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

Just the Beginning of a SUCCESS STORY!

Hi there Ben. Happy 4th of July to you and your family. Thanks for the letter.

 

In the 30 days since receiving my cart, I have still not sold a hotdog yet. That does not mean I have been sitting on my hands, as there is much to do.

 

There are some time consuming lessons I have learned about the greater Las Vegas area HDV business:

 

1.    Health Permit-3 weeks after making your appointment for approval of the cart equipment. Of course you need a letter of authorization from the owner of the location where you will sell.

 

2,    The Business licenses (County and City) application processes take over 30 days to complete, after submission. I am in this waiting period now.

 

I will tell you that the BS people are subjected to, gives me the feeling they really don't want new businesses around here. I have complied, and am more determined than ever. The startup costs have now reached close to $9,000.

 

The other day, I needed some inspiration. So,  I picked up your book and started reading it again. I have decided that waiting, and being patient are not my strong suits. Despite all that, I have committed myself to developing marketing skills, and getting in front of people that can help me. Finding good sites (that are legal) to work is one of the primary keys to success. Your book has helped me to look in new places to find those sites.

 

Lastly, I have found that if someone tells me NO, what they mean is I have not said the right things, or they just need more schooling. Either way, I will get what I need to be successful. I am committed to staying motivated, and focused, even if it is 115 degrees outside. This too, shall pass.

 

Dennis Brumley

Las Vegas

 

ps. You have my permission to use my letter, or parts thereof to encourage others. Best wishes

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.

Used Hot Dog Cart For Sale

The following is the listing exactly as I received it. Please verify all information prior to making a purchase decision. If you have a cart to sell, please feel free to email me the details with photo's and I will list it for you for free.

$2850 OBO. All American Hot Dog Carts double size soda cooler holds 100 cans, towable trailer dot approved, lights , wiring, 1 7/8 in ball. 6 gal fresh water tank, 4 sinks, hot and cold running water, stainless steel body with welded stainless steel frame, removable 7.5 gal waster water container, 2 burners with adjustable controls, chip rack, mustard and ketchup bottles, napkin holder, steamer insert, dog ez, standard center umbrella, hinged steam pans with lids (3 big 2 little) Call Jason at 479.287.8438

This cart looks brand new. Everything works. Barely used. Located in Arkansas. Cart cost over $4,000 with the options.

Used Hot Dog Carts

Spring will be upon us as quick as summer came and went. The taste of freedom, owning and operating your own cart will hit some like a Mack truck. They will sleep, eat, think and live hot dogs and the hot dog cart business.

Used carts will be at a premium and often selling for more than a new one to the unsuspecting venturer. Without doing the due diligence many will run out and buy the first thing they can find, fearing the deal too good to pass up or simply irresistible. I often get calls, "oh if I would of only found you sooner", after finding that our new carts as are many other manufacturers are less than a used one.

Some lack patience and wanting immediate gratification ru

n out and purchase the one they found in the classified section of the local paper.

Spring is not the time, late winter is not the time to be looking for a hot dog cart. Some manufacturers raise prices to profit from what is a short lived burst of interest usually lasting a few months.

Right now is the time. The winter air from Canada blows cold and many who purchased carts during the warmer months with expectations of big profits have lost their zeal. They cuddle in a warm blanket and start listing their hot dog carts online. Don't get me wrong, the successful vendor has no such thought. But there are many who rushed in, didn't do their homework, found out that they actually had to get off the couch and work to make money or decided being a hot dog vendor was not for them. Some get an old job back, some simply got discouraged after "trying it" for awhile.

This is good news for you! Now is the time to buy a hot dog cart. Used carts, some never used carts will fill craigslist, the demand is lower and the prices follow. Every year I look for these used carts, sometimes buying for just a few hundred bucks. I can either re-sell or most likely enter them into my growing force of carts I lease out or rent.

Its a buyers market. So before you buy new, before you spend one cent of your hard earned money, scour the classifieds, online markets, the flea markets, www.craigslist.com and even eBay.

Note: I have a video that you can watch for free at http://www.LearnHotDogs.com on this subject and what to watch out for when buying a used cart. Please watch it first.

Tip: I am sure you are familiar with craigslist. Craigslist allows searches in different areas, this can be time consuming. Try www.crazedlist.org but you may have to search from Firefox web browser in order for it to load properly. But crazedlist allows you to search many areas of craigslist at one time.

If you have a question for The Hot Dog Professor, please feel free to email or call.