From dry cleaning to frosty delights, Albert Suh's entrepreneurial path is as unique as the Bingsoo he crafts at Frostails Korean Dessert House. This episode takes you behind the scenes with the charismatic founder and CEO, where he shares his kaleidoscopic journey—encompassing his Korean heritage, the 2002 World Cup, and the challenges of changing industries—to create a dessert haven in Gilbert, Arizona. Experience the passion and dedication that goes into melding cultures and flavors, as Albert reveals how he adapted the traditional Korean Bingsoo to enchant American palates, transforming a cozy corner in Verde at Cooley Station into a dessert destination.
Albert insists that the heart of any business lies within genuine interactions and creating a space that feels like home to the community. As you listen, you'll gather insights on how pivotal customer service and engagement are to cultivating die-hard fans and ensuring business endurance. The story of Frostails is not just about ice and sweet treats; it's about nurturing relationships, overcoming the odds to find the perfect location, and the resolve to establish a brand that stands out even in the challenging tapestry of new ventures.
Navigating the business landscape as a minority entrepreneur, Albert lays bare the adversities he has faced, from confronting prejudice to the complexities of securing funding. His narrative is a powerful reminder of the resilience and confidence needed to forge success in the face of adversity. Join us as Albert shares his aspirations for expansion, the value of a strong social media presence, and the joy he finds in building a business that not only serves delectable desserts but also fosters a sense of community and belonging. His inspiring tale is a masterclass for anyone looking to make their mark in the world of entrepreneurship while staying true to their roots and values.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
You're tuned in to the Grit and Grow podcast.
Welcome back to the Grit andGrow podcast here today to help
us answer the question how doesa minority entrepreneur find
success in the frozen dessertindustry?
He's founder and CEO of FrostTales Korean Dessert House in
(00:22):
Gilbert Arizona.
Albert Suh, welcome to the show, thank you.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
Welcome, Albert.
Yeah, thank you for having me.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
I'm excited.
It's awesome having you here.
Speaker 3 (00:30):
Yeah, we're excited.
So you've got quite abackground.
You've been in dry cleaning andthen you're a taekwondo
instructor.
I understand, correct.
You've got a lot of coolexperiences leading up to Frost
Tales.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
Yes, you've got a lot of cool experiences leading up
to Frosthales.
Yes, I've been in a smallbusiness for a long time
technically the dry cleaningbusiness since 97 and then, when
I came out to Arizona forcollege, I decided to open one
up during my college years, justbecause that's what I knew how
to do and I needed money, so Ifigured that's the best thing to
do so we met.
Speaker 1 (01:03):
so Albert was my dry cleaner for years and years and
I remember the stories that youwould tell me about.
Man, I've been thinking aboutdoing this.
I have this idea in the back ofmy mind.
When I'm ready, I'm going totell you more.
And I'd keep coming back and Iwanted to hear more and more,
and it was just unfolding overtime and years went by until you
and then you finally were likethis is what I'm getting ready
(01:25):
to do.
I'm going to roll out this,this custom, brand new business.
No one's ever seen anythinglike it in the United States and
tell us a little bit more aboutyour concept.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
Yeah, so I.
The idea came in college in2007.
I said I wouldn't do it unlessI had money to throw around.
It does take a lot of money todo a new startup, branding,
marketing.
There's a lot involved.
And then about 2018 is when Istarted to fully implement that.
I'm ready for it and obviouslyCOVID happened, so that kind of
(01:56):
delayed it.
However, I still pushed throughit, and then in 2022 is when I
opened it in October.
Um, yeah.
Speaker 3 (02:08):
I want to know the genesis of the idea, though.
So what were you doing?
Where were you like?
How did this idea come to you?
Speaker 2 (02:15):
Okay, so I've been born a current American.
I'm proud of my heritage, but Iwill say I was not proud to be
a Korean up until the 2002 WorldCup.
So for the longest time Iconsidered myself an American,
which I am, but I didn't likeKoreans, I didn't like Asians.
I was white.
I like wearing Abercrombie andFitch wearing a North Face
(02:36):
backpack J Crew.
That was my thing After theWorld Cup.
I was like, wow, that's cool,that's my country, I'm in the
World Cup.
I was like, wow, that's cool,that's my country On the World
Cup, the largest stage forsoccer.
Then I started to understand myculture, I started to
appreciate it more and that'swhen I go.
For all those years that I'vehated on my country, I should
probably pay it back.
(02:57):
So then in college I wasfiguring out what I can do.
Maybe do this type of dish orthat type of dish, but I also
had to take into considerationwhere I want to find employees.
How is it going to be training?
I took everything intoconsideration.
So I would say, one restaurantnot doing it, too many people
involved and just too manyvariables to go wrong as far as
(03:19):
a restaurant business, and it'sexpensive.
Then the dessert business, whichis Bingsoo, which is the
biggest dessert in Korea.
So here we have ice creamBingsoo.
Bingsoo, yes, it's a Koreansnow dessert.
So I go, wow, that wouldprobably be my best route of
paying back to Korea.
And so I was trying to figureout what's the best way, what's
(03:39):
the best of both cultures, ofAmerican culture, korean culture
.
Make it easy on my employees.
Just a lot of things going atit.
So probably towards my yeah, Iwould say my last semester of
college is when I wanted to giveit a go.
But then I realized, yeah, Ireally can't, if I want to fully
do it correctly, you can't kindof half-ass it.
Speaker 1 (04:00):
You have to do it.
Speaker 2 (04:01):
You're going to do it correctly.
So I still have the notes fromthem in college.
I found it probably five yearsago, that's awesome From 2007?
Yes, I jotted everything downand it was cool.
Actually, in 2007, I worked atStarbucks for seven weeks to
understand their businessconcept, because I firmly
(04:21):
believe they still have a greatbusiness model, as much as
people hate on Starbucks.
Speaker 3 (04:26):
Where do you go?
I don't hate on Starbucks.
I still go there a lot.
Speaker 2 (04:30):
It's a comfort thing you know what you're going to
get.
You know what to get.
There's something for everyone.
You don't have to like coffeeto go there.
You can get a pastry.
Speaker 1 (04:39):
It's an experience People know you Exactly so it
was.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
How can I implement that into a Korean style?
I feel like you've done that.
Speaker 1 (04:48):
Yep, so that thing.
I've been to Albert's place,I've been to Frost Hills.
I've tried the Bing Su.
It is amazing.
It's unlike anything I've everhad here.
As far as like Americandesserts, ice cream we're big
ice cream people, but nothinglike what you've come up with
the snow is actually yogurt soI've traditional bingsu is
(05:11):
shaved ice and then they didmilk snow.
Speaker 2 (05:14):
And then for me, how can I make it healthier?
Speaker 3 (05:16):
so.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
I have yogurt powder from Korea and yummier so
healthy, yummy.
so that is our most popular.
I call it a base, so yogurtbase, but we also do a vanilla
snow as well as a chocolate snow.
And then you can add differentsauces.
Right, and all our sauces arefrom Korea as well.
We have caramel, chocolate,citron, which is like a lemon.
(05:36):
We have mango, strawberry,green grape and grapefruit.
So we have seven differentsauces you can add.
And then the fruits you can add.
We have blueberries, cherries,mangoes, pineapples and
strawberries.
Those are not from Korea, thoseare either from the US or
Mexico, but they're all organic.
(05:56):
So everything is top of theline.
So that's our bingsu.
Speaker 1 (06:02):
That's our most popular item.
You have a whole series ofdrinks as well sodas, correct.
I think you had me sample asoda.
I was there for like hours oneday and was like I was at a
sugar rush by the time I left.
You can get trapped.
I was, but I didn't want toleave.
It wasn't a trap, it was like Iactually have to go.
Now I have to go.
I can't have another item here.
(06:24):
It was so good though.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
We make Korean coffee drinks.
They've been really popular nowthat I'm very proud of what we
can push out.
The coffees are very popular.
The other day a family in townfor a wedding from the south, I
think, like Louisiana orMississippi one person got
coffee.
Another person came and saidcan I get the same thing?
(06:47):
Another member of the family,can I get that coffee too?
Speaker 3 (06:49):
So we had four cups of coffee, so we got coffee.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
We have frappuccinos using same thing Korean
ingredients.
The sodas are very popular.
We did events at ASU Poly wherewe'd make 400 sodas at a time,
so that was awesome.
And then we also at ASU Polywhere we'd make 400 sodas at a
time, so that was awesome.
Speaker 1 (07:05):
Oh my gosh.
Speaker 2 (07:06):
And then we also had non-carbonated drinks and also
hot drinks, so literally justlike Starbucks whatever you
create we got something foreveryone, and then, on top of
that, we also have Korean chips,we have Korean noodles, korean
bacon.
Speaker 1 (07:20):
And these are all like imported snacks, right?
Like different things.
Everything is from.
Speaker 2 (07:24):
Korea Literally everything, even our bottle
water from Korea.
Speaker 1 (07:30):
Thank you for that.
By the way, it is very good, soI don't.
Speaker 2 (07:33):
I won't substitute anything or anything that I can
get my hands on.
I will make sure it's fromKorea, right, my house, my
literally my shop, says Koreandessert house.
A lot of Asian restaurants,asian businesses will mix
Japanese and Korean culture andChinese.
Not with me.
If it's not from Korea, I'm notgoing to carry it.
Speaker 3 (07:52):
That's cool and so tell our listeners how you
accomplish that, what youactually do, the lengths you go
to to make sure that this is thecase.
So it is hard.
Speaker 2 (08:02):
I'm dealing with these big companies, right?
These are the biggest of bigcompanies in Korea.
I'm the small fish in the sea.
I have to.
I have a way with words.
I'm able to massage them, givethem my pitch on what I'm trying
to do.
A lot of the stuff, or amajority of the stuff that you
see in my store will be fromgrocery stores.
(08:23):
You can't get it at aconvenience store or Walgreens.
So I told them this is aconcept that I want to put out.
Why not have it be like aconvenience store in America
selling individual items?
And I like that idea.
They gave me a shot.
Next thing, you know I'm buyingmore and more product.
Now they realize I'm a revenuestream for them.
(08:45):
And then, perfect example, oneof the items that I wanted to
carry was all in Korean.
I told them, in order for me tocarry it, it has to be in
English.
Six months later, hey, we havethat product in English now.
Do you want to carry it?
Speaker 1 (08:59):
Yeah, and that's been a hot item right now.
Speaker 2 (09:02):
That's good.
And what is that?
So it's a sour candy.
Okay, american culture we lovesour stuff.
We do.
Even though we hate it, we, welove it maybe we all squint, but
we like it, so I carry it, andthey've been, you know, flying
off the shelf.
Speaker 1 (09:17):
So, albert, you're your second generation korean,
is that right?
Speaker 2 (09:20):
yeah, my parents, yeah, my parents came over here
and then I was born here, okay,yeah.
Speaker 1 (09:25):
And your whole family worked together then in the dry
cleaning business, correct?
Speaker 2 (09:30):
So in New Jersey, that's where I grew up, that's
where the dry cleaning businesswas.
I would work there beforeschool and after school.
That's why I knew the business.
Got to college, started my own,told my parents to sell theirs
to come here.
Speaker 1 (09:42):
Obviously I'm an only child they want to be closer to
me, so technically they'reworking for me for the last
decade and a half or so, so Iwas paying them on payroll so
how do you, how do you go fromthis entirely service-based
business like, yes, there'scustomers involved, but there's
really not, there's really noproduct per se?
