Meet Joel McIntyre | Business Owner & Entrepreneur

We had the good fortune of connecting with Joel McIntyre and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Joel, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I wanted to be in control of my own work life while becoming financially independent. I also wanted to develop a brand that my customers would grow to love and enjoy.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Mackies is a small Food Truck that specializes in Extreme Shave Ice. Our Shave Ice is a delicate blade shaved ice topped with over 65 unique flavors ranging from the original flavors such as strawberry, grape and cherry to the abstract flavors of Tigers Blood, Shark Bite, & Bat Juice. What Mackies is most famous for is the series of fresh Fruits-n-Cream flavors. Fresh Strawberries-n-Cream, Mackies Nana Pudding & Key Lime Pie are just a few of the flavors that make Mackies Customers return day after day for a refreshing treat. There was a lot of planning and hard work that went into making Mackies a success. My wife Jennifer and I have spent countless hours at night prepping for the next business day. Gaining Customers trust with a product we can be extremely proud of is what we have strived for from day one. Probably the most important lesson I’ve learned in gaining customers trust and loyalty is to avoid taking short cuts in the quality of any of our products. One thing I would like the world to know is that our product is uniquely different from any other shave ice. The steps we take and the ingredients we use is second to none.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
One of the most interesting places to visit in Harrogate Tn, is the Cumberland Gap National Park. Mackies is located approximately 2 miles from this Historic Park. I would take my friend to the top of an overlook where the states of Tennessee, Kentucky and Virginia all meet. We would hike along some of the many trails that encompass the Appalachian Mountain Range. Followed by lunch down at Gap Creek Coffee House in Historic Cumberland Gap. After Lunch we would head to Harrogate Plant & Produce where fresh produce is always on the list of places to pick up fresh veggies and fruits.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My Wife Jennifer encouraged me to follow my dream of opening a small business. She is the creative one in our relationship and has certainly given me many ideas about how to grow my business.

Facebook: Mackies Shave Ice