anthony salvagnoNo matter how much time you invest into writing a business plan, consulting with experts, and researching a specific business model, things are going to get a little jacked up when starting a small business. This episode is a testament to that reality.

If you’re a long-time listener to the podcast, you know we’ve been following along with Anthony Salvagno since December of 2013 as he starts his first food truck business called S’wich It Up. Since we last spoke, a ton of stuff has happened with the business and they are on the cusp of opening up the serving window for service. But first, we cover the behind the scenes happenings that have gone on in the last few months.

Since we last spoke, Salvagno finally picked up his food truck from the manufacturer–a 1998 Chevrolet P30 with 167,000 miles for those of you interested in the details. As you’ll learn in the discussion the process of getting the truck was more complicated than it would seem. The manufacturer was never the “legal” owner of the truck, which had complications on getting the loan check. The truck was delayed for numerous reasons. The paint job wasn’t what was expected. There were also challenges legally transporting the truck between states from Texas to New Mexico.

Need to Start a Food Truck Business? Learn how from Anthony Salvagno. 

Fortunately, Salvagno was able to maintain a sense of humor during the entire experience. Although even Salvagno admitted that he had doubts whether or not the business would ever open their serving window for customers. In this episode, we shed light on all the crap that must be dealt with if you want to be a small business owner.
spreads

Some awesome spreads S’wich It Up was kind enough to send to me. Yum!

Look for this truck in the ABQ this summer!

Look for this truck in the ABQ this summer!

 

Quote from the Show

Everyone that wants to start a business should hear these words: If something can go wrong, it 100% will go wrong. – Anthony Salvagno on starting a small business.

 

What You’ll Learn

  • How difficult it really is to start any small business
  • Why having a back-up plan is critical
  • Why getting a food truck built can quickly become more complicated than it seems
  • How Salvagno feels about the food truck he purchased
  • How you can design a custom wrap for a mobile food unit
  • How to inflate dual nozzel tires
  • Why Salvagno needed to get his generator box custom made
  • Why Salvagno had to move the propane tank on his truck
  • Why Salvagno is parking the truck at his apartment complex right now

Mentioned in the Podcast

365 days on a food truckAdobe Illustrator – The program Salvagno used to create the design of the wrap on his truck. Note: If you’re not a graphic designer there will be a steep learning curve for this program. Don’t try to do it yourself.

The Loan Fund – A non-profit that provides loans to small businesses in New Mexico. Salvagno had nothing, but great things to say about this organization and how critical the groups help was in getting his business off the ground.

The Chocolate and Coffee Fest – A huge event at the state fairgrounds in New Mexico that features over 120 vendors and 16,000 attendees. S’wich It Up was able to attend this event as a vendor even though their truck had not arrived yet.

LP Gas Bureau – An organization Salvagno discovered that he need to be in compliance with prior to starting his food truck. According this to organization, he couldn’t have his propane tank placed in the rear of the truck due to safety regulations.

Ultimate Food Truck Case Study – Listen to all of Anthony Salvagno’s interviews here.

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Want to start your own food business?

Hey! I’m Brett Lindenberg, the founder of Food Truck Empire.

We interview successful founders and share the stories behind their food trucks, restaurants, food and beverage brands. By sharing these stories, I want to help others get started.

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