I’ve never seen a Marble Slab Creamery ice cream shop. The chain has 85 locations across the country, but somehow I’ve missed finding my way into one.
They may soon be a lot easier to spot, if a young and ambitious small business-owner has his way.
“We think there’s room for 250 stores in Canada,” says Cam Inglis, the 35-year-old Calgarian behind the chain. “We’re very excited and very encouraged by how much larger the market is than what we anticipated.”
I met Inglis recently, and was intrigued by his approach. The way he found, evaluated and exploited his opportunity is a case study in strategic business decisions — with a bit of luck sprinkled in, just the way Reese’s Pieces are tossed into some of his company’s customized ice cream creations.