FoodTruckr School - How to Start, Run and Grow a Successful Food Truck Business

FS037: How to Cultivate an Awesome Brand – with Steven from King of Pops

Pat — Wed, 08 Jul 2015 10:00:51 +0000

Today’s guest has made a big splash in his Atlanta community, thanks to some wildly popular ice pops and one stunning brand.

As their website makes clear, the team behind King of Pops knows how to make an impression. They’ve developed a huge social media following and built a community around creative tie-in events, all while staying true to their personality, message, and passion for creating great pops.

Steven Carse is with me today to share some of his strategies for keeping customers coming back, leveraging social media and local press, and building a loyal following.

King of Pops’s creative approach to their business is something every FoodTruckr needs to hear. Let’s get to it!

Links and resources from the show:

King of Pops
King of Pops on Facebook and Twitter

Right click and save-as to download the podcast MP3 file

Thanks for listening, and if you enjoyed it…

Please leave a rating and review on iTunes, and share this podcast with your friends and family. Thanks for joining me, and I’ll see you in the next episode of The FoodTruckr School Podcast!

Image credit: William Frank Fox

About the Author

Pat Flynn is the founder and CEO of FoodTruckr. He’s a regular ol’ Joe and happy family man who happens to be a successful online entrepreneur. When he’s not building companies, engaging fans, or (most likely) chasing his kids around the house wearing something ridiculous, he’s tracking down a buffalo chicken grilled cheese sandwich from the Urban Eats truck in San Diego. Twitter is his favorite hangout—say hi to Pat @PatFlynn.

The post FS037: How to Cultivate an Awesome Brand – with Steven from King of Pops first appeared on FoodTruckr | How to Start and Run a Successful Food Truck Business.

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FS036: The Hard Work of a Building a Dream – with Sharon of Magic Coffee Truck

Pat — Wed, 24 Jun 2015 10:00:21 +0000

Today’s guest is in the midst of building her dream. Magic Coffee Truck is about to hit the streets of Atlanta, thanks to the hard work of owner Sharon Turner.

Many of my guests on the FoodTruckr School Podcast are already living the dream: Their trucks are up and running, and the hurdles of getting their business on the road are behind them.

Sharon, however, is right in the middle of those early struggles, and she’s gained insights every FoodTruckr should hear. She’ll share her tips on navigating strict codes and permits, reaching out to local food truck associations, and finding the right legal help.

If you’re an aspiring FoodTruckr like Sharon, listen up! Her advice will help you spend less time reinventing the wheel and more time turning your dream into reality.

Links and resources from the show:

Magic Coffee Truck
Magic Coffee Truck on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

Right click and save-as to download the podcast MP3 file

Thanks for listening, and if you enjoyed it…

Please leave a rating and review on iTunes, and share this podcast with your friends and family. Thanks for joining me, and I’ll see you in the next episode of The FoodTruckr School Podcast!

Image credit: Magic Coffee Truck on Instagram

About the Author

The post FS036: The Hard Work of a Building a Dream – with Sharon of Magic Coffee Truck first appeared on FoodTruckr | How to Start and Run a Successful Food Truck Business.

The post FS036: The Hard Work of a Building a Dream – with Sharon of Magic Coffee Truck appeared first on FoodTruckr | How to Start and Run a Successful Food Truck Business.

FS035: Catering for a Crowd – with Josh of The Pizza Wagon

Pat — Wed, 10 Jun 2015 10:00:04 +0000

What does it take to cater to hundreds of hungry pizza lovers at one time? No one knows better than Joshua Goldstein, head chef and owner of The Pizza Wagon.

Josh’s trailer serves up delicious pizzas to the Pennsylvania area, all cooked inside a wood-burning brick oven. The Pizza Wagon doesn’t follow the traditional food truck route, however—it’s a catering business specifically designed to feed large groups.

In this episode, Josh shares how he feeds a crowd and keeps his brick oven running like clockwork. He’ll reveal the benefits of catering over serving from the street and the unique challenges of maintaining a mobile pizzeria.

If you’re curious what the catering route can do for you and your food truck, listen in!

Links and resources from the show:

Pizza Wagon Catering
The Pizza Wagon on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube

Right click and save-as to download the podcast MP3 file

Thanks for listening, and if you enjoyed it…

Please leave a rating and review on iTunes, and share this podcast with your friends and family. Thanks for joining me, and I’ll see you in the next episode of The FoodTruckr School Podcast!

Image credit: Pizza Wagon Catering

About the Author

The post FS035: Catering for a Crowd – with Josh of The Pizza Wagon first appeared on FoodTruckr | How to Start and Run a Successful Food Truck Business.

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FS034: How to Make a Huge Impact with a Small Footprint – with Phil of Metrofiets

Pat — Fri, 29 May 2015 10:00:17 +0000

Does the thought of buying and maintaining a traditional food truck seem daunting, expensive, or simply not your style? You might be interested in this radical food trucking alternative: cargo bikes.

My guest today is Phillip Ross, owner of Metrofiets, a Portland-based company that creates cargo bikes. When food vendors first approached him about creating custom bikes for their business, he was skeptical—would it really work?

As it turns out, serving food from a cargo bike is not only possible, but a successful and totally unique way to make a huge impact with a small footprint. Phil’s here to share how food vendors have used their cargo bikes to streamline their business, bypass expensive permits, and stand out from the crowd.

Let’s get to it!

Links and resources from the show:

Metrofiets
Metrofiets on Twitter and Facebook

Right click and save-as to download the podcast MP3 file

Thanks for listening, and if you enjoyed it…

Please leave a rating and review on iTunes, and share this podcast with your friends and family. Thanks for joining me, and I’ll see you in the next episode of The FoodTruckr School Podcast!

Image credit: Richard Masoner / Cyclelicious

About the Author

The post FS034: How to Make a Huge Impact with a Small Footprint – with Phil of Metrofiets first appeared on FoodTruckr | How to Start and Run a Successful Food Truck Business.

The post FS034: How to Make a Huge Impact with a Small Footprint – with Phil of Metrofiets appeared first on FoodTruckr | How to Start and Run a Successful Food Truck Business.

FS033: Courageous Food Trucking with Carol of Military Moms

Pat — Fri, 15 May 2015 15:40:29 +0000

You just might recognize this episode’s special guest. That’s because Carol Rosenberg competed on Food Network’s The Great Food Truck Race with the unforgettable Military Moms.

After being a stay-at-home mom for ten years, Carol (whose husband serves with Special Forces) decided it was time to try something new. For her, that meant culinary school. Carol became an accomplished chef and soon became hungry for a way to take her career to the next level. She found it in food trucking.

Carol’s food truck journey has thrown her plenty of curve balls, but she hasn’t let that stop her. She’s here today to talk through some of the speed bumps she’s encountered, how she got through them, and the story behind her totally unique truck.

If you’re craving some FoodTruckr inspiration, you won’t want to miss Carol’s amazing story!

Links and resources from the show:

Military Moms
Military Moms on Facebook

Right click and save-as to download the podcast MP3 file

Thanks for listening, and if you enjoyed it…

Please leave a rating and review on iTunes, and share this podcast with your friends and family. Thanks for joining me, and I’ll see you in the next episode of The FoodTruckr School Podcast!

About the Author

The post FS033: Courageous Food Trucking with Carol of Military Moms first appeared on FoodTruckr | How to Start and Run a Successful Food Truck Business.

The post FS033: Courageous Food Trucking with Carol of Military Moms appeared first on FoodTruckr | How to Start and Run a Successful Food Truck Business.

FS032: Marketing Your Food Truck the Smart Way – with Brandon Lewin

Pat — Fri, 03 Apr 2015 15:10:16 +0000

This episode is one every FoodTruckr should hear. Today, we’re digging in deep on how to market your food truck.

My guest today is Brandon Lewin, a marketer and strategist with a special place in his heart for food trucks. Brandon has taken his digital marketing training all over the country, sharing his wisdom with Fortune 500 companies and small businesses alike. He’s learned where business owners tend to struggle with their marketing, especially in social media. He decided to do some in-depth research into these issues, and he’s bringing that research straight to the FoodTruckr community.

