Chapter 1
Overview of the Carts of Cash Course
The book really begins with chapter two which discusses being self-employed. What are the advantages and requirements? We’ll cover the discipline and motivation required to be successful, and answer the big question – how much money can I make?
From there we get into start up considerations such as the secrets to minimizing initial costs, getting start up money, and how long it will take to get going.
These topics lay the groundwork for Part 2 – The Ingredients of Success. Here we begin with what may be the most important decision you will make – choosing a location. I’ll cover public and private vending, how to get a private site rent-free, what to do if there are already vendors in the area, and ways to turn a mediocre location into a winner.
Working special events such as fairs and festivals is the next topic. You’ll learn how to make a few thousand dollars in a single day! I’ll also show you what you need to do to deal with the high volume traffic at these events. If you don’t know the tricks, you’ll never be able to keep up – I guarantee it!
Related to special events is catering. I’ll show you how to work birthday parties, car shows, company and school picnics, even weddings. You’ll learn the secrets that allow you to double or even triple your profits without any extra work on your part.
Next up is marketing, advertising, and public relations. You’ll learn about paid advertising as well as free PR, buzz, and viral marketing. You’ll also learn how to turn your menus into customer magnets, and how to make sure they come back again and again and again!
The next topic is something special – How to create a brand. Much more than a name and logo, a strong brand has the power to create passion and encompasses every single thing you do in your business. This is what makes you unique and memorable.
In Part 3 you’ll learn everything you need to know about equipment. You can’t run a hot dog cart without the cart. We’ll go through every aspect of these money machines – what to look for, what options you need, how to purchase or finance a cart and how to operate it. Also where to find plans and videos to build your own cart and save thousands! These are high quality plans that include complete illustrated instructions for building your own professional grade hot dog cart – all made with common parts and items available at your local hardware store or Wal-Mart. You even get 4 DVDs with 5 ½ hours of video showing the construction process step by step. I built two of these carts and used them in my business. The plans were super easy to follow and the carts look truly professional (and passed the health department inspection on the first try!) Even if you’re not handy, you could hire a local handyman to build it and still save thousands of dollars.
The following chapter covers additional equipment such as pans, bottles, tongs, thermometers, and more. What to look for, what to avoid – all the tips to get exactly what you need.
Don’t want to stand out in the rain? Neither do your customers. I came up with an unbelievably easy way to turn your hot dog cart into a mini-restaurant without having to comply with stricter health department regulations and occupancy permits. This made all the difference in the world and doubled my business. (In case you are wondering, this is not the BIG SECRET for blowing the lid off your profits. I save that for a later chapter.)
Next up is a chapter on operations. This is the nuts and bolts of day to day operating procedures and includes daily setup and teardown checklists, inventory checklists, and a cart safety inspection checklist. These are so helpful because not only do they leave nothing to chance, they are also invaluable for training employees when you want to expand your operation.
In Part 4 we cover food. Food safety is covered in detail. You’ll learn how to properly handle and store food in order to comply with health department regulations. Learn about the “danger zone”, how to properly wash and sanitize equipment and utensils, and the importance of personal cleanliness.
Learn why you should keep it simple and only serve the “perfect meal”. I have heard of people that want to serve some fancy foods on their carts. I’ll tell you why I always try to discourage them.
What condiments will you offer? We’ll cover all the options and give you the pros and cons of each. Here you will also learn how to cook and serve the perfect dog and why you need to pay attention to your buns!
At this point you will know what you need, but do you know where to get the best food products? How much should you buy to get started? What kind of hot dog should you sell? Does it matter? We’ll cover the different types of hot dogs, from 4 to 1 natural casing to 10 to 1 skinless. Not sure what that means? This chapter will teach you how to speak “hot dog-ese” when talking to your distributor so you won’t sound like an amateur. These tips will save you time and money, and guarantee the freshest food for your customers.
What is a commissary? How do I find one? How much do they cost? What if there is no commissary in my area? I’ll answer these questions as well as the biggie that everyone asks, “Is there any possible way to get around the commissary requirement?” The answer is YES! I know because I did it and I’ll show you how. Just keep in mind that health codes vary by location. What worked for me might not work in every location but it will work in most places. You’ll learn exactly what I did and what I said to convince my health department to grant me a waiver on the commissary requirement!
I’ll give you some tips on how to deal with the health department and how to pass your inspection on the first try like I did. The secret is to know what makes the inspector’s job more difficult and how to avoid it. There are some things you can say and do that will make them fall in love with you! Well, almost.
