Honeybeez Snowballz
Syhemia Gray-Cruz, the visionary behind Honeybeez Snowballz, has steered her food truck enterprise from its humble origins as a tent-and-table setup at church events in 2016 to a fully outfitted business camper food truck. Gray-Cruz humorously notes that, nowadays, her friends need to consult her Facebook page to know where she is.
Honeybeez Snowballz serves finely shaved ice with a delightful array of flavors as well as hotdogs, nachos, hot chocolate and apple cider for when clients are craving some cooler-weather treats.
Gray-Cruz has worked with the Illinois SBDC at SIU to help her with several aspects of business development. In 2020, she reached out to the SBDC for advice on how to write her business plan. “I knew some of the things I needed to do, but not everything. I knew I needed to focus and get everything done.” Advisors helped Gray-Cruz establish a plan for product pricing and marketing as well as ensured she was aware of necessary licenses and permits. This allowed Honeybeez Snowballz to have its official opening in 2021.
This year Gray-Cruz focused on advancing the business’s marketing plan. With the help of Amy Dion, a Small Business Marketing Specialist at the Illinois SBDC at SIU who has over 20 years of marketing experience, Gray-Cruz employed several successful tactics. She created business cards with a QR code to make it easier for clients to find her social media sites and follow her schedule of events and locations. She also learned how she could use her social media sites differently to attract customers. “[Amy Dion] taught me about algorithms, how to post, when to post, and it is definitely working. She also made me aware of different events I could get involved with.”
This year Honeybeez Snowballz has added several new locations to its schedule such as Third Thursday in Marion, Big Muddy Hogs Farmer’s Market in Hurst, and the Santa Busy Bee Dubois Christmas Market. Gray-Cruz says changing her marketing plan has made her accessible to new groups of people in areas she hasn’t reached before. “I’m having fun and meeting new people. I want every person I serve to feel blessed. If my service is on point, then I’m doing really well.”
Family is at the heart of Honeybeez Snowballz. The business was named in honor of Gray-Cruz's grandfather who used to make honey preserves for family. Her daughter, Nyema, created the business’s logo and her daughter, Nathalya, named several items on the menu. For Gray-Cruz, the operation extends beyond a mere business endeavor; it helps create meaningful experiences for her children while building strong relationships with a diverse group of customers.