I mean, there's some correctservice-based product that you
(10:05):
had, like the lockers and thingslike that, but to go from this
entirely service-based businessto now you're in the business of
fun and providing some sort ofentertainment, so to speak, to
bring joy to people, are youfinding that fulfillment in that
as well?
Speaker 2 (10:26):
It's more fulfillment than I thought.
Okay, so originally I just wastrying to introduce culture to
Gilbert, to the non-Asians orpeople that have never had
bingsu before.
But when I see the little kidor even the parents, one bite in
and they're just blown away orsome profanity, saying this is
the most amazing, whatever right.
(10:46):
That brings a lot moreenjoyment and no disrespect to
my dry cleaning business.
I love the two.
I have great customers and theystill reach out to me.
They visit my shop as well.
We miss you I hear that often Isee reviews that will say that
they miss me.
Yeah, it's a different businessand it was definitely more than
(11:08):
I calculated.
I thought it's just anotherbusiness.
Speaker 1 (11:12):
No, big deal, but there's so many details.
So just kind of moving into theconcept aspect, this segment of
our show, we wanted to kind ofjust discuss taking this concept
from just the concept to bringit to reality.
And now you've got a, a brandand a product from scratch,
(11:33):
correct?
Speaker 3 (11:35):
Can I ask a question before?
Speaker 1 (11:36):
we actually go there.
Speaker 3 (11:37):
What I'm what I'm trying to.
What I would like to understandis is how did the dry cleaning
business that experience?
How has that informed howyou're going about building?
Speaker 2 (11:47):
FrostTales.
Speaker 3 (11:48):
Because you had talked to us previously about
basically being intentional,about taking your time before
trying to launch a new businessbuilding up a capital base,
making sure you have the cash tomake it work.
So maybe talk a little bitabout that first, and then we
can definitely drill down intothe FrostTales concept, which is
(12:09):
awesome.
How did being the owner of adry cleaning business prepare
you for what you're doing now?
Speaker 2 (12:19):
So with any business I've always said, if it's a
product or a service or whatever, customer service is number one
.
Perfect example is foodbusiness you can have the
shittiest food, but if you havea great experience you're going
to come back.
Perfect example is Asianbusiness Great food but shitty
service.
People don't want to go backBecause at the end of the day,
(12:40):
and especially in Americanculture, we love our experiences
, and that's what I look at Drycleaning too.
I realize people didn't comefor the product.
I mean, yes, our product wasgreat and everything, but they
like the fact that they can talkto me about whatever they're
going on in their life.
Speaker 1 (12:54):
You made it personal, correct.
Speaker 2 (12:56):
And there was a connection there.
Speaker 1 (12:58):
I mean, obviously we still have it going today.
Speaker 2 (13:01):
Correct, so same thing with Starbucks going today
.
Correct, so same thing withStarbucks.
That's where I learned right,yes, you're getting a cup of
coffee.
My first thing that I learnedis the interaction is important
because out of their house,their first interaction with
someone would be your barista.
Right, you can make or breaksomeone's day Just even saying
hello, how are you?
Simple thing like that will getsomeone to react.
(13:21):
Wait, did you just ask me howmy day is?
I get that too.
At my dry cleaners andFrostails.
I've had people just look at melike you just asked me how I'm
doing.
They were surprised by youasking the question.
Because we're so glued to ourphone.
We don't talk to people.
So that got me ready from drycleaners to Frostails was the
(13:44):
fact that it's kind of the samething.
I wanted to create thatexperience, but now I was
providing something edible,something that was a bigger
audience.
Dry cleaning is a very nichebusiness, especially the concept
that I had you had to have somedisposable income to be a
customer, whereas my desserteveryone loves dessert.
(14:05):
So that was what also intriguedme going from dry cleaning to
that is I was able to grow theaudience, reach out to more
people, because, at the end ofthe day, my goal is to give
people a good experience andthat's what I wanted to do as
far as Frostails is to provide agood experience, bring some
(14:25):
culture.
So the dry cleaning did prepareme, not only monetarily to get
into Frostails, but whatever Idid there as far as building a
fan base, that's what I was ableto do with this new business as
well, and that's why I believeStarbucks, dutch Bros,
chick-fil-a, they all do well inand out is because they build a
fan base.
You build passionate customers.
(14:47):
They're going to keep comingback.
Same with the dry cleaners.
I sold it almost two years ago.
I still have people message me,or even Jay, he goes, I miss
it's been two years.
At the end of the day, you justthink, oh, you're just cleaning
my clothes, but it was morethan just cleaning your clothes.
So even with the dessert,people love dessert, but they
love the fact that they can talkto me about what's going on.
(15:09):
If you read any of our reviewson Google or Yelp, it is very
personal too, even at FrostHouse, and we do maintain a
five-star rating.
Speaker 1 (15:17):
Yes, you do.
That's great.
Congrats on that.
That's amazing.
And it's hard to do especiallyin food service, any any kind.
You know, there's always goingto be somebody that's not happy,
and I didn't see anybody thatwas yeah, so that wasn't happy,
everybody was happy.
So one of the questions I hadwas, again like going back to
(15:39):
concept, to reality.
How did you choose yourlocation?
Because you're located at theVerde Complex at Cooley Station
in Gilbert, correct.
So how did you choose this?
Speaker 2 (15:50):
location.
So it was on my first location.
It was actually across from mydry cleaners, which would have
been at Gilbert and Queen Creek.
Speaker 1 (15:58):
Oh, okay.
Speaker 2 (15:59):
That was my.
I had a lease signed andeverything, a deposit, and then
COVID through everything untilTailspin.
So everything happens for areason.
And then I was looking and alot of people didn't give me a
chance.
It was very hard.
I wanted to be in downtownGilbert that's where the hotspot
is.
I got denied.
One developer pushed me aroundfor a year and then eventually
(16:20):
said no, we're not interested.
And I get it.
It's a new startup.
Startups are very hard.
They all want to go with thefranchise.
It's established.
That's why you see all the newdevelopments with all the
franchise.
They have the deep pockets.
It's a proven method Less risk.
It was hard, depending on whothe franchisees are.
Speaker 3 (16:42):
Not all of them have deep pockets, but generally what
happens.
Speaker 2 (16:45):
If they don't, then the franchisor takes over Right,
and so then they're okay withit, because there's a corporate
back.
Speaker 1 (16:52):
Yeah, a corporate will end up taking that
restaurant over, whereas mine.
Speaker 2 (16:56):
if I go belly up, then it's vacant Right.
Then they got to find anothertenant and then it's a whole.
I can do it all over again.
But, um, thanks to Verde,coolie Station, the ownership,
norm Brody, uh, luckily he knewwhat Bingsoo was.
I mentioned him the idea he wasin love with it, and so he gave
me an opportunity.
Speaker 3 (17:17):
So it was the concept , it was the Korean dessert
concept that was not attractiveenough, apparently.
Speaker 2 (17:25):
Yes, and no, no, but it's not.
Speaker 3 (17:29):
I don't see how that would be, it's going outside the
box.
Speaker 1 (17:33):
He's just saying if there was a franchise backing
the Korean dessert, then itwould have had maybe a better
chance.
Speaker 2 (17:43):
So maybe five years from now, if I have multiple
stories, I'm sure they'll be.
Hey, can you?
Speaker 1 (17:48):
put your concept in there.
Speaker 2 (17:49):
But being a startup, it's not so yeah.
So Norm Brody over at VerdeEqually Station.
I gave him my pitch, he washappy, he was on board and
that's kind of how I chose thatspot.
I did choose it also because ofthe amphitheater where there's
live music.
There's a stage.
My vision was that we'll haveperformances there and live
(18:10):
music.
Speaker 1 (18:11):
And this you just saw come to fruition.
Speaker 2 (18:13):
Correct.
So we've done a lot of eventsthere, a lot of K-pop events.
K-pop is very hot right now.
We have vendors that sell K-popmerchandise, we have K-pop
dance groups performing on stageand then the last couple of
months we've been doing somelive music with local bands in
Gilbert.
We're talking kids in middleschool and high school kids to
give them a platform to playmusic.
(18:35):
Music's going by the wayside.
I was a product of music.
I played piano, violin, guitar.
Yes, very Asian.
I love music.
I think that's great for thekids, but it's kind of getting
kicked to the curb, and so I wasreached out by one of the band
members' mom.
We started talking and then themusic teacher got involved and
(18:58):
hey, let's put on a performance.
And I said cool.
And so that's kind of how itcame to fruition.
Speaker 1 (19:04):
That's really cool.
Speaker 2 (19:05):
So I love giving back to the community.
My dry cleaners I used todonate to the local schools
Retailing Unified SchoolDistrict, especially Perry High
School.
Perry High School is verypopular right now because of
Brock Purdy.
I did see him on the sidelines.
I donated just enough money tobe on the sidelines when he was
at football, so I got to see himgrow up, that's really cool.
(19:26):
That's what I like to do withbusinesses.
So this business hasn't gonethere for me to donate a ton of
money yet, but I will get thereeventually.
But for now, what I can do isoffer my establishment the
opportunity for such events.
Speaker 3 (19:40):
And going back to the music thing real quick, though
Gilbert's been in the news a lotlately the Gilbert Goons, all
that kind of thing.
I think it's really cool thatyou're providing this venue,
this outlet, especially on theweekends, right, because that's
when kids are going out andtrouble can generally happen.
It can happen on any day of theweek, but especially weekends.
I just think that's reallyreally neat that you're
(20:02):
fostering that.
Speaker 2 (20:05):
I am, we're all a kid inside still.
We know how hard it was.
It's getting harder and, likeyou said, the Gilbert goons and
if you're trying to not causetrouble, you got to be around
music or a hobby and the musicis a hobby for them and the
shopping center is a great area.
We're in between Higley HighSchool and Williamsfield High
School and also ASU for them,and the shopping center is a
great area.
We're in between higley highschool and williams field high
(20:25):
school and also asu poly, right.
So we got tons of kids rightcoming around.
That's so great.
We much rather have them gowatch music than go hang out at
some house and you know whatthey're doing.
Yep, so this is my way of hey,you know, if you got a band, if
you want to perform, we'll makeit a thing.
(20:46):
So that's kind of hopefullygross from there.
Speaker 1 (20:49):
And so Frost Tales is a sponsor of these concert
nights.
Correct, yes, very cool.
Is there like an age cap onthese?
Speaker 2 (20:58):
I think it's high school.
It's just through high school.
Yeah, it's really cool.
Speaker 1 (21:02):
So the last time you did this, it was just this past
Saturday night, Correct it wasthis past Saturday night.
And how many bands did you?
Speaker 2 (21:09):
say, came out, we had five bands.
The first one, we had two bands, and then this one, we had five
, five bands so a couple hoursor so.
Yeah, so from 4 to 8.30.
Speaker 1 (21:19):
And is everybody in your complex on board with this?
Speaker 2 (21:21):
Yes, and no.
Is everybody in your complex onboard with this?
Yes and no, it's just music.
Speaker 1 (21:25):
It's an amphitheater.
Speaker 3 (21:26):
It's a healthy event for kids.
Speaker 2 (21:28):
Sure, some music.
You might not like it.
I might not like it either, butat the end of the day I'm doing
it for the kids.
We're not talking these adults,we're talking kids.
Like you said, there's a lot ofstuff going on.
It's harder for kids so you'retaking away from them to play
music.
They play in the garage or theliving room.
(21:48):
I mean, where else do you havea place to play in public?
