We love hearing how our franchisees’ success stories—and Greg Hartman, owner of the Rocket Fizz in Winona Lake, Indiana, has a unique story that’s impressive, unexpected, and heartwarming.
We sat down with Greg to talk about his journey from corporate finance to the colorful world of candy and soda, what drew him to Rocket Fizz, and why—10 years later—he’s still having a blast.
Rocket Fizz: What was your career background before becoming a Rocket Fizz franchisee?
Greg Hartman:
“I spent 23 years as an executive at a Fortune 500–level company called Biomet, mostly as the Chief Financial Officer. We manufactured orthopedic devices, and I was fortunate to be part of a period of huge growth—we were one of the fastest-growing companies in the world in terms of market value. Before that, I was a CPA, so my background was very numbers-driven.”
Rocket Fizz: Did you always imagine yourself becoming an entrepreneur, or did Rocket Fizz change that?
Greg:
“Not really. I retired in 2008, so entrepreneurship wasn’t exactly on the radar. But in 2015, my wife and I were watching Undercover Boss, and Rocket Fizz was featured on the show. It immediately caught my attention—it was unusual, original, and clearly something people wanted to walk into just to see what was inside.
At the same time, I was involved with the Village at Winona Lake, which has about 30 shops. I was helping them think about how to drive more traffic to the area, and Rocket Fizz just clicked. I thought that this would be a great fit for the village.”
Rocket Fizz: What happened next?
Greg:
“I reached out to Rocket Fizz and I remember getting a message saying they had hundreds of applications and that I probably wouldn’t hear back for months. Then I got a call that Tuesday. That was a surprise.
What really intrigued Rocket Fizz was our location. Winona Lake is a town of about 3,000 people, next to Warsaw, Indiana—the orthopedic capital of the world. We also host events constantly. There’s an art festival in June with thousands of people, a bike festival in April with 20 acres of trails, and something happening almost every month. That community energy mattered.”
Rocket Fizz: What inspired you to take the leap into business ownership?
Greg:
“The TV show planted the seed, but what sealed it was how Rocket Fizz treated us during the process. At Biomet, we believed strongly in our team members—we didn’t even call them employees. We focused on asking our customers, the doctors, “What can we do better for you?”
Rocket Fizz had that same mindset. They weren’t focused on themselves—they asked how they could help us succeed. Every step of the process reminded me of the kind of company I loved working for.”
Rocket Fizz: Was there a moment when you thought, “Yep, a soda pop and candy shop is exactly what I want to do”?
Greg:
“Honestly, yes—and that surprised me. I never thought I’d find something as enjoyable as my career at Biomet, but Rocket Fizz turned out to be just as fun. I enjoy what I’m doing. I make mistakes, I fix them, and I learn from them. That was always my philosophy in my career before, and it fits perfectly here at Rocket Fizz too.”
Rocket Fizz: What surprised you most about opening your store?
Greg:
“The amount of product. No question. On opening day, you could barely walk through the store because of how much inventory we brought in. That was a shock. Now, years later, I’ve added even more—and it works.
Financially, once our name got out there and the store grew, it’s been a good business.”
Rocket Fizz: What’s your favorite part of a typical day in the shop?
Greg:
“Watching people walk in and smile. People immediately say things like, “This place is so fun,” or “I haven’t seen this since I was a kid.” You’re helping people reconnect with nostalgic moments from their lives, and that’s pretty special.”
Rocket Fizz: Which products fly off the shelves the fastest?
Greg:
“Mexican Coca-Cola, for sure. And candy cigarettes. Those are things people just don’t find in other stores, and they get really excited when they see them.”
Rocket Fizz: How has your store become part of the local community?
Greg:
“We work closely with Grace College, providing discounted products and handing out sodas to students. Watching kids try to decide which soda they want is always fun—they’re overwhelmed in the best way.
Being part of the community is huge for us. Rocket Fizz fits right into that.”
Rocket Fizz: What has owning a Rocket Fizz taught you about yourself?
Greg:
“That I can do the mundane tasks—and that it’s okay. At corporate, I’d never run a cash register. Here, when I’m in the store, I’m just another employee stocking shelves or ringing people up. No titles. No hierarchy
I teach my team the same thing: if something needs to be done, you do it. Everyone learns everything, because sometimes there’s only one person in the store.”
Rocket Fizz: What accomplishment are you most proud of?
Greg:
“Someone once told us we wouldn’t make it five years. We’re at 10 years now—and going strong.”
Rocket Fizz: What advice would you give to someone considering opening a Rocket Fizz?
Greg:
“Have a lot of inventory. Variety matters. We’re organized chaos, and that’s part of the charm.
Also, finding a good manager is huge. I’m only in the store about five hours a week now. I do the ordering and bookkeeping from home, and I’ve developed my own unique way of managing inventory.”
Rocket Fizz: Last question—what keeps you excited to unlock the doors every day?
Greg:
“It’s fun. Plain and simple. This business runs on joy, and it’s hard not to smile when that’s what you’re selling.”
Greg Hartman’s story is proof that Rocket Fizz isn’t just about soda and candy—it’s about people, community, and finding joy in making people smile. 🚀🥤🍬
