Get to know our newest Franchise Owners, Megan & Lance Overson and hear WHY they chose to live their dream!

July 20, 2021

As the proud new owners of a Carousel’s Soft Serve Icery food truck, recent franchisees Megan and Lance Overson have gained the huge business advantage of a minimal-risk, high-return storefront-on-wheels. The Oversons’ truck is a low upfront cash investment in their own personalized asset—which is to say, rather than renovating someone else’s investment, such as real estate, they are building their own asset, a commodity without past wear-and-tear, one that provides a rare ROI within the first year.  Best of all, the portability of their storefront-on-wheels absolutely multiplies its profit potential. While brick-and-mortar retail depends on a neighborhood’s economic vitality to draw foot traffic, the Oversons are free to use their storefront-on-wheels to court the almost 1 million residents across the Omaha metro area. 

Though their truck is still in production, the Oversons have learned that simply announcing you’ll be providing the area with an irresistible, all-ages product immediately opens business doors. Megan reports they have “already set up some great working relationships within the market. There seems to be a lot of interest because we bring something unique to the community.” Carousel’s franchisees’ most popular lanes of commerce also include relationships with local schools, businesses, and churches, groups who are also perfect partners for our Carousel’s Cares philanthropy programs. We are dedicated to engaging the fabric of every community while serving up fun, family, and refreshment with every swirl of our family secret recipe, and work with groups like these can benefit everyone involved. 

Like many Carousel’s owners, the Oversons also see one of the biggest business opportunities within their thriving local sports community—add three minor league teams, multiple college programs, and an entire youth sports industry to Omaha’s hot-humid summer climate, and you’ve got a championship demand for an Icery! For Megan however, it wasn’t just access to the right climate and crowds, but also the character of the Carousel’s organization that sealed the deal for her and her husband. “I’m confident in the product, team, and brand that has already been created. We knew right away this was an investment worth making for us.”

While launching a new venture during a pandemic can be stressful for first-time and experienced business owners alike, Megan says knowing she could offer a time-proven treat that checks all the best boxes—tasty, healthy, and fun—eased any worry she may have had. To adapt an old saying, the proof is in the Soft-Serve Ice. “Two years ago, my son and I tried this product for the first time. From that point on I couldn’t get it out of my head. Everyone loves it; they have to because it’s so good. The quality of the product literally removed all the fear of starting my own business and made me feel confident in giving this a go.” Beyond taste, Carousel’s also offer an all-ages and multiple-diets appeal—our soft serve ice is super creamy, yet dairy-free, with less fat than rich, milk-based soft serves. 

When the Overson’s reached out for franchise details, Megan says they felt an immediate natural fit. “I reached out to Corey and he quickly called me back. From the first call, it just felt right. When you know, you know.” It wasn’t long thereafter that Megan’s confidence turned to urgency, and neither nature nor leisure stood to stop the Oversons from launching their new business. “Lance and I pulled over on vacation in Northern Minnesota right along the shores of Lake Superior. We struggled with cell service, but our priority was that call, we were both so excited about the opportunity, and Lance was sold.”

Though our trademark taste is usually enough to earn us a Carousel’s convert, we often hear from owners and customers that their favorite Carousel’s moments involve the general enjoyment of life that surrounds one of our trucks. As do many of our franchise partners, Megan and Lance felt a draw to serve their community by fostering such an environment. Megan says that every day as a Carousel’s franchisee “brings on a feeling that you are going to help someone create a memory. When we see a customer taste it for the first time, the smile that comes to their face is worth more to us than anything else. If we can make a living while giving back to our community, we feel that we are winning!

If you are interested in bringing Carousel’s to your upcoming Omaha event, click here, and let’s talk!