Whether you’re a food truck veteran or just starting out, you’ve got to hear Brandon’s tips for giving your marketing a serious boost. He also has a special gift for the FoodTruckr community: a free copy of his Twitter strategy guide, Chirp, Chirp. Check out his guide, and get ready to start marketing your food truck the smart way.

Links and resources from the show:

BrandonMLewin.com
Down With The Man
Brandon on Twitter
Chirp, Chirp – Brandon’s how-to guide for Twitter, free!

Right click and save-as to download the podcast MP3 file

Thanks for listening, and if you enjoyed it…

Please leave a rating and review on iTunes, and share this podcast with your friends and family. Thanks for joining me, and I’ll see you in the next episode of The FoodTruckr School Podcast!

About the Author

The post FS032: Marketing Your Food Truck the Smart Way – with Brandon Lewin first appeared on FoodTruckr | How to Start and Run a Successful Food Truck Business.

The post FS032: Marketing Your Food Truck the Smart Way – with Brandon Lewin appeared first on FoodTruckr | How to Start and Run a Successful Food Truck Business.

FS031: The Community You Build Through Food – with Shiel Worcester of Jam Bakery

Pat — Fri, 20 Mar 2015 10:00:37 +0000

Correction from the Editor: During the interview, Pat mistakenly said that Shiel Worcester is from Richmond, Virginia, and that her website is jam-bakery.com. Shiel is actually from Richmond, Vermont, and she has a brand new website up at http://www.jambakerymobile.com. We apologize for the incorrect information. Please be sure to visit Shiel’s website and check out all the awesomeness Jam Bakery has to offer!

Shiel Worcester has a passion for building community through food. But Shiel doesn’t just feed her Vermont community—she’s building her business with them, gathering locally-sourced ingredients and connecting with local farmers along the way.

After a successful Kickstarter campaign, Shiel took her passion for baking on the road with Jam Bakery, serving up a seasonal menu of pies and pastries. In this episode, you’ll here more on how she used crowdfunding to kick off her food truck journey and the challenges she faced turning her part-time passion into a full-time business. Shiel also has some excellent advice for food truckers who want to source their ingredients locally.

Sound sweet? Check out what Shiel has to say about building a food truck with and for your community.

Links and resources from the show:

Right click and save-as to download the podcast MP3 file

Thanks for listening, and if you enjoyed it…

Please leave a rating and review on iTunes, and share this podcast with your friends and family. Thanks for joining me, and I’ll see you in the next episode of The FoodTruckr School Podcast!

Image credit: Jam Bakery

About the Author

The post FS031: The Community You Build Through Food – with Shiel Worcester of Jam Bakery first appeared on FoodTruckr | How to Start and Run a Successful Food Truck Business.

The post FS031: The Community You Build Through Food – with Shiel Worcester of Jam Bakery appeared first on FoodTruckr | How to Start and Run a Successful Food Truck Business.

FS030: Changing the World One Taco at a Time – with Cayla of Taco Bike

Pat — Fri, 06 Mar 2015 16:45:26 +0000

In today’s episode, we’ve got another amazing food truck alternative for you: Taco Bike. Cayla Mackey brings organic, local, sustainable breakfast tacos to the Nashville community, all from the back of a bicycle. Not only does Taco Bike produce absolutely zero waste, but it’s also the first certified organic restaurant in the South.

Sustainability isn’t just Cayla’s business model—it’s a personal passion. As a vegan, Cayla grew frustrated by how difficult it was to enjoy a meal anywhere but her own home. She decided to change that herself, and Taco Bike was born.

Cayla’s here today to give us the low-down on sustainable food trucking, becoming USDA organic and REAL certified, the challenges of being a solo food vendor, and what she would have done differently if she could do it all again. If you’ve got a passion for making a difference with your food trucking, this is the episode for you. Enjoy!

Links and resources from the show:

Right click and save-as to download the podcast MP3 file

Thanks for listening, and if you enjoyed it…

Please leave a rating and review on iTunes, and share this podcast with your friends and family. Thanks for joining me, and I’ll see you in the next episode of The FoodTruckr School Podcast!

Image credit: Taco Bike on Kickstarter

About the Author

The post FS030: Changing the World One Taco at a Time – with Cayla of Taco Bike first appeared on FoodTruckr | How to Start and Run a Successful Food Truck Business.

The post FS030: Changing the World One Taco at a Time – with Cayla of Taco Bike appeared first on FoodTruckr | How to Start and Run a Successful Food Truck Business.

FS029: Food Carting in Style with Nathan Beck from Natedogs

Pat — Fri, 20 Feb 2015 11:00:21 +0000

I’m very excited to introduce Nathan Beck, founder of Natedogs. Nathan’s here to talk about something we haven’t covered yet on Foodtruckr: the unique challenges and benefits of running a food cart, rather than a food truck. Nathan also shares his approach to building a memorable, high-quality brand for his cart.

Nathan’s cart allows him to have an even more personal interaction with his customers than he would in a conventional truck. He’s also had to get creative about using a small space, building his menu, and meeting demand—important skills for any food trucker.

Take a look at the Natedogs website, and you’ll see that Nathan’s been just as creative with his branding. Nathan’s put thought into the look and feel of everything, from the mustard labels to the shoes he wears. And it’s not just visual—Nathan’s grown his brand and connected with his community by partnering with other local businesses in some very clever ways.

If you like the idea of a smaller-scale, more affordable alternative to food trucking, you’ve got to check out Nathan and his one-of-a-kind cart!

Links and resources from the show:

Natedogs

Right click and save-as to download the podcast MP3 file

Thanks for listening, and if you enjoyed it…

Please leave a rating and review on iTunes, and share this podcast with your friends and family. Thanks for joining me, and I’ll see you in the next episode of The FoodTruckr School Podcast!

image via Natedogs

About the Author

The post FS029: Food Carting in Style with Nathan Beck from Natedogs first appeared on FoodTruckr | How to Start and Run a Successful Food Truck Business.

The post FS029: Food Carting in Style with Nathan Beck from Natedogs appeared first on FoodTruckr | How to Start and Run a Successful Food Truck Business.

FS028: How to Forge a Food Truck Empire with Jim from Bacon Bacon SF

Pat — Fri, 06 Feb 2015 11:00:27 +0000

This week’s guest has taken San Francisco by storm with his ingenious food truck, Bacon Bacon. That’s right—one food truck, twice the bacon!

Jim Angelus started out in the restaurant world, but when he and his wife started a family, Jim started looking for a way to escape the difficult hours so common in the restaurant industry. Bacon Bacon was his solution. He’s watched business blow up (on one occasion, literally!) to include three food trucks, a café, and a mobile trailer.

I asked Jim what he’d do differently if he could go back in time and build Bacon Bacon all over again, and his answers pack some great advice. Jim talks about sticking to a crystal-clear vision, building the perfect menu, where to turn for advice, and letting go of the desire to be everything to everybody.

Jim’s words of wisdom are a must-listen for any aspiring food trucker, no matter where you are in your journey. Tune in to hear Jim’s amazing, bacon-filled story, and enjoy!

Links and resources from the show:

Bacon Bacon SF
Bacon Bacon on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

Right click and save-as to download the podcast MP3 file

Thanks for listening, and if you enjoyed it…

Please leave a rating and review on iTunes, and share this podcast with your friends and family. Thanks for joining me, and I’ll see you in the next episode of The FoodTruckr School Podcast!

image via Bacon Bacon SF

About the Author

The post FS028: How to Forge a Food Truck Empire with Jim from Bacon Bacon SF first appeared on FoodTruckr | How to Start and Run a Successful Food Truck Business.

The post FS028: How to Forge a Food Truck Empire with Jim from Bacon Bacon SF appeared first on FoodTruckr | How to Start and Run a Successful Food Truck Business.

