Hey Steve:

We corresponded about a year ago, when we first got our cart on our arrival to the Spokane,WA area where my wife grew up. Me myself am a lifelong beach boy from Northern California (SF Bay Area) so having to actually wear pants in winter has been a new experience and challenge for me to say the least lol. Im easy to spot here, as I am the only idiot out here wearing shorts while I’m outside shoveling snow lol.

Anyway Steve I mentioned in our last correspondence last year, that before we moved here with are two girls ages 4 and 12, I spent the last 22 years as a Senior Homicide Inspector in the Bay Area. I have always been a very physically athletic guy my whole life, and I was enjoying a very successful and rewarding career. Needless to say Steve, that all quickly changed a few years back, when at age 43, I sustained a near fatal aneurism which left me hospitalized for nearly three months. Because of the specific physical demands of my career, reality was I was going to have to retire which I officially did last year.

Needless to say Steve this was a very scary endeavor and unfamiliar waters for me, but its sorta funny how fate and crisis really gets your creative juices flowing. After spending all those years in an environment that would make most people pissed, and sick, I decided I just wanted to be a normal guy and do something “normal”, because I started my career at age 20 and never really had a chance to know what “normal” was as the job jades you quite quickly. We mulled over several ideas including kettle corn etc, but for some reason I told my wife out of the blue “Lets get a hog dog cart”. I then started my endless days of researching everything hot dogs, then came up with a name “Bubbadogz”, affectionately after my father-in-law “Big Bubba” who is a real popular guy in these parts. Up to this point Steve the only food experience either one of us had was I was a bus boy while in High School, and my wife was a waitress while in College, but that’s about it. I did know the fact I was a self admitted clean and organization freak that relished (no pun intended) tradition, and everything old school was going to play an integral part in our start up success. There was one little caviat I was banking on, and that was using some of my childhood experiences hanging out in my grandfathers two SF beachfront amusement parks when I was kid. There was a lot of shiny stainless steel and the colors yellow and red in both parks and I remember those colors were like a magnet to a kid then. There’s something to be said about those colors I guess alas McDonalds, In-and-Out Burger etc. This is the reason I tried to stick with that color scheme as well. Even Ronald McDonald wears those two colors.

Anyway Steve we have enjoyed a lot of success here in a short amount of time, and now we only do special event stuff due to a hectic softball schedule with our girls etc. which quite honestly Steve is just fine with us.

I wanted to write this because I noticed a lot of new folks from all walks of life popping up in our forums that seem to be looking for a little motivation and start up advice on their new endeavor. I’m no expert and no one special by any means Steve, and I quickly gained a tremendous amount of respect and admiration for all those who do this for a living because its not just about buying a cart and just cooking hot dogs in it. I quickly learned its a lot of hard work and takes a lot of determination and ingenuity to make it work. I think a lot of people come into this thinking they can just sell hot dogs and make a few hundred bucks a day, then quickly get discouraged and their cart ends up on Ebay. While some actually do, there’s a lot more to it that goes on and those who do that amount per day, work their butts off for it between the cleaning, prep work etc. If your new and reading this, your sometimes looking at 14 to 15hrs a day 6 to 7 days a week so take a minute and really think what your getting into first.

My message here is never give-up, and take advantage of the awesome forums and social media outlets available to you. Also don’t take short cuts on your food to save a few bucks and risk a bad reputation, because with the social media outlets such as Yelp. Urbanspoon, etc out there now, your literally pulling the rug out from under your feet, and you’ll be out of business in a hurry. I’ve seen these guys at fairs etc literally selling one dollar sub-par hot dogs on hot dog rollers. They never get invited back again. So think like a consumer (which you are as well), and think about what attracts your attention, then follow your own instincts and standards and you’ll be on the right path.

I guess I can go on and on Steve as this is already long winded. The real heros out there, are the ones out there everyday rain or shine doing this for a living. We had an old cliche in my office and it was “My day begins when yours ends”. I had numerous 30 plus hour days over the years, but nothing I did ever measured up to the amount of physical labor like these doggers out there do everyday.

In closing, if your new to doggin or thinking about doing it, be diligent and relentless with your research before you do anything. Take advantage of the many social media forums out there such as HDCN, Facebook, Roadfood.com etc. The people on these forums are from all over the U.S. and are probably the most generous and helpful people you’ll ever meet or talk too in any industry hands down. You’ll be pleasantly surprised at all the different backgrounds these folks have. Anywhere from Doctors,Teachers, Lawyers, Electricians, Engineers, etc, etc the list is endless.

Anyway Steve hope somebody might find this helpful.

Best wishes and “Carpe Diem”
Matt Wasteney-Owner/Founder “Bubbadogz”
Liberty Lake, WA 99019

Click here for free hot dog cart lessons by email.