First day out... letter

This letter was sent today from Cory!  Great looking set up!




Hey Ben,

Just wanted to send the attached picture along to you. My first job! I purchased the Cash Cow and man is it awesome! I love it! I set up over this past weekend and everything went smoothly. The cart did great and it was very well received by the community. However, I was at a slow location and probably will try and find somewhere with a bit more traffic. Still, I covered my cost of inventory with a little extra to spare! AND I was way overstocked for this particular location. Please extend my thanks along to your staff. The gentleman who assisted with our pickup of the cart was great (Casey I believe his name was?)!

Thanks again for a quality product! It works great and is super easy to pull and set up. Already looking ahead to upgrading to something larger and lease out this one.

Sincerely,

Cory

Need a cart? Low on funds? Here's some tips!

If you haven't watched my video yet and heard how bad off I was when I started in the hot dog business, here's the link: Free Training

If you are in a bad way right now or you can see the writing on the wall and want to get into the hot dog vending business, but you have limited to no funds; here's some help.

First let's say you have limited funds, less than $1000. Start looking on Craigslist or check out Crazedlist for Craigslist searches over a multi-city or even multi-state area at one time. Search in the business listings for "concession", "hotdog", "carts" and "vending". Search separately each keyword, then also search under the general listings also. Note: Beware listings for concession stands at ridiculous low prices that give a gmail address but no phone number, these are usually, ok always, SCAMS!!!

Follow my instructions and tips before purchasing: here (look for the video on used carts)

Also check out Ebay, but look only in your area. You always want to be able to go and see the cart first when dealing with used carts. Ebay is also full of scams operating as real manufacturers of new carts, always check first on Google, Roadfood and even RipOffReport before buying. Don't always rely solely on these resources as anyone with an internet connection can post negative stuff, but if you find similar stories on multiple sites from multiple people, then be-AWARE.

This time of year like no other is the best for finding great deals on used carts.

But you want a new cart, I certainly understand. If you are handy at all and have some tools at your disposal, then maybe building a cart would be your best bet. My friend Steve offers a course with video instructions with complete parts list on how to build a cart for less than $1000. See it here, and by the way, I make not one dime off this, I truly have nothing to gain by sharing this with you other than it warms my heart to help someone else.

I almost forgot, consider placing a free ad on craigslist in the wanted section:

I am looking for a hotdog cart! Please contact me thru craigslist if you have one and are willing to sell or rent. Please send pictures and contact info.

Note: Do not put your email or your phone number on this type of listing, let them contact you thru craigslist first before divulging your contact info.

This by the way, is the best way to start with no money. Advertise for free on craigslist or similar websites that you would like to rent, profit share or help someone run their hot dog cart. It is always harder to get started in business with no money, but it is doable. There are people running carts successfully all over the country who have a couple or even several days a week that they don't operate the cart. This could be your opportunity. Also, many succe

ssful vendors in the northern states don't even run their carts in the winter. Your offer may just be what they needed to hear as they hunker down for winter. Yes, I know, this means you would have to work in the blistering cold, but, it beats going hungry. No, I am not being callous, I would shovel shit and love it if it meant my family has food on the table. For those of you that find a cart to rent or lease or even profit share with someone this winter, you might just be able to buy a new cart this spring.

I know it can be difficult, even demeaning, but where there is a will, there is a way. I wish you well!

100's of Thousands going off unemployment - What Now?

November 29th is the deadline for congress to renew and extend unemployment benefits. If they fail, millions will welcome in the holidays with less than nothing. They, after enduring months of barely getting by on the meager unemployment benefits, will literally not know where the next meal is coming from, nor how to keep the electricity and water on and not to mention filling the void under the tree this year.

Children across America will welcome in this new year under circumstances and conditions never considered a possibility by their loving and hardworking parent(s) before.

What can we do, what can we the hot dog vendor, street vendor or concession stand operator offer? Well, actually we can help!

1. Call your local radio station or newspaper or both and inform them that you are going to feed 10 needy people a day till Christmas. Specify for those in need only. This may cost you $30 at most a day. I think you will find that some people will donate to you to help feed others as well.

2. Offer to let someone help you run your cart who is out of work, this would allow you the opportunity to get to know them enough to allow them to run the cart on days you don't, thereby allowing them some kind of income.

3. Offer someone out of work to pass out flyers at local office parks or construction sites for 5 cents a flyer, maybe offer someone a delivery position. Print up flyers and allow them to deliver to these newfound customers for a portion of sales.

4. Announce publicly that every Wednesday(any day) till Christmas, that 100% of proceeds will go to (insert local charity or food bank). This will cost you only your time.

5. Drive your cart to a local area where the homeless or indigent congregate and give out free food for an hour. I believe you could contact the local law enforcement with the idea and get a free police escort while you are there.

6. Go to your local food pantry or homeless shelter and give food out for a couple of hours.

There are many ways for you to help your community. Times are tough all over, but fortunately for us, cart owners, we do have the ability to make a living. Let's give back, let's help our neighbors, let's do right.

You may only be able to help one person with a free meal, but this one gesture, this one act of kindness is all it takes. We all can help someone.

If you have a great idea to help someone, a way to help many or a way to use your cart for good, please let me know so that I can share your ideas or story with others.