FS027: How to Keep a Food Truck in Business with Yvonne from Brown Shuga Soul Food

Pat — Fri, 23 Jan 2015 14:04:43 +0000

Warning: Your mouth might water just hearing about this food truck. Brown Shuga Soul Food has been serving up pulled pork, ribs, mac-n-cheese, and more for nearly four years, and Chef Yvonne Anderson-Thomas is here to share how she’s done it.

Yvonne started out in the restaurant industry running her own brick-and-mortar restaurant. She left that behind in search of a way to keep cooking without the maintenance and financial hassle of a traditional restaurant. Food trucking was her answer.

Keeping a truck in business long-term is no easy feat. Yvonne walks us through how to keep a truck efficient, adapt to a mobile kitchen, and work alongside your family. She’s also got some great tips on where you can turn to find local resources and supportive mentors.

I can’t wait for you to hear some of the wisdom Chef Yvonne has to offer!

Links and resources from the show:

Right click and save-as to download the podcast MP3 file

Thanks for listening, and if you enjoyed it…

Please leave a rating and review on iTunes, and share this podcast with your friends and family. Thanks for joining me, and I’ll see you in the next episode of The FoodTruckr School Podcast!

image via Brown Shuga Soul Food

About the Author

The post FS027: How to Keep a Food Truck in Business with Yvonne from Brown Shuga Soul Food first appeared on FoodTruckr | How to Start and Run a Successful Food Truck Business.

The post FS027: How to Keep a Food Truck in Business with Yvonne from Brown Shuga Soul Food appeared first on FoodTruckr | How to Start and Run a Successful Food Truck Business.

FS026: Building Your Truck with Jeremy from Prestige Food Trucks

Pat — Fri, 09 Jan 2015 11:00:30 +0000

I’m so excited to introduce you to the mastermind behind some of the best-designed food trucks I’ve seen. He’s Jeremy Adams, founder of Prestige Food Trucks.

The folks at Prestige design and build custom food trucks and mobile kitchens, working with each aspiring food trucker to create a totally unique truck experience every time. They’ve tackled some wild and amazing requests—everything from roof-mounted LED frog eyes to a fully-functional lighthouse. They’re pros, and they’re full of smart advice on how to make your food truck unforgettable.

Jeremy breaks down the must-have visual elements for any food truck, as well as tips for working with your truck designer. Jeremy’s a firm believer in making your truck a destination, not just a convenient spot to pick up a bite to eat. Listen in for his advice for making your dream truck a reality!

Links and resources from the show:

Prestige Food Trucks

Right click and save-as to download the podcast MP3 file

Thanks for listening, and if you enjoyed it…

Please leave a rating and review on iTunes, and share this podcast with your friends and family. Thanks for joining me, and I’ll see you in the next episode of The FoodTruckr School Podcast!

About the Author

The post FS026: Building Your Truck with Jeremy from Prestige Food Trucks first appeared on FoodTruckr | How to Start and Run a Successful Food Truck Business.

The post FS026: Building Your Truck with Jeremy from Prestige Food Trucks appeared first on FoodTruckr | How to Start and Run a Successful Food Truck Business.

FS025: Reverse Food Trucking with Jacquie Berglund from FINNEGANS

Pat — Mon, 08 Dec 2014 18:35:41 +0000

I’m thrilled to bring you this very special episode of the FoodTruckr School Podcast, where I interview Jacquie Berglund, CEO of FINNEGANS and mastermind behind the FINNEGANS Reverse Food Truck.

That’s right, a reverse food truck.

Instead of selling food, FINNEGANS collects it. This mobile food bank accepts non-perishable food, cash, and even credit card donations. Proceeds go right back to help feeding the hungry.

When Jacquie launched the Reverse Food Truck one year ago, she didn’t realize it was going to become a full-time job. Nevertheless, with an amazing team and tremendous help from the community, FINNEGANS has become a thriving and sustainable business. You can find six other reverse food trucks around the country, all inspired by the FINNEGANS model.

If you’ve been hunting for your big food truck idea, listen to Jacquie’s story. Her exciting and rewarding journey with FINNEGANS just might inspire you to create a reverse food truck of your own.

Enjoy the episode!

Links and resources from the show:

FINNEGANS website

Right click and save-as to download the podcast MP3 file

Thanks for listening, and if you enjoyed it…

Please leave a rating and review on iTunes, and share this podcast with your friends and family. Thanks for joining me, and I’ll see you in the next episode of The FoodTruckr School Podcast!

About the Author

The post FS025: Reverse Food Trucking with Jacquie Berglund from FINNEGANS first appeared on FoodTruckr | How to Start and Run a Successful Food Truck Business.

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FS024: Food Trucks and Kickstarter with Malcolm Bedell from ‘Wich Please

Pat — Wed, 19 Nov 2014 10:00:17 +0000

If you’re thinking about funding your food truck with a Kickstarter, listen up. I’ve got Malcolm Bedell with me on this episode of the Foodtruckr School Podcast, talking about his up-and-coming food truck ‘Which Please.

When I say up-and-coming, I mean it: his Kickstarter is happening right now. He’s got just two days to go in his campaign.

In this episode, Malcolm shares his journey from cubicle to food blog (and, we hope, from food blog to food truck). He’ll reveal why he chose to fund his truck through Kickstarter, how he got his first donations rolling in, and how he came up with his killer Kickstarter rewards.. You’ll also hear Malcolm’s tips for monetizing your food blog and taking dynamic photos of your culinary creations.

Enjoy the episode, and don’t forget to check out the ‘Wich Please Kickstarter!

Links and resources from the show:

‘Wich Please Kickstarter
From Away – Malcolm’s food blog

Right click and save-as to download the podcast MP3 file

Thanks for listening, and if you enjoyed it…

Please leave a rating and review on iTunes, and share this podcast with your friends and family. Thanks so much, and I’ll see you in the next episode of The FoodTruckr School Podcast!

photo credit: ‘Wich Please

About the Author

The post FS024: Food Trucks and Kickstarter with Malcolm Bedell from ‘Wich Please first appeared on FoodTruckr | How to Start and Run a Successful Food Truck Business.

The post FS024: Food Trucks and Kickstarter with Malcolm Bedell from ‘Wich Please appeared first on FoodTruckr | How to Start and Run a Successful Food Truck Business.

FS023- What to Expect Early in Your Food Truck Career with Conor and JP of Copper Chefs

Pat — Wed, 12 Nov 2014 22:37:26 +0000

Smooth starts are rare in the food truck world, as Conor and JP know all too well. As owners of Copper Chefs Food Truck and Catering, they’ve endured their share of trials and tribulations bringing their French-American bistro cuisine to the Houston community.

This week, we reap the benefits of their hard-won wisdom! In this episode of the FoodTruckr School Podcast, the Copper Chefs reveal what to expect from your early days as a FoodTruckr, and how to prepare for bumps along the way. Generator hiccups, health inspection hurdles, adapting to a mobile kitchen…you name it, the Copper Chefs have tackled it.

No matter where you are in your food truck career, you’ll want to hear Conor and JP’s advice on what to expect on your road to success. I can’t thank these two talented chefs enough for sharing their knowledge and insight. Enjoy!

Links and Resources from the Show:

Right click and save-as to download the podcast MP3 file

Thanks for listening, and if you enjoyed it…

Please leave a rating and review on iTunes, and share this podcast with your friends and family! Thanks so much, and we’ll see you in the next episode of The FoodTruckr School Podcast!

photo credit: Robert Neff

About the Author

The post FS023- What to Expect Early in Your Food Truck Career with Conor and JP of Copper Chefs first appeared on FoodTruckr | How to Start and Run a Successful Food Truck Business.

The post FS023- What to Expect Early in Your Food Truck Career with Conor and JP of Copper Chefs appeared first on FoodTruckr | How to Start and Run a Successful Food Truck Business.

FS022- Season 5 Great Food Truck Race Champion, Tommy Marudi from Middle Feast!

Pat — Wed, 29 Oct 2014 05:12:14 +0000

Welcome to a special episode of FoodTruckr school! Today, we’re happy to welcome Tommy Marudi to the show, one of the three chefs on the champion food truck from this past season of The Great Food Truck Race.

