fine as he could. That's
the version of saved ice that I grew up on.
Speaker 1 (02:32):
Now, yes, well, I was gonna say, we have a
machine that does it a lot better than that guy.
And what makes our product really unique that you get
to create your own version. Right, So instead of just
having one or two flavors that you can select from,
(02:52):
you get to dispense the flavors yourself. So you get
to put as much as little and make any combination
that you would like. Has been a hit?
Speaker 2 (03:02):
Now you now you say it's you know it originated
in Hawaii? Where did you have an experience that you
went this? I liked it. This is something I want
to not so much to be an entrepreneur, but it
became a flavor that you are deserve, a go to
for you. What were you when you first experienced it?
Speaker 1 (03:18):
So I grew up in Losaete, Louisiana, and similar to
New Orleans, we had a snowball all of there snowball
stand on every other corner. So growing up, it was
a part of life, going to the snowball stand anytime
you had some extra money. Because I grew up in
(03:39):
in the hood too. So anytime you had a few
extra nickels, you would take me stand and just have
the best time.
Speaker 2 (03:48):
And it was because they had that old machine, that
old see see he has he has that modern machine.
Marcus has that modern machine. God bless him me. He's
an entrepreneur and everything. But the machine he grew up
on that was that old ice machine. Boy, it's shaved.
It's so fine, that big old thing sitting in the back. Man,
it would just be they put a block of ice
on top and they just shaving shaved. Am I telling you,
(04:11):
I'm telling you the truth?
Speaker 1 (04:11):
Correct? Oh, we were going to the same place. I'm sure,
very similar place. Absolutely labor intensive.
Speaker 2 (04:19):
And uh it was labor intensive. And but boy, when
you got it, man and they and you go, you go, okay,
I want to I want the grape, I want the strawberry.
Can I get three flavors? I get? I always got
the three flavors. Man, I got the lemon, I got
the strawberry, and I got the grape. And then I
eat Then I got to eat it. Then my lips,
my lips would be all the colors. It'd be grape
(04:40):
on one side, my tongue would be red boy. I'll
tell you, I'm just bringing back memories, man, because that's
what you served.
Speaker 1 (04:46):
You served memories, right, Marcus, Absolutely, absolutely, So this is
a byproduct for servant smiles. We always say we give
away the shaved ice, but we sell you the smiles.
It's the experience that we work hard to create. And
just a little bit about why that experience is so important.
(05:09):
When I was a little bit about my background, when
I was three and a half years old, my father
passed away and I was the baby boy of five
children that my mom and dad had. So I was
that oops kid after thirteen years from the last kid
(05:30):
I was there. My mom or dad would never admit it,
of course. So we would go to Borton's ice Cream
in Lafayette, Louisiana, or we would go to a snowball
stand and he would sit me on the top of
(05:52):
the car with my ice cream or snow cone. And
I always remember, even at a young age, how special
that family time was. And by my dad being taken
away so early in my life, I always had a void.
And by starting this business, I realized I'm able to
(06:17):
create those moments every day. Wow, hundreds of times a day,
and I get to watch families thank you so much.
I get to watch families do what we did. And
it's a special feeling that you can't buy. You just
can't buy it when you experience a father or father
(06:39):
and mother and kids after a baseball game or whatever
it was, having that moment together. Because with the connection
of phones and iPads, we always have a device in
our hands. But when you're eating shaved ice, you need
both hands. You need one hand for the cup of
shade ice fantasy extic flavors. But then you eat your
(07:02):
other hand or soon, and that means you can't have
a device in your hand. So those two to five minutes,
it's an organic connection between a family members and it's
magical because those moments we just don't get very often.
Speaker 2 (07:23):
Now, wow, we're talking to Marcus Sanier. You know he
owns a small business in Atlanta, Georgia called Snowy Atlanta. Now,
I Rader's resume. He has a business degree and he
went to an HBCU in bad Uge Southern University. He's
a jaguar. He's a jaguar. Everybody blue and gold. Now
(07:44):
you wanted to be just a career man a forty
hour week guy, Now you're an entrepreneur. How went to
tell people you work in eighty hours when you used
to work forty? Okay, now what made that shift in
your mind to say, you know, some want to be
an entrepreneur, I'm successful at being a corporate person. But
(08:07):
what started making that shift for you? Because there's a
lot of people listening to this show or where you
were at and don't know, don't do their fear and
I know faith played a major role in your decision.
