Building Community Through Business
Episode Description
What started as a small snow cone shack in 2005 has grown into one of Oklahoma’s most recognizable summer traditions.
In this episode of The Back Office, Dalayna Dillon sits down with Josh Juarez, founder of Josh’s Sno Shack and the visionary behind Courts & Commons.
Josh originally started selling snow cones so he could marry his high school sweetheart and pay his way through college. Nearly two decades later, that small stand has grown into 11 locations across Oklahoma and employs dozens of team members each season.
But the story doesn’t stop there.
Josh shares how the idea for Courts & Commons — a new community-centered food and gathering space — has actually been forming quietly over the last 20 years as he built Josh’s Sno Shack.
This conversation explores what it looks like to build something slowly, learn through mistakes, and create businesses that are centered around people and community.
No one has it fully figured out. But we’re building anyway.
Show Notes
Guest: Josh Juarez
Founder of Josh’s Sno Shack
Creator of Courts & Commons
In 2005, Josh Juarez opened a small snow cone stand at 71st and Garnett in Tulsa with a simple goal: support himself and marry his high-school sweetheart while finishing college.
What began as a temporary business turned into something much bigger.
Today, Josh’s Sno Shack has grown into 11 locations across Oklahoma, becoming a seasonal staple for families and communities while employing more than 70 team members.
In this conversation, Josh shares the behind-the-scenes journey of growing the business, the lessons learned over nearly two decades of entrepreneurship, and the long-term vision behind his newest venture, Courts & Commons — a space designed to bring people together through great food, connection, and shared experiences.
In This Episode We Discuss
• How Josh’s Sno Shack first started
• The motivation behind building his first business
• What it looked like to grow from one location to many
• The biggest growing pains that came with expansion
• Hard lessons learned along the way
• Business decisions that didn’t work as planned
• The inspiration behind Courts & Commons
• What Josh is most proud of in this stage of his journey
About Courts & Commons
Courts & Commons is a community gathering space designed around the belief that people want places where they can connect, enjoy great food, play, and create meaningful memories.
The concept blends food, environment, and community into a space built for shared experiences.
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