Speaker 1 (21:52):
Not in a parking lot, in an amphitheater with lights,
or to test it, just to test thewhole test your songs, test
your audience test everybodyyeah and you don't have to pay
for it.
Speaker 2 (22:04):
right, I'm providing you an area, a safe space with
grass, and then you can eat atthe local restaurants that are
in the shopping center.
Grab dessert, grab water, grabsnacks right, that's so great.
So it's a win-win for everyone.
It helps business, brings moreawareness, gets kids off the
(22:29):
streets.
Speaker 3 (22:29):
Yeah, what's not to like about that I know?
Speaker 2 (22:31):
Where else can you find a venue like that, not even
downtown Gilbert.
I've never heard of that before.
Speaker 1 (22:35):
I do think it's kind of ironic, though, that it's the
bar that's complaining.
Right, it's the bar.
Speaker 3 (22:42):
It's kind of ironic.
There is some irony in that Iwould have to say I don't know.
Speaker 2 (22:46):
One of my customers said that it is ironic of all
the businesses it's a bar isover there.
Speaker 1 (22:51):
I'm afraid you're just too darn loud you know it's
.
Speaker 2 (22:55):
If it was every day, you know it'd be different, but
it's, it's, you know, once amonth maybe yeah, that's you
know, come on people.
Yeah, I know, but can't makeeveryone happy.
What are you going to do?
Can't please everyone all thetime.
Speaker 1 (23:07):
You can't.
Speaker 3 (23:07):
Yeah, you can't, but you definitely are pleasing
people at Frosthales and sobingsu is your.
Did I say that correctly?
Bing Bingsu is your primarymenu item, but you also offer
other Korean-specific food itemsand things that people can
actually maybe find and purchaseat your place.
Speaker 2 (23:25):
Yeah.
So, like we said earlier,drinks right, any drink you can
think of If you want.
Caffeine, not caffeine.
Sodas, not carbonated, hot teas, hot coffees, snacks such as
there's a Fuego chip, there's asour cream and onion.
(23:47):
I mean all American stuff butKorean style.
So, it's much healthier, muchcleaner, not oily.
We even have Korean sun chipsthat are very popular.
Not had those.
Garlic baguette is the flavor,oh, that sounds good, it's
really good.
Another popular mine is a honeybutter chip.
Had those.
Garlic baguette is the flavor,oh, that sounds good, it's
really good.
Uh, another popular mine is ahoney butter chip I call it a
(24:08):
movie theater in a bag okay,three things I like very much
all in one bag and then, uh, wehave noodles.
Our most popular is bulldog.
Bulldog is all over tiktok.
Uh, I'll have so many kids comein their eyes.
Eyes get big, like you haveBulldog.
I'm like yeah, and we've hadthem for a long time and it's
particularly the one.
It's the Carbonara, it's thepink, I don't know why, but it's
(24:32):
popular over TikTok.
And then lately it's beentrending as kimchi.
I don't know if you guys heardof kimchi.
It's a fermented cabbage, so wemake that in-house and we sell
a lot of it, and even justyesterday I think she's probably
in elementary or middle schoolshe's like you have kimchi and
I'm like, yeah, have you had it?
She's like no, how?
Speaker 3 (24:49):
do you?
Speaker 2 (24:49):
know it, she's like TikTok.
Speaker 1 (24:52):
Oh my gosh, of course .
Speaker 2 (24:54):
Yeah, tiktok.
So kimchi's a thing you know.
Speaker 1 (24:57):
Unbelievable.
Speaker 3 (24:58):
And so Frost Tales, so so Frost Tales.
So I get the impression thatmaybe you haven't fully reached
the crescendo yet, or where youreally want to go with this
dream, so tell us about that.
Speaker 2 (25:08):
Yeah, so I've been in this business.
I've been rolling out on stages.
I don't put everything alltogether at once to keep people
coming back.
It's like Starbucks when youhave pumpkin spice for the fall
season.
So, yes, our name Frost Tale isnot because of a dog.
It's because I never thought ofthat.
Speaker 1 (25:27):
I've had people reach out to me like is this a dog
shop?
Speaker 2 (25:30):
It's like.
No, it's not a dog shop.
Speaker 1 (25:31):
I just remember that show.
Remember that it was like acartoon from the 80s.
It was called like Shirt Tales,I think.
Remember that one.
I had to think about that onebe old, I don't know.
Speaker 3 (25:40):
I guess I'm older I watched too much TV when.
I was a kid.
Speaker 1 (25:43):
Maybe both.
Speaker 2 (25:43):
We're all getting older, frost and cocktails.
So you combine the words and itbecomes frost tales.
So, yes, our next stage inbusiness is to introduce alcohol
as a business owner, as abusiness mindset.
Yes, alcohol makes money.
So that is why, eventually,we'll be adding alcohol, but,
like you would guess, it wouldhave to be Korean alcohol, soju,
(26:07):
which I would just simplify itit's Korean vodka.
Speaker 1 (26:12):
So these are Korean cocktails?
Speaker 2 (26:14):
Yes, I will be making Korean cocktails Same thing, so
they don't make those in Koreabut I will be making them and
I've tried it.
I've taste tested it.
It's gotten great feedback.
Speaker 1 (26:25):
You may have to expand here shortly, right?
If you add this, you're goingto need more space.
Speaker 3 (26:31):
Well, you just took that out on the grass, and are
these taste tests impromptu?
Can we know when the next?
You guys are more than welcometo come by Off book.
Speaker 1 (26:41):
I love that idea Taste test is coming up.
We more than welcome to come byOff book.
I love that idea.
Taste test is coming up.
We can just happen to show up.
We can even be anonymous tastetesters.
Yeah, nobody needs to be named,you can just come.
Speaker 2 (26:52):
The only taste testers are people that I know.
Speaker 1 (26:54):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (26:54):
Because, technically right, I don't have a license
Right, of course, so it's myfriends, it's just a house party
.
Speaker 1 (26:59):
It's just a house party.
Don't call the cops.
Okay, promise it won't happen.
Speaker 2 (27:07):
Soju has a very popular alcoholic beverage.
I will be introducing somethingdifferent.
I like to do different, uniqueitems.
I don't like to carry stuffthat you just can buy at your
grocery or local Korean grocerystore.
I don't know if you noticed.
So this is my sweatshirt.
Speaker 1 (27:23):
I was going to ask you about that next.
Speaker 2 (27:25):
So it's Kore which is a whale.
Speaker 1 (27:27):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (27:28):
It's from Jeju Island , which is like Hawaii.
It's a very popular.
Everything in Jeju is the topnotch.
So we have Jeju orange juice inour store, which is top notch.
This is from Jeju Island aswell.
This is phenomenal by this isfrom Jeju Island as well.
This is phenomenal, by the way.
Speaker 1 (27:46):
They use this water to make soju.
This is Dr Yoo, dr Yoo, yes.
Are these companies related?
They are not related.
Speaker 2 (27:52):
But, yes, korea is very cheesy on their names.
Dr Yoo, we have a chocolatecake called oh yes.
Oh yes, korea needs to work ontheir marketing, but it is what
it is, anyway.
So this brand right here, ohyes, yeah.
So Korea needs to work on theirmarketing, but you know it is
what it is anyway.
So this brand, right here it isin DC area right now.
Okay, they haven't made ittheir way to the west side of
(28:13):
the country, west coast, butwe're, you know we, hopefully I
will be part of the team to rollit out to the side of the
country, so they might be makinga stop in Gilbert, arizona,
correct?
I've been told in a coupleweeks the head of this company
might be visiting my shop.
Okay, because he's interestedin my cocktails as well.
Speaker 1 (28:36):
That's cool, so you'll have everything that
you'll need in order to reallyroll this out.
Speaker 2 (28:41):
Correct.
At the end of the day, I justneed the license.
Speaker 3 (28:45):
I was going to ask you what are the hurdles
involved in getting there?
It's not that bad.
Speaker 2 (28:50):
I looked into it.
Yes, the initial.
It is expensive, there's cost,but after that the repeat of
renewing your license is not toobad.
It's the initial, it's theinitial and the education.
At the end of the day, I haveto make sure you're 21 and above
right, just the stuff like thatI can.
I mean it's dangerous, right, ifsomeone were to, if I were to,
(29:12):
over pour their drink and thenit becomes my liability.
Okay, so, getting back to youknow, kid safe place you, you
know it's a kid environment.
I'm not asking for customers toget bombed, it's just a drink
or two, right, parents can havetheir beverage and kids could
have their dessert, right?
How many times can you say youwent to an ice cream shop where
adults had their fix and thenkids had theirs?
(29:34):
So I'm, like I said, I'm tryingto bring families together.
That's my whole initiativeabout frost tales is, uh, trying
to bring everybody together.
Speaker 1 (29:42):
So so cool.
That's an awesome concept.
It is.
That's great.
So other challenges you've runinto, one maybe being the
obvious I know we already kindof talked a little bit about
this but being a minority inbusiness in Gilbert Arizona,
how's that experience gone foryou so far?
Speaker 2 (30:00):
Well, anyone that knows, gilbert is very white.
I think I can say that becauseI grew up in America.
You can say that it is hardright At the end of the day.
Speaker 1 (30:16):
It's a little challenging with the yeah just
getting an opportunity.
Speaker 2 (30:21):
Look at sushi restaurants.
That are the big sushirestaurants.
They're not generally owned byAsians.
The little hole in the wall areowned by Asians, but if you
want to be in a flashy shoppingcenter, it's not owned by an
Asian.
Also, being a minority, I willalways be a minority.
I don't care if I was born here.
That's one thing I started tolearn too as I got older.
(30:42):
No matter what my citizenshipsays, I will always be Asian,
korean.
That'll follow me all along.
On a sad note, I still get madefun of in my shop being Korean
or Asian.
The other day I had someone askme I don't want Korean coffee.
Can I get American coffee?
In your shop In my shop.
(31:03):
Yes, this was a grown man.
Speaker 3 (31:05):
How did you respond?
Speaker 2 (31:06):
to this.
Normally I have a pretty goodcomeback, but I was not
expecting that, because there'sno American coffee.
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (31:15):
That's good, okay, yeah.
Speaker 2 (31:19):
America does not grow coffee beans?
And then when, I just gave himthe blank space he just looks at
me and goes.
I'm not racist and I'm like you.
Literally just said you wereracist.
Speaker 3 (31:32):
You did.
Speaker 2 (31:33):
The fact that he doesn't want Korean coffee.
Speaker 1 (31:35):
I would love to try Korean coffee I don't know about
you Coffee of any kind.
Speaker 3 (31:41):
But that's being a minority, it's just ignorant and
that's fine.
Speaker 1 (31:45):
So, anybody else that's listening to this show
right now?
That might be a minority.
What advice could you give them?
Speaker 2 (31:53):
On those hurdles, don't let it get to you.
Okay, what advice could yougive them on those?
Speaker 1 (31:55):
hurdles yeah.
Speaker 2 (31:56):
Don't let it get to you.
Speaker 1 (31:57):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (31:57):
Right Like how do you ?
Speaker 1 (31:59):
you know what have you done to push through it, how
?
How do you just roll?
Speaker 2 (32:03):
with it.
You have to right.
I, uh, there's another tenantin my shopping complex.
He's a minority as well, and sowe're become really good
friends in the shopping center.
He comes by all the time and wetalk about it.
I go, look, I flip it the otherway.
The fact that we're minoritiesand able to have a business in
Gilbert and a new shoppingcenter, that's a win, right, you
(32:27):
look a lot of minorities.
