Sweet Success: Meet Kiamesha Wilson, founder of Kaye’s Pints & Scoops

Kiamesha Wilson’s first taste of entrepreneurship came early in life. Growing up she watched her parents, aunts, and uncles lead successful restaurant and beauty ventures, and even ran a small vending machine in her father’s business as a child.

Spurred by this family history, Kiamesha turned an in-home hobby of making ice cream for friends during the pandemic into a business concept: Kaye’s Pints & Scoops. Launched in 2022, Kaye’s Pints & Scoops is more than an ice cream brand— it’s a testament to Kiamesha’s commitment to quality and community. “We believe in supporting, buying from, and employing local Memphians,” she says. The small-batch creamery prides itself on handcrafted ice cream made with natural, locally sourced ingredients, free from artificial colors.

Kiamesha’s entrepreneurial path, like many, came with plenty of challenges. When opening the company’s first brick-and-mortar store in 2023, she encountered unexpected costs like building renovations and initial inventory purchases. 

That’s where an investment from Epicenter’s Friends & Family Fund came in. 

“The funding enabled us to finish remaining projects we needed to open, as well as gave us some cash to ensure we were able to maintain the first few months,” says Kiamesha. “It really helped us move into the launch phase.

Today, Kaye’s Pints & Scoops has grown into a full-fledged creamery, currently featured in 15 stores and boasting 18 rotating flavors. Kiamesha continues to innovate, planning novel items and collaborations with local flavor makers. 

Her biggest challenge now lies in scaling the business effectively. She remains focused on finding the right product mix to remain cost-effective and profitable while keeping quality high. Throughout her journey, she has relied on a strong family support system and connections with fellow entrepreneurs to navigate the emotional roller coaster that comes with building a business.

Powered by Truist and hosted by Epicenter, Good Food & Fixins is a business development program supporting emerging consumer packaged goods (CPG) food companies in Memphis and Shelby County. The program is designed to develop marketplace readiness and build capacity through a three-day accelerator, food showcase, one-to-one consulting services, and a pitch competition with prizes ranging from $2,500 to $10,000 for up to five recipients.