And now, the moment you’ve been waiting for (drum roll please…)
How much would you pay to learn “THE BIG SECRET” – how to blow the lid off your profits! There is one thing that you can do to double or triple the money you make with the customers you already have. This is the most transformational profit building tip you will ever learn in the cart business and this tip alone is worth the price of the entire Carts of Cash system.
At this point a lot of you have gone charging off to see what the BIG SECRET is. For those of you that are still reading this, Part 5 covers the licenses and permits that you will need to do business in your location. I’ll cover liability insurance and give you sources for finding insurance companies that insure vending carts. This is a very special, hard to find type of insurance that your local agent won’t deal in, so these resources will save you a LOT of time!
What about growing your business? Part 6 covers the multiple cart management techniques that will allow you to duplicate your success over and over.
Part 7 contains the Action Plan – a step by step checklist of everything you need to do to get started. Once you work your way through this list, you can be sure that nothing has slipped through the cracks. You’ll be ready to go!
Last but not least is the Resource and Supplier’s Directory, chock full of contact information for everything you could possibly need to start and run a successful hot dog vending business. It includes everything from cart manufactures and hot dog suppliers to resources that are critical to your success such as ways to develop the success mindset through motivation, inspiration, and self-improvement.
Nowhere else will you find all this information in one place. I know because I tried – it didn’t exist until now. Don’t wait. You have in front of you the most powerful resource available to ensure success in the highly profitable hot dog vending business. Get started today and change your finances, your outlook, and your life!
I don’t know if you believe in God but surely you believe in karma….. Writing a book like this will surely make you tons of money which I am sure it does but helping people because someone helped you brings great blessings. Another person may think why share my secrets I’ll lose business… But in reality there is plenty of money to go around! 🙂
Hi Christine.
1. I do believe in God
2. This makes me a lot less money than you would think.
3. I truly enjoy helping people get started in the dog biz. It’s very satisfying.
4. You are absolutely right, there is plenty to go around. The people who operate from a scarcity mentality make a lot less money in any business they enter.
Thanks for the kind words and I look forward to helping you!
Okay you caught me! I went to the big secret first but after going back and reading the first couple of chapters I’m more excited than ever!
LOL!
I was tempted, but decided to be patient, I want to make this work step by step. Thank you Steve, you have been very diligent and helpful. Sending you some Puerto Rican sunshine your way!!
I could use it. Thanks Frances!
Okay, okay, its taken me over a year to CONVINCE THE WIFE, but I pretty much have done it. ( She still wants to see the money part happen ) So now I have to make it work! Here’s my story.
I started my own contracting business in a trade I worked in for many years. No wonder all my bosses at all the companies I used to work for were all stressed out! Contracting is a tough business with many things that can unexpectedly change or go wrong, ON YOUR DIME! (OUCH!)
It is also getting harder and harder to get paid for changes (change orders i.e. the engineer made a boo boo) In other words YOUR PROBLEM TO SOLVE!!! Not to mention it seems like in this economy everyone wants FIVE YEARS AGO PRICES on jobs, how do you make any money with that? Have these people been to the gas pump lately? And don’t get me started on chasing the customers down for your money after the job is complete!!!! GRRRRRR!!!!!!!
So after deciding a contracting business was not for me, I had trouble going back to work again for someone else as far as “punching a clock” every day so I have been freelance working here and there while I try to figure out what’s next. A HOT DOG Cart has been on my mind for years, ( CUZ I LOVE HOT DOGS! ) and a little over a year ago I found your course after looking on the web to see if it is profitable. According to you . . . IT IS!!! So I bought the course and spent close to a year SELLING THE WIFE ON THE IDEA!
So after ASSEMBLING MY TRAILER yesterday I got on here and started to get back into the book. I am glad I did because yesterday I’ll be honest I was asking myself if “I WAS NUTS?” and wondering “WILL THIS REALLY WORK?” Getting back into the book and reading is what I needed. Just this page alone has me sparked back up again!
So far here’s where I am at:
I have contacted the sate, downloaded the license paperwork, the license is $200.00
I have my public land use permit and vending license paperwork from the town, $60.00 I have spoken with the town Health Inspector ( also for the state )
I have looked into a commissary, which if everything on my cart is frozen, canned, or packaged as long as I have a one bay hand wash sink and a separate three bay sink to wash utensils I don’t need one. At least that’s what the inspector says for now, my fingers are crossed.