Where are they at Mesa, a lot ofdingy, old shopping center,
nothing flashy, nothing wrongwith it.
But as a business owner youwant to be in the cool hip spot
right Downtown Gilbert, rightVerde, cooley Station area,
santan Mall.
Speaker 3 (32:43):
Yeah, when you said Cooley Station, one of the first
thoughts in my mind was oh,that's really cool.
Speaker 1 (32:47):
It is really cool.
Speaker 2 (32:50):
And so to be a minority, we're a win,
regardless if my business goesout of business in a couple of
years or it flourishes the factthat I was able to open up a
shop, and same with him the factthat he was able to open up a
shop, and it's a win for us.
So you just have to keepplugging away, and it's hard.
A lot of people that know methink it's easy and I make it
(33:14):
look easy, but it's not.
Speaker 1 (33:17):
Yeah, I think you do to a certain extent, just cause
I've known you for so long.
I think you you do cause youlet it kind of, let things roll
off your back pretty easily, butcertain things will bother you,
correct?
Speaker 2 (33:30):
And a lot of things do bother me Right.
Speaker 3 (33:32):
Well, you're human yeah.
Speaker 2 (33:33):
Yeah, and so do bother me.
Speaker 1 (33:35):
Well, you're human, but I could see how maybe even
some of your peers have saidlike oh, Albert, you make it
look so simple, you make it looklike anybody could do it.
And I do, because if you makeit look like it's hard you have
kind of a poker face, not today,not during this show, but
generally speaking I would saythat you do kind of carry a
poker face, and I think thatprobably bodes well when you're
(33:57):
in business.
Speaker 2 (33:58):
To some extent, you have to To not let them see
everything on your sleeve,because when you see that from,
say, an investor standpoint oryour landlord, then that kind of
turns it the wrong way.
Speaker 3 (34:12):
That gives them a bad vibe.
Speaker 2 (34:14):
So you have to act like you've been there before,
and my thing is always act likeyou're a big company, but you're
a small company.
So even the bankers that I dealwith, they're the big banks,
nothing wrong with.
Speaker 1 (34:27):
So where did you get that from?
Speaker 2 (34:29):
Just always act big.
Speaker 1 (34:30):
Act like you've been there before.
Did your parents teach that?
Or was that grandparents, Ithink?
Just being turned down.
So much Okay, just theadversity of Correct Rejection,
yeah.
Speaker 2 (34:40):
So that's what I that's one of the biggest
advices I give is always actlike you own a big company.
I mean, don't be obnoxious,yeah yeah, but feel like you can
roll with the big companies,right, companies in Korea.
We're talking these top fivecompanies in Korea.
They're huge.
And then the fact that I'm ableto talk to them.
(35:02):
Right, I mean, that's a win.
Speaker 3 (35:03):
You know what I did I just picked up the phone.
Speaker 2 (35:04):
Hey, I'm trying to do this.
What do you think?
Sure, let's give it a shot.
But people are scared.
I don't want to work with thisbank.
They're going to turn me down.
My biggest banker, my biggestbank that lent me money to
expand my dry clean business,was Chase Bank, and I went
through over 30 banks.
Speaker 3 (35:24):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (35:25):
Credit unions Wait before you got to Chase and got
to financing, because I alwaysthought, oh, chase is too big,
they don't want to lend me money.
So I've done Comerica.
Speaker 1 (35:34):
But are, but are they more?
You know, like was was Chasemore, I don't know more open.
Speaker 2 (35:41):
I think, well, take it back a little bit.
So it's about your banker aswell.
Your banker is more important,but my story is don't be afraid
of the big bank.
I was afraid of the big bank.
Okay, cause you hear, oh, theyonly want to work with $100
million accounts.
They want to work with all thebig boys, right?
Speaker 3 (35:59):
It just takes the right person to see the
potential yeah, and want toCorrect, regardless of the bank
that they're at.
Speaker 2 (36:04):
Yeah, so that would be the better explanation, but
also it's the fact thateverybody wants to knock down
the big banks, right, wellsFargo, jpm, jp Morgan, chase and
Bank of America.
I bank at Chase and Bank ofAmerica, just kind of sticking
up for them.
Well, they're being good to you, you should.
Speaker 3 (36:22):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (36:23):
And they have been.
So there's always a good storyto even these bigger banks.
Everyone thinks the big banksare big and mighty and trying to
take everything, but it justshows there's a good story that
they've been there for me at thehardest times.
Speaker 3 (36:36):
That's great advice.
So small business today.
Where do you see yourself infive years?
Do you see yourself in multiplelocations?
Where do we go from here?
Speaker 2 (36:46):
So, getting back to why I wanted to get into
Frostails dry cleaning business,I can only go so big.
It's very personal.
We're talking.
I'm dealing with people'sprecious clothes, especially my
clientele.
We have customers that drop off$5,000 suit jackets Not a
two-piece suit, just one singlejacket.
You mess that up.
There goes a ton of money so Ican't grow that.
(37:11):
I can't have just employeesrely on that.
So I wanted to start a businessthat I can grow Never franchise
it, but grow it out.
So that's why frost sales was athing and my ambitious plan is
hopefully you know five years or10 years how long it takes.
It'd be nice to have multiplelocations make a drive-through
out of it.
(37:31):
That would be cool, right?
I?
Speaker 3 (37:33):
Right.
Speaker 2 (37:33):
I mean, besides Panda , not too many Asian-owned
drive-thru businesses.
You know, everything is yeah,it's true, Mom and pop, you got
to walk in right, but Americanstuff, it's all drive-thru.
Speaker 3 (37:47):
Especially in Arizona everything's drive-thru.
Speaker 2 (37:49):
Right, you want a sandwich Drive-thru through.
I'm surprised Subway doesn'thave a drive through.
Panera Bread has a drivethrough.
Speaker 3 (37:59):
It's everything that's right.
Even Panera does.
Speaker 2 (38:03):
So that's where my mindset is.
I always look at what the bigcompanies are doing, so getting
back to act like you're a bigcompany, they did all the
research.
I don't need to go pay someoneto do some R&D Just mimic it.
So if you walk into my shop itlooks like a Starbucks with a
Chipotle menu.
So I yes, there's somecreativity to it, but I just
(38:26):
look at what they do, what works.
Chipotle does well, in-n-outdoes well, starbucks does well.
All those companies they dowell for a reason.
Speaker 3 (38:33):
Yeah, I mean you want to have your own unique flavor,
but why try to recreate theentire?
Speaker 2 (38:37):
wheel.
Exactly, yeah, that takes toomuch effort, just kind of
massage it to how you want to doit.
For me it was to do 100% Koreaningredients.
So the snow powders and thesauces and syrups, those I
import directly myself.
I literally handle all thelogistics.
Speaker 1 (38:54):
Well, even the machines too.
Right, your snow machines areall from Korea.
Yeah, I mean, it's a legitimateexperience and everybody needs
to check it out.
Key takeaways from thisconversation.
What do you think I'm going tosay?
Don't give up on your idea.
I mean, if you started havingyour idea and plans in place for
(39:15):
this concept back in 2007, andthen it's just now coming to
fruition, or in the last twoyears, what a great message.
Speaker 2 (39:25):
Yeah, just be patient .
That's my biggest thing is bepatient and have money.
It sounds horrible, but even inmy shopping center I've seen
tenants get evicted because theydidn't have money for
construction.
Oh my gosh Right, it takes alot of money.
I've been very fortunate my drycleaners.
I could say now I was nettingover a quarter million dollars a
(39:46):
year out of one locationNetting.
Speaker 3 (39:49):
Yeah, netting, not grossing, not grossing yeah,
that's a lot of money.
Speaker 2 (39:53):
So grossing that's a lot of money, so I took that.
That's how I was able to enjoymy lifestyle.
And I still do so, then I soldmy business.
Speaker 1 (40:00):
Well, you had several properties going as well.
Speaker 2 (40:02):
Well that's my side, that's my retirement fund.
So, yeah, I mean I set myselfup well.
So this business.
Luckily I haven't had to tapinto my savings or my reserves
or my line of credit.
Speaker 1 (40:17):
nothing, literally been revolving, it's just cash
flowing, correct.
Speaker 2 (40:31):
Even if it's at if I'm doing well, if I don't have
to borrow money.
But every business that I knowis borrowing money from their
parents or their grandparentsdon't?
It's hard when you do it thatway.
Speaker 1 (40:45):
If you can't make it with your own money and cash
flow.
Speaker 2 (40:50):
Even if it's a franchise, a proven model and
I've seen this time and time I'magainst franchises.
They suck the heck out of youBecause they take a fee and then
they take a fee off your gross,so you're losing money, and
then they want you to grow outthree businesses at one or three
locations, so you got to havemoney.
(41:13):
Like I said, it sounds terrible, but that is your ultimate
thing.
Speaker 3 (41:17):
Well, and that's part of being patient, right, it's
not just the learningexperiences up until you finally
feel like you're ready andyou've got the plan in place,
but you've been savingintentionally all the way along
and you're ready to go.
Speaker 2 (41:29):
You've got the capital base to weather the
startup and then also, you don'thave to roll everything out at
once, phase it out.
So, okay, this month I made alittle money, so I'll reinvest
it, reinvest it again, reinvestit again.
So if you were to see my evenmy Instagram profile for my
business, if you were to look atit from the beginning to now,
(41:51):
I've gotten better, my menu'sgotten bigger, but I've had all
the ingredients there.
I just didn't provide it out.
And what I've been tellingcustomers too is now oh, you
have more items?
Well, yes, I've always had it,but I wasn't proud of it.
At the end of the day, you'repaying me to make you something,
so it should be the best, but alot of businesses or concepts
(42:12):
don't get that.
They're paying you to cook youfood and generally they're just
like, oh, whatever, I'm not intothat.
You're paying me to make yourcoffee.
You're paying me to make yourdessert.
It better be the best.
That's so great and so peopleappreciate that.
And that's my message on that isif you're getting into business
, if you're a plumber ormortgage broker or whatever,
(42:37):
make sure you're doing the best,because it doesn't matter if
you're a plumber or a FrostHills owner or whatever.
If you're the best of the best,you're going to make money.
So just be the best and use thebest.
Everything so same with me,ingredients, my personality,
even my employees.
I show them just be the bestyou can be and people will see
that.
Speaker 3 (42:53):
Then you'll be fine, that's awesome, that's so great.
Well, albert, thank you so muchfor taking some time to spend
with us.
Tell our listeners again whereFrost Tales is.
Speaker 2 (43:02):
Okay, so Frost Tales is on the southwest corner of
Williamsfield and Wrecker Road.
It's on the Cooley ShoppingCenter.
You can just Google Frost TalesF-R-O-S-T-A-I-L-S.
We're all over Google, yelp,whatever it's retrending
Instagram at Frostails Correct.
You can just Google it, we'llpop right up.
Nothing else will pop up withthat name.
(43:24):
You can't miss it.
Yes, I'm on TikTok too, that'sawesome.
Speaker 3 (43:29):
We're all over social media.
We'll have all of your linksdown in the description for the
video so that everybody knowshow to reach you and follow you.
Thanks again for being anawesome guest and telling us
your story, how you got to whereyou are.
Speaker 2 (43:43):
I appreciate this.
As I mentioned before, probablyfive years ago I didn't really
consider myself an entrepreneur,but as people such as yourself.
Speaker 1 (43:52):
I did not oh my gosh.
