Growing careers (and franchises) at Jeremiah's Italian Ice | 056 Artwork

The Pre-Shift

Great teams make great restaurants. On The Pre-Shift, restaurant operators and industry experts dive into what it takes to build great restaurant teams. We explore their stories, the strategies they use, and valuable lessons on running restaurant teams. Hosted by D. J. Costantino. Presented by 7shifts.

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The Pre-Shift

Growing careers (and franchises) at Jeremiah's Italian Ice | 056

February 18, 2025 • 7shifts • Season 1 • Episode 56

For many 16-year-olds, a first job is just a way to make some extra side cash—nothing more than a temporary gig. But for Julianna Blackhurst, a part-time job in high school became the foundation of her lifelong career.

In this episode of The Pre-Shift Podcast, we sat down with the Senior Director of Franchise Operations at Jeremiah’s Italian Ice, to talk about two types of growth: career growth and franchise growth.

Resources:

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction and welcome
00:50 Juliana's career journey at Jeremiah's
03:33 The importance of company culture
05:48 Jeremiah's core values
12:25 The franchising model
17:17 Going outside of Florida
21:38 Leadership lessons
23:41 The 14-flavor offering model
25:16 Advice for young people
30:51 Juliana's favorite Jeremiah's menu item
35:40 Conclusion

Guest Bio:

Julianna Blackhurst, Senior Director of Franchise Operations, oversees the Operations for Jeremiah’s Italian Ice, responsible for the company’s 100+ locations in 11 states. She oversees the company’s ongoing expansion, as it is projected to reach 180+ units in 2025. In her previous role with Jeremiah’s Italian Ice, she was Director of Training and Operational Growth. Julianna was responsible for developing and administrating Jeremiah’s training program (“Cool School”) and the New Store Opening Process. Amidst her tenure, Ms. Blackhurst has been recognized by QSR Magazine in the 2021 issue of Young Leaders to Watch. Julianna takes pride in being active in the community, volunteering as a coach for Pop Warner sports. In 2017, Ms. Blackhurst received a Bachelor of Arts in History degree from the University of Central Florida and Master of Business Administration with a specialization in Finance, Rollins College 2021.

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