5 Steps to Starting your Mobile Coffee Business

With 5 years of experience in coffee beverage consulting and over 10 years in the coffee industry, I have learned my way around a cafe, both mobile or brick n mortars. Whether it was for me, a shop I managed, or a client I was helping - there were 5 steps I found most helpful in stating a coffee business. In my consulting sessions, we dive deep into each of these steps, along with specific questions to your unique needs. But today, I want to start from the beginning, where all the magic starts to happen and where a lot of time, money and energy can be saved if these are done correctly.

Step 1: Check with your local health department on rules and guidelines before investing a dime

I know, this is not the fun sexy part of the job we all got into coffee for. Who wants to dive into the very boring and arduous task of reading city code? Not many folks. However, what’s written in those fine lines (and sometimes what isn’t written) can make or break your idea.

I suggest to my clients, before they even start looking to buy or build a truck, trailer or cart - to start with the health department. Why? Because your dream concept might not even be allowed in your city. Or it may be allowed, but with certain restrictions and specific licenses. This doesn’t mean you can’t do your dreams, but it means you have to take all the health requirements into account before you spend thousands of dollars on a trailer that you may have to pour even more into to get up to code.

Some city health departments don’t allow mobile carts without three compartment sinks and hand washing stations. Some do. Some have loop holes for farmers markets. Some don’t. Some require specific fresh and waste tank sizes. Some don’t specify in the code, but if you call, they will have an answer. It truly all depends on your city and their health department. So my best advise is : do your research before spending a dime. Read everything you can find in the city, call and set up an appointment with a health inspector to ask questions to and remember they are on your side and want to help!

Step 2: If buying used, know your stuff before searching

I know many of folks get excited about the prospect of buying a cute trailer and facebook marketplace or craigslist makes it so easy to quickly connect with sellers. However, trucks, trailers and everything in between are risky and expensive purchases. So come prepared with questions to ask the previous owner. Here are five of my go-to questions but don’t forget to add your own and edit depending on the purchase.

Has there been any rain damage to the trailer? How was it resolved?

How often did you service your generator including fuel filter, air filter and oil changes?

How many amps does your electrical panel handle and did you have any issues running all your equipment on it?

How often did you clean your machines and professionally have them maintained?

Why are you getting out of the business and what advice would you give yourself if you were to start again?

Step 3: Know your market and do the research

One common mistake I see in new businesses is not fully understanding the market and industry they are about to venture into. I was one of them. When I moved to Kansas City from Austin, Texas I thought the food truck industries between the two cities would be more or less the same. I assumed that folks would just know how to find me around town, because food truck life was engrained in Austinite culture. Instead, I learned I had to spend a lot of time and energy marketing to my customers on simply HOW to find me.

It was not second nature to Kansas Citians to understand the difference between a stationary camper and a mobile camper and I realized that being stationary would not bring enough traffic on its own. I had to quickly pivot to operating as a primarily mobile coffee camper after just 8 months of business. If I had done more research from other food trucks, I would have uncovered the culture prior to launch and avoided 8 hard months of low sales and low morale.

Step 4: Invest in your processes early, you’re only as strong as your weakest system

Bookkeeping, payroll, newsletter set-up, quote intake forms, social media management. These are all necessary systems that take a lot of work to create workflows. If you do the heavy lifting of creating good systems from the beginning, you’ll save yourself hours of time and lots of money as your systems hum along smoothly.

I have about a dozen examples of how I did NOT create the best systems from the beginning, leaving me with loads more work undoing and redoing and reinventing wheels every time. When I finally realized SYSTEMS were the key to happy business owners, everything changed.

The best of example of this was when I finally changed my outdated booking system of: intake form, email, email back, email a quote, email a link to pay, answer that one more question via email, book to the robust and smooth system of an integrated Honeybook workflow. I reduced my email exchange down to 1 per client prior to booking, increased my booking rate from 25% to 45%, increased my payment time by 50% and saved countless hours answering the same questions in different ways. Remember, you’re only as strong as your weakest system.

Step 5: Have someone by your side who “gets it”

This may be the hardest step. I have met many of excited entrepreneurs who get stunted by partners, parents or friends who convince them to stop before they start. The truth is, not everyone is an entrepreneur, and it’s a lot harder than it looks. Remember to find someone who knows how to encourage you in your journey. Find someone who knows how to celebrate your successes, big or small. Find someone you feel safe sharing your ideas with, someone who doesn’t halt your dreams, but wants to help you succeed.

If you can find someone in your industry, that’s perfect. If you can’t, that’s just as good. Some of my most “fill my cup” business friendships have come from boutique owners, artists, writers, bookkeepers and ceramicists. Lucky for us, the struggles and successes of entrepreneurship can be felt by every industry in every market, bonding us together and creating a common thread. So keep your eyes out for folks who you feel just simply “get it”.

And when you need someone who “gets it” and understands your industry, give me a call. I can be there to walk you through whatever small business is throwing your way.