Hi everyone I'm Hillary Kerr, the co-founder and chief content officer of Who What

Where and this is Second Life?

A podcast spotlighting women who have truly inspiring careers.

We're talking about their work journeys, what they've learned from the process of setting aside their doubts or fears, and what

happens when they embark on their second life.

Today, I have the pleasure of chatting with the co-founder of Van Lou and Ice Cream, Laura O'Neill.

Laura grew up in Australia and worked in event production at the beginning of her career,

but a fateful trip in her early 20s took her to London, where

she met her future partner and Van Lewin co-founder, Ben Van Lewin.

Right before she moved to New York to be with him, he shared his crazy idea with her.

What if they started an ice cream truck that sold actually good ice cream?

Barely a year after she landed in the States, Laura, Ben, and his brother Pete had launched Van Lou

and Ice Cream.

The three of them spent the next decade pouring everything they had into the business, slowly expanding their offerings,

opening brick and mortar stores, and developing delicious vegan options.

Although Laura and Ben ultimately split, they continue to grow the business together and today,

Laura has hands on everything related to marketing.

She's guided Van Lueen through packaging re-brands, collaborations with celebrities like Jimmy Butler,

and special edition flavors like Hidden Valley Ranch.

And as of this year, Van Lueen has over 50 stores and is sold in 12,000 grocery stores.

Laura is such a creative businesswoman and I love her attitude about what working with other people can teach you.

She's gonna get into it, but first today on Second Life it's Laura O'Neill.

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