What happens when you lose all of your hearing at 18 years old and have to learn how to hear all over again? On this episode of The Wondering Dutchmen Podcast, we hit the road to Ireland, Indiana, to sit down with Celebration Ice owner Mark Seibert. Mark shares the incredible story of being born deaf, using hearing aids as a child, and eventually losing the remainder of his hearing during his senior year of high school. Then came a cochlear implant and an entirely new experience: learning how to hear sounds again. More than 20 years later, Mark is still learning sounds — and his son now has a cochlear implant of his own. But that's only part of this story. Mark takes us inside the unlikely beginnings of Celebration Ice and explains how a young guy with one ice machine, one truck, one bagger, and a handful of customers decided to bet on himself. What started as a tiny local ice operation in 2008 slowly turned into something much bigger. Today, Celebration Ice produces as much as 200,000 pounds of ice per day and serves customers across Indiana, Illinois, and Kentucky. We talk about the people who helped Mark build the business, hiring friends and family, massive ice orders, Holiday World, concrete pours, and even selling ice for a Mr. Beast production. Mark also tells us how Celebration Ice got its name and why the company continues to focus heavily on local and independent businesses. Beyond the business, we get into family, fatherhood, community, cochlear implants, growing up in Southern Indiana, and the people who helped Mark along the way. We also hear the story behind the backyard celebration that started after his wife Becky's battle with cancer and eventually grew into an opportunity to raise money for other families. There are some incredibly meaningful moments in this conversation — immediately followed by exactly the kind of inappropriate jokes you'd expect from the Dutchmen. Because apparently we are incapable of remaining serious for very long. From learning how to hear again to building an ice company from scratch, Mark's story went places we absolutely weren't expecting. And yes, we somehow managed to turn the business of frozen water into an entire podcast episode. If you enjoy funny podcasts, inspiring entrepreneur stories, Midwest humor, small-town stories, and conversations that can go completely off the rails without warning, you're in the right place.Subscribe to The Wondering Dutchmen Podcast, drop your favorite moment in the comments, and share this episode with somebody who needs a good story and a good laugh.Grab a seat and get ready for episode 448Buckle up! Its time to rock and roll!!! Season 4 Episode 48!!!! Presented by:Celebration IceAddress: 31 Clay St, Jasper, IN 47546Phone: (812) 630-9801https://www.celebrationice.com/Blessinger InsuranceAddress: 102 4th St, Holland, IN 47541Phone Number: 812-536-3548Merkley and Sons PackagingCall: (812) 482-7020merkleymeatsfundraiser@gmail.comVisit: 3994 W 180 N, Jasper, IN 47546Hours: 8:00AM-5:00PM Monday-Friday Saturday 7:30AM-12:30PM Closed SundaysDon't forget to subscribe, like and SHARE!!! Feel free to leave comments or hit us up at thewonderingdutchmen@gmail.com or visit us @ www.wonderingdutchmen.comWhy Watch? Better question is why not watch? Have you ever been sitting around with your buddies drinking #beer and have a #thought or something you #wonder about often, that is what we do on this #podcast! Join the #conversation:Share your thoughts in the comments below! 🌐 Connect with Us:Instagram: the_wondering_dutchmen_Twitter: @3RealWonderersFacebook: The Wondering DutchmenEmail: thewonderingdutchmen@gmail.com 🔔 Don't forget to hit the bell icon to stay updated on all things The Wondering Dutchmen!👍 If you enjoyed this #video, give it a #thumbsup, #subscribe, and #share with your #friends.
