The Slinger Life. Hot Dog Freedom.
Here is where I was yesterday…
Hey Slinger (or soon to be slinger),
Something happened to me this morning that made me laugh. It also reminded me why I am so grateful that I have a hot dog biz and why I feel really sorry for anyone who still works for someone else.
I just got off the phone with a new Premium Member. He had joined us yesterday and said he loved all the courses in the online members area. He was really pumped up.
He wanted to order the hard copies because he is currently driving a truck and is without internet access a lot of the time. He wanted to be able to study on the road so he could get out of the trucking business as fast as possible.
I took his order over the phone at around 10 am, hung up, and laughed. What was so funny?
I was still in my pajamas.
In fact I had just woken up. I was sitting by the front room window in my favorite leather chair, sipping a cup of coffee and watching the gold finches pig out at the bird feeder.
You see, yesterday was the first cool day in a long time where I live. It was perfect weather to take my family to the amusement park.
I didn’t have to burn a vacation day. I have unlimited vacation days.
I didn’t have to fake an illness and call in sick to work. Have you ever done that? It’s humiliating.
I didn’t have to ask anyone if I could go. I just took a day off and went.
We ended up staying at the park until dark. Then I took the family out to our favorite Mexican place for dinner around nine.
It ended up being a really long, really fun day. I was dog tired when we got home.
But the last thought I had when I finally laid my head down was a happy one…
“I don’t have to wake up tomorrow until I feel like it. YESSSSS!!!!”
That’s living, my soon to be slinger friend.
If you want to live life with no boss and no alarm clocks, if you want to come and go as you please, if you want more time with your family, then stop dreaming about it.
You can do this.
-Steve
P.S. Today is National Hot Dog Day for the rest of the country, but for us slingers every day is Hot Dog Day.
Some times the best plan is no plans !!
Or better yet matey, planning ahead.
1St Mate Jim.
Aye swab, tis a true thing ye speak!
Pirates and Slingers be pure entrepreneurs.
Awesome story and thats what I’m looking forward to
I’ve been watching your progress in the Premium members area. Good job!
I may even be luckier than most slingers I do my slinging as a hobby. I just love to met new and interesting people. If at the end of the year a few extra bucks are made all the better. Plus, I get business knowledge they do not teach in books. I still work a part-time job although after this year it will be dogs only. Part-time(no time?) last week 7 hours!!
“sell em’ all”
Jerry
Hey Jerry, you’ll find that when you go full time, it will still be part time hours!
Hi Steve, I too am like Jerry , I only go out when local auctioneer calls me to bring my cart to his next auction. Sometimes twice a week sometimes once a month. My biggest problem is picking out my playlist for my Bose player on cart, and whether to sell beer brats or cheese brats at next sale. It sure is nice being a slinger and being retired. I could not have done it without your help way back when. Larry
Those are good problems to have Larry. Glad you have been a part of the HDPP community! Love your cart!!!
Yes, Hot Dog Slinging is the most enjoyable hard work you will ever do, but the thought of going back to an 8 – 5 jobs gives me the hebegebes! Although this year we are only doing catering thus making it a part time business, there is no other like it. I miss the festivals and the lunches. There is no “rush” like you get from seeing those lines at the festivals and lunches. Makes it all worthwhile.
Yes, one time I looked up and my line was huge. I counted it just for fun and found that I had 73 people waiting patiently for a hot dog. That is a rush indeed!
Ahhh, yes,Steve! When business gets going with a good line I call it a Russian holiday, (rushin’ holiday) as its fun to be busy. Hard work, most definitely. I have a back ache everyday. But the best part is as you say, as many vacation days as we want, no guilt over a day off, and if it’s raining when you wake up, just roll over and go back to sleep!
Russian Holiday, lol!
I’m getting really frustrated here. I love reading all of the success stories and the just starting out stories!!!! My problem is that I’m having a difficult time coming up with the start up funds. I plan on building my own cart with your plans but being on disability, I find that there is too much month at the end of the money making it impossible to set aside the money to get started. So, until then, I’ll keep enjoying all of the stories and continue to get frustrated.
Hi Mark,
Try a crowdfunding service like Kickstarter.com. A lot of my slingers got their start up funds that way. Good luck!
I also took your course and was a truck driver. Now I’m in a food truck 3/4 mile from my home. No more bosses no more traffic sleep in my own bed every night. Take off for boat races. My hot dog cart is still in the car port. not used at this time. Maybe sell it, it only been used about 5 times, I bought it on speculation when I was driving. Yes Steve I have waited many years to do this and thanks to you I am now doing my thing. I should have done it years ago so slingers just go for it .
Jim
J R Foods LLC
PS could not attach pic of truck??
Way to go Jim!!! Email me some pics of your food truck and I’ll add them here. Keep up the good work!
Hi Steve,
Owning a Hot Dog Cart has been a dream of mine since I was a teenager and, well life happened and now at 49yrs old, I cant think of anything else! I don’t have the funds to buy one and cant build a sand castle no less a cart….lol My approach to obtaining a cart is to trade one of my vehicles (which runs well and clean…just older with high mileage) I don’t need, for a cart someone is not using. I seem to be having a difficult time with the trading, as people want the cash more. Life seems to keep kicking me in the knees, each time I get up enough money for a low end basic cart, something always happens and I’m broke again. I am envious of all the stories and wish everyone good luck in the business. Hopefully one day I will join you all before I’m dead….lol
If there is anyone who really needs a car and has a hot dog cart sitting around collecting dust in the garage or back porch……Hit me up and lets do a trade! I am in Altamonte Springs FL at the present time, in September my new home will be Sebring FL. My e-mail is njjetzgirl@aol.com
Don’t give up Carolyn! I have had a lot of women students who did not think they could build anything either and they found out how easy it was. They ended up with a beautiful card for under $800 and are out there making money and having fun . You should check out the premium training. The cart building videos are included. Watch them and if you still don’t think you can do it I will refund your money. I just want you to be successful!
Once you are a hot dog salesman, the worlds your so called hot dog oyster It is truly amazing to have repeat customers stop you on the street and honk and say hey hot dog man Ive not told story yet of my buddys dog who even three years after I gave him a hot dog still salivated each time he saw me! So many great things about being a hot dog slinger, even on days off from selling find myself checking out hot dog and condiment prices, where ever I go On this great International hot dog day, I can really say selling hot dogs is the most awesome business on earth! God bless all, the hot dog slingers! Gary that hot dog man with the hot dog plan!
Right on Gary!
Steve, every time I take a day off I seem to hear about it the next day from my customers.
It usually goes like this, “Where were you yesterday, I had my dad and mom in town and I wanted to take them for a hot dog and you weren’t here?”
So I only take off the crappy days so that I don’t feel guilty.
But you are right, I control my time, not somebody else… and I love it!
You’ve done well my friend. Your E-ZBuilt carts are top notch!
Thanks Steve, could not have done it without you!
I have zero dollars but I know Hot Doggin is the way to earn them!!! How can a 62 year old woman in social security get started??? I bought the program but need start up funds. My husband got very ill in 2010 and had a liver transplant 2013 and is still is ill. Our credit is ruined just juggling money to pay medical daily. Help!!!
Try kickstarter.com Annie. Many people have had success raising money for their start ups there
Steve, we had a blast today!! We had a ton of well wishes today of “Happy Hot Dog Day”, we of coursed played it up and smiled as our tip jar filled up and up and up!!!
As we say here in Louisville “See you at the Park”.
Good for you Tim and Debbie!