Let's talk about that.
Speaker 1 (08:23):
No, that's a great question. So, very successful career at
a very large financial services company, getting to the point
of a vice president, as you mentioned, But what I
would see in corporate America was how quickly that job
(08:45):
could be taken away from you. And there aren't many
weeks that go by that. I don't speak to someone
I know who hadn't been laid off from a really
good job in corporate America. Jobs they thought they would
retire from jobs where they were treated very well, performing
very well, and then one day you get a call saying, hey,
(09:09):
don't come into the office today. You've been downsized, replaced,
whatever fancy word you want to use. So I always
mentioned to my wife that I never wanted to be
in that situation. I wanted to work toward moving away
from that situation and being more self reliant. So I
(09:33):
took the leap and I said, you know what, I'm
going to start snowing Atlanta. Now. I worked my corporate
job along with building this business for five years. So
some of the advice that I would share with your listeners,
it's not easy to just jump out and start your
(09:57):
entrepreneurial path without maintaining what you do currently. Some people can.
Some people have the financial back end and that's fantastic.
But for me, I needed to work both jobs well
the job and follow my passion at the same time
(10:17):
until it became obvious that, okay, this this is really
a real business. And I looked at my wife and
I said, hey, I'm getting one more bonus check and
then I'm I'm jumping out the plane. I'm gonna get
one more bonus chet and then I'm jumping out. That's
the Harvey's phrase. I'm jumping out the plane and I
(10:41):
feel comfortable about what's going to happen afterwards. So that
was my leader.
Speaker 2 (10:46):
So is your idea are you working full time basically
started gradually becoming a full time role doing weekend stuff.
Was where was your company at at that point? Did
you have a food truck or well you're just doing weekends.
Did you have equipment? Where were you at when you
jumped at that plane? As far as.
Speaker 1 (11:06):
Assets, okay, initially are after or after five years?
Speaker 2 (11:12):
After five years?
Speaker 1 (11:14):
Okay, So after five years we had developed six different
units that included two vans and we have fourced stationary
units that well, one lives at our Minor League stadium
here at Cooery Field, the one that Striper's and then
replaced the other ones at other parks and at other events.
(11:37):
So we were positioned well enough at that point. After
five years, we had leased the space for all of
our equipment to live in and the business was continuing
to grow organically, word of mouth. We we were just growing.
We were growing, and God basically had a conversation with
(12:00):
me and he said, okay, it's time. He said, you know,
it's time to do it. And that's where the faith
part was huge, because I didn't know. You can't read
the future, and that's where faith comes in. And after
taking that leap, I could feel God in my spirit saying,
(12:25):
oh you trust me, you really do. And then he
just started laying out the next steps. He started putting
people in my path. For Sean that it's no way
I could have had the people lay a path out
the wads and laid had it not been Forgot himself
(12:46):
putting his hands on my shoulders. And that's what I feel.
Speaker 2 (12:51):
Well, I feel you're stating accurately, but I also want
to put in this man had a business plan. Okay,
he had a business plan. Yeah, you know, he didn't
jump out there year one. He started putting together a
business plan. That's why ask him when you left, when
you made that jump, that leap leap of faith because
a lot of people use that word leap of faith.
(13:12):
Where were you at?
Speaker 1 (13:13):
Man?
Speaker 2 (13:14):
Say, I got six six vehicles that was at the
minor league stadium. I was leasing that spaces all while
he was maintaining his full time job. So there was
a plan in place. Now he's gonna tell you actually
why he started this company. He has two young boys.
They're not young no more because they're hardworking. But this
(13:34):
is why he actually started this business. We come back
from this break, you're gonna hear why don't go anywhere.
