From Start-Up Stand to Community Staple:
Zachere’s Rise with Blazin’ Snow
“The only way I’ll fail is if I quit.”
That’s the quiet fire that fuels Zachere Camara Andrade, founder of Blazin’ Snow, a mobile shave ice business bringing nostalgia, ʻono treats, and joy to Hawaiʻi Island—one party at a time.
But this journey didn’t start with colorful syrups and long lines.
FROM “JUST MOMING IT” TO VISION IN MOTION
After stepping away from the workforce to care for her newborn, Zachere found herself in a season of stillness. “I wasn’t doing nothing, just moming it,” she laughs. But beneath the surface, something was stirring. She craved something of her own—flexible enough to fit her family life but fulfilling enough to grow into something bigger.
She looked around her home in Pāhoa and realized: “There’s no shave ice here.” And just like that, an idea started to take shape.
FILLING THE GAP, ONE CUP AT A TIME
Blazin’ Snow began at the local Makuu Market with a single machine, a tiny freezer, and a lot of faith. “I used to sell baby clothes there, so I knew the vibe,” Zachere says. “And I noticed... there’s no shave ice?” Growing up on Oʻahu, shave ice wasn’t a treat—it was a tradition. She saw the gap and stepped in.
With savings pieced together, she bought her first shave ice machine and taught herself how to get the ice just right—soft, fluffy, and never frozen solid. “I value presentation,” she explains. “People eat with their eyes first. It has to look good and taste better.”
CHALLENGES? PLENTY. BUT QUITTING? NEVER.
Starting a business isn’t cute. It’s hard. Zachere faced long days, limited storage, equipment needs, and the emotional rollercoaster of sales that fluctuated. “Sometimes, I wouldn’t make the money I expected. Or I’d get frustrated because I didn’t have a trailer or shop to store things. But I just kept going.”
That resilience—born from a lifetime of surviving and self-teaching—became her superpower. “Most of my life, it was just surviving,” she shares. “I didn’t have a lot of good guidance. That’s what gives me the fight to want more.”
BLAZIN’ SNOW ISN’T JUST DESSERT. IT’S A VIBE.
Blazin’ Snow has now served over 3,000 customers and caters to farmer’s markets, parties, and community events across Hawaiʻi Island. It’s more than a treat—it's an experience. Nostalgic candies, kid smiles, and a booth full of laughter.
And now, she’s dreaming bigger: more equipment, a trailer, a POS system, even a small storefront near the local school. “I want it to be a safe place for kids. We don’t have much out here. I want Blazin’ Snow to be that spot.”
HERO OF HER OWN STORY
Zachere didn’t wait for perfect conditions. She followed the nudge, built something from scratch, and is still rising. ChangeMakers helped open a door — but Zachere took charge, and ran through it.
Her advice? “You kind of just gotta go and hope for the best.”
[Watch: Zachere shares her story in her own words →]
Want to support Blazin’ Snow’s next chapter? Follow them on instagram, hire them for your next event, and contribute to their growth journey.
Every shave ice sold is another step toward a dream built with grit and aloha.