Speaker 2 (43:54):
Okay, because to me it was just another business.
Dry cleaning is dry cleaning.
Another bingsu business isbingsu business.
I started to realize peoplesuch as yourself, my customers
and other entrepreneurs like no,you're an entrepreneur, you're
building something from scratch,you're in your frost tails, you
did all the architect work.
Speaker 1 (44:14):
You did all the construction you did everything
and what you don't see and Ithink Brian and I can relate to
this what we don't see is allthe people that are looking up
to you because of what you'vedone, what you've accomplished,
and now you've got the abilityto speak into their lives like
from experience, and that'sreally, really why we were so
(44:34):
excited to have you on the showtoday.
So, albert, thank you again.
Yeah, you've been an awesomeguest.
Thank you, guys.
You're tuned in to the Grit and Grow podcast.
Welcome back to the Grit andGrow podcast here today to help
us answer the question how doesa minority entrepreneur find
success in the frozen dessertindustry?
He's founder and CEO of FrostTales Korean Dessert House in
(00:22):
Gilbert Arizona.
Albert Suh, welcome to the show, thank you.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
Welcome, Albert.
Yeah, thank you for having me.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
I'm excited.
It's awesome having you here.
Speaker 3 (00:30):
Yeah, we're excited.
So you've got quite abackground.
You've been in dry cleaning andthen you're a taekwondo
instructor.
I understand, correct.
You've got a lot of coolexperiences leading up to Frost
Tales.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
Yes, you've got a lot of cool experiences leading up
to Frosthales.
Yes, I've been in a smallbusiness for a long time
technically the dry cleaningbusiness since 97 and then, when
I came out to Arizona forcollege, I decided to open one
up during my college years, justbecause that's what I knew how
to do and I needed money, so Ifigured that's the best thing to
do so we met.
Speaker 1 (01:03):
so Albert was my dry cleaner for years and years and
I remember the stories that youwould tell me about.
Man, I've been thinking aboutdoing this.
I have this idea in the back ofmy mind.
When I'm ready, I'm going totell you more.
And I'd keep coming back and Iwanted to hear more and more,
and it was just unfolding overtime and years went by until you
and then you finally were likethis is what I'm getting ready
(01:25):
to do.
I'm going to roll out this,this custom, brand new business.
No one's ever seen anythinglike it in the United States and
tell us a little bit more aboutyour concept.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
Yeah, so I.
The idea came in college in2007.
I said I wouldn't do it unlessI had money to throw around.
It does take a lot of money todo a new startup, branding,
marketing.
There's a lot involved.
And then about 2018 is when Istarted to fully implement that.
I'm ready for it and obviouslyCOVID happened, so that kind of
(01:56):
delayed it.
However, I still pushed throughit, and then in 2022 is when I
opened it in October.
Um, yeah.
Speaker 3 (02:08):
I want to know the genesis of the idea, though.
So what were you doing?
Where were you like?
How did this idea come to you?
Speaker 2 (02:15):
Okay, so I've been born a current American.
I'm proud of my heritage, but Iwill say I was not proud to be
a Korean up until the 2002 WorldCup.
So for the longest time Iconsidered myself an American,
which I am, but I didn't likeKoreans, I didn't like Asians.
I was white.
I like wearing Abercrombie andFitch wearing a North Face
(02:36):
backpack J Crew.
That was my thing After theWorld Cup.
I was like, wow, that's cool,that's my country, I'm in the
World Cup.
I was like, wow, that's cool,that's my country On the World
Cup, the largest stage forsoccer.
Then I started to understand myculture, I started to
appreciate it more and that'swhen I go.
For all those years that I'vehated on my country, I should
probably pay it back.
(02:57):
So then in college I wasfiguring out what I can do.
Maybe do this type of dish orthat type of dish, but I also
had to take into considerationwhere I want to find employees.
How is it going to be training?
I took everything intoconsideration.
So I would say, one restaurantnot doing it, too many people
involved and just too manyvariables to go wrong as far as
(03:19):
a restaurant business, and it'sexpensive.
Then the dessert business, whichis Bingsoo, which is the
biggest dessert in Korea.
So here we have ice creamBingsoo.
Bingsoo, yes, it's a Koreansnow dessert.
So I go, wow, that wouldprobably be my best route of
paying back to Korea.
And so I was trying to figureout what's the best way, what's
(03:39):
the best of both cultures, ofAmerican culture, korean culture
.
Make it easy on my employees.
Just a lot of things going atit.
So probably towards my yeah, Iwould say my last semester of
college is when I wanted to giveit a go.
But then I realized, yeah, Ireally can't, if I want to fully
do it correctly, you can't kindof half-ass it.
Speaker 1 (04:00):
You have to do it.
Speaker 2 (04:01):
You're going to do it correctly.
So I still have the notes fromthem in college.
I found it probably five yearsago, that's awesome From 2007?
Yes, I jotted everything downand it was cool.
Actually, in 2007, I worked atStarbucks for seven weeks to
understand their businessconcept, because I firmly
(04:21):
believe they still have a greatbusiness model, as much as
people hate on Starbucks.
Speaker 3 (04:26):
Where do you go?
I don't hate on Starbucks.
I still go there a lot.
Speaker 2 (04:30):
It's a comfort thing you know what you're going to
get.
You know what to get.
There's something for everyone.
You don't have to like coffeeto go there.
You can get a pastry.
Speaker 1 (04:39):
It's an experience People know you Exactly so it
was.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
How can I implement that into a Korean style?
I feel like you've done that.
Speaker 1 (04:48):
Yep, so that thing.
I've been to Albert's place,I've been to Frost Hills.
I've tried the Bing Su.
It is amazing.
It's unlike anything I've everhad here.
As far as like Americandesserts, ice cream we're big
ice cream people, but nothinglike what you've come up with
the snow is actually yogurt soI've traditional bingsu is
(05:11):
shaved ice and then they didmilk snow.
Speaker 2 (05:14):
And then for me, how can I make it healthier?
Speaker 3 (05:16):
so.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
I have yogurt powder from Korea and yummier so
healthy, yummy.
so that is our most popular.
I call it a base, so yogurtbase, but we also do a vanilla
snow as well as a chocolate snow.
And then you can add differentsauces.
Right, and all our sauces arefrom Korea as well.
We have caramel, chocolate,citron, which is like a lemon.
(05:36):
We have mango, strawberry,green grape and grapefruit.
So we have seven differentsauces you can add.
And then the fruits you can add.
We have blueberries, cherries,mangoes, pineapples and
strawberries.
Those are not from Korea, thoseare either from the US or
Mexico, but they're all organic.
(05:56):
So everything is top of theline.
So that's our bingsu.
Speaker 1 (06:02):
That's our most popular item.
You have a whole series ofdrinks as well sodas, correct.
I think you had me sample asoda.
I was there for like hours oneday and was like I was at a
sugar rush by the time I left.
You can get trapped.
I was, but I didn't want toleave.
It wasn't a trap, it was like Iactually have to go.
Now I have to go.
I can't have another item here.
(06:24):
It was so good though.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
We make Korean coffee drinks.
They've been really popular nowthat I'm very proud of what we
can push out.
The coffees are very popular.
The other day a family in townfor a wedding from the south, I
think, like Louisiana orMississippi one person got
coffee.
Another person came and saidcan I get the same thing?
(06:47):
Another member of the family,can I get that coffee too?
Speaker 3 (06:49):
So we had four cups of coffee, so we got coffee.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
We have frappuccinos using same thing Korean
ingredients.
The sodas are very popular.
We did events at ASU Poly wherewe'd make 400 sodas at a time,
so that was awesome.
And then we also at ASU Polywhere we'd make 400 sodas at a
time, so that was awesome.
Speaker 1 (07:05):
Oh my gosh.
Speaker 2 (07:06):
And then we also had non-carbonated drinks and also
hot drinks, so literally justlike Starbucks whatever you
create we got something foreveryone, and then, on top of
that, we also have Korean chips,we have Korean noodles, korean
bacon.
Speaker 1 (07:20):
And these are all like imported snacks, right?
Like different things.
Everything is from.
Speaker 2 (07:24):
Korea Literally everything, even our bottle
water from Korea.
Speaker 1 (07:30):
Thank you for that.
By the way, it is very good, soI don't.
Speaker 2 (07:33):
I won't substitute anything or anything that I can
get my hands on.
I will make sure it's fromKorea, right, my house, my
literally my shop, says Koreandessert house.
A lot of Asian restaurants,asian businesses will mix
Japanese and Korean culture andChinese.
Not with me.
If it's not from Korea, I'm notgoing to carry it.
Speaker 3 (07:52):
That's cool and so tell our listeners how you
accomplish that, what youactually do, the lengths you go
to to make sure that this is thecase.
So it is hard.
Speaker 2 (08:02):
I'm dealing with these big companies, right?
These are the biggest of bigcompanies in Korea.
I'm the small fish in the sea.
I have to.
I have a way with words.
I'm able to massage them, givethem my pitch on what I'm trying
to do.
A lot of the stuff, or amajority of the stuff that you
see in my store will be fromgrocery stores.
(08:23):
You can't get it at aconvenience store or Walgreens.
So I told them this is aconcept that I want to put out.
Why not have it be like aconvenience store in America
selling individual items?
And I like that idea.
They gave me a shot.
Next thing, you know I'm buyingmore and more product.
Now they realize I'm a revenuestream for them.
(08:45):
And then, perfect example, oneof the items that I wanted to
carry was all in Korean.
I told them, in order for me tocarry it, it has to be in
English.
Six months later, hey, we havethat product in English now.
Do you want to carry it?
Speaker 1 (08:59):
Yeah, and that's been a hot item right now.
Speaker 2 (09:02):
That's good.
And what is that?
So it's a sour candy.
Okay, american culture we lovesour stuff.
We do.
Even though we hate it, we, welove it maybe we all squint, but
we like it, so I carry it, andthey've been, you know, flying
off the shelf.
Speaker 1 (09:17):
So, albert, you're your second generation korean,
is that right?
Speaker 2 (09:20):
yeah, my parents, yeah, my parents came over here
and then I was born here, okay,yeah.
Speaker 1 (09:25):
And your whole family worked together then in the dry
cleaning business, correct?
Speaker 2 (09:30):
So in New Jersey, that's where I grew up, that's
where the dry cleaning businesswas.
I would work there beforeschool and after school.
That's why I knew the business.
Got to college, started my own,told my parents to sell theirs
to come here.
Speaker 1 (09:42):
Obviously I'm an only child they want to be closer to
me, so technically they'reworking for me for the last
decade and a half or so, so Iwas paying them on payroll so
how do you, how do you go fromthis entirely service-based
business like, yes, there'scustomers involved, but there's
really not, there's really noproduct per se?
I mean, there's some correctservice-based product that you
(10:05):
had, like the lockers and thingslike that, but to go from this
entirely service-based businessto now you're in the business of
fun and providing some sort ofentertainment, so to speak, to
bring joy to people, are youfinding that fulfillment in that
as well?
Speaker 2 (10:26):
It's more fulfillment than I thought.
Okay, so originally I just wastrying to introduce culture to
Gilbert, to the non-Asians orpeople that have never had
bingsu before.
But when I see the little kidor even the parents, one bite in
and they're just blown away orsome profanity, saying this is
the most amazing, whatever right.
(10:46):
That brings a lot moreenjoyment and no disrespect to
my dry cleaning business.
I love the two.
I have great customers and theystill reach out to me.
They visit my shop as well.