We will be right back with more insights from money
Making Conversations Masterclass. Welcome back to money Making Conversation master
Class hosted by me Rashaan McDonald. Money Making Conversation Master
(13:56):
Class continues online at Moneymaking Conversations dot com and follow
money Making Conversation master Class on Facebook, X and Instagram.
A small business called snow Wee so n w Ie Atlanta.
They served mouth water and shaved ice that you can
top with many, many different flavors. We've lived those moments,
and I'm gonna tell you how I met this young brother.
(14:18):
I was at the n ms DC conference that was
in Atlanta, Big o'cnference, and I saw a person I
saw in a long time, and I thought that was
Magic Johnson. And it wasn't Magic Johnson. A good friend
of mine named Donovan, and he walked past me and
then he stopped and talked to Marcus, and then I
still didn't really recognize him at all, and then he
(14:40):
waved back at me, and then we came over, and
that is how I met Marcus.
Speaker 1 (14:43):
Correct, Marcus, that is exactly right. So Donah was a
good friend of mine, and we saw you in the
distance and Donovan he said, is that Mashon? And I
looked at Donovan and I said, you know, Rashan and
he was like, man, that's my buddy. And you know,
I was like, yeah right. And so he walked up
(15:05):
to you. You guys greeted each other that you've been
knowing each other.
Speaker 2 (15:11):
And I didn't recognize that magic, and we were just
laughing about it. And and and so when I told Marcus,
I told Marcus, I want you.
Speaker 1 (15:20):
On my show.
Speaker 2 (15:20):
He went, really, yeah, your entrepreneur, I want you on
my show. He said, you're kidding right now, He's on
my show today. That's how important this relationship is. Why
this show is key because individuals like him. But when
he told me his story about financial literacy, that the
reason this business is here to create final financial literacy
(15:42):
and currency respect from for his boys. Talk to us
about that.
Speaker 1 (15:46):
Marcus, absolutely, absolutely, But before I do, I just want
to mention the way we met. That's God's hands on
this thing, right, because I'm not supposed to meet you
in that way. It's just God moving. But my two sons,
So in twenty nineteen, I had a seventeen year old
(16:08):
and a fourteen year old two boys playing competitive baseball.
In fact, one played Division one baseball and the other
it's actually a top rated cheer athlete at dav University.
But they were both playing baseball at the time, and
(16:29):
we were buying bashs for three and four hundred dollars
and gloves for two three hundred dollars. And I don't
think they understood that where money came from. That I
have to go to work, and that little machine we
go to and get money out of you have to
put something in there. And these little magic cards, these
(16:49):
credit cards are you really have to pay bills? So
I said, you know what, I have two fantastic boys.
It's time for them to really understand business and to
learn how to earn money, how to save money, how
to invest money, how to give money away in a
(17:11):
charitable way. So I said, you know what, we're going
to start to save that business. And they were super exciting.
I said, guys, look, we're going to be entrepreneurs in
this business. We're going to do it together, and the
money we make, we'll get a chance to divide it
up and you'll earn money now so you can buy
the things that you want. Wow. And so yeah, So
(17:32):
that was why, because I felt like they needed to
understand how money worked, and if that was the best
lesson once they learned that lesson, if snowy Atlanta didn't
do anything else to teach them and the hundreds of
people who've worked for us along the way, how to
earn money, particularly young people who never had an opportunity
(17:58):
to be in a business and to see a business
owner that looked like me. I remember going to a school,
never forget this, an elementary school, and this young black kid,
young man, probably in the third grade, and he looked
up at me he said, is this your business? I said, yes, sir,
(18:19):
it is. He said, wow. And the impact right there.
Who knows what that is? Who knows what that will be?
But I was able to spend a minute with him
to say, hey, you can have one like this. He said,
I can. I said, of course. If you do well
in school, if you listen to your teachers and your
(18:40):
parents and work hard, why not you can do this too.
So I realized that it was a deeper calling. And
I still feel like that deeper calling on what I'm doing.
And I don't even know what it is yet, what
it all is yet, I'm just trying to be obedient
and do what I think God wants me to do
(19:01):
in this business. So well, we'll tell you something market
that answered it.
Speaker 2 (19:05):
Oh, absolutely, Well, it's trying to make that big announcement man,
about what's going to happen to your business.
