Lessons Learned from Ice Cream
The Question That Started It All
Can an ice cream company’s moral DNA guide the future of tutoring? (Well, that wasn't the question. But you get the idea.)
When people think of Ben & Jerry’s, they picture two guys in Vermont making quirky ice cream flavors with funny names and big ideals. But what made Ben & Jerry’s truly revolutionary wasn’t just the ice cream. It was their belief that a business could be fun, fair, and deeply good all at once. They proved that a company could succeed by putting purpose on equal footing with profit. That idea, profit serving purpose - not the other way around, continues to shape the vision for SuperTutors.
A Difficult Moment for a Beloved Brand
Ben and Jerry have been in the news recently, and the story is hard to hear. In September 2025, co-founder Jerry Greenfield resigned after a public dispute with parent company Unilever over the brand’s ability to speak freely on social and political issues. These were some of the most difficult and divisive topics of our time. These were issues that often have no easy answers. These were issues that I personally struggle with. A lot.
Greenfield said he felt the company’s activist spirit had been silenced. In response, the founders and several supporters launched a campaign to “free” Ben & Jerry’s, calling for greater independence so the company could return to its roots of social advocacy and ethical entrepreneurship.
The news hit close to home, not just as a fan of their ice cream, but as someone who has long admired the brand’s moral compass. Chocolate Fudge Brownie, New York Super Fudge Chunk, Cherry Garcia, Half Baked, Cookie Dough, Phish Food, Chunky Monkey, The Tonight Dough, and Americone Dream are personal favorites. But what truly stands out is what Ben & Jerry’s represents: creativity, community, and conscience.
And I don't want to forget this important lesson.
A Book That Changed How Business Is Viewed
A few days ago, I pulled out Ben & Jerry’s: The Inside Scoop. I read it a few years ago. Its lessons still resonate. The book tells the story of how two childhood friends with no business experience turned a tiny Vermont ice cream shop into one of America’s most recognizable brands by building on values, not spreadsheets. Fred “Chico” Lager’s account captures the messy, funny, idealistic energy that defined Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield’s early years: their obsession with quality ingredients, commitment to local sourcing, and belief that business could be a force for good. It shows how they balanced idealism and pragmatism, building a profitable company without losing humor or humanity. Their story demonstrates how social mission can be woven into the core of an organization rather than added as an afterthought.
Translating Ice Cream Values into Education
The same moral DNA that guided Ben & Jerry’s can guide SuperTutors. It’s a simple translation from ice cream to education. Values and community should stand alongside revenue as equal priorities. Ben & Jerry’s formalized what they called their triple mission: product, economic, and social. For SuperTutors, that framework becomes an educational mission to deliver exceptional, teacher-led tutoring that changes lives; an economic mission to operate profitably and fairly with transparent pay and sustainable margins; and a social mission to empower teachers, elevate the profession, and make great tutoring accessible to families regardless of zip code or income. Success, in this model, is measured not by sessions booked but by the impact on students, teachers, and communities.
A Teacher-First Equity Model
Just as Ben & Jerry’s paid workers well and kept executive pay reasonable, SuperTutors strives to embody a teacher-first equity model. Fair tutor splits, transparent rate tiers, and open communication about pay form the foundation. A Tutor Council is envisioned someday: a small, rotating group of tutors who help shape policy and represent the collective voice of those doing the work. When educators feel respected and heard, everything else falls into place.
Giving Back to the Community
Ben & Jerry’s built a legacy of giving back to the communities that made them possible, and education carries that same responsibility. A portion of SuperTutors’ profits someday will be directed toward a scholarship or community tutoring fund, ensuring that students who can’t afford private tutoring still receive high-quality instruction. Every paid session should help another student learn. Business, at its best, operates in a circular and generous way—rooted in community, not competition.
Keeping It Playful and Human
The Ben & Jerry’s brand has always been playful and human, a quality reflected in the tone and personality of SuperTutors. Tutor bios are designed to sound like real people, not résumés. Communication should feel personal and genuine, not corporate. The goal is to capture the same sense of energy and optimism that comes from opening a pint of ice cream with a favorite flavor on the lid.
Responsibility and Sustainability
A modern company, even in education, carries an obligation to be sustainable. Ethical vendors, digital carbon offsets for remote tutoring, and responsible technologies all contribute to a cleaner and more conscious operation. Empowering educators is itself a form of social responsibility, and that principle should be visible in every part of the organization’s work.
Staying Morally Clear
Ben & Jerry’s never shied away from speaking up for its values. The same philosophy guides SuperTutors: politically neutral but morally clear. Respect for teachers, educational equity, and intellectual honesty are not partisan positions. They are human commitments that define the organization’s identity.
Protecting the Mission
As growth continues, the mission must remain protected. Ben & Jerry’s created an independent board to safeguard its values even after selling the company. SuperTutors may never take that same path, but the idea of mission lock remains vital. Writing down core principles and holding the company accountable to them ensures that growth never comes at the expense of integrity.
Leading with Joy
Most of all, SuperTutors aims to lead with joy. Ben & Jerry’s didn’t just sell ice cream; they sold optimism. Tutoring is transformational work. It is fun, inspiring, and deeply human. Every student, parent, and teacher who connects with SuperTutors should feel that same spark of joy and possibility.
The Sweet Lesson
Ben & Jerry’s proved that doing good and doing well can go hand in hand. SuperTutors seeks to demonstrate the same truth in education. Technology and humanity, profit and purpose, can coexist beautifully. At the end of the day, great tutoring, like great ice cream, should leave people feeling happier, more connected, and more hopeful about what’s possible.