I love writing about the hot dog business, reading excited emails from my students, and hearing success stories which I then get to share with you, dear reader. We are blessed to have this wonderful opportunity known as hot dog vending, especially now.
Although enterprising individuals have been slingin’ dogs for a hundred years, in many ways the hot dog cart business is an even better fit in our future than it was in our past.
The Permanent Recession. Normal recessions come and go every 10 to 20 years. They are cyclical in nature and things always get better with time. I believe we are on our way out of this kind of recession as we speak.
But this time there is a major difference. We are actually in two recessions at once, and I’m afraid one of them is permanent. The second recession is the recession of the age of industry. For the last 100 years we rode a rising tide of productivity which paid handsomely because of imperfect market conditions.
The factor which allowed higher than normal pricing was inefficient communication. The world was willing to pay a premium for our steel, automobiles, electronics, machine tools, and guns partly because they were made better, but mostly because it was difficult to know what others were charging. It was very difficult to price shop.
The New Age. Enter the internet. Now with three clicks of the mouse you can find the rock bottom lowest price, purchase the item, and have it delivered to your door from anywhere in the world. Most individuals now buy this way and so do businesses. Communication of global pricing is now nearly perfect and automation has leveled the playing field on quality and reduced the cost of production.
The market for overpriced goods has dried up and taken the middle class factory and cubicle jobs down with it.
Gone are the days of the “show up” job. You know what I’m talking about. The kind of job where you just show up, turn off your creativity, follow the manual and perform the same function over and over, day in and day out.
Middle class jobs that existed because companies had no other choice are now history, victims of the permanent recession and they’re not coming back folks.
Ever.
But this is exactly where the opportunity lies. The future belongs to those who are able to offer something unique that the customer can’t get from China. The future belongs to those who can provide an experience, not just a product. The future belongs to those who add value not through price reduction but by truly caring and serving people with excellence.
Art, music, food, and personal services – when done well – are part of the future. Small, independent businesses that over deliver on quality are part of the future. Face to face transactions are part of the future. Businesses built on personal relationships with customers are part of the future. As you can see, food fits very nicely with the future.
Global is out. Local is in.
You can’t outsource an experience. There is still plenty of money floating around this country, it’s just not being spent on junk.
If you provide an excellent hot dog or sausage sandwich, and deliver an experience to go with it, the sky is the limit. But the time to start is now, because I’m afraid the writing is on the wall. And deep inside you’ve known it for a while now.
If you are still lucky enough to have a job, start a cart part time and you’ll have the potential to add a thousand bucks a month to your income right now. Plus you’ll have a safety net to fall back on when your old economy “career” goes away forever.
You’ll sleep like a baby knowing that if you lose your current job you can be self employed, slingin’ dogs full time the very next day. That’s what true security feels like.
Oh, and did I mention that this is the funnest job in the world?
This is Marcus who runs a cart near where I live. He’s an awesome guy and definitely provides an experience, as well as a really high quality product. It’s always a party at his cart!
But the only way to be successful is to be excellent right from the start. That’s what I can teach you in my Hot Dog Biz 101 course. It’s all there in a 250 page book and four audio CDs that I’ll send right to your door by Priority Mail.
Plus you get a whole bunch of free instant bonuses that you get started on right now, including a trial version of my Cash Tracker hot dog cart bookkeeping software.
Don’t let yourself be a victim of the permanent recession. Go to HotDogBiz101.com and learn how you can start your own hot dog cart business. There’s a ton of free information just waiting for you.
And if you want to get started as inexpensively as possible, I’ll show you how to build your own professional level hot dog cart for under $500 worth of hardware store parts (depending on how you equip it). And when I say show you, I really mean it. The program includes 4 DVDs with 5 1/2 hours of video showing me building one from start to finish (and goofing off a little too). Just follow along with me, do what I do, and you can’t make a mistake. You can learn how over at BuildAHotDogCart.com
Special Discount Offer…
Right now if you buy both programs together I’ll let you have one for $10 off. You’ll see the offer during checkout.