Speaker 1 (19:12):
One of my goals was to expand with the Atlanta Braves,
and just didn't know how that was going to happen.
And what I realized was that I didn't have to
know how that was going to happen because it was
already being ordered by higher power. So where's only going
to be in Truest Park for the Atlanta Braves. They're
(19:34):
building some new areas there. So the particulars we don't
have turned out, but just super excited.
Speaker 2 (19:42):
Wow, you know, you know, I go back to this story.
Unfortunately you delivered that sad story about the early death
of your dad, And I think about now that your
son's You built this business to inspire your son is
to understand financial literacy, and now you are that young kid.
(20:02):
Now I can tell you for a fact that kids
remember I remember stuff. I remember I remember things all
the way back to my sister sticking me with a
diaper a diaper pin. Okay, I remember that, I've tad,
I remember stuff now and uh so. Uh But but
the reality is is that you're representing a community. A
(20:24):
lot of people say is an it's not normal, but
it is normal. And that's the whole thing about this conversation.
That's the reason I have this show, Money Making Conversations,
Masacolact so people can hear about you. Hear about how
you're translating and creating legacy. Hear about how your brand
is being accepted at one of the more prominent sports
brand in the country. That's the land break. Let me
(20:47):
tell you something over Atlanta. If you guys know anything
about Atlanta, they don't need no vendors at Truest Park.
That stadium is sold out every game. It is one
of the more it's incredible life experience of the whole layout.
The way I've created is like a giant eat eat,
a throng and festival around outside and inside that facility. Now,
(21:11):
when you make a decision to go like that, what's
the next steps in your life with your business, with
your sons, with your wife, and how you're moving forward
with the business of snow Atlanta.
Speaker 1 (21:20):
Marcus, Yeah, No, that's a great question. I would say
getting there will require discipline and being very consistent, which
we work hard over the last five years to be.
And that's something that I've always expressed to my kids
(21:42):
that nothing will come easy. Nobody owes you anything. You're
going to work for every You may not get everything
you work for, but you will work for everything you get.
And that's how it's brought up. So now going into
tru as par the goal is to absolutely create a legacy.
(22:04):
It is to create an environment. And I want to
be a benefit the Truest Park because Truest Park is
not having me in there because I'm good looking, which
I don't know.
Speaker 3 (22:24):
But I believe with everything in me that Truest Park.
Speaker 1 (22:30):
They're having us in there because we're going to add value.
We're going to do something that no one else can.
We're going to create a product offering that will be
desirable to the masses. My goal is for kids to
want to go to a Braves game, not only to
see the braves. That's important, that's why you're going, But
(22:54):
I want that other underlying reason to be I'm gonna
go and get a snowy and I'm to have an
experience and I'm going to get to make my own creation.
And so it's the product offering, it's how we're going
to deliver it. And ultimately, again my goal is to
even increase attendance at Truths at Truest Park for the
(23:15):
Atlanta Braves. I want I want to I want to
add value, right, I don't want you to just have
us in there. I want to add value. So at
the end of it all, at the end of the year,
of the end of three or four years, they look
back and we've become a staple and Truist park.
Speaker 2 (23:33):
I know you do a lot of catering, uh your
food trucks. Tell everybody how they can reach out to you,
that Marcus absolutely.
Speaker 1 (23:40):
So you can reach out to us by going to
www dot Snowing. That's s n O W I e
A t L dot com again that snowya t L
dot com. Or our phone number is six seven eight
(24:02):
three zero four nine five seven seven. And we do
a ton of fundraising. We're at so many different local
high schools and elementaries for kids fundays. So that's one
of the pieces that brings joy to me as well.
When we get to write a check back to a
(24:22):
school or church, our nonprofit organization that's doing something for
the community. That's just that's just session good.
Speaker 2 (24:31):
Hey Marcus, thank you man for coming on my show.
This has been Money Making Conversation masterclads with me Rashaun McDonald.
Thanks to our guests and our audience. Visit Moneymakingconversations dot
com to listen or register it to be a guest
on my show. Keep leading with your gifts, keep winning
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