International Women’s Day 2022

Happy International Women’s Day and Women's History Month! Over our 73 year legacy, McConnell’s has grown and succeeded due largely to the efforts of hard-working women! Today, approximately 75% of our office staff and 4 out of 6 scoop shop managers are women. At the dairy (including office and production), roughly 45% of our staff is female.

This year, we spoke with six amazing women on the McC’s team. We are so excited to share their stories and experiences with you!

 

Eva Ein, Head of R&D & co-owner for 11 years

What is your favorite part of your job?

I like product and flavor development the most because I enjoy cooking and kitchen aspects (culinary experiences) and it also gives me the opportunity to spend time with people I work with. It’s challenging, but it's been great. The honeymoon aspect fades off but the people aspect stays.

What is one challenge that you faced and overcame during your time at McC’s? 

When Michael and I first bought the company, I had two restaurants at the time so I had no knowledge of how to make ice cream. I had to learn the basics first then translate that into production (by making ice cream in the kitchen then scaling it for production).

How has being a woman helped you succeed in your role or given you a unique perspective?

I am incredibly happy by the sheer number of women in the company. Not to say men don't have this, but I feel tha being a woman provides me with an ability to be more relationship-oriented, rather than solely goal-oriented. Being a woman allows me to bring the elements of relationship and family to my business. As a female, I have needed to work extra hard to prove myself.

What's your favorite flavor and your favorite McConnell's "hack"?

My favorite hack is that ice cream is a lot like wine - the colder it is, the less flavor it has, so warming brings out the most robust flavor. Although, do not warm it in the microwave, let the ice cream soften at room temperature. My favorite flavor changes from week to week. The amount of ice cream I've had in 11 years is a lot. If I had to pick one, it would be Eureka Lemon & Marionberries.

Closing Remarks

I really appreciate the women in leadership and the people in leadership at our company as well as how they approach their commitment to the company and to their relationships. I'm incredibly grateful for them!

 

Cassie Oliva - Office Manager (Almost 1 Year)

What is your favorite part of your job?

My favorite part is getting to work with everybody within the whole company.  

How has being a woman helped you succeed in your role or given you a unique perspective? 

Up until recently, I worked in male-dominated environment which was intimidating, but it taught me a lot.

What's your favorite flavor and your favorite McConnell's "hack"?

My number one flavor has to be Eureka Lemon & Marionberries, then Peanut Butter & Jelly Sando. I like the unexpected flavors. As a hack, I take the broken pieces of cookie and brownie that the Bake Room doesn’t need and give them to my kids to eat with milk - like cereal! 

Closing Remarks:

I like the increased presence of female leadership during the last year. The office vibe is more women dominated.

 

Emily Turano, Scoop Shop Manager at Grand Central Market (5.5 Years)

What is your favorite part of your job?

I really enjoy the independence - I get to be in charge of running the scoop shop.

What is one challenge that you faced and overcame during your time at McC’s?

Covid-19 provided challenges like ensuring employees feel safe while also making customers feel welcome.

How has being a woman helped you succeed in your role or given you a unique perspective?

In my opinion, women tend to have a higher capacity for empathy. This has played a role in how I train customer service and hospitality.

What's your favorite flavor and your favorite McConnell's "hack"?

My favorite is Eureka Lemon & Marionberries. As a McConnell’s employee, I enjoy the opportunity to openly voice my opinions.

Closing Remarks:

In order to be a good leader, I abide by the words of Eleanor Roosevelt, who says, “It is not fair to ask of others what you are not willing to do yourself”.

Kelly Mitchum - Scoop Shop Manager at Studio City (9 months)

What is your favorite part of your job?

Since the ice cream industry is so seasonal, I get to hire a lot of young people for seasonal roles and it's cool to teach them how to be a teammate and coworker.

What is one challenge that you faced and overcame during your time at McC’s?

I've been in the ice cream industry for almost 20 years and it’s like being an old dog learning new tricks. Over time, I’ve had to retrain my brain in the way that works best at this company.

How has being a woman helped you succeed in your role or given you a unique perspective?

Being a woman in a management role, things don't come easily. In my prior industries, things have been offered to men where women have needed to fight for it. This has taught me to speak up, which has helped me in this business. If I don't ask for what I need, it’s hard to really get things done.  

What's your favorite flavor and your favorite McConnell's "hack"?

My favorite flavor is Santa Barbara Strawberry. My favorite hack is putting things in a waffle bowl (which isn’t really on the menu, customers can ask for it and we make it!)

 

Jules Polinksy - Director of Retail Operations (6 months) 

What is your favorite part of your job?

I enjoy working with the team at the dairy while also working with shops. I like that I am a conduit between the dairy and the shops because I think that's where my strength really lies. It comes down to the opportunity to collaborate with multiple entities.

What is one challenge that you faced and overcame during your time at McC’s?

The omicron surge in retail was incredibly stressful for everyone which came right after Christmas and very suddenly. We worked quickly to make sure managers had everything to get what they needed, provided testing, and facilitated communication. We got through it together and grew more united.

How has being a woman helped you succeed in your role or given you a unique perspective?

Up until McConnell’s, I was always the only woman in my space. At McConnell’s, I bring in my motherly traits. In my opinion, women are often good at operations, strategic, and hold a lot of empathy. I also like to apply the mindset: “instead of getting furious, get curious”.

What's your favorite flavor and your favorite McConnell's "hack"?

My favorite flavors together are Coffee and Mint Chip. If I had to pick one, it would be Coffee. My philosophy is that ice cream is best when it is a little soft, so my hack is to let it sit 10-15 minutes before I scoop. Since McConnells is such high quality, the flavors peak at a softer temperature. Plus, you need a good scoop, don’t scoop with a spoon.

 

Kimberly Keller - Scoop Shop Manager at 728 State St. in Santa Barbara (3.5 years) 

What is your favorite part of your job?

My favorite part of my job is working with the staff and talking to the regular customers.

What is one challenge that you faced and overcame during your time at McC’s?

During Covid-19, I didn’t get the chance to see the smiles & excitement on customer’s faces because of the mask regulations. 

How has being a woman helped you succeed in your role or given you a unique perspective?

I think that being understanding and patient has led to success in my role. Another plus is having small arms to reach tight spaces!

What's your favorite flavor and your favorite McConnell's "hack"?

My favorite flavor is Santa Barbara Strawberry. My favorite hack is a warmed-up cookie, strawberry ice cream, rainbow sprinkles, and whipped cream!

 

Jessica Walker - Scoop Shop Manager at Pacific Palisades - (5 years) 

What is your favorite part of your job?

My favorite part of the job is the ice cream of course and my amazing colleagues! 

What is one challenge that you faced & overcame during your time at McC’s?

One challenge I’ve had to overcome during my time here at McConnells was stepping into the leadership role and holding my ground to make sure I build a healthy culture in my shop. 

How has being a woman helped you succeed in your role or given you a unique perspective?

Being a woman, especially in a leadership role, has given me a unique perspective on how I interact with certain people. This is because I have experienced some pushback and have been given surprised looks when I let people know I am the manager. With these experiences in mind it has helped me become more confident in my judgment and problem solving skills which has helped me succeed thus far in this role. 

What's your favorite flavor and your favorite McConnell's "hack"?

My favorite McConnells flavor is Sweet Cream Caramel Brownie. It’s soooo good! 

Closing Remarks

Thank you McConnell's for giving me the opportunity to grow within the company and helping me become a better leader.