See you over there,
-Steve
Well said my friend! Hot dogging makes MONEY!!!
steve things are tough so let help each other out with small tip like get the 2 liter bottles and freeze them put in your cooler to keep the dogs frozen or plastic bowl brake em up so you don’t need to buy ice for your drinks
How many businesses are there where you can have fun and make a respectable living?
The education level is minimal…all you need is a little (very little for a cart) bit of capital and the willingness to do some work.
Good job, Steve!
Steve –
Great insight. In this economy, everyone should have a back up plan. We’ve done very well sticking with two major points in your article.
1. Deliver an experience. While a Chicago style dog may be easy to come by in the mid-west, in DFW, we have a rep for serving the real deal using Vienna Beef products. Same with our NYers who want an original Sabrett NC dog w red onion sauce. I have all the business I can handle (I have a FT job) by word of mouth.
2. Have a plan. I work as a rep in the pharma sector and my job seems to always be in peril given the economy, uncertainty in health care reform and expiring drug patents. I feel as though I could launch full time into our hot dog business and survive until another job op presents itself.
Great article – keep em coming!
Steve, You hit the nail on the head about are economy. People do need to wake up to what is happening and take control of their lives.
It is a dog eat dog world, lol
Steve,
Just plain deep!!!
Duggs Doggs
Good!! Good!!
Steve, it’s nice to know we can beat the economy. Just a little planning, a little money and LOTS of knowledge. Thanks Steve!
LIKE WOODY HAYES SAID WHEN THE GOING .. GETS TOUGH THE TOUGH GET GOING
Steve,
I have four children (two in diapers) a mortgage, vehicle payment and all the usual bills associated with having kids in school.
I have a good education, great work experience and I could easily be going for the “show job”.
I choose to sling dogs and I’m never really too worried about bills anymore.
My business has done great and is expanding and getting awesome reviews and press. I even had a national publication call and interview me. I was pretty overwhelmed with how much attention you can draw by being a little different!
Thanks for all of you information and support.
i just got my permit today after two weeks of busting thru beaureacratic red tape I am now a dog slinger and proud of it. best advice for newbies persistence is the key break down the roadblocks and succeed and make the American Dream a reality I am. A shout to Steve what an honor to have dealt with you. A shout out to Ben’s carts he is a great business person and was instrumental in getting me started in the business/ GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE OUT THE THERE AND MAY GOD BLESS
JAIME
DAWG GONE GOOD DAWGS
NC
Here in the Pocono Mountains the Seasons Change and the Down Times are Known to most of the Mundane Business Community as the Mud Weeks..The Term is negative and the almost breeds failure. I hate that Phrase and feel it is the time to go out for business not regroup and rest. Same goes for the National Economy. When all the get up and goers have all gone and went…The Hot Dogger will be there fueling the Economy with determination and Work IF YOU CANNOT FIND A JOB..MAKE ONE
Hey Steve,
Great article! I gotta say that starting up my hot dog stand was the best thing I’ve ever done…
26 years in corporate America and I got kicked to the curb when the economy went south. Now I work less, make more money, and have virtually zero stress!
Ain’t America great?
Mike
Hey Steve,
AMEN! The small business man has always been the backbone of this country.
I had my first day this past Wed, 9-22. I did a soft opening (no advertising) so I could could used to slinging dogs. After a few days it is going great. I bought your bus. course and still refer to it, love it! Sales are not great, but I expect them to rise. I will start advertising and door to door promoting this week
I have had the dog business in the back of my mind for over 25 years. I have owned 7 businesses including a major auto repair franchise (big mistake, 6 figure investment, went south) and this is by far the easiest and lowest cost business to start. Being laid off from my last JOB ( Just Over Broke) was the kick start I needed.
Thanks for the course and this newsletter, love them both.
God Bless America!
P.S. Does anyone have any info on an easy inexpensive website?
Tim
Always inspirational Steve, folks are getting worried about jobs and selling dogs is a fun job and lucrative career. I have a part-time job that I don’t worry about losing like my co-workers might. Scary! I sleep well at night though.