We sat down for a Q&A with Daniel Shemtob, who began one of many coolest vans we all know, The Lime Truck earlier than it was “cool.” He shared his secrets and techniques with us–not solely about being an ideal meals truck and small enterprise proprietor, but in addition about making an impression on our communities. Together with many awards, The Lime Truck not too long ago received The Nice Meals Truck Race: All Stars on Meals Community!
Try the interview beneath (Solutions have been edited for size and readability).
Roaming Starvation: Hey Daniel! It’s been a minute since we caught up! What have you ever been as much as nowadays? What are you presently cooking up?
Daniel Shemtob: Effectively any small enterprise proprietor through the pandemic undoubtedly had to decide on their battles, and we weren’t with out that by any means. We needed to shut a couple of of our companies, together with our fast-casual brick-and-mortar restaurant, and concentrate on what we may do and what was working. We doubled down on The Lime Truck and my new shoe firm Snibbs, which I’ll let you know about in a second (together with the $50 low cost I’m providing to meals vans).
However over the course of the pandemic, we have been capable of assist so many individuals and now it looks like we’re hitting our stride–I’m pleased with that resilience, you realize?
RH: Positively. So how did you begin The Lime Truck?
Daniel: In June 2010, the week earlier than my twenty first birthday, I opened up my meals truck, The Lime Truck, for enterprise. Thoughts you, I had completely no concept the best way to run a meals truck. I bear in mind our first day close to a park in Irvine, CA. We obtained an order for a panini, which we used to serve. Then we realized we had no clue the best way to activate the grill!
We needed to name the man who offered us the truck to ask him how, which clearly was with propane, which we didn’t have. After we went to get some, we misplaced our keys and needed to hotwire the truck. That day was an absolute mess, however I believe our enthusiasm carried us by way of. Our first buyer ended up being a daily!
Today, my favourite half about having a meals truck is that the service is unmatched. I like that you simply’re interacting with the shopper even within the kitchen, which you don’t actually have in eating places. The opposite factor I like is that the shopper base is badass! They’re enjoyable and tremendous adventurous.
RH: We all know the how now, however what concerning the why–why did you begin The Lime Truck and was there anybody particularly who actually inspired you?
Daniel: Entrepreneurship is in my blood. The Persian Jewish tradition I grew up in could be very enterprise oriented. And my mother all the time inspired me to observe my curiosity–she was my largest supporter. The truth is, my Myers Briggs persona kind is the entrepreneur!
I used to be a kind of youngsters that all the time had some aspect hustle way back to I can bear in mind. So The Lime Truck was began after my first enterprise failed.
In all probability the funniest story I’ve about encouragement is that one time a buddy and I went to go see the Kogi truck when it got here to Orange County. That truck actually is known. On the time, I had been fantasizing about beginning my meals truck, so I went for it and requested the final word meals truck aficionado, Roy Choi, for his recommendation. He was tremendous enthusiastic and inspiring, saying, “Dude, you gotta do it! Don’t wait! It’s the perfect job ever. It’s significantly so enjoyable.”
It was clear that this was a neighborhood and business constructed upon serving to each other. That was a motion I needed to be part of as a result of I like making an impression and utilizing my success to assist others.
RH: Clearly, an enormous a part of a meals truck or any meals enterprise is the meals itself! The place did you be taught to cook dinner?
Daniel: You may cringe at this, however I discovered all the pieces on the truck itself. Within the early days, we determined we needed to cater to a lunch crowd with paninis and salads, however we additionally did late nights the place we went wild creating new menu objects with nice components. Over time, we discovered that the late-night menu was what prospects cherished.
After we obtained the menu down, we realized we would have liked to ship on consistency. We’ve since nailed that down, after all. Nevertheless it undoubtedly created hype and made prospects loyal. Gotta maintain it contemporary.
RH: That brings us to the identify–The Lime Truck! How do you identify a meals truck?
Daniel: Menus are menus, so take into consideration the temper and ambiance you’re making an attempt to move your prospects to. Generally what you’re working with is only a car parking zone, so design and branding matter.
