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In this episode of The Vegan Food Truck Business Podcast, Heather Zeitzwolfe sits down with food industry veteran and small business expert Eric Stromquist to break down the most common — and costly — mistakes food truck operators make.

Whether you're just getting started or trying to improve your profit margins, Eric shares hard-earned wisdom on pricing strategy, menu design, speed of service, and treating your truck like a real business. If you've ever wondered how to serve more customers, minimize waste, or make your numbers actually work, this episode is a must-listen.

What You’ll Learn:

• The #1 mistake most food trucks make when pricing their menu
• Why less is more when it comes to your menu options
• How to use simple math to maximize profit and speed up service
• What your food cost should be (and how to calculate it)
• The truth about overhead, commissary kitchens, and real labor costs
• Why running a food truck requires both heart and spreadsheets

About Our Guest:
Eric Stromquist was one of the founders of Portland's long-standing, local restaurant chain Hot Lips Pizza. Eric has been a prominent figure in the Portland Food scene for decades, including instructing at three notable culinary schools. He is now an advisor with the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) in Astoria, Oregon. He’s passionate about helping food entrepreneurs turn their ideas into sustainable, profitable businesses.

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What happens when two plant-based visionaries go from serving their local Atlanta community to cooking backstage for New Edition on tour? 🎤🍽️ In this inspiring episode, Heather Zeitzwolfe sits down with Danielle from Sometimeatarian, a powerhouse vegan food trailer that’s flipping the script on what plant-based food can be. 🌱💥

✨ From humble beginnings rooted in family health struggles to scaling their business through catering, creativity, and community, Danielle Booker shares what it really takes to succeed in the food trailer world and what they've learned with their partner in life and business, Chef Chanee Key.

We talk about:

🚛 Their decision to purchase a trailer instead of a traditional food truck

👉 The Super Bowl moment that sparked their hustle

🍲 How they’re making plant-based food accessible in food deserts

📝 Lessons learned from bad contracts and event disasters

⚡The brutal truth about permits, commissaries, and zoning in Atlanta

🎉 Serving celebs (like Bobby Brown & New Edition!) and still staying community-focused

💡 The creation of their Vendor Toolkit to help other food entrepreneurs streamline & scale

🏗️ Their next big dream: a takeout-focused brick-and-mortar location (and the GoFundMe behind it)

Push play and listen if you’re passionate about plant-based food, food justice, or building a mission-driven business. ✨

🔗 Grab the Vendor Toolkit: https://www.sometimeatarianatl.com/resources-and-pre-orders

📱 Follow them: @sometimeatarian

🎙️ Subscribe for more vegan business insights!

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In this episode, we examine sleazy fraudsters and essential security measures to protect your food business from common scams. Learn how to identify and prevent various types of fraud targeting mobile food vendors and small business owners. 🛡️

Key Topics Covered 🎯

• Online fraud prevention strategies
• Fake inspector scams during service hours
• Business identity theft protection
• Common "to go to be true" traps
• Fraudulent tactics regarding events
• Credit scam awareness
• Official document verification tips

Resources Mentioned 🔗

• Password Management: LastPass - Secure password management tool
• Business Credit Monitoring: 
  • Experian Business
  • Nav
  • Dun & Bradstreet
• Government Resources: 
  • FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3)
  • IRS EIN Application

#FoodTruckBusiness #ScamPrevention #SmallBusinessSecurity #FoodVendorTips #BusinessProtection #VeganBusiness #FoodTruckTips

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In this episode of the Vegan Food Truck Business Podcast, we sit down with Dr. Ariel Smith, known as "The Food Truck Scholar" and a university professor teaching entrepreneurship. Dr. Smith shares invaluable insights on running a successful food truck business, from menu pricing strategies to cash management and operations scaling.