After seven weeks on the road, Middle Feast took home the gold (and their food truck + $50,000!) in a well-deserved win in front of food truck fans watching from all over the world. City by city, challenge after challenge (and lesson after lesson), Tommy, his sister Hilla Marudi and friend Arkadi Kluger kept pushing forward and eventually winning the contest, but also our hearts.

Today, Tommy shares with us his excitement for the truck moving forward after the win (they don’t even have their truck ready yet!), as well as what it was like as a chef on a food truck for the first time ever, and some awesome behind the scenes info about the show.

My favorite part is when Tommy talks about his inspiration – what truly helped him get through all the tough times while on the road – his daughter, who was waiting at home for him. Having a daughter myself, I could definitely relate, and again it’s just one of the many reasons why we all loved that Middle Feast came out on top this season.

Listen in, enjoy, and remember if you’re looking to start your own food truck dream, check out How to Start a Food Truck: The Definitive Guide, created by us! Use the coupon code itunes during checkout to get 20% off!

Links and Resources from the Show:

Right-click here to download the MP3 file

Thanks for Listening, and if you enjoyed it…

Please leave a rating and review on iTunes, and share with your friend and family if you’d like! Thanks so much, and we’ll see you in the next episode of The FoodTruckr School Podcast!

photo credit: Food Network

About the Author

The post FS022- Season 5 Great Food Truck Race Champion, Tommy Marudi from Middle Feast! first appeared on FoodTruckr | How to Start and Run a Successful Food Truck Business.

The post FS022- Season 5 Great Food Truck Race Champion, Tommy Marudi from Middle Feast! appeared first on FoodTruckr | How to Start and Run a Successful Food Truck Business.

FS021- Quitting Wall Street to Start a Food Truck with Jeremie and Nissa Banet

Pat — Fri, 10 Oct 2014 23:22:01 +0000

Imagine having a job that you’ve worked hard to earn, making great money, and then quitting entirely to do something completely brand new.

Well, that’s exactly what today’s guest, Jeremie Banet has done. He has recently quit his full-time job as a successful fund manager on Wall Street to go full-time with a brand new food truck.

Alongside Jeremie’s wife, Nissa, they will be starting a food truck (that isn’t yet on the road at the time of this recording), that will serve the Los Angeles and Orange County (CA) areas with classic French bistro cuisine – Le CROQUE.

In this episode, you’ll hear from both Jeremie and Nissa as they begin their journey together. You’ll hear why Jeremie decided to quit his job, and what the reaction was like from the people around him.

You’ll also hear how Nissa has been smartly fine-tuning her recipes while waiting for the truck to be ready for the road, and how they’ve been able to leverage traditional media at the same time.

Inspiring, educational, and we all truly with Jeremie and Nissa success with Monsieur Madame!

Links and Resources from the Show:

Right-click here to download the MP3 file

Thanks for Listening, and if you enjoyed it…

Please leave a rating and review on iTunes, and share with your friend and family if you’d like! Thanks so much, and we’ll see you in the next episode of The FoodTruckr School Podcast!

About the Author

The post FS021- Quitting Wall Street to Start a Food Truck with Jeremie and Nissa Banet first appeared on FoodTruckr | How to Start and Run a Successful Food Truck Business.

The post FS021- Quitting Wall Street to Start a Food Truck with Jeremie and Nissa Banet appeared first on FoodTruckr | How to Start and Run a Successful Food Truck Business.

FS020- Food Truck Face Off – Vasavi Kumar

Pat — Fri, 26 Sep 2014 11:00:06 +0000

The Great Food Truck Race on Food Network is in the middle of it’s fifth successful season. That tells you something about this industry – it’s growing, and it’s becoming more mainstream.

It’s growing so much, The Food Network has decided to air a second show about food trucks called Food Truck Face Off!

We couldn’t be more excited!

Food Truck Face Off airs on Thursday, October 2nd at 8:00pm ET/PT, and I’m very happy to welcome one of the first contestants on the show, Vasavi Kumar!

On this episode, Vasavi talks about how she got on the show, what it was like (especially working with her Father on the truck!), and what she’s learned from this whole experience.

You’ll get a taste of what the show is like, and get to know one of the contestants, before the show even airs – how cool is that?!

We’ll tune into the new show when it airs for sure, but for now, you can enjoy this sneak peek.

Links and Resources from the Show:

Right-click here to download the MP3 file

Thanks for Listening, and if you enjoyed it…

Please leave a rating and review on iTunes, and share with your friend and family if you’d like! Thanks so much, and we’ll see you in the next episode of The FoodTruckr School Podcast!

image by Gloria Cabada-Leman

About the Author

The post FS020- Food Truck Face Off – Vasavi Kumar first appeared on FoodTruckr | How to Start and Run a Successful Food Truck Business.

The post FS020- Food Truck Face Off – Vasavi Kumar appeared first on FoodTruckr | How to Start and Run a Successful Food Truck Business.

FS019- What’s it REALLY Like to Start a Food Truck with Gina from Get the Scoop

Pat — Fri, 29 Aug 2014 11:00:02 +0000

Starting a food truck is a dream that is very much alive in today’s world, and many chefs and entrepreneurs are making that dream come true.

Like with anything awesome, however, it’s not always the easiest thing in the world to do, which is exactly why we published our brand new book, How to Start a Food Truck: The Definitive Guide.

Beyond the right information and the how-tos, it’s always good to get a real-life FoodTruckr’s point of view and experience on the industry and what it’s really like to get started.

Gina, who owns Get the Scoop, a gourmet ice cream and fun food food truck out of Rochford, South Dakota, joins us today on the FoodTruckr School Podcast to give us the real deal on what it’s like to be in this business.

She gives us amazing tips and advice, from everything to getting started, financing and even adding a catering element to your food truck as well.

Definitely a must-listen – for those who are looking to get started and those who are already on the road but want more out of their trucking experience. Be sure to say thanks to Gina on Facebook and Twitter when you get a chance.

Right-click here to download the MP3 file

Thanks for Listening, and if you enjoyed it…

Please leave a rating and review on iTunes, and share with your friend and family if you’d like! Thanks so much, and we’ll see you in the next episode of The FoodTruckr School Podcast!

About the Author

The post FS019- What’s it REALLY Like to Start a Food Truck with Gina from Get the Scoop first appeared on FoodTruckr | How to Start and Run a Successful Food Truck Business.

The post FS019- What’s it REALLY Like to Start a Food Truck with Gina from Get the Scoop appeared first on FoodTruckr | How to Start and Run a Successful Food Truck Business.

FS018- How to Start a Food Truck Book (Foreword and Introduction)

Pat — Fri, 15 Aug 2014 20:52:47 +0000

Over the last few months, the team here at FoodTruckr.com has been working overtime getting things ready for something very special: the launch of our brand new book, How to Start a Food Truck: The Definitive Guide!

That’s right! Due to popular demand for a convenient, all-in-one how to start a food truck guide, the FoodTruckr team has been putting in the research and work to create what we believe is the best guide out there to help you get started on your food truck journey. Everything from financing to marketing and customer service, commissaries to POS systems, it’s all in here!

The book launches on Monday, August 18th, but we’d love to give you a preview with an audio version of the book, more specifically the foreword, and the introduction.

The foreword is a recount of my very first experience with a food truck and how that moment changed my life, and the introduction is all about what the book can do for you.

We hope you enjoy, and we look forward to serving you so that you can serve your community and create a life of your dreams!

Right-click here to download the MP3 file

Thanks for Listening, and if you enjoyed it…

You can get the book when it launches at our book page here! Cheers!

About the Author

The post FS018- How to Start a Food Truck Book (Foreword and Introduction) first appeared on FoodTruckr | How to Start and Run a Successful Food Truck Business.

The post FS018- How to Start a Food Truck Book (Foreword and Introduction) appeared first on FoodTruckr | How to Start and Run a Successful Food Truck Business.