I have assembled my trailer and have ordered my Shur-flo pump (ebay $47.00 with shipping brand new in box ) and ordered my ecco temp L 5 water heater ( $119.00 free shipping )
I have registered for a Certified Food Protection Managers class $150.00 ( CFPM newly adopted 2014 requirement in MY STATE for food cart/food truck vendors ) so I will have my food safety certificate to display which is good for 5 years.
I have picked a spot and if I get it secured in time ( town wont let me until I have an inspected cart ) it has a high level of foot traffic for a walking trail that draws people from surrounding towns. The town just extended it and are going to do it again next year because up to 1000 or more people use it weekly in the summer, I had no idea! Plenty of parking too!
There’s a boat launch right there as well so there will be fisherman and boaters all summer. They also have some kind of river race right there each summer, and we have a huge festival that gets bigger and bigger every year. I have only seen a HOT DOG cart once at this festival! When I get my cart going I will be the only full time HOT DOG cart in town!
Okay, I rambled on way to long. Part of the reason I made it so long is anyone thinking about DOGGIN’ or is in the process of it can see someone else who is also, and see some of the cost of things and channels to go through. Good Luck To All!
Don
Thanks for the encouraging post Don! Fees vary wildly from state to state, even county to county. Some places are a lot cheaper than what you described, some are more expensive. Any business has start up permit and licensing costs but ours (mobile food vendors) are some of the cheapest.
Good luck and keep us updated. Your location sounds beautiful and profitable!
Hi Don. Your post was detailed and at least for me, hit a lot of feelings on the head. Especially the ‘inner voice’ worries. So enough time has gone by that I’m dying to hear how you made out. Update?
Sheldon
very simple honest and most of all humble makes you feel like you are his family member, no tricks just honest advice how to make you committed to customer satisfaction and best of all to be succesfull steve thanks for the patience and advices
My pleasure Alexander.
Chapter 1 good stuff. The nuts and bolts to think about. guys and gals thanks for your comments. best regards Joe
Thanks Joe!
Hello Steve!
Just purchased your training program and began reading and I’m amazed at the valuable information you provide for new mobile food vendors. I live in the Sunshine state Florida and have many tourists that visit our beautiful state. I’m super excited to be getting into business for myself and looking forward to my grand opening day! In the meantime I will continue my studies and absorb this fantastic material I just purchased in order to be a successful Hot Dog Cart vendor.
God Bless!
Victor Nunez
I’m glad you like your membership Victor! Let me know if you need help with anything.
-Steve
Steve I just purchased your web membership yesterday. I am very excited and nervous at the same time. I have a background in managing businesses for other people in one aspect or another. However the fear of failing on my own is not an easy one to overcome. I have been disabled after an accident in 95 and have been in a wheelchair since then. Lots of people seem afraid of someone in a wheelchair as I have experienced many times over the years. Everything from not wanting to look you in the eyes to people who talk around you like you are not there assuming I am deaf and dumb because I am in a wheelchair or so it seems. I can’t help but feel like my disability will keep some potential customers away. I am resolved to work past this and I can only hope my physical disability only has a minimal affect on my new business.
Thanks for putting all of this information together!
Charles
I wouldn’t worry about it Charles. In fact, I think it could actually be an asset.
The first step in the sales process is drawing attention to yourself. You won’t sell a thing if no one notices you. Serving hot dogs from a wheel chair will get people’s attention. In fact, if I were you I would contact the local newspaper and ask them if they would like to do a story on you. A story about how you are overcoming your disability by starting a business that you can do from your chair. Newspaper love that sort of story and you would get some great publicity out of it.
In short, don’t let your disability hurt you. Make it work for you!
You’ll do great.
-Steve
WOW!!!! i got a lot of reading and research to do.
Take your time Leo. Let me know if you have any questions!
Steve, I found out who you were watching another Youtube video a guy named Ben. He said you were the best resource. I found you yesterday and purchased your training this morning. Thank you for putting all this together in one place. I am 62 years old, served in the Marines for 22 years, have been selling real estate for 17 years, and currently live in Florida where I coach and train real estate agent on how to build a business working by referral. The Hot Dog Cart will be called “Franks Franks”. I have been talking about this for years and it will be my exit strategy. I am really excited.
Thanks Frank, let me know if you have any questions. Welcome aboard!
-Steve