As the Ice Cream Churns

Jackie Cuscuna
  • 4.7 (29)
  • ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Ample Hills Creamery Founders: Brian & Jackie’s business journey — from building a beloved brand to losing it all, and starting again. Now, they’re creating something completely new — a story about resilience, creativity, and finding purpose on the other side of success and failure.

  1. S3E2: From Ice Cream to Cracklin’ Chicken: The Unexpected Pivot

    12/11/2025

    S3E2: From Ice Cream to Cracklin’ Chicken: The Unexpected Pivot

    After losing Ample Hills 2.0 and The Social, we weren’t planning on starting another business — especially not one involving cracklin' chicken smash burgers-and yet, here we are. In this episode we talk about how long walks through grocery aisles, lots or research and experimentation, hosting R&D dinners and a lingering ache to create again led us somewhere completely unexpected: Ramblin' Chick

    36 min
  2. S3E1: The end of the Social & Ample Hills: What We Lost and What We Learned

    11/19/2025

    S3E1: The end of the Social & Ample Hills: What We Lost and What We Learned

    Two years after losing The Social and Ample Hills, and almost four since our last podcast, we’re finally ready to talk about it. This episode is part catch-up, part reflection, and part new beginning — the story of loss, rebuilding, and finding our way forward. Join us as we begin our next venture and continue this journey together.

    36 min
  3. S2E5: Opening Day and Beyond...

    01/17/2022

    S2E5: Opening Day and Beyond...

    After everything we’ve been through, we finally opened the Social! It was surreal — the community showed up, the energy and excitement and support was incredible, and even Senator Chuck Schumer was there to cut the ribbon and welcome us back. In this episode, we share what that moment meant to us, along with the ups and downs that came with those first few months of starting over.

    36 min

  4. 07/19/2021

    S2E4: "Opening Day Just Days Away..."

    We’ve been pouring our hearts into building The Social, our new ice cream parlor, for the past few months — and Opening Day is just around the corner. The paint’s barely dry, the to-do list feels endless, and we’re still wondering if we’ll ever truly feel “ready.” But ready or not, it’s happening. In this episode, we share the chaos, excitement, and last-minute hurdles that come with bringing a dream to life — one scoop at a time.

    22 min
  5. S2E3: "Construction Junction: the Social Takes Shape"

    06/07/2021

    S2E3: "Construction Junction: the Social Takes Shape"

    We’re halfway through construction on the Social, and things are getting real. Between supply-chain delays, out-of-stock equipment, and the constant fear we’re forgetting something major, every day feels like a race against time. In this episode, we share the behind-the-scenes highs and lows of building a shop during the lingering pandemic — from debating light fixtures to finalizing which of Brian’s new ice cream flavors will make the cut for opening day’s “flavor playlist.”

    29 min
  6. S2E2: "First Steps for the Social"

    04/19/2021

    S2E2: "First Steps for the Social"

    We’re breaking ground on our new shop while packing up and moving our family out of the only home they’ve ever known — the place where we built our dreams, raised our kids, and weathered the hardest chapters of our lives. All while trying to rebuild after bankruptcy. It’s chaotic, emotional, and a little bit hopeful. This episode is about what it really means to start again.

    22 min
  7. S2E1: "Starting Over"

    03/22/2021

    S2E1: "Starting Over"

    March 16th, 2021 — one year to the day after we filed for bankruptcy — we turned the key on a new beginning. We signed a lease for a new space, a new company, and a new chapter. This episode is about the story behind the name, and the multitude of mixed emotions it takes to start again.

    39 min
  8. S1E9: "Q&A"

    09/28/2020

    S1E9: "Q&A"

    This week we answer many of the questions listeners have had throughout the podcast.

    52 min
See All (16)

4.7
out of 5
29 Ratings

About

Ample Hills Creamery Founders: Brian & Jackie’s business journey — from building a beloved brand to losing it all, and starting again. Now, they’re creating something completely new — a story about resilience, creativity, and finding purpose on the other side of success and failure.

Information

  • Creator
    Jackie Cuscuna
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2025
  • Episodes
    16
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Jackie Cuscuna
  • Show Website
    As the Ice Cream Churns