We miss you I hear that often Isee reviews that will say that
they miss me.
Yeah, it's a different businessand it was definitely more than
(11:08):
I calculated.
I thought it's just anotherbusiness.
Speaker 1 (11:12):
No, big deal, but there's so many details.
So just kind of moving into theconcept aspect, this segment of
our show, we wanted to kind ofjust discuss taking this concept
from just the concept to bringit to reality.
And now you've got a, a brandand a product from scratch,
(11:33):
correct?
Speaker 3 (11:35):
Can I ask a question before?
Speaker 1 (11:36):
we actually go there.
Speaker 3 (11:37):
What I'm what I'm trying to.
What I would like to understandis is how did the dry cleaning
business that experience?
How has that informed howyou're going about building?
Speaker 2 (11:47):
FrostTales.
Speaker 3 (11:48):
Because you had talked to us previously about
basically being intentional,about taking your time before
trying to launch a new businessbuilding up a capital base,
making sure you have the cash tomake it work.
So maybe talk a little bitabout that first, and then we
can definitely drill down intothe FrostTales concept, which is
(12:09):
awesome.
How did being the owner of adry cleaning business prepare
you for what you're doing now?
Speaker 2 (12:19):
So with any business I've always said, if it's a
product or a service or whatever, customer service is number one
.
Perfect example is foodbusiness you can have the
shittiest food, but if you havea great experience you're going
to come back.
Perfect example is Asianbusiness Great food but shitty
service.
People don't want to go backBecause at the end of the day,
(12:40):
and especially in Americanculture, we love our experiences
, and that's what I look at Drycleaning too.
I realize people didn't comefor the product.
I mean, yes, our product wasgreat and everything, but they
like the fact that they can talkto me about whatever they're
going on in their life.
Speaker 1 (12:54):
You made it personal, correct.
Speaker 2 (12:56):
And there was a connection there.
Speaker 1 (12:58):
I mean, obviously we still have it going today.
Speaker 2 (13:01):
Correct, so same thing with Starbucks going today
.
Correct, so same thing withStarbucks.
That's where I learned right,yes, you're getting a cup of
coffee.
My first thing that I learnedis the interaction is important
because out of their house,their first interaction with
someone would be your barista.
Right, you can make or breaksomeone's day Just even saying
hello, how are you?
Simple thing like that will getsomeone to react.
(13:21):
Wait, did you just ask me howmy day is?
I get that too.
At my dry cleaners andFrostails.
I've had people just look at melike you just asked me how I'm
doing.
They were surprised by youasking the question.
Because we're so glued to ourphone.
We don't talk to people.
So that got me ready from drycleaners to Frostails was the
(13:44):
fact that it's kind of the samething.
I wanted to create thatexperience, but now I was
providing something edible,something that was a bigger
audience.
Dry cleaning is a very nichebusiness, especially the concept
that I had you had to have somedisposable income to be a
customer, whereas my desserteveryone loves dessert.
(14:05):
So that was what also intriguedme going from dry cleaning to
that is I was able to grow theaudience, reach out to more
people, because, at the end ofthe day, my goal is to give
people a good experience andthat's what I wanted to do as
far as Frostails is to provide agood experience, bring some
(14:25):
culture.
So the dry cleaning did prepareme, not only monetarily to get
into Frostails, but whatever Idid there as far as building a
fan base, that's what I was ableto do with this new business as
well, and that's why I believeStarbucks, dutch Bros,
chick-fil-a, they all do well inand out is because they build a
fan base.
You build passionate customers.
(14:47):
They're going to keep comingback.
Same with the dry cleaners.
I sold it almost two years ago.
I still have people message me,or even Jay, he goes, I miss
it's been two years.
At the end of the day, you justthink, oh, you're just cleaning
my clothes, but it was morethan just cleaning your clothes.
So even with the dessert,people love dessert, but they
love the fact that they can talkto me about what's going on.
(15:09):
If you read any of our reviewson Google or Yelp, it is very
personal too, even at FrostHouse, and we do maintain a
five-star rating.
Speaker 1 (15:17):
Yes, you do.
That's great.
Congrats on that.
That's amazing.
And it's hard to do especiallyin food service, any any kind.
You know, there's always goingto be somebody that's not happy,
and I didn't see anybody thatwas yeah, so that wasn't happy,
everybody was happy.
So one of the questions I hadwas, again like going back to
(15:39):
concept, to reality.
How did you choose yourlocation?
Because you're located at theVerde Complex at Cooley Station
in Gilbert, correct.
So how did you choose this?
Speaker 2 (15:50):
location.
So it was on my first location.
It was actually across from mydry cleaners, which would have
been at Gilbert and Queen Creek.
Speaker 1 (15:58):
Oh, okay.
Speaker 2 (15:59):
That was my.
I had a lease signed andeverything, a deposit, and then
COVID through everything untilTailspin.
So everything happens for areason.
And then I was looking and alot of people didn't give me a
chance.
It was very hard.
I wanted to be in downtownGilbert that's where the hotspot
is.
I got denied.
One developer pushed me aroundfor a year and then eventually
(16:20):
said no, we're not interested.
And I get it.
It's a new startup.
Startups are very hard.
They all want to go with thefranchise.
It's established.
That's why you see all the newdevelopments with all the
franchise.
They have the deep pockets.
It's a proven method Less risk.
It was hard, depending on whothe franchisees are.
Speaker 3 (16:42):
Not all of them have deep pockets, but generally what
happens.
Speaker 2 (16:45):
If they don't, then the franchisor takes over Right,
and so then they're okay withit, because there's a corporate
back.
Speaker 1 (16:52):
Yeah, a corporate will end up taking that
restaurant over, whereas mine.
Speaker 2 (16:56):
if I go belly up, then it's vacant Right.
Then they got to find anothertenant and then it's a whole.
I can do it all over again.
But, um, thanks to Verde,coolie Station, the ownership,
norm Brody, uh, luckily he knewwhat Bingsoo was.
I mentioned him the idea he wasin love with it, and so he gave
me an opportunity.
Speaker 3 (17:17):
So it was the concept , it was the Korean dessert
concept that was not attractiveenough, apparently.
Speaker 2 (17:25):
Yes, and no, no, but it's not.
Speaker 3 (17:29):
I don't see how that would be, it's going outside the
box.
Speaker 1 (17:33):
He's just saying if there was a franchise backing
the Korean dessert, then itwould have had maybe a better
chance.
Speaker 2 (17:43):
So maybe five years from now, if I have multiple
stories, I'm sure they'll be.
Hey, can you?
Speaker 1 (17:48):
put your concept in there.
Speaker 2 (17:49):
But being a startup, it's not so yeah.
So Norm Brody over at VerdeEqually Station.
I gave him my pitch, he washappy, he was on board and
that's kind of how I chose thatspot.
I did choose it also because ofthe amphitheater where there's
live music.
There's a stage.
My vision was that we'll haveperformances there and live
(18:10):
music.
Speaker 1 (18:11):
And this you just saw come to fruition.
Speaker 2 (18:13):
Correct.
So we've done a lot of eventsthere, a lot of K-pop events.
K-pop is very hot right now.
We have vendors that sell K-popmerchandise, we have K-pop
dance groups performing on stageand then the last couple of
months we've been doing somelive music with local bands in
Gilbert.
We're talking kids in middleschool and high school kids to
give them a platform to playmusic.
(18:35):
Music's going by the wayside.
I was a product of music.
I played piano, violin, guitar.
Yes, very Asian.
I love music.
I think that's great for thekids, but it's kind of getting
kicked to the curb, and so I wasreached out by one of the band
members' mom.
We started talking and then themusic teacher got involved and
(18:58):
hey, let's put on a performance.
And I said cool.
And so that's kind of how itcame to fruition.
Speaker 1 (19:04):
That's really cool.
Speaker 2 (19:05):
So I love giving back to the community.
My dry cleaners I used todonate to the local schools
Retailing Unified SchoolDistrict, especially Perry High
School.
Perry High School is verypopular right now because of
Brock Purdy.
I did see him on the sidelines.
I donated just enough money tobe on the sidelines when he was
at football, so I got to see himgrow up, that's really cool.
(19:26):
That's what I like to do withbusinesses.
So this business hasn't gonethere for me to donate a ton of
money yet, but I will get thereeventually.
But for now, what I can do isoffer my establishment the
opportunity for such events.
Speaker 3 (19:40):
And going back to the music thing real quick, though
Gilbert's been in the news a lotlately the Gilbert Goons, all
that kind of thing.
I think it's really cool thatyou're providing this venue,
this outlet, especially on theweekends, right, because that's
when kids are going out andtrouble can generally happen.
It can happen on any day of theweek, but especially weekends.
I just think that's reallyreally neat that you're
(20:02):
fostering that.
Speaker 2 (20:05):
I am, we're all a kid inside still.
We know how hard it was.
It's getting harder and, likeyou said, the Gilbert goons and
if you're trying to not causetrouble, you got to be around
music or a hobby and the musicis a hobby for them and the
shopping center is a great area.
We're in between Higley HighSchool and Williamsfield High
School and also ASU for them,and the shopping center is a
great area.
We're in between higley highschool and williams field high
(20:25):
school and also asu poly, right.
So we got tons of kids rightcoming around.
That's so great.
We much rather have them gowatch music than go hang out at
some house and you know whatthey're doing.
Yep, so this is my way of hey,you know, if you got a band, if
you want to perform, we'll makeit a thing.
(20:46):
So that's kind of hopefullygross from there.
Speaker 1 (20:49):
And so Frost Tales is a sponsor of these concert
nights.
Correct, yes, very cool.
Is there like an age cap onthese?
Speaker 2 (20:58):
I think it's high school.
It's just through high school.
Yeah, it's really cool.
Speaker 1 (21:02):
So the last time you did this, it was just this past
Saturday night, Correct it wasthis past Saturday night.
And how many bands did you?
Speaker 2 (21:09):
say, came out, we had five bands.
The first one, we had two bands, and then this one, we had five
, five bands so a couple hoursor so.
Yeah, so from 4 to 8.30.
Speaker 1 (21:19):
And is everybody in your complex on board with this?
Speaker 2 (21:21):
Yes, and no.
Is everybody in your complex onboard with this?
Yes and no, it's just music.
Speaker 1 (21:25):
It's an amphitheater.
Speaker 3 (21:26):
It's a healthy event for kids.
Speaker 2 (21:28):
Sure, some music.
You might not like it.
I might not like it either, butat the end of the day I'm doing
it for the kids.
We're not talking these adults,we're talking kids.
Like you said, there's a lot ofstuff going on.
It's harder for kids so you'retaking away from them to play
music.
They play in the garage or theliving room.
(21:48):
I mean, where else do you havea place to play in public?
Speaker 1 (21:52):
Not in a parking lot, in an amphitheater with lights,
or to test it, just to test thewhole test your songs, test
your audience test everybodyyeah and you don't have to pay
for it.
Speaker 2 (22:04):
right, I'm providing you an area, a safe space with
grass, and then you can eat atthe local restaurants that are
in the shopping center.
Grab dessert, grab water, grabsnacks right, that's so great.
So it's a win-win for everyone.
It helps business, brings moreawareness, gets kids off the
(22:29):
streets.
Speaker 3 (22:29):
Yeah, what's not to like about that I know?
Speaker 2 (22:31):
Where else can you find a venue like that, not even
downtown Gilbert.
I've never heard of that before.
Speaker 1 (22:35):
I do think it's kind of ironic, though, that it's the
bar that's complaining.
