On this week’s episode of StartupNation Radio, your host Jeff Sloan, is joined by co-host, Norm Pappas, of Pappas Financial. During the show, they chat with two successful business owners who deliver their products directly to their customers on wheels: food truck entrepreneurs.
Karen and Eric Schultz, co-owners of The Nosh Pit, opened their Detroit-based food truck in 2016.
With Karen’s business and IT background, Eric’s programming knowledge and Stefan’s food and music knowhow, the trio have received much critical acclaim, being named Best in Show at Detroit’s Arts, Beats and Eats, as well as first place honors for their hummus at the 2016 Shawarma Fest in Royal Oak, second place for the best restaurant at the 2016 International Veg Fest in Novi, and third place for the best pumpkin recipe at Detroit Food Labs in 2016.
During the show, Karen and Eric share tips for getting into the food truck business, steps for geting county approval and state licensing, how to compete in a city with more than 120 food trucks and, of course, their food truck’s vegan offerings (including the best-selling “Karen” sandwich).
The Nosh Pit opened its brick-and-mortar restaurant this month in Hamtramck, and the trio is excited to be learning an entirely new business structure.
Learn more about The Nosh Pit
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Later in the show, Jeff and Norm chat with Rich Mainzer, chef and owner of The Boneyard food truck, located in San Francisco.
Inspired by the San Francisco Bay area’s backyard barbecues, The Boneyard is a traditional American barbecue joint on wheels. The family-run truck made its debuted seven years ago, and has re-envisioned the way barbecue is done in a mobile setting.
Rich discusses what sets The Boneyard apart from other barbecue food truck joints, how his passion for mobile food blossomed into a second career of entrepreneurship, and his latest project, Cater America, a new service that supports the operating end of food truck entrepreneurship and mobile food businesses.
Learn more about The Bonyard
Tune in to WJR 760 AM Radio on Saturday, April 14 at 2 p.m. for an all-new episode of StartupNation Radio.