The following is a guest post by Tim Van Dusen of Get Grilled Foods…
Well the weather outside is frightful. Business expansion is delightful! For those of us that are in cold weather states, we have a choice in the winter. We can try and brave the cold or we can shut down for the winter. Some of us get winter time jobs and those of us that have good enough revenue, during the summer, can hibernate.
But as i found out if your business isn’t growing then it is shrinking. The winter is the perfect time to expand your footprint on the market next year. As all business is an investment, the hot dog business is a real money maker. My personal goal has always been to grow my business to the point that I can sell it for a nice fat profit. Then start a new hot dog business and do it all over again.
I expanded my business last year to include two carts. I fell on some hard times and was able to sell part of my business to bank some and still pay the bills. If I had not thought of expansion I would have been out of the business completely. As it was I had the assets to keep going, and the extra cart to continue my revenue stream.
Last year I looked at buying a cart or building a cart. I had a few thoughts on the cart I needed. One was indoor use during the winter. I found absolutely nothing on the market that fit my desires. So that left building, and that is where E-Z Built came into play. The plans for the cart are extremely adaptable to any plan you have.
While we have the down time building a cart is the perfect way to become a hot dog pro. Once I built my own cart the knowledge I gained about hot dog carts was invaluable. I can look at a cart and tell you more about it then I ever could before. I built the E-Z Built bigger to include an electric steam well so i won’t need to worry about the fire marshall. And I won’t need to worry about what the weather outside is doing. So while you have the extra time, now is the a perfect opportunity to prepare to make that extra dime.
Building a hot dog cart during the winter is a perfect way to grow your business. This winter I will be taking my cart inside, and still dogging. Indoor craft shows around here are big, flea markets have a few indoor spots and I can park my cart in a garage and still serve those winter birthday parties. And I use their electric and eliminate my propane cost.
So build it bigger and make more money. Here are a few shots of the process from last winter. And remember Keep Doggin!
– Tim
Click the picture for a larger version
Whoa, Tim!
Great looking cart; you have gotten me thinking about doing something similar this winter. A few questions, please:
You have four access doors on the sides of the cart; what was your thinking with that? Also, what is your pan line-up; three individual or one full size with cover? Lastly, where is your fresh water tank?
Thanks in advance from a fan!
It is a great looking E-Z Built. Great job Tim!
-Steve
Thanks Tim for the ideas and encoragement. Sorry about the hard times that have befallen you.
I’m working on a trailer to deal with our various weather conditions. I was also thinking of building a cart for specialty occasions and expansion. I really appreciate your input about how building your own and modifying for indoor usage with electricity is an obvious, but unimagined by me, Super solution. Great idea! Thanks again from a very, very, newbie. I really appreciate the insights tips and tricks that folks with experience have from putting in the time. Hope to be able to share some of mine by this time next year.
Much appreciated.
@Barcroft, The access doors are for various points of interest in the cart. One gives me access to my water tanks and sink hardware. two gives me access to my cooler drain tank and battery. Three gives me access to the propane burner and storage area in the back of the cart. four gives me access to my electric burners and water heater. My pan line up is one full for my cheese, chili, and kraut. And one half pan with steam insert. I can also go three pans, one for extras, one for buns, and one for dogs. It just depends on my needs for the day
Hi Tim and Steve
Persistence Pays Off…. Always. But people must learn to see Obstacles as a Challenge and ALL Challenges can be overcome if you want it badly enough.
I am busily educating Australians about the hotdog market and it’s opportunities as you know. It is a new and emerging market and therefore has many obstacles and hurdles to overcome, but that is all part of the FUN… Yes FUN… cause if it wasnt, I would have quit 3 years ago…. lol 🙂
Life is what you make it……. Cheers and will talk again soon.
Big Al Connolly aka
The Fast Food Entrepreneur
and Hotdog Master
bigalsgourmethotdogs.com
facebook.com/ILoveMyHotdogs
Thanks Tim, Your thoughts and ideas are helpful… I’m in the process of building my first hotdog cart now.