Episode Highlights:

• Understanding business model adaptation and flexibility
• Strategic approaches to hiring and managing staff
• Tips for effective menu pricing and food cost management
• Best practices for cash handling and payment processing
• The importance of due diligence in business decision-making

Resources Mentioned:

• Book: Before You Launch a Food Truck by Dr. Ariel Smith
• Business Model Canvas for food truck planning
• The Food Truck Scholar Podcast

Connect with Dr. Ariel Smith:

• Instagram: @FoodTruckScholar and @DrArielDSmith
• LinkedIn: Ariel D Smith, PhD

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🚛 Want to launch a successful vegan food truck? 🌱 It all starts with planning, partnerships, and passion!

In this episode of the Vegan Food Truck Business Podcast, I sit down with Brooke Sieg, founder of Nature’s Plate Vegan Food Truck, to uncover how she built a thriving plant-based business using smart planning, local partnerships, and farm-to-truck sourcing.

💡 Whether you're just starting or looking to grow your food truck, Brooke’s insights into business planning, pricing, sourcing fresh ingredients, and securing event partnerships will give you the blueprint to success.

🔑 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

✅ How a solid business plan led to funding & food truck success
✅ Building relationships with local farmers for fresh, seasonal ingredients
✅ The key to creating a profitable menu with sustainable pricing
✅ Food truck logistics & operations: permits, inspections, & equipment
✅ The best POS system for food truck efficiency & data insights
✅ How community partnerships helped her land recurring events

💡 Plus, Brooke shares her biggest startup challenges, how she overcame them, and why focusing on community and sustainability makes all the difference.

🎧 Hit play now to learn how to turn your food truck vision into reality!

🔗 Connect with Brooke & Nature’s Plate:

🌱 Instagram: @NaturesPlateVFT
🌱 Facebook: Nature’s Plate Vegan Food Truck
🌱 Website: naturesplate.com

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🔥 Ready to grow your vegan business and reach more customers using YouTube? In this episode of the Vegan Food Truck Business Podcast, YouTube creator and vegan influencer Ali Essig of PlantWhys reveals the strategies that helped her turn a personal health crisis into a thriving channel with thousands of dedicated followers. Discover how she creates engaging content, attracts loyal subscribers, and uses YouTube to drive her business success—all while juggling life as a mom of six!

🚚 Whether you're running a food truck or looking to expand your reach online, this episode is packed with actionable tips to help you build a loyal following and boost your business.

🔑 What You’ll Learn:
✅ How to create engaging videos that resonate with your target audience
✅ The secret to building a loyal community through authentic storytelling
✅ How to leverage YouTube’s algorithm to increase views and subscribers
✅ The best ways to optimize thumbnails and video titles for maximum clicks
✅ When and how to approach sponsorships to monetize your content
✅ Why consistency is key—and how to stay motivated even when growth is slow

💡 Plus, discover Ali’s biggest mistake that unexpectedly skyrocketed her channel—and why you shouldn't fear imperfection!

👉 This episode is a must-listen for vegan food truck owners and content creators ready to turn their passion into profit. Don’t miss out on these proven strategies for mastering YouTube!

🔗 Connect with Ali Essig (PlantWhys):

• YouTube: PlantWhys
• Instagram: @plantwhys
• Website: plantwhys.com

🎁 FREE RESOURCE:
Grab Ali’s Plant-Based Starter Guide: plantwhys.com/starter-guide

🔎 Keywords: #VeganBusiness #YouTubeStrategy #PlantBased #FoodTruck #ContentCreation #VeganEntrepreneur #PlantBasedBusiness #FoodTruckMarketing #VeganFoodTruck #SocialMediaMarketing

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Are your incredible vegan recipes getting lost in the crowd? Wondering how to get people excited about your food truck—before they even take a bite? In this episode of The Vegan Food Truck Business Podcast, host Heather Zeitzwolfe talks with Chanel Goodson, the visionary behind the pink-and-viral Vegan AF Food Truck. Chanel reveals how bold branding and Instagram-worthy offerings can skyrocket your visibility—even in a saturated market. You’ll learn:

• Why marketing and branding might matter more than your best recipe
• How a bright pink truck captured the attention of celebs and everyday foodies
• Actionable tips to stand out and build a dedicated following

Ready to stop blending in and start getting noticed? Tune in and discover how to transform your vegan business into a true must-try phenomenon!