FS017- Food Truck Propane Safety with PERC

Pat — Sat, 02 Aug 2014 05:53:18 +0000

On July 1st, 2014, a horrific and tragic event happened in Feltonville, Philadelphia when a food truck exploded, injuring 13 people, including 2 critical injuries.

Sadly, the two people who were in critical condition died on July 24th. From all of us here at FoodTruckr.com, our prayers, thoughts and condolences to all who were involved in the explosion, and especially the families of Olga and Jaylin Galdamez.

Because of the recent events, we thought it would be appropriate to have an expert come on to the show to educate us on propane tank safety, since it appears the explosion was caused by a propane tank.

Stuart Flatow and his colleague J.J. McCoy from the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) join us today to talk about what happened and how we – all of us – can prevent this kind of thing from happening.

You’ll learn about what to look out for with your propane tanks, and other important safety checks that we should all be doing from time to time.

You can never be too safe, and it only takes a minute or two to prevent disaster.

Right-click here to download the MP3 file

Links and Resources Mentioned in This Episode

Thanks for Listening, and Please Help Out the Show!

Again, please do your due diligence on propane tanks that you use! All we want here at FoodTruckr.com is for you and those around your truck to be safe. Thanks again, and please share any comments you have about this episode below.

Please be sure to subscribe to FoodTruckr School on iTunes so you can get new episodes directly downloaded to your mobile device or computer! You can subscribe easily by clicking here.

If you’d like to help us out real quick, please leave an honest review and rating in iTunes here.

Thanks again, and we’ll see you in the next episode of FoodTruckr School!

About the Author

The post FS017- Food Truck Propane Safety with PERC first appeared on FoodTruckr | How to Start and Run a Successful Food Truck Business.

The post FS017- Food Truck Propane Safety with PERC appeared first on FoodTruckr | How to Start and Run a Successful Food Truck Business.

FS016- An Education in Food Truck Law with Patrice Perkins of Creative Genius Law

Pat — Fri, 04 Jul 2014 13:00:11 +0000

In this episode of FoodTruckr school, we’re happy to welcome Patrice Perkins, a Chicago-based attorney who blogs at Creative Genius Society and also Creative Genius Law.

Patrice gives us the low-down on all things legal when it comes to your food truck. Although law isn’t a topic food truck owners typically love to discuss (primarily because it’s the law in different cities that makes it difficult to operate a truck sometimes!), Patrice drops incredible knowledge bombs about things we should all be paying attention to.

Here are some of the questions addressed in today’s episode:

What can food truck owners do to support positive legal changes in their own cities?
What are the most common laws that aspiring food truck owners should keep in mind?
What are the most common mistakes food truck owners make legally? (Hint: most food truck owners aren’t doing what they should!)
Where can one find affordable legal services and help? (Including free legal help!)
What should one do when action is taken on them legally?

Hopefully you won’t ever need to worry about that last question, but it’s important that you know what to do just in case.

Right-click here to download the MP3 file

Links and Resources Mentioned in This Episode

Thanks for Listening, and Please Help Out the Show!

Please be sure to subscribe to FoodTruckr School on iTunes so you can get new episodes directly downloaded to your mobile device or computer! You can subscribe easily by clicking here.

If you’d like to help us out real quick, please leave an honest review and rating in iTunes here.

Thanks again, and we’ll see you in the next episode of FoodTruckr School! Cheers!

About the Author

The post FS016- An Education in Food Truck Law with Patrice Perkins of Creative Genius Law first appeared on FoodTruckr | How to Start and Run a Successful Food Truck Business.

The post FS016- An Education in Food Truck Law with Patrice Perkins of Creative Genius Law appeared first on FoodTruckr | How to Start and Run a Successful Food Truck Business.

FS015- Food Truck Marketing Tips and The LA Food Scene with Shawna Dawson

Pat — Fri, 20 Jun 2014 08:00:27 +0000

Today, we’re extremely happy to welcome an amazing guest on the show who has a major influence in the LA Food Scene and the growth of food trucks in general!

Shawna Dawson co-founded the LA Street Food Fest, founded Artisanal LA (a really cool community event supporting artisanal food entrepreneurs), and also runs Sauce LA, a marketing and PR group for chefs, restaurants, and small businesses.

She also worked at Yelp in 2009 as a Director of Marketing/Community Manager.

She was right there when food trucks were taking off in Los Angeles in 2008, and as a result of her passion for food and her entrepreneurial spirit, she’s helped to shape how we all view food trucks today.

You’ll hear her story, how the LA Street Food Fest started (and set the bar for other food festivals around the nation) plus several incredibly valuable tips for those who are starting their own trucks, or already have a food truck of their own.

You don’t want to miss this one!

Right-click here to download the MP3 file

Links and Resources Mentioned in This Episode

Thanks for Listening, and Please Help Out the Show!

Please be sure to subscribe to FoodTruckr School on iTunes so you can get new episodes directly downloaded to your mobile device or computer! You can subscribe easily by clicking here.

If you’d like to help us out real quick, please leave an honest review and rating in iTunes here.

Thanks again, and we’ll see you in the next episode of FoodTruckr School! Cheers!

Photo credit: Mark Krynsky

About the Author

The post FS015- Food Truck Marketing Tips and The LA Food Scene with Shawna Dawson first appeared on FoodTruckr | How to Start and Run a Successful Food Truck Business.

The post FS015- Food Truck Marketing Tips and The LA Food Scene with Shawna Dawson appeared first on FoodTruckr | How to Start and Run a Successful Food Truck Business.

FS014- What You Need to Know about Your Truck with Felix and Scott from KitchensOnWheels.com

Pat — Fri, 06 Jun 2014 16:23:50 +0000

In this episode of FoodTruckr School, we welcome Felix and Scott from Kitchens On Wheels, a company that has been helping build food trucks for over a decade!

We talk about a lot of important things when it comes to your actual truck, including how to get the right truck, what equipment you need, and we even get into a little bit about the branding of your truck and social media.

In This Episode, We Also Cover…

Thoughts on how the industry has changed since ten years ago, and where it’s headed.
The #1 most important part of your food truck business that will determine exactly what equipment you need on your truck.
How to potentially save money on food truck equipment.
Mistakes people make when getting started and choosing a truck.
Plus a whole lot more!

Right-click here to download the MP3 file

Links and Resources Mentioned in This Episode

KitchensOnWheels.com

Thanks for Listening, and Please Help Out the Show!

Please be sure to subscribe to FoodTruckr School on iTunes so you can get new episodes directly downloaded to your mobile device or computer! You can subscribe easily by clicking here.

If you’d like to help us out real quick, please leave an honest review and rating in iTunes here.

Thanks again, and we’ll see you in the next episode of FoodTruckr School! Cheers!

About the Author

The post FS014- What You Need to Know about Your Truck with Felix and Scott from KitchensOnWheels.com first appeared on FoodTruckr | How to Start and Run a Successful Food Truck Business.

The post FS014- What You Need to Know about Your Truck with Felix and Scott from KitchensOnWheels.com appeared first on FoodTruckr | How to Start and Run a Successful Food Truck Business.

FS013- All About Your Food Truck Website

Pat — Fri, 09 May 2014 17:50:28 +0000

Food trucks live and often rely on social media, but what about a food truck’s website?

How important is a website for your truck, and what are the best practices for running a useful site that actually helps your business?

In this episode of FoodTruckr School, I’m happy to welcome Brian Casel from RestaurantEngine.com, a website and platform dedicated to helping restaurant and food truck owners create a perfectly suited, mobile-responsive website with all the bells and whistles for those in this industry.

In This Episode, You’ll Find Out About…

Whether or not websites are all that important for a food truck.
Where a website fits into the overall strategy for food truck marketing.
The best practices and tips for getting the most out of a food truck site.
What items should be located “above the fold” – shown on a screen before visitors have to scroll down.
How involved we should be in website analytics, and the important designing for mobile users.
The importance of having great images on your website.
Plus more!

Right-click here to download the MP3 file

Links and Resources Mentioned in This Episode

Restaurant Engine (referral link!)

Thanks for Listening, and Please Help Out the Show!

