Inside the Multi-Hyphenate World of Ian Childs: Music, Ice Cream, Advocacy and the Business of Creativity

From singing on stage to managing tours and building a THC ice cream brand, Ian Childs is redefining what it means to support artists.

For Ian Childs, it’s hard to sum up his work with a single job title. The entrepreneur behind Space Shack juggles roles that span music, food, cannabis products and political advocacy—often all at once.

If he had to pick a title right now, Ian says it would be something like “tour manager slash logistics slash operations director.”

Much of his time is currently divided between coordinating a multi-state music tour and building the infrastructure for his growing food and cannabis business.

“I’m figuring out where artists are going to go, reaching out to people in different areas and planning performances,” Ian said. “At the same time, I’m working on logistics for setting up a factory and figuring out how we get ice cream from the factory to warehouses and into stores.”

A Brand Built Around Artists

Ian is the founder of Space Shack, a brand built around supporting creative communities. Through collaborations with musicians and artists, the company produces specialty frozen desserts including THC-infused products in states where it is legal.

Ian says the company exists to help artists build sustainable careers.

“Space Shack is a brand that strives to empower creatives,” he said. “We do that through collaborations, through unique products, and through making things that taste good and feel good and also help artists get to the next level.”

One of the company’s most distinctive offerings is THC-infused ice cream. But for Ian, the product is just one piece of a broader mission to connect art, entrepreneurship and opportunity.

From Home Cooking to Frozen Desserts

Ian's culinary journey began long before Space Shack existed. Growing up in North Carolina, he spent hours watching his mother and grandmother cook in the kitchen.

“My mom will tell you I wouldn’t leave her hip,” he said. “I was always watching what she was doing.”

Cooking became a necessity after Ian moved to Fargo, North Dakota. Missing the Southern food he grew up with, he began recreating favorites himself.

“There were no good biscuits out there, no good mac and cheese,” he said. “So I started making it myself.” That eventually turned into meal prep for friends, then catering, and later a full food business.

Photo of Ian preparing a catering order. While living in Fargo, Ian had a business called Sugar Hill Catering.

Ice cream came later and wasn’t an instant success.

“It was terrible at first,” Ian said with a laugh. “But we kept working on it, tweaking the recipe until it got to where it is today.”

Now, after six years of experimentation, Ian is working to scale production through a co-manufacturing facility and hopes to distribute products to retailers and venues across multiple states.

Ice Cream Inspired by Artists

Photo of unicorn ice cream that Ian created at home.

Collaboration is at the heart of the Space Shack model. Ian frequently partners with musicians to create signature flavors inspired by their tastes and personalities.

The process often begins with a simple question: What’s your dream ice cream? From there, Ian builds a flavor profile. In one early collaboration with Minneapolis artist Revii, the concept began with cherry, banana and cheesecake.

“We ended up with a cherry cheesecake flavor with chocolate chips,” Ian said. “It’s about taking what artists already love and bringing that to life.”

On the Road: The North by Southwest Tour

Music remains central to Ian’s work. A singer himself, he views music as both creative

expression and community building. Recently, that passion has evolved into organizing tours for emerging artists.

One upcoming project is the North by Southwest Tour, featuring artists Dakotah Faye and Durow. The tour begins in Grand Forks, North Dakota and will travel through the Midwest before culminating in a two-day festival in Austin, Texas.

The event coincides with the larger South by Southwest music festival but highlights artists from the northern Midwest.

“We’re bringing together Midwest hip-hop with Austin’s EDM scene,” Ian said. “It’s about creating opportunities for artists to collaborate in places they normally wouldn’t.”

A second tour, the Monarch Tour, is planned for later in the year, featuring Durow and pop group Quiet Child. For Ian, tours serve another purpose beyond performances—they help introduce Space Shack products to new markets.

“As we go through these cities, we’re connecting with dispensaries, smoke shops and retailers,” he said. “It gives artists another revenue stream while helping the company grow.”

Navigating a Complicated Legal Landscape

The cannabis side of the business brings its own challenges. Laws surrounding THC products vary widely by state, and Minnesota regulations add additional complications. While the state allows certain hemp-derived THC products, regulations prohibit THC infusion into dairy products.

That restriction means Ian must produce THC ice cream outside Minnesota while developing non-dairy alternatives locally. On top of that, new federal legislation will restrict hemp products entirely, starting in November.

“It’s definitely put a clock on things,” Ian said. “But we’re continuing to build the business while also advocating for policies that support the industry.”

From Campaigns to Advocacy

Ian served as campaign director for Fargo Mayoral Candidate Arlette Preston in 2022.

Ian's interest in policy isn’t new. Before launching Space Shack, he worked extensively in political campaigns.

He began his career in North Carolina before moving to North Dakota, where he worked on U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp’s reelection campaign. He's also been involved in local, mayoral and even presidential campaigns.

Today, he says his focus is less about partisan politics and more about advocacy.

“There’s a lot of nuance in politics,” Ian said. “I want to help people advocate for issues that matter to them, regardless of party.”

Looking Ahead

Ian envisions a future where the systems he’s building now allow him to step back from daily operations. In a year, he hopes to have a fully operational manufacturing pipeline, broader retail distribution and more artists collaborating with Space Shack.

“There’s not really anyone doing what we’re doing,” he said. “That makes it hard sometimes—but it’s also really exciting.”