Connect with Chanel on Instagram:

• @VeganAFFoodTruck
• @ChanelCoco5

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Join us for an inspiring conversation with Annette Swindin, a 67-year-old entrepreneur who started her vegan food truck business at age 60 after surviving cancer. In this episode, Annette shares valuable insights about running a successful food truck business, including:

• How she acquired and modified her food truck 
• Tips for managing events and customer service 
• Using Square POS system for payment processing and data analysis 
• Pricing strategies and cost management 
• The importance of efficient food prep and quick service
 • Working with colleges and event planners 
• Transitioning from food truck to take-and-bake business
 • Using eco-friendly, recyclable products 
• Hiring the right personnel

Whether you're considering starting a food truck business or looking for inspiration to pursue your dreams later in life, Annette's story proves it's never too late to embark on a new entrepreneurial journey. Her experience demonstrates how determination, research, and excellent customer service can lead to success in the mobile food industry.

Connect with Annette Swindin:

• Instagram: @thegreenvegetarian
• Facebook: The Green Vegetarian
• Website: www.thegreenvegetarian.com

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In this eye-opening episode, I share a crucial case study about business collaborations gone wrong. Through a real-world case study involving a Portland vegan restaurant and distillery partnership, I break down the essential components of successful business relationships and the devastating consequences of operating without proper legal protections.

You'll learn key takeaways about the importance of written contracts, financial transparency, and proper business structure. Whether you're a food truck owner, pop-up chef, or restaurant entrepreneur, you'll get valuable insights on protecting your creative vision and business interests. You'll learn why handshake deals can be dangerous, how to structure your collaborations properly, and what steps you need to take before entering any business partnership.

Topics you'll hear about: 

• The power of successful collaborations
• Essential elements of business contracts
• Red flags in business partnerships
• Financial transparency requirements
• Protecting your business interests
• Working with lawyers and accountants
• Due diligence in partnerships

Reach out if you'd like to discuss your vegan food business, whether it is currently a dream or you're in the messy middle...drop me a note on Instagram: @savvyfrugalvegan 

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🌱 The Wild Journey of Vegan Food Truck Pioneer Chef Adam Sobel | A Not-So-Ordinary Business Story About a Rebel With A Cause

Ever wonder what it's REALLY like to run a vegan food truck? Buckle up as Adam Sobel, the delightfully eccentric founder of The Cinnamon Snail, shares the hilariously honest truth about his journey from street food rookie to businessman. Between cops forcing his truck to vacate during a lunch rush and creating an intergalactic pop-up experience, Adam proves that success in the food business isn't just about spreadsheets and recipes - it's about embracing the chaos!

What You'll Learn (Besides How Not to Get Sued):

• The unglamorous reality of food truck life (spoiler: it's not just Instagram-worthy moments)
• How Adam turned a mobile kitchen into a multi-faceted vegan juggernaut
• Why sometimes the weirdest marketing strategies actually work
• You’ll sleep better at night doing things legit.
• Real talk about the highs and lows of making money as street food vendor

Behind-the-Scenes Gold:

• True stories from the trenches of a food truck start-up.
• How to stay profitable without losing your soul (or your mind)
• Creating content that makes people want to lick their emails
• Building an online culinary school to support vegan activism through making delicious food

Perfect for: Aspiring food truck warriors, restaurant dreamers, vegan visionaries, and anyone who thinks running a food business might be fun (we'll let you decide after this episode). Warning: Contains stories about a French man who ate an entire airplane - because sometimes success requires thinking outside the box... way outside.

🌟 Learn More About Adam Sobel:
👉 The Cinnamon Snail
👉 Vegan University
👉 Street Vegan Cookbook
👉 Galactic Megastallion
👉 Follow Adam on Instagram: @CinnamonSnail

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