Please be sure to subscribe to FoodTruckr School on iTunes so you can get new episodes directly downloaded to your mobile device or computer! You can subscribe easily by clicking here.

If you’d like to help us out real quick, please leave an honest review and rating in iTunes here.

Thanks again, and we’ll see you in the next episode of FoodTruckr School! Cheers!

About the Author

The post FS013- All About Your Food Truck Website first appeared on FoodTruckr | How to Start and Run a Successful Food Truck Business.

The post FS013- All About Your Food Truck Website appeared first on FoodTruckr | How to Start and Run a Successful Food Truck Business.

FS012- What I Wish I’d Known Before Starting My Food Truck

Pat — Fri, 25 Apr 2014 17:55:12 +0000

The most popular article on FoodTruckr is one titled: 50 Food Truck Owners Speak Out: “What I Wish I’d Known Before Starting My Food Truck”. In fact, this was the very first post ever published on the blog!

In today’s podcast, I wanted to re-highlight some of the those insights for you.

If you’re thinking of starting a food truck of your own, or you’re relatively new to the industry, this will serve as a way to prepare you for the road ahead. By hearing what others wish they knew before they started, you’ll be better equipped in your truck and be more successful moving forward.

If you’ve been in this industry for a while, I’m sure you’ll nod your head in agreement as you will have experienced one, or even all of these things in the past with your own truck.

Right-click here to download the MP3 file

And in case you didn’t know, the ROAM Mobile Food Conference is happening in San Antonio, Texas this year! It takes place on November 8-9, and we hope to have some of the FoodTruckr team there. We hope to meet you there if you can make it!

Thanks for Listening, and Please Help Out the Show!

Please be sure to subscribe to FoodTruckr School on iTunes so you can get new episodes directly downloaded to your mobile device or computer! You can subscribe easily by clicking here.

If you’d like to help us out real quick, please leave an honest review and rating in iTunes here.

Thanks again, and we’ll see you in the next episode of FoodTruckr School! Cheers!

About the Author

The post FS012- What I Wish I’d Known Before Starting My Food Truck first appeared on FoodTruckr | How to Start and Run a Successful Food Truck Business.

The post FS012- What I Wish I’d Known Before Starting My Food Truck appeared first on FoodTruckr | How to Start and Run a Successful Food Truck Business.

FS011- A Successful Start (and a Cold Winter!) With Tony from Rig-A-Tony’s

Pat — Fri, 11 Apr 2014 15:50:08 +0000

In this episode of FoodTruckr School, we’re very happy to welcome Tony Fumarolo, owner of Rig-a-Tony’s, a relatively new Italian food truck that serves the community of Fort Wayne, Indiana.

As a young and new entrepreneur on the scene, Tony shares a ton of invaluable information about his recent start, including some of the road blocks that food truck owners go through when getting started, and several tips about what’s been working well for him lately too.

As most of us know, a lot of the U.S. has seen one of the worst winters in recent years, and Tony shares how that has affected his business, and what he’s done to stay afloat.

This was one of my favorite interviews to date, and I’m sure you’ll feel the same.

Links and resources mentioned in this episode:

Right-click here to download the MP3 file

Thanks for Listening (And Help Out the Show!)

To help you out even more, please be sure to subscribe to FoodTruckr School on iTunes so you can get new episodes directly downloaded to your mobile device or computer! You can subscribe easily by clicking here.

If you’d like to help us out real quick, please leave an honest review and rating in iTunes! You can leave a review here.

Thanks again, and we’ll see you in the next episode of FoodTruckr School!

About the Author

The post FS011- A Successful Start (and a Cold Winter!) With Tony from Rig-A-Tony’s first appeared on FoodTruckr | How to Start and Run a Successful Food Truck Business.

The post FS011- A Successful Start (and a Cold Winter!) With Tony from Rig-A-Tony’s appeared first on FoodTruckr | How to Start and Run a Successful Food Truck Business.

FS010- What you Ought to Know About Food Truck Festivals

Pat — Sat, 29 Mar 2014 19:36:54 +0000

In this episode of FoodTruckr School we have a very educational chat with Jessica Capistrant, one of the co-founders of the Phoenixville Food Truck Festival in Pennsylvania.

Food Truck festivals are events that are not only a great way to sell a ton of food in a short period of time, but they’re also an amazing way to grow and introduce your business to new customers – customers that can become life long fans and evangelists for your truck.

In this episode you’ll learn about:

How to find out about food truck festivals in your area.
What you need to do to get involved.
Typical costs and requirements in order to participate.
Tips and strategies to make the most of your Food Truck festival experience.
Plus a lot more!

Links and resources mentioned in this episode:

Right-click here to download the MP3 file

Thanks for Listening!

Also, be sure to subscribe to FoodTruckr School on iTunes so you can get new episodes directly downloaded to your mobile device or computer! You can subscribe easily by clicking here.

Cheers, and thank you again for your support!

About the Author

The post FS010- What you Ought to Know About Food Truck Festivals first appeared on FoodTruckr | How to Start and Run a Successful Food Truck Business.

The post FS010- What you Ought to Know About Food Truck Festivals appeared first on FoodTruckr | How to Start and Run a Successful Food Truck Business.

FS009- How Craig Expanded His Food Truck Business into Catering and Classes

Pat — Fri, 14 Mar 2014 09:07:30 +0000

In this episode of FoodTruckr School, I’m very happy to introduce you to Craig Barbour, owner of the Roots food truck in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Craig’s background in the catering industry became very useful after starting his food truck, because his business has since expanded into a very successful catering company.

Beyond that, Craig and his team also hold classes to share recipes and get people involved in the creation of his food, which is awesome!

If you’re interested in perhaps going down the road of starting a catering business along-side your food truck, or even expanding into classes (which sounds fun – but also imagine how that can help your brand!), then this is an episode you definitely DO NOT want to miss.

More Specifically, in this episode you’ll learn about:

How Craig got started in the food truck industry.
What made him decide to do event catering, and the differences between on-truck and off-truck events.
How holding classes play a role in relationship building and marketing within his business.
Details about how he’s built his team to serve all of these components of his brand.
Fantastic strategies and actionable advice related to all of the above.
And more!

Links and resources mentioned in this episode:

Right-click here to download the MP3 file

Thanks for Listening!

Also, be sure to subscribe to FoodTruckr School on iTunes so you can get new episodes directly downloaded to your mobile device or computer! You can subscribe easily by clicking here.

Cheers, and thank you again for your support!

About the Author

The post FS009- How Craig Expanded His Food Truck Business into Catering and Classes first appeared on FoodTruckr | How to Start and Run a Successful Food Truck Business.

The post FS009- How Craig Expanded His Food Truck Business into Catering and Classes appeared first on FoodTruckr | How to Start and Run a Successful Food Truck Business.

FS008- Understanding Health Codes – A Conversation with Matt from the Minnesota Department of Health

Pat — Fri, 28 Feb 2014 06:00:02 +0000

On today’s episode of FoodTruckr School, I’m happy to welcome Matt Finkenbiner from the Minnesota Department of Health.

Matt is here to help us understand more about the process of health codes and inspections and requirements for your truck – because before you can get your truck on the street to sell your food, you will be submitting information to your city’s health department, which is a process that isn’t talked about very much online.

Every city has different health code regulations and licensing requirements, but Matt sheds a lot of light on what the process is like, from submittal to approval and more.

We talk about the biggest mistakes most food trucks make, and Matt also gives a ton of tips to help expedite the process and make it easier for everyone.

Right-click here to download the MP3 file

Thanks for Listening!

Also, be sure to subscribe to FoodTruckr School on iTunes so you can get new episodes directly downloaded to your mobile device or computer! You can subscribe easily by clicking here.

Cheers, and thank you again for your support!

About the Author

The post FS008- Understanding Health Codes – A Conversation with Matt from the Minnesota Department of Health first appeared on FoodTruckr | How to Start and Run a Successful Food Truck Business.

The post FS008- Understanding Health Codes – A Conversation with Matt from the Minnesota Department of Health appeared first on FoodTruckr | How to Start and Run a Successful Food Truck Business.

