EPISODE · May 21, 2026 · 35 MIN
Ben Van Leeuwen | The Long Game w/ Jay Roberts #17
from The Long Game · host Prosper Group
Never miss an episode. Sign up for The Long Game newsletter at ProsperGroup.com.On this episode of The Long Game by Prosper Group CEO Jay Roberts, we sit down with Ben Van Leeuwen, Founder & CEO of Van Leeuwen Ice Cream, one of the most recognizable premium ice cream brands in America.Ben started with a simple idea, a used 1988 Chevy postal truck, and just $60,000 raised from friends, family, and a college professor. Nearly two decades later, Van Leeuwen has grown into a national brand with 100+ stores across the U.S., millions of customers, and international expansion underway in Korea. We dive into the early days of building the business, the reality of raising capital, why location changed everything on day one, how Van Leeuwen built a cult following around high-quality ingredients, and what it takes to scale a brand without losing the product quality that made it special.🎯 TAKEAWAYS:• How Ben turned a used postal truck into a national ice cream brand• Why every wealthy person told him no before he raised his first $60,000• The day-one lesson that changed how he thought about foot traffic• Why premium ingredients became the foundation of the Van Leeuwen brand• The unsexy operational details that make or break a growing business• How Van Leeuwen is expanding nationally and internationallyStay up to date with Jay Roberts:Instagram: @jayroberts
What this episode covers
Never miss an episode. Sign up for The Long Game newsletter at ProsperGroup.com.On this episode of The Long Game by Prosper Group CEO Jay Roberts, we sit down with Ben Van Leeuwen, Founder & CEO of Van Leeuwen Ice Cream, one of the most recognizable premium ice cream brands in America.Ben started with a simple idea, a used 1988 Chevy postal truck, and just $60,000 raised from friends, family, and a college professor. Nearly two decades later, Van Leeuwen has grown into a national brand with 100+ stores across the U.S., millions of customers, and international expansion underway in Korea. We dive into the early days of building the business, the reality of raising capital, why location changed everything on day one, how Van Leeuwen built a cult following around high-quality ingredients, and what it takes to scale a brand without losing the product quality that made it special.🎯 TAKEAWAYS:• How Ben turned a used postal truck into a national ice cream brand• Why every wealthy person told him no before he raised his first $60,000• The day-one lesson that changed how he thought about foot traffic• Why premium ingredients became the foundation of the Van Leeuwen brand• The unsexy operational details that make or break a growing business• How Van Leeuwen is expanding nationally and internationallyStay up to date with Jay Roberts:Instagram: @jayroberts
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Ben Van Leeuwen | The Long Game w/ Jay Roberts #17
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