Clementine’s Ice Cream Founder Tamara Keefe On Gooey Butter Cake & Big Dreams

Tamara Keefe, founder of Clementine's Ice Cream, transformed a childhood memory of making ice cream with her family into a national brand built on innovation, integrity, and emotional connection. After a high-powered corporate career at Abbott Nutrition, she hit a breaking point at 38—crying on a dock, feeling empty despite her success—and quit to follow her dream. She started by selling ice cream to restaurants, delivering it herself, and eventually opening a tiny 500-square-foot parlor in St. Louis that became a local phenomenon. What made her stand out wasn’t just her flavors—like the iconic gooey butter cake or boozy ice cream—but her radical commitment to quality, including paying over $900 per gallon for premium vanilla during a global shortage. She grew the business for 11 years without outside investment, refusing to compromise her vision, and only recently raised capital after building a vertically integrated 25,000-square-foot production facility. Her philosophy? Create an 'organoleptic experience'—where every sense is curated—making each visit feel like a moment in France. Now, with 260 employees and plans for franchising, she’s expanding while staying true to her roots: 'I’m not making ice cream to get rich. I’m making it to make people happy.' Her story is a masterclass in intentional growth. She bootstrapped for years, paid herself $14,000 in the fourth year, and only raised money after proving her model for a decade.