Right, it's the bar.
Speaker 3 (22:42):
It's kind of ironic.
There is some irony in that Iwould have to say I don't know.
Speaker 2 (22:46):
One of my customers said that it is ironic of all
the businesses it's a bar isover there.
Speaker 1 (22:51):
I'm afraid you're just too darn loud you know it's
.
Speaker 2 (22:55):
If it was every day, you know it'd be different, but
it's, it's, you know, once amonth maybe yeah, that's you
know, come on people.
Yeah, I know, but can't makeeveryone happy.
What are you going to do?
Can't please everyone all thetime.
Speaker 1 (23:07):
You can't.
Speaker 3 (23:07):
Yeah, you can't, but you definitely are pleasing
people at Frosthales and sobingsu is your.
Did I say that correctly?
Bing Bingsu is your primarymenu item, but you also offer
other Korean-specific food itemsand things that people can
actually maybe find and purchaseat your place.
Speaker 2 (23:25):
Yeah.
So, like we said earlier,drinks right, any drink you can
think of If you want.
Caffeine, not caffeine.
Sodas, not carbonated, hot teas, hot coffees, snacks such as
there's a Fuego chip, there's asour cream and onion.
(23:47):
I mean all American stuff butKorean style.
So, it's much healthier, muchcleaner, not oily.
We even have Korean sun chipsthat are very popular.
Not had those.
Garlic baguette is the flavor,oh, that sounds good, it's
really good.
Another popular mine is a honeybutter chip.
Had those.
Garlic baguette is the flavor,oh, that sounds good, it's
really good.
Uh, another popular mine is ahoney butter chip I call it a
(24:08):
movie theater in a bag okay,three things I like very much
all in one bag and then, uh, wehave noodles.
Our most popular is bulldog.
Bulldog is all over tiktok.
Uh, I'll have so many kids comein their eyes.
Eyes get big, like you haveBulldog.
I'm like yeah, and we've hadthem for a long time and it's
particularly the one.
It's the Carbonara, it's thepink, I don't know why, but it's
(24:32):
popular over TikTok.
And then lately it's beentrending as kimchi.
I don't know if you guys heardof kimchi.
It's a fermented cabbage, so wemake that in-house and we sell
a lot of it, and even justyesterday I think she's probably
in elementary or middle schoolshe's like you have kimchi and
I'm like, yeah, have you had it?
She's like no, how?
Speaker 3 (24:49):
do you?
Speaker 2 (24:49):
know it, she's like TikTok.
Speaker 1 (24:52):
Oh my gosh, of course .
Speaker 2 (24:54):
Yeah, tiktok.
So kimchi's a thing you know.
Speaker 1 (24:57):
Unbelievable.
Speaker 3 (24:58):
And so Frost Tales, so so Frost Tales.
So I get the impression thatmaybe you haven't fully reached
the crescendo yet, or where youreally want to go with this
dream, so tell us about that.
Speaker 2 (25:08):
Yeah, so I've been in this business.
I've been rolling out on stages.
I don't put everything alltogether at once to keep people
coming back.
It's like Starbucks when youhave pumpkin spice for the fall
season.
So, yes, our name Frost Tale isnot because of a dog.
It's because I never thought ofthat.
Speaker 1 (25:27):
I've had people reach out to me like is this a dog
shop?
Speaker 2 (25:30):
It's like.
No, it's not a dog shop.
Speaker 1 (25:31):
I just remember that show.
Remember that it was like acartoon from the 80s.
It was called like Shirt Tales,I think.
Remember that one.
I had to think about that onebe old, I don't know.
Speaker 3 (25:40):
I guess I'm older I watched too much TV when.
I was a kid.
Speaker 1 (25:43):
Maybe both.
Speaker 2 (25:43):
We're all getting older, frost and cocktails.
So you combine the words and itbecomes frost tales.
So, yes, our next stage inbusiness is to introduce alcohol
as a business owner, as abusiness mindset.
Yes, alcohol makes money.
So that is why, eventually,we'll be adding alcohol, but,
like you would guess, it wouldhave to be Korean alcohol, soju,
(26:07):
which I would just simplify itit's Korean vodka.
Speaker 1 (26:12):
So these are Korean cocktails?
Speaker 2 (26:14):
Yes, I will be making Korean cocktails Same thing, so
they don't make those in Koreabut I will be making them and
I've tried it.
I've taste tested it.
It's gotten great feedback.
Speaker 1 (26:25):
You may have to expand here shortly, right?
If you add this, you're goingto need more space.
Speaker 3 (26:31):
Well, you just took that out on the grass, and are
these taste tests impromptu?
Can we know when the next?
You guys are more than welcometo come by Off book.
Speaker 1 (26:41):
I love that idea Taste test is coming up.
We more than welcome to come byOff book.
I love that idea.
Taste test is coming up.
We can just happen to show up.
We can even be anonymous tastetesters.
Yeah, nobody needs to be named,you can just come.
Speaker 2 (26:52):
The only taste testers are people that I know.
Speaker 1 (26:54):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (26:54):
Because, technically right, I don't have a license
Right, of course, so it's myfriends, it's just a house party
.
Speaker 1 (26:59):
It's just a house party.
Don't call the cops.
Okay, promise it won't happen.
Speaker 2 (27:07):
Soju has a very popular alcoholic beverage.
I will be introducing somethingdifferent.
I like to do different, uniqueitems.
I don't like to carry stuffthat you just can buy at your
grocery or local Korean grocerystore.
I don't know if you noticed.
So this is my sweatshirt.
Speaker 1 (27:23):
I was going to ask you about that next.
Speaker 2 (27:25):
So it's Kore which is a whale.
Speaker 1 (27:27):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (27:28):
It's from Jeju Island , which is like Hawaii.
It's a very popular.
Everything in Jeju is the topnotch.
So we have Jeju orange juice inour store, which is top notch.
This is from Jeju Island aswell.
This is phenomenal by this isfrom Jeju Island as well.
This is phenomenal, by the way.
Speaker 1 (27:46):
They use this water to make soju.
This is Dr Yoo, dr Yoo, yes.
Are these companies related?
They are not related.
Speaker 2 (27:52):
But, yes, korea is very cheesy on their names.
Dr Yoo, we have a chocolatecake called oh yes.
Oh yes, korea needs to work ontheir marketing, but it is what
it is, anyway.
So this brand right here, ohyes, yeah.
So Korea needs to work on theirmarketing, but you know it is
what it is anyway.
So this brand, right here it isin DC area right now.
Okay, they haven't made ittheir way to the west side of
(28:13):
the country, west coast, butwe're, you know we, hopefully I
will be part of the team to rollit out to the side of the
country, so they might be makinga stop in Gilbert, arizona,
correct?
I've been told in a coupleweeks the head of this company
might be visiting my shop.
Okay, because he's interestedin my cocktails as well.
Speaker 1 (28:36):
That's cool, so you'll have everything that
you'll need in order to reallyroll this out.
Speaker 2 (28:41):
Correct.
At the end of the day, I justneed the license.
Speaker 3 (28:45):
I was going to ask you what are the hurdles
involved in getting there?
It's not that bad.
Speaker 2 (28:50):
I looked into it.
Yes, the initial.
It is expensive, there's cost,but after that the repeat of
renewing your license is not toobad.
It's the initial, it's theinitial and the education.
At the end of the day, I haveto make sure you're 21 and above
right, just the stuff like thatI can.
I mean it's dangerous, right, ifsomeone were to, if I were to,
(29:12):
over pour their drink and thenit becomes my liability.
Okay, so, getting back to youknow, kid safe place you, you
know it's a kid environment.
I'm not asking for customers toget bombed, it's just a drink
or two, right, parents can havetheir beverage and kids could
have their dessert, right?
How many times can you say youwent to an ice cream shop where
adults had their fix and thenkids had theirs?
(29:34):
So I'm, like I said, I'm tryingto bring families together.
That's my whole initiativeabout frost tales is, uh, trying
to bring everybody together.
Speaker 1 (29:42):
So so cool.
That's an awesome concept.
It is.
That's great.
So other challenges you've runinto, one maybe being the
obvious I know we already kindof talked a little bit about
this but being a minority inbusiness in Gilbert Arizona,
how's that experience gone foryou so far?
Speaker 2 (30:00):
Well, anyone that knows, gilbert is very white.
I think I can say that becauseI grew up in America.
You can say that it is hardright At the end of the day.
Speaker 1 (30:16):
It's a little challenging with the yeah just
getting an opportunity.
Speaker 2 (30:21):
Look at sushi restaurants.
That are the big sushirestaurants.
They're not generally owned byAsians.
The little hole in the wall areowned by Asians, but if you
want to be in a flashy shoppingcenter, it's not owned by an
Asian.
Also, being a minority, I willalways be a minority.
I don't care if I was born here.
That's one thing I started tolearn too as I got older.
(30:42):
No matter what my citizenshipsays, I will always be Asian,
korean.
That'll follow me all along.
On a sad note, I still get madefun of in my shop being Korean
or Asian.
The other day I had someone askme I don't want Korean coffee.
Can I get American coffee?
In your shop In my shop.
(31:03):
Yes, this was a grown man.
Speaker 3 (31:05):
How did you respond?
Speaker 2 (31:06):
to this.
Normally I have a pretty goodcomeback, but I was not
expecting that, because there'sno American coffee.
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (31:15):
That's good, okay, yeah.
Speaker 2 (31:19):
America does not grow coffee beans?
And then when, I just gave himthe blank space he just looks at
me and goes.
I'm not racist and I'm like you.
Literally just said you wereracist.
Speaker 3 (31:32):
You did.
Speaker 2 (31:33):
The fact that he doesn't want Korean coffee.
Speaker 1 (31:35):
I would love to try Korean coffee I don't know about
you Coffee of any kind.
Speaker 3 (31:41):
But that's being a minority, it's just ignorant and
that's fine.
Speaker 1 (31:45):
So, anybody else that's listening to this show
right now?
That might be a minority.
What advice could you give them?
Speaker 2 (31:53):
On those hurdles, don't let it get to you.
Okay, what advice could yougive them on those?
Speaker 1 (31:55):
hurdles yeah.
Speaker 2 (31:56):
Don't let it get to you.
Speaker 1 (31:57):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (31:57):
Right Like how do you ?
Speaker 1 (31:59):
you know what have you done to push through it, how
?
How do you just roll?
Speaker 2 (32:03):
with it.
You have to right.
I, uh, there's another tenantin my shopping complex.
He's a minority as well, and sowe're become really good
friends in the shopping center.
He comes by all the time and wetalk about it.
I go, look, I flip it the otherway.
The fact that we're minoritiesand able to have a business in
Gilbert and a new shoppingcenter, that's a win, right, you
(32:27):
look a lot of minorities.
Where are they at Mesa, a lot ofdingy, old shopping center,
nothing flashy, nothing wrongwith it.
But as a business owner youwant to be in the cool hip spot
right Downtown Gilbert, rightVerde, cooley Station area,
santan Mall.
Speaker 3 (32:43):
Yeah, when you said Cooley Station, one of the first
thoughts in my mind was oh,that's really cool.
Speaker 1 (32:47):
It is really cool.
Speaker 2 (32:50):
And so to be a minority, we're a win,
regardless if my business goesout of business in a couple of
years or it flourishes the factthat I was able to open up a
shop, and same with him the factthat he was able to open up a
shop, and it's a win for us.
So you just have to keepplugging away, and it's hard.
