Today we’d like to introduce you to Julie Sha.
Hi Julie, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Our Story: Built on Family, Resilience, and Community
Our journey started in 2016, when we chose Kona Ice to build a business that would put family first.
At the time, we lived in the San Francisco Bay Area, and everyone in our family except Julie was facing health challenges. Matt, couldn’t drive, and we had two young children who needed transportation to daycare and school.
Our days began between 5:30 and 6:00 a.m. I took our children to daycare and school, drove Matt to work, and often didn’t reach my own job until around 10:00 a.m. By 2:00 p.m., I started the pickup routine. Some evenings, we didn’t get home until 7:00 p.m., and I still had to make up missed work hours.
This went on for six to eight months. It was exhausting, but it taught us an important lesson: We needed a life where our family came first.
That’s what led us to Kona Ice. We wanted the flexibility to be present for our children and each other without asking someone else’s permission.
In 2018, we learned that Matt’s mother was terminally ill, so we moved back to Matt’s home state of Oregon to be closer to her. That decision brought us and Kona Ice to Central Oregon, where we fell in love with the community.
Since then, I’ve faced my own serious health challenges. I am a two-time cancer survivor, having battled kidney and breast cancer. I’ve undergone 13 surgeries while continuing to help operate and grow our family business.
Running a business during cancer recovery wasn’t easy, but it reminded us why we started: We wanted the freedom to be there for our family when life needed us most.
Business ownership allowed us to adjust our schedules around surgeries, treatments, recovery, and our children’s needs. It was difficult, but we kept moving forward.
These experiences shaped how we serve our community. We understand that behind every school fundraiser, nonprofit, and community event are people and families facing challenges of their own.
Through our fundraising programs, we’ve partnered with schools, nonprofits, youth sports teams, and local organizations to support causes that matter. We’ve also had the privilege of serving thousands of families at schools, sporting events, weddings, festivals, and community celebrations.
In fall 2024, we expanded our family business by launching Travelin’ Tom’s Coffee of Bend. In April 2026, we added our second coffee truck.
Today, we operate Kona Ice of Bend and Travelin’ Tom’s Coffee of Bend throughout Central Oregon, from The Dalles down the Highway 97 corridor toward Klamath Falls and beyond.
As a husband-and-wife team, we’ve learned that small business takes hard work, flexibility, and heart. The relationships we’ve built and the opportunity to make a difference have made it worthwhile.
Our greatest accomplishment isn’t how much we’ve grown. It’s the family memories we’ve created, friendships we’ve formed, and moments of joy we’ve shared across Central Oregon.
What began with one Kona Ice truck has grown into two mobile brands, but our purpose remains the same: family, connection, and service.
We are grateful to the customers, organizations, schools, teams, and neighbors who have welcomed us and helped us grow.
We started this journey to put our family first. Today, we’re grateful to have built businesses that let us give back to other families, too.
And that, to us, is what success looks like.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Absolutely not! But looking back, every challenge has helped shape who we are today, both personally and as business owners.
Our journey has been filled with medical challenges, financial uncertainty, long hours, and more unexpected obstacles than we could have ever imagined.
Health has been one of our family’s biggest challenges. Julie is a two-time cancer survivor, having battled both kidney and breast cancer and undergone 13 surgeries since 2018. But our medical challenges haven’t been limited to Julie. Between other family members battling pneumonia, our children’s medical issues, surgeries, and ongoing medical appointments, there have been times when our entire family seemed to be facing one health challenge after another.
There were periods when we had to schedule business operations around surgeries, treatments, doctor’s appointments, and recovery. Running a small business is challenging enough when everyone is healthy, but trying to keep everything moving while dealing with serious medical issues takes an entirely different level of determination. There were days when simply getting through the day felt like an accomplishment.
When we relocated to Central Oregon in 2018, we faced another challenge: rebuilding our business in an entirely new community. We had to start over, establish relationships, earn people’s trust, and introduce ourselves to schools, organizations, and local businesses. Nothing happened overnight. We spent countless hours attending events, making connections, and showing people that we were here for more than just selling shaved ice. We wanted to become part of the community.
Like many small businesses, we were also hit hard by COVID-19. However, our situation was a little different. Because we had only established our business in Central Oregon in 2018, we were still in the early stages of growth. While our revenue increased year after year, our profits did not grow at the same pace because we were continuously reinvesting in the business. Unfortunately, that meant we did not qualify for many of the government relief programs that other businesses were able to access.
We still had bills to pay, equipment to maintain, and a family to support. We faced rising operating costs, staffing shortages, and the unpredictable nature of a seasonal business. In Central Oregon, weather is always a factor. A beautiful day can quickly turn cold or rainy, and an event we spent weeks preparing for can suddenly become a financial loss. Unlike a traditional storefront, we cannot always count on customers walking through our doors.