FS007- Jessica and Liza from Bowled and Beautiful Talk Getting Started and Work Life Balance as Food Truck Owners

Pat — Fri, 14 Feb 2014 16:27:23 +0000

In this episode of FoodTruckr School, we’re very excited to welcome Jessica and Liza from Bowled and Beautiful, a food truck you may recognize from Season 4 of The Great Food Truck Race!

Jessica and Liza went home early from the competition, but after the show they couldn’t imagine life without a food truck any more, and their passion and drive helped them become the first pair after the show (besides the winners) to get their own food truck business up and running! Since then, Bowled and Beautiful has been successfully providing amazing cuisine among the streets of Los Angeles, California.

In this episode, we talk about how they were able to get their truck up and running so fast, the challenges they faced on the show and after starting their business, and thoughts on work/life balance as a food truck owner – especially since both Jessica and Liza are single moms.

More Specifically, in this episode you’ll learn about:

Exactly how Jessica and Liza were able to get a food truck up and running after they lost the competition on The Great Food Truck Race
Strategies that are working right now to help them grow their business and keep customers at their truck, including something interesting they do on Facebook that I haven’t see very many trucks do.
How they’ve been able to create relationships with other food trucks in the area and what that does for their business.
The truth about working on a truck and being a parent – and how to combine the two.
Plus a whole lot more!

Links and resources mentioned in this episode:

Right-click here to download the MP3 file

Thanks for Listening!

Also, be sure to subscribe to FoodTruckr School on iTunes so you can get new episodes directly downloaded to your mobile device or computer! You can subscribe easily by clicking here.

Cheers, and thank you again for your support!

About the Author

The post FS007- Jessica and Liza from Bowled and Beautiful Talk Getting Started and Work Life Balance as Food Truck Owners first appeared on FoodTruckr | How to Start and Run a Successful Food Truck Business.

The post FS007- Jessica and Liza from Bowled and Beautiful Talk Getting Started and Work Life Balance as Food Truck Owners appeared first on FoodTruckr | How to Start and Run a Successful Food Truck Business.

FS006- From Food Truck to Brick and Mortar Restaurant with Brett from BC Tacos

Pat — Fri, 31 Jan 2014 18:52:21 +0000

In this episode of FoodTruckr School, we chat with Brett Chiavari from BC Tacos, one of the most popular food trucks to reign South Florida!

He’s also recently opened up a brick and mortar restaurant of the same name, and we get the insider scoop on how and why that happened, and how he’s able to manage both his truck and his new restaurant at the same time.

Brett has an amazing story, especially being so young, and his advice for those in the food truck industry is just as good.

More Specifically, in this episode you’ll learn about:

Exactly how Brett got started in the food truck industry.
How and why he opened up a brick and mortar restaurant.
The challenges that come with working on both the food truck and the restaurant, and advice to overcome those obstacles.
Tips for hiring staff to help you with your food truck and/or restaurant.
Plus a whole lot more!

Links and resources mentioned in this episode:

Right-click here to download the MP3 file

Thanks for Listening!

Also, be sure to subscribe to FoodTruckr School on iTunes so you can get new episodes directly downloaded to your mobile device or computer! You can subscribe easily by clicking here.

Cheers, and thank you again for your support!

About the Author

The post FS006- From Food Truck to Brick and Mortar Restaurant with Brett from BC Tacos first appeared on FoodTruckr | How to Start and Run a Successful Food Truck Business.

The post FS006- From Food Truck to Brick and Mortar Restaurant with Brett from BC Tacos appeared first on FoodTruckr | How to Start and Run a Successful Food Truck Business.

FS005- Customer Service Tips and Marketing Insights from the FoodTruckr Team

FoodTruckr — Fri, 17 Jan 2014 13:00:16 +0000

This episode of FoodTruckr School is a bit different—Pat’s not here, so the team at FoodTruckr HQ took over! Matt Gartland, Nicole Farley, Jonathan Wondrusch, and Mindy Holahan held a roundtable discussion just for you where we shared insights on everything from developing customer relationships to the origin story behind the FoodTruckr brand.

If you’ve ever been curious about the team at FoodTruckr, this is your chance to find out who’s who—and most importantly, to find out what we’ve learned by studying hundreds of food trucks over the past several months. We’ve got the scoop on making the most out of your online presence and your daily customer interactions.

Right-click here to download the MP3 file

You can learn more about some of the topics discussed in the podcast in these FoodTruckr blog posts:

Basics for building your web presence and branding
Social media best practices
Why storytelling matters
How to use an email list
On caring for your customers

And of course, don’t forget to check out the awesome FoodTruckrs we mentioned—these rock stars are always on our minds:

Thanks for Listening!

Thanks for taking the time to listen to this episode of FoodTruckr School. Matt, Nicole, Jonathan, and Mindy were all so excited to share this time with you—but never fear! Pat will return in Episode 006 with a very special guest (a successful FoodTruckr who is truly an inspiration for all you truck owners out there!). Be sure to subscribe to FoodTruckr School on iTunes so that you don’t miss any of the action.

Have more questions for the FoodTruckr team? Tell us what you’d like to know in the comments below or on our Facebook page and we’ll give you an answer!

image by Dell’s Official Flickr Page

About the Author

FoodTruckr is the #1 online destination for current and aspiring food truck owners looking to succeed in the mobile food industry. Self described “food truck devotees,” the FoodTruckr team enjoys reading about successful entrepreneurs, salivating over photos of burritos on Twitter, and long walks through food truck parks. Chat with FoodTruckr on Facebook or check out the FoodTruckr School podcast for more awesome tips to level up your business.

The post FS005- Customer Service Tips and Marketing Insights from the FoodTruckr Team first appeared on FoodTruckr | How to Start and Run a Successful Food Truck Business.

The post FS005- Customer Service Tips and Marketing Insights from the FoodTruckr Team appeared first on FoodTruckr | How to Start and Run a Successful Food Truck Business.

FS004- Best Practices for Sharing Your Location and Using Social Media with Matt Berkland from Truckily.com

Pat — Fri, 20 Dec 2013 08:52:20 +0000

In this episode of FoodTruckr School, we talk with Matt Berkland from Truckily.com about best practices and tips for sharing your location on social media.

How often do you share your location?
How much time do you give your customers to locate you?
What do you include in a tweet versus what do you share on Facebook?

All of these questions, and more, are addresses in today’s episode.

In addition to that, we get to learn more about a sweet social media tool called Truckily!

Truckily helps us better manage our multiple social media platforms for our truck, all in one spot.

It’s about convenience, but it’s also about giving you more time to devote to your truck and customers.

More Specifically, in this episode you’ll learn about:

Why it’s a huge mistake not to collect your customer’s email addresses.
The psycology of email and why it’s the the #1 form of communication online .
Specific examples of what you can email your customers – things you probably didn’t think of.
Why only relying on social media is playing a very dangerous game.
Specific tools you can use to take your social media efforts to the next level.
What you can do right now to get started now with your email marketing campaign.
Plus so much more…

Links and resources mentioned in this episode:

Truckily (use code foodtruckr for special access to beta tools in the software!)

Right-click here to download the MP3 file

Thanks for Listening!

Also, be sure to subscribe to FoodTruckr School on iTunes so you can get new episodes directly downloaded to your mobile device or computer! You can subscribe easily by clicking here.

FoodTruckr School has recently been featured in the New & Noteworthy section in iTunes, and we’ve have climbed as high as #12 in the overall business section! Thank you for your support, and we appreciate your time and your honest reviews and feedback too!

We’re here for you, and happy holidays!

About the Author

The post FS004- Best Practices for Sharing Your Location and Using Social Media with Matt Berkland from Truckily.com first appeared on FoodTruckr | How to Start and Run a Successful Food Truck Business.

The post FS004- Best Practices for Sharing Your Location and Using Social Media with Matt Berkland from Truckily.com appeared first on FoodTruckr | How to Start and Run a Successful Food Truck Business.

