Nancy O’Leary, principal and CEO of Meals Truck Woman, an enterprise centered on serving to meals distributors, shares perception on why she’s within the enterprise and provides recommendation to these trying to develop into a meals truck operator.
Nancy O’Leary, left, and her daughter are behind the Meals Truck Woman enterprise. Picture supplied.
With a long time of finance and enterprise administration expertise Nancy O’Leary knew what it took to function a profitable enterprise when she launched into a second profession path and launched Meals Truck Woman, a consulting/advertising/providers supplier centered on serving to meals truck operators drive income, progress and publicity.
The New Jersey resident launched Meals Truck Woman in Nov. 2019 — simply 5 months earlier than the COVID-19 pandemic hit quick within the U.S., and which proved to be a boon to meals vehicles given restaurant closings, social distancing guidelines and homebound residents looking forward to takeout and outside meals experiences.
Her firm serves a rising roster of meals truck shoppers and O’Leary strives to function a voice for the meals vehicles. in addition to construct relationships with firms associated to the meals truck trade — from social outreach to an area firm offering tire press expertise for meals truck operators.
In easy phrases, Meals Truck Woman goals to maximise a meals truck operator’s earnings whereas serving to to attenuate bills. Which means every thing from serving to operators discover occasions and develop their model to working with native officers on guidelines and rules referring to meals truck operations. Whereas the corporate relies in New Jersey, it serves Philadelphia and japanese Pennsylvania and Rockland County in New York as properly.
In an e-mail interview with FoodTruckOperator O’Leary shared her perception on challenges meals truck homeowners are coping with, recommendation on moving into the enterprise and the position expertise is taking part in in meals truck operation.
Q. What’s the focus of your corporation?
A. The principle focus is to assist the meals distributors (vehicles/trailers/tents) enhance the roles they get to fill their calendars to extend the income stream. It has expanded to many extra providers — a relationship with a serious bank card processing firm to assist the vehicles save on their service provider charges (decreasing their bills), capacity to supply or personal ATM machines, partnerships with cell generator restore firms and for buying gear and meals truck trailers — simply to call just a few.
Q. How did you get into the meals truck trade as a profession?
A. My background (25 years) is within the finance world, managing companies for wealth managers however I at all times needed to have my very own enterprise. I gained trade expertise managing the same sort of firm and needed to comply with my entrepreneurial spirit to have the ability to increase into extra states and areas and enhance my providers.
Q. Out of your perspective how is the meals truck trade doing at this level — and if it is rising, what’s spurring that progress?
A. The trade is booming. There was an enormous upswing up to now a number of years — and particularly since COVID. Folks misplaced their jobs throughout COVID and determined to do what their ardour is — cooking for others. What higher approach to try this than by having your individual cell kitchen and showcasing your cooking expertise.
From the angle of the consumer — they wish to have the meals truck expertise and since everyone seems to be now in a position to get collectively once more, there was an enormous enhance in festivals, catering occasions and different alternatives.
Q. Out of your day by day interplay with meals truck shoppers what are a few of the prime challenges they’re coping with?
A. The day by day challenges are discovering employees that’s dependable and constant and devoted. Additionally, the ever-increasing price of fuel, propane and meals is inflicting them to extend their meals prices in order that they’re nonetheless making a revenue.
Q. Out of your perspective are meals truck operators embracing expertise extra or is expertise restricted for them at this level?
A. I feel that for probably the most half, they’re embracing expertise. There are numerous apps within the market now the place they’ll have their truck discovered by the general public once they open in a sure location to assist increase their visibility. I additionally suppose that whereas expertise might be irritating, (not having) it will possibly forestall a enterprise from increasing and changing into extra environment friendly. I feel there’s at all times room for enchancment. I’m engaged on getting an app within the market to assist them with submitting the well being and hearth paperwork extra effectively which I feel will likely be a sport changer.
Q. What recommendation would you give to somebody contemplating launching a meals truck?
A. I might say that if cooking is their ardour and seeing the pleased faces of the purchasers when their meals is eaten and so loved, it is a nice alternative. It permits extra flexibility to be cell over being a brick-and-mortar restaurant. They are often their very own boss. Nevertheless it’s a relentless residing, respiratory factor. Just like the vehicles, I’m at all times accessible to reply a cellphone name (seven days per week). It is lengthy days when it is in season however when it has been a superb day on the truck, it is really a beautiful expertise.
Q. What are some frequent errors, and missteps you see meals truck operators making and the way can these be averted?
A. Understanding proper from the start that every single day is just not successful. However every single day is a studying alternative. You need to get on the market and discover the place your profitable occasions will likely be.
I feel that some new homeowners suppose that is a straightforward enterprise to get into. It isn’t. It is received its challenges — similar to every thing else — vehicles break down; employees does not present up; climate causes occasions to cancel; very lengthy days. However the reward and the blessing on the finish of the day (is) it is yours — all yours and that’s the great thing about being an entrepreneur. It is all yours!
I at all times inform my meals truck homeowners, getting them on the market in entrance of the general public for any occasion is a chance since you by no means know who will stroll as much as your window to order one thing. I wish to give them extra alternatives to just do that, get on the market and be identified. In the event that they discover success in my occasions, then they belief that I’ve their again and so they wish to work with me for extra occasions. It is a very close-knit trade and like one huge household.
Judy Mottl is editor of Retail Buyer Expertise and Meals Truck Operator. She has a long time of expertise as a reporter, author and editor overlaying expertise and enterprise for prime media together with AOL, InformationWeek and InternetNews.