As if those challenges weren’t enough, we discovered that our longtime CPA in California had not properly maintained our books and tax filings. What we thought was being handled professionally turned into a major financial and administrative challenge. Since 2022, we have been working with a local company to straighten everything out, and it remains an ongoing struggle.
This has affected more than just our paperwork. It has made qualifying for business loans and obtaining financing extremely difficult, even as we continue to grow. It is frustrating to work so hard to build something, only to discover that problems outside of your control are holding you back.
Despite all of this, we continued to move forward.
In 2024, we decided to expand and launch Travelin’ Tom’s Coffee of Bend. Although we had years of experience operating Kona Ice, coffee was an entirely different business. We had to learn new equipment, products, staffing requirements, customer expectations, and operating procedures. It was exciting, but it was also another financial risk at a time when we were still navigating other challenges.
Then, in April 2026, we took another leap of faith and added our second Travelin’ Tom’s Coffee truck.
Some people might wonder why we would continue expanding with everything we have been through. For us, the answer is simple: We refuse to let our challenges define what we are capable of accomplishing.
One of the biggest lessons we’ve learned is that owning a business doesn’t mean you get to stop being a parent, spouse, or caregiver. Life doesn’t pause because you have an event scheduled, customers waiting, or employees depending on you. Sometimes you have to figure things out as you go, make sacrifices, and find a way to keep moving forward, even when you are physically and emotionally exhausted.
There have certainly been moments when we’ve questioned our decisions, worried about finances, and wondered how we were going to make everything work. But there have also been countless moments that remind us why we chose this path.
Seeing children run toward our Kona Ice truck with excitement, watching teachers enjoy a much-needed coffee break, helping a school raise money for its programs, or supporting a local nonprofit reminds us that what we do is about so much more than selling shaved ice or coffee.
Through everything, we’ve remained committed to our original purpose: building a business that allows us to support our family while making a positive impact in the community.
We often say, “We support the community that supports us.” That isn’t just a slogan to us. It’s the foundation of how we operate our businesses.
The road has definitely not been smooth, and we know there will be more challenges ahead. But it has also been incredibly meaningful. Every obstacle has taught us something about resilience, perseverance, gratitude, and the importance of community.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
There are two things about Kona Ice that I’m especially proud of: our Vita-Blend formula and the company’s commitment to putting customers first.
Our Vita-Blend is made with pure cane sugar and stevia and is fortified with vitamins C and D. It gives our customers an option that tastes great while being mindful of ingredients.
I’m also proud that Kona Ice has been proactive about food ingredients long before they became a national concern. Kona Ice removed Red Dye #3 back in 2013, more than a decade before the recent FDA action. We also operate an allergen-friendly truck and offer dye-free, all-natural sugar-free options that actually taste good.
In April 2027, Kona Ice will take another step forward by introducing natural food dyes into our products.
We also have our Blended product line. It’s 100% all natural fruit smoothie.
As a parent, I appreciate that Kona Ice continues to look for ways to improve its products and provide options for families with different dietary needs. It’s something I’m proud to stand behind as a business owner.
Any big plans?
Well, I guess the cat is out of the bag after my last answer! One of the exciting changes coming to Kona Ice in 2027 is the introduction of our all-natural dye lineup! We’re excited to continue offering more options for our customers.
Another big change coming in 2027 is our staffing. This one is bittersweet for me.
Over the past 5–6 years, we’ve been fortunate to build an incredible team. Many of our employees started with us when they were just 16 years old and have stayed through their junior year of college. We’ve watched them grow from teenagers into amazing young adults, and I’m incredibly proud of each of them.
This coming year, many will be moving on to internships and careers in their chosen fields of study. While I’m sad to see them go, I’m also so excited for what their futures hold. They’ve worked hard to get where they are, and I couldn’t be happier for them.
At the same time, this means we’ll be training a largely new crew in 2027. We take a lot of pride in the customer service we’ve built over the years, and maintaining that level of service is very important to us.
So, we ask for a little patience as we train the next generation of our Kona Ice team. Everyone has to start somewhere, just like our amazing crew did 5–6 years ago.
It’s going to be a year of change, but we’re looking forward to what’s ahead!
Pricing:
- Klassic $5
- Color changing $6
- Kowabunga $7
- Blended fruit smoothie $8
- Refill cups $4
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.kona-ice.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/konaiceofbend
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/konaiceofbend
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kona-ice-of-bend-and-central-oregon
- Twitter: Https://www.x.com/konaice
- Yelp: https://m.yelp.com/biz/kona-ice-of-bend-bend-3
