There are common roadblocks in every industry that stop people from doing what they want to do for a living, or simply just slow down the process. The food truck industry is no different.
We aren’t here to scare anyone away — we are just trying to warn you about these roadblocks so you can see them coming and then conquer them when they do arrive.
Without further ado, watch out for these five common roadblocks, aspiring food truck owners.
5 Common Roadblocks Of Aspiring Food Truck Owners
- Not Knowing Where To Start
- The Business Side Of Things
- The Money Dilemma
- Adapting
- Running Out Of Energy
5.) Not Knowing Where To Start
You say you want to be a food truck owner, but where do you actually start? Believe it or not, the answer is … wherever you want.
Some aspiring mobile kitchen owners start by creating a business plan. Others focus more on the menu, concept and the actual food truck name itself. Some people start digging into financing and the money department. Some people look for locations for their food trucks.
The most important thing is this: You have to start somewhere.
Start wherever you want, but just get started. Creating a checklist/plan can be really helpful because it will allow you to get one step closer to your dreams every time you check something off of your list or complete a step on your plan, if you will.
Not everyone knows where to start, but that is not the important part. The important part is actually taking action. It’s okay to be a dreamer, but you also need to have a doer mentality.
4.) The Business Side Of Things
Many aspiring chefs want to join the food truck industry because they love to cook and they love the thought of running their own kitchens. However, that doesn’t stop this roadblock from popping up: The business side of things.
Not every single aspiring mobile kitchen owner is business savvy, so things like the business plan, parking permits, regulations, rules, laws, etc., can trip them up.
The good thing: There is plenty of advice out there relating to these areas, and you aren’t going to enter the food truck business tomorrow (even if you do have the money because there are many steps you need to take before you can/should leap into this new business venture).
Trust us, if you put in the work and start researching the business side of the industry now, you will be blown away by how much you will learn in no time, and you will also be better prepared once you do become a food truck owner.
3.) The Money Dilemma
This is one of the biggest roadblocks aspiring owners face. After all, not everyone has $70,000-plus at their disposal. Just like with anything in life, you have to come up with a plan to save up the money.
There are other methods as well, such as financing your food truck or searching for investors.
With all of that said, this is a roadblock that has to be solved since you need money to buy your food truck. This is a roadblock that tends to stop many people from becoming the person they were meant to be — a food truck owner. However, if you stay persistent, you will find a way to raise the money.
2.) Adapting
Not everyone is an expert in the adapting department, and it’s not always the easiest department to master, making this a common roadblock for aspiring food truck owners.
If one thing goes wrong, then you’re going to have to find a way to get around it. For example, let’s say you are trying to finance a food truck … but you get denied. In that scenario, you are going to have to come up with a new plan, adapt and then take more action.
Being adaptable is one of the greatest strengths you can have as an aspiring food truck owner because it will keep you on the path that is achieving your goals. Not to mention, things don’t always go smoothly in the food truck industry (or in any other industry), and you will have to adapt on the job over and over again as a result.
Still, this is a roadblock that many mobile kitchen owners face.
RELATED: 5 Reasons Why You Should Try To Make Your Food Truck Dream A Reality
1.) Running Out Of Energy
Unfortunately, this is another common roadblock for food truck owners, and it can come at any step of the process.
No one said following your dreams was going to be easy, and it can actually take a lot out of you.
When it comes to following dreams … most people are doing so in their spare time. There are so many food truck owners out there who had to juggle day jobs and try to make their dreams of becoming food truck owners come true. While they might have had 40 hours of work a week (or more), following their dreams could have added double-digit hours every week on top of that. Plus, it’s hard putting in work for something when you don’t see instant success, but such is the life of following dreams.
So many people run out of energy when it comes to following their dreams because they usually have to make sacrifices in other departments during this time. Plus, it’s not always easy to come home from work and then put in even more time on a passion project, even though it is a passion project, for humans are not machines.
That is why it’s important to come up with a plan that isn’t going to be too overwhelming, and one you can actually stick to for the long haul. The last thing you want is to burn out.
If you can conquer the five roadblocks above, then you will be well on your way when it comes to entering the food truck industry.
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