The identify got here to us as a result of we needed one thing brilliant, enjoyable, clear, and zesty. It was originally of the connoisseur meals truck motion in Southern California once we began the enterprise, and again then the time period “meals truck” had a foul connotation. We needed to concentrate on the “connoisseur” half and create one thing that appeared contemporary and clear. The identify has aged very well, which I’m pleased with. Additionally brilliant lime inexperienced is so recognizable! Individuals bear in mind us.
RH: How did you promote the truck? What recommendation do you could have for advertising a meals truck enterprise?
Daniel: It began with parking someplace near a variety of foot site visitors. For us, that was UC Irvine. My recommendation is to get gutsy and inventive. You don’t begin a meals truck simply to observe the foundations. I bear in mind I used to actually cross out samples of our meals in a Dealer Joe’s. I obtained kicked out so many instances. Attempt to discover a built-in viewers, like an enormous workplace advanced with no cafeteria. Social media can be your greatest buddy. After we began, the panorama was a bit totally different, with primarily Twitter and Fb. Now, you must make TikToks!
RH: Any extra recommendation you’ll be able to impart for somebody seeking to begin a meals truck at present?
Daniel: Ooh, my recommendation is sort of easy. However don’t confuse easy with simple. My technical recommendation is that you simply’ve gotta determine the best way to get catering purchasers. If you happen to don’t have that, you’re going to must redo your marketing strategy. The truth is, The Lime Truck is now nearly solely centered on catering.
As for my thought-provoking recommendation, dial in your model and menu to be cohesive and distinctive to {the marketplace}. It doesn’t essentially must be one thing new, however it’s a must to do it so effectively you begin constructing a cult following.
And don’t neglect about your organization tradition. It might be simply you and a few relations at first, however in case you can’t cross in your enthusiasm and mindset to staff, you’ll wrestle as you develop. Attempt to create a enterprise that thrives even once you’re not there.
RH: How do you join with the communities that you simply’re serving along with your companies?
Daniel: For us, it appears like a variety of fundraising. I misplaced my mother and grandmother to breast most cancers, in order that’s a extremely huge precedence for me. We donate to the American Breast Most cancers Basis, but in addition to Not Simply October, the Coral Reef Alliance, ASPCA, and extra.
We’re additionally launching a sequence of micro-grants of as much as $500 for folks within the meals business. For somebody residing paycheck to paycheck, an expense of some hundred {dollars} can actually derail them for greater than a yr. It’s actually necessary to me as somebody who has “made it” within the meals business to offer again. If our job is feeding our communities, we must also be feeding each other.
RH: Okay, so we’re actually dying to listen to about Snibbs!
Daniel: I’m so glad! So the thought got here to me as a result of I used to be on my toes each day at my eating places and on the meals truck. My again ache was so unhealthy on sure days I couldn’t even present as much as work.
As for after-work engagements, I felt actually foolish exhibiting up locations in my ugly, beaten-down work footwear. As I started to perform a little research I spotted there was an enormous margin for enchancment! So I designed a shoe particularly for the meals business. They’re useful, simple on the again, and look nice. I discovered an unimaginable orthopedic surgeon to assist me design them and Snibbs was born!
That is the place the plot thickens. We began the corporate and obtained our provide proper earlier than the entire world shut down in 2020. With all the pieces closed we began taking The Lime Truck to locations the place we have been wanted, primarily hospitals and care facilities. We quickly realized that the hospitality and healthcare industries have related wants. We gave away meals and Snibbs to our frontline employees. It ended up being a type of grassroots advertising–we offered out of 6,000 pairs in 60 days.
At its core, Snibbs is a shoe model made for the meals business by somebody who grew up within the meals business. And people roots are particularly the meals truck business. For me, it’s much less concerning the earnings and extra about making a optimistic impression on the neighborhood I like.
So anybody who owns a meals truck, or works on a meals truck, can go to Snibbs proper now and get a $50 low cost. Additionally–I’ve gotta add that I like to recommend the Spacecloud mannequin.
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Writer: This interview was carried out and edited by Greta Gooding.