A lot of people that know methink it's easy and I make it
(33:14):
look easy, but it's not.
Speaker 1 (33:17):
Yeah, I think you do to a certain extent, just cause
I've known you for so long.
I think you you do cause youlet it kind of, let things roll
off your back pretty easily, butcertain things will bother you,
correct?
Speaker 2 (33:30):
And a lot of things do bother me Right.
Speaker 3 (33:32):
Well, you're human yeah.
Speaker 2 (33:33):
Yeah, and so do bother me.
Speaker 1 (33:35):
Well, you're human, but I could see how maybe even
some of your peers have saidlike oh, Albert, you make it
look so simple, you make it looklike anybody could do it.
And I do, because if you makeit look like it's hard you have
kind of a poker face, not today,not during this show, but
generally speaking I would saythat you do kind of carry a
poker face, and I think thatprobably bodes well when you're
(33:57):
in business.
Speaker 2 (33:58):
To some extent, you have to To not let them see
everything on your sleeve,because when you see that from,
say, an investor standpoint oryour landlord, then that kind of
turns it the wrong way.
Speaker 3 (34:12):
That gives them a bad vibe.
Speaker 2 (34:14):
So you have to act like you've been there before,
and my thing is always act likeyou're a big company, but you're
a small company.
So even the bankers that I dealwith, they're the big banks,
nothing wrong with.
Speaker 1 (34:27):
So where did you get that from?
Speaker 2 (34:29):
Just always act big.
Speaker 1 (34:30):
Act like you've been there before.
Did your parents teach that?
Or was that grandparents, Ithink?
Just being turned down.
So much Okay, just theadversity of Correct Rejection,
yeah.
Speaker 2 (34:40):
So that's what I that's one of the biggest
advices I give is always actlike you own a big company.
I mean, don't be obnoxious,yeah yeah, but feel like you can
roll with the big companies,right, companies in Korea.
We're talking these top fivecompanies in Korea.
They're huge.
And then the fact that I'm ableto talk to them.
(35:02):
Right, I mean, that's a win.
Speaker 3 (35:03):
You know what I did I just picked up the phone.
Speaker 2 (35:04):
Hey, I'm trying to do this.
What do you think?
Sure, let's give it a shot.
But people are scared.
I don't want to work with thisbank.
They're going to turn me down.
My biggest banker, my biggestbank that lent me money to
expand my dry clean business,was Chase Bank, and I went
through over 30 banks.
Speaker 3 (35:24):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (35:25):
Credit unions Wait before you got to Chase and got
to financing, because I alwaysthought, oh, chase is too big,
they don't want to lend me money.
So I've done Comerica.
Speaker 1 (35:34):
But are, but are they more?
You know, like was was Chasemore, I don't know more open.
Speaker 2 (35:41):
I think, well, take it back a little bit.
So it's about your banker aswell.
Your banker is more important,but my story is don't be afraid
of the big bank.
I was afraid of the big bank.
Okay, cause you hear, oh, theyonly want to work with $100
million accounts.
They want to work with all thebig boys, right?
Speaker 3 (35:59):
It just takes the right person to see the
potential yeah, and want toCorrect, regardless of the bank
that they're at.
Speaker 2 (36:04):
Yeah, so that would be the better explanation, but
also it's the fact thateverybody wants to knock down
the big banks, right, wellsFargo, jpm, jp Morgan, chase and
Bank of America.
I bank at Chase and Bank ofAmerica, just kind of sticking
up for them.
Well, they're being good to you, you should.
Speaker 3 (36:22):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (36:23):
And they have been.
So there's always a good storyto even these bigger banks.
Everyone thinks the big banksare big and mighty and trying to
take everything, but it justshows there's a good story that
they've been there for me at thehardest times.
Speaker 3 (36:36):
That's great advice.
So small business today.
Where do you see yourself infive years?
Do you see yourself in multiplelocations?
Where do we go from here?
Speaker 2 (36:46):
So, getting back to why I wanted to get into
Frostails dry cleaning business,I can only go so big.
It's very personal.
We're talking.
I'm dealing with people'sprecious clothes, especially my
clientele.
We have customers that drop off$5,000 suit jackets Not a
two-piece suit, just one singlejacket.
You mess that up.
There goes a ton of money so Ican't grow that.
(37:11):
I can't have just employeesrely on that.
So I wanted to start a businessthat I can grow Never franchise
it, but grow it out.
So that's why frost sales was athing and my ambitious plan is
hopefully you know five years or10 years how long it takes.
It'd be nice to have multiplelocations make a drive-through
out of it.
(37:31):
That would be cool, right?
I?
Speaker 3 (37:33):
Right.
Speaker 2 (37:33):
I mean, besides Panda , not too many Asian-owned
drive-thru businesses.
You know, everything is yeah,it's true, Mom and pop, you got
to walk in right, but Americanstuff, it's all drive-thru.
Speaker 3 (37:47):
Especially in Arizona everything's drive-thru.
Speaker 2 (37:49):
Right, you want a sandwich Drive-thru through.
I'm surprised Subway doesn'thave a drive through.
Panera Bread has a drivethrough.
Speaker 3 (37:59):
It's everything that's right.
Even Panera does.
Speaker 2 (38:03):
So that's where my mindset is.
I always look at what the bigcompanies are doing, so getting
back to act like you're a bigcompany, they did all the
research.
I don't need to go pay someoneto do some R&D Just mimic it.
So if you walk into my shop itlooks like a Starbucks with a
Chipotle menu.
So I yes, there's somecreativity to it, but I just
(38:26):
look at what they do, what works.
Chipotle does well, in-n-outdoes well, starbucks does well.
All those companies they dowell for a reason.
Speaker 3 (38:33):
Yeah, I mean you want to have your own unique flavor,
but why try to recreate theentire?
Speaker 2 (38:37):
wheel.
Exactly, yeah, that takes toomuch effort, just kind of
massage it to how you want to doit.
For me it was to do 100% Koreaningredients.
So the snow powders and thesauces and syrups, those I
import directly myself.
I literally handle all thelogistics.
Speaker 1 (38:54):
Well, even the machines too.
Right, your snow machines areall from Korea.
Yeah, I mean, it's a legitimateexperience and everybody needs
to check it out.
Key takeaways from thisconversation.
What do you think I'm going tosay?
Don't give up on your idea.
I mean, if you started havingyour idea and plans in place for
(39:15):
this concept back in 2007, andthen it's just now coming to
fruition, or in the last twoyears, what a great message.
Speaker 2 (39:25):
Yeah, just be patient .
That's my biggest thing is bepatient and have money.
It sounds horrible, but even inmy shopping center I've seen
tenants get evicted because theydidn't have money for
construction.
Oh my gosh Right, it takes alot of money.
I've been very fortunate my drycleaners.
I could say now I was nettingover a quarter million dollars a
(39:46):
year out of one locationNetting.
Speaker 3 (39:49):
Yeah, netting, not grossing, not grossing yeah,
that's a lot of money.
Speaker 2 (39:53):
So grossing that's a lot of money, so I took that.
That's how I was able to enjoymy lifestyle.
And I still do so, then I soldmy business.
Speaker 1 (40:00):
Well, you had several properties going as well.
Speaker 2 (40:02):
Well that's my side, that's my retirement fund.
So, yeah, I mean I set myselfup well.
So this business.
Luckily I haven't had to tapinto my savings or my reserves
or my line of credit.
Speaker 1 (40:17):
nothing, literally been revolving, it's just cash
flowing, correct.
Speaker 2 (40:31):
Even if it's at if I'm doing well, if I don't have
to borrow money.
But every business that I knowis borrowing money from their
parents or their grandparentsdon't?
It's hard when you do it thatway.
Speaker 1 (40:45):
If you can't make it with your own money and cash
flow.
Speaker 2 (40:50):
Even if it's a franchise, a proven model and
I've seen this time and time I'magainst franchises.
They suck the heck out of youBecause they take a fee and then
they take a fee off your gross,so you're losing money, and
then they want you to grow outthree businesses at one or three
locations, so you got to havemoney.
(41:13):
Like I said, it sounds terrible, but that is your ultimate
thing.
Speaker 3 (41:17):
Well, and that's part of being patient, right, it's
not just the learningexperiences up until you finally
feel like you're ready andyou've got the plan in place,
but you've been savingintentionally all the way along
and you're ready to go.
Speaker 2 (41:29):
You've got the capital base to weather the
startup and then also, you don'thave to roll everything out at
once, phase it out.
So, okay, this month I made alittle money, so I'll reinvest
it, reinvest it again, reinvestit again.
So if you were to see my evenmy Instagram profile for my
business, if you were to look atit from the beginning to now,
(41:51):
I've gotten better, my menu'sgotten bigger, but I've had all
the ingredients there.
I just didn't provide it out.
And what I've been tellingcustomers too is now oh, you
have more items?
Well, yes, I've always had it,but I wasn't proud of it.
At the end of the day, you'repaying me to make you something,
so it should be the best, but alot of businesses or concepts
(42:12):
don't get that.
They're paying you to cook youfood and generally they're just
like, oh, whatever, I'm not intothat.
You're paying me to make yourcoffee.
You're paying me to make yourdessert.
It better be the best.
That's so great and so peopleappreciate that.
And that's my message on that isif you're getting into business
, if you're a plumber ormortgage broker or whatever,
(42:37):
make sure you're doing the best,because it doesn't matter if
you're a plumber or a FrostHills owner or whatever.
If you're the best of the best,you're going to make money.
So just be the best and use thebest.
Everything so same with me,ingredients, my personality,
even my employees.
I show them just be the bestyou can be and people will see
that.
Speaker 3 (42:53):
Then you'll be fine, that's awesome, that's so great.
Well, albert, thank you so muchfor taking some time to spend
with us.
Tell our listeners again whereFrost Tales is.
Speaker 2 (43:02):
Okay, so Frost Tales is on the southwest corner of
Williamsfield and Wrecker Road.
It's on the Cooley ShoppingCenter.
You can just Google Frost TalesF-R-O-S-T-A-I-L-S.
We're all over Google, yelp,whatever it's retrending
Instagram at Frostails Correct.
You can just Google it, we'llpop right up.
Nothing else will pop up withthat name.
(43:24):
You can't miss it.
Yes, I'm on TikTok too, that'sawesome.
Speaker 3 (43:29):
We're all over social media.
We'll have all of your linksdown in the description for the
video so that everybody knowshow to reach you and follow you.
Thanks again for being anawesome guest and telling us
your story, how you got to whereyou are.
Speaker 2 (43:43):
I appreciate this.
As I mentioned before, probablyfive years ago I didn't really
consider myself an entrepreneur,but as people such as yourself.
Speaker 1 (43:52):
I did not oh my gosh.
Speaker 2 (43:54):
Okay, because to me it was just another business.
Dry cleaning is dry cleaning.
Another bingsu business isbingsu business.
I started to realize peoplesuch as yourself, my customers
and other entrepreneurs like no,you're an entrepreneur, you're
building something from scratch,you're in your frost tails, you
did all the architect work.
Speaker 1 (44:14):
You did all the construction you did everything
and what you don't see and Ithink Brian and I can relate to
this what we don't see is allthe people that are looking up
to you because of what you'vedone, what you've accomplished,
and now you've got the abilityto speak into their lives like
from experience, and that'sreally, really why we were so
(44:34):
excited to have you on the showtoday.
So, albert, thank you again.
Yeah, you've been an awesomeguest.
Thank you, guys.
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