FS003- Dear Food Truck Owner, Why Aren’t You Asking Me For My Email Address?

Pat — Fri, 06 Dec 2013 08:39:44 +0000

In this third episode of FoodTruckr School, I don’t have a guest on the show with us this time around, however I pose a very important question to all food truck owners out there:

Why aren’t you asking your customers for their email addresses?

The only logical answer here is that you just don’t know how important it is, which is why I’m here to tell you.

Yes, I know you have a Twitter account and a Facebook account, and those things are important (and I share a couple of extremely useful tips for getting the most out of your time on those social media platforms too), but your customer’s email address is the most important asset for most businesses, and it’s no exception for those in the food truck business either.

Why?

Because think about it – when you email someone, you’re contacting them directly. The only thing your message is competing with is other messages in one’s inbox, and we all know how we often can’t leave any emails unanswered. For some of us, it’s the first thing we check when we wake up in the morning – or we have notifications on our mobile devices that let us know the moment a new email comes out way.

With social media, you’re competing with tons of noise and when you update a status or share a tweet, you’re only sending your message to a fraction of your overall following – and I talk about why that’s the case during this episode too.

More Specifically, in this episode you’ll learn about:

Why it’s a huge mistake not to collect your customer’s email addresses.
The psychology of email and why it’s the the #1 form of communication online.
Specific examples of what you can email your customers – things you probably didn’t think of.
Why only relying on social media is playing a very dangerous game.
Specific tools you can use to take your social media efforts to the next level.
What you can do right now to get started now with your email marketing campaign.
Plus so much more…

Links and resources mentioned in this episode:

Right-click here to download the MP3 file

Thanks for Listening!

Thank you again, for listening to this episode of FoodTruckr School. Truly, we hope you don’t just listen, but you also take action and actually think about your brand, what it means and how you might be able to improve it. Please let us know what you think about this episode in the comment section below!

Thank you for your support. We’re here for you!

About the Author

The post FS003- Dear Food Truck Owner, Why Aren’t You Asking Me For My Email Address? first appeared on FoodTruckr | How to Start and Run a Successful Food Truck Business.

The post FS003- Dear Food Truck Owner, Why Aren’t You Asking Me For My Email Address? appeared first on FoodTruckr | How to Start and Run a Successful Food Truck Business.

FS002- Food Truck Branding – From Logo to Design, Culture and Customer Experience with Chris Adams

Pat — Fri, 22 Nov 2013 17:25:25 +0000

In this second episode of FoodTruckr School, we chat with Chris Adams from Rocketman Creative, a branding expert and strategist who helps food trucks new and old establish their identity and focus or re-focus their branding efforts for maximum impact.

It’s so much more than just designing a cool logo – there’s an entire culture that can be created based on how well your brand is established. Think about brands like Apple or Starbucks – powerful brands with cult-like followings that people are proud to support, and will often go out of their way to.

After listening to this episode, you’ll know exactly what it takes to create a brand that succeeds, and have a marketing education that will help you stand out from the crowd. And the best part – this podcast, as always, is free!

More Specifically, in this episode you’ll learn about:

The important elements that need to exist before even a logo or any designs.
4 core elements of an outstanding, memorable logo.
The true definition of brand and the most important word that you need to know that relate to it.
Characteristics of food trucks with poor branding, so you don’t make these same mistakes.
The importance of the “tone” and “flair” that you have within your brand.
The exact step-by-step process Chris uses to help food truck owners shape their brand.
How to validate your food truck business idea before you spend money on a truck.
Positioning and developing your “unique offering” and personality as a food truck.
How to craft your menu to truly support your brand and message.
The secret of “easter eggs”.
Plus so much more…

Links and resources mentioned in this episode:

Rocketman Creative (Chris’s website)
Boston Food Truck Alliance
Position by Al Reis and Jack Trout (Amazon.com Affiliate Link)
Boston’s Baddest Burger
Super Q
Smart Brand Flight Plan FoodTruckr Edition (Free Workbook Download!)

Right-click here to download the MP3 file

Thanks for Listening!

Thank you again, for listening to this episode of FoodTruckr School. Truly, we hope you don’t just listen, but you also take action and actually think about your brand, what it means and how you might be able to improve it. Thanks to Chris once again for his expertise and strategies, and if you have a moment, please let us know what you think about this episode in the comment section below!

FoodTruckr School will be on iTunes in a couple of weeks, and at that point you can leave a rating and review on iTunes too.

Until our next episode, thank you for your support. We’re here for you!

About the Author

The post FS002- Food Truck Branding – From Logo to Design, Culture and Customer Experience with Chris Adams first appeared on FoodTruckr | How to Start and Run a Successful Food Truck Business.

The post FS002- Food Truck Branding – From Logo to Design, Culture and Customer Experience with Chris Adams appeared first on FoodTruckr | How to Start and Run a Successful Food Truck Business.

FS001- Tips, Strategies and More with Mike Swaleh from Tikka Tikka Taco and The Great Food Truck Race

Pat — Sat, 09 Nov 2013 14:00:30 +0000

We at FoodTruckr are extremely happy to welcome you to the very first episode of FoodTruckr School!

FoodTruckr School is a podcast dedicated to helping you take your food truck business to the next level. Whether you’re just starting out or you’re a veteran in the business, we’ve got a whole lineup of incredibly valuable, entertaining, motivational and educational shows for you.

And we’re not just interviewing owners of other food trucks and sharing their journey and success stories. There may be some of that, but the purpose of this show – our job – is to teach you something new to help your food truck business flourish.

We plan on interviewing everyone from branding and social media experts to health inspectors and even food truck patrons. Anyone and everyone that has something to do with helping you succeed.

In this first episode, I’m happy to welcome Mike Swaleh from Tikka Tikka Taco. Mike and his team were the second place winners from Season 4 of The Great Food Truck Race on The Food Network.

Mike’s first time on a food truck was filmed on the show, and since then he’s learned a ton about what works and what doesn’t in the food truck industry. He also gives us a behind-the-scenes account of what it was like to be on The Great Food Truck Race, as well as what he’s doing now to help raise money for a food truck, since they didn’t win first place and take home a truck of their own.

More Specifically, in this episode you’ll learn about:

The inspiration for Tikka Tikka Taco and its fusion cuisine.
How Tikka Tikka Taco landed a spot on The Great Food Truck Race
Mike’s biggest lessons learned when he stepped foot into a food truck for the first time.
What Mike says you should know before starting up a food truck business.
How the Tikka Tikka Taco team is taking social media to the next level.
Tips for building a great team and culture within your truck.
What crowdfunding is and what it can do for you.
Plus a whole lot more!

Links and resources mentioned in this episode:

Right-click here to download the MP3 file

Help Tikka Tikka Taco!

As Mike shared in this episode, he and his team are raising funds to help pay for their food truck that they were so close to winning. As I write this post, they are currently one-third of the way there, and they need your help! Please click on the button below to help kickstart their campaign and get a little something in return too!

Click Here to Help Support Tikka Tikka Taco!

A huge thank you to Mike for sharing a little bit of his story and incredible insight into the Food Truck business from a very unique perspective. Mike, if you’re reading this, we wish you all the best of luck, and I’m 100% certain this isn’t the last time we’re going to hear from you.

And a huge thank you to YOU – the listener – for checking out the first episode of FoodTruckr School. We promise there is much more to come, including our next episode when we interview a Food Truck branding expert and designer who has worked with several trucks in the Boston area, who has a lot to share about what you and your brand can do to increase your bottom line.

Until then, please subscribe to the blog by entering your email address below, and get our free eBook to help you quickly take what you do on Twitter and Facebook to the next level.

Here’s to you and your food!

About the Author

The post FS001- Tips, Strategies and More with Mike Swaleh from Tikka Tikka Taco and The Great Food Truck Race first appeared on FoodTruckr | How to Start and Run a Successful Food Truck Business.

The post FS001- Tips, Strategies and More with Mike Swaleh from Tikka Tikka Taco and The Great Food Truck Race appeared first on FoodTruckr | How to Start and Run a Successful Food Truck Business.