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First Machine Placement 03/01/2015


ClarkMI

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I am officially a businessman.

Yesterday I placed my first machines in the break room of my local bank branch. Two single heads on a stand, filled with Skittles and Peanut M&Ms. See my first post about it here:http://vendiscuss.net/index.php?/topic/22544-first-success-permission-to-locate/

A few days elapsed between getting permission and actually placing the machines because I followed the advice (wise, I think) of a loved one, to not risk the extra money of forming a corporation before I knew I had customers, or in this case, people who would allow me to place machines. Well, I got permission and filled out my papers to start the LLC that evening, mailing them the next day. I checked the state website every day to see if the papers were approved. The day they were approved I filed for an EIN with the IRS and filed online for my sales tax license. Then I checked every day to see if the license was granted. Finally saw it on Saturday night (they work on Saturday? No complaints here, I guess!) And spent the next few hours getting the little details taken care of with machine prep. Every day seemed to take too long and brought up thoughts that I would be rejected for being too slow when I finally brought in the machines!

Well, I went in on Sunday to cash my paycheck and brought the machines with me. The teller immediately remembered the machines, and I said I have them! Brought them in, placed them in the break area, and thanked the tellers.

Back to the important part: I am now a businessman. No one in my family has started a business. We started my life poor, my parents worked their way up to middle class, and mediocrity was all that was expected of any of us. But this is an achievement. Will I get rich in vending? I don't know. That's not what this is about. Will I be successful? I already am. And I will continue to be so long as I remember to let the Lord build this house (see Psalm 127). From vending I am learning what the business world is and how to run one. That is an achievement that I am grateful for. I may move on to another business(es) in time. But for now, I am a vendor.

Thank you all for your help. I intend to hang around.

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Good for you, I have found this business to be quite rewarding and with your background being what it is that reward will certainly seem a bit more so. I too am using the lessons I'm learning in vending as a springboard for other business ventures. Do great work and continue to harvest the wealth of information from the myriad success stories in this site!

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I am officially a businessman.

Yesterday I placed my first machines in the break room of my local bank branch. Two single heads on a stand, filled with Skittles and Peanut M&Ms. See my first post about it here:http://vendiscuss.net/index.php?/topic/22544-first-success-permission-to-locate/

A few days elapsed between getting permission and actually placing the machines because I followed the advice (wise, I think) of a loved one, to not risk the extra money of forming a corporation before I knew I had customers, or in this case, people who would allow me to place machines. Well, I got permission and filled out my papers to start the LLC that evening, mailing them the next day. I checked the state website every day to see if the papers were approved. The day they were approved I filed for an EIN with the IRS and filed online for my sales tax license. Then I checked every day to see if the license was granted. Finally saw it on Saturday night (they work on Saturday? No complaints here, I guess!) And spent the next few hours getting the little details taken care of with machine prep. Every day seemed to take too long and brought up thoughts that I would be rejected for being too slow when I finally brought in the machines!

Well, I went in on Sunday to cash my paycheck and brought the machines with me. The teller immediately remembered the machines, and I said I have them! Brought them in, placed them in the break area, and thanked the tellers.

Back to the important part: I am now a businessman. No one in my family has started a business. We started my life poor, my parents worked their way up to middle class, and mediocrity was all that was expected of any of us. But this is an achievement. Will I get rich in vending? I don't know. That's not what this is about. Will I be successful? I already am. And I will continue to be so long as I remember to let the Lord build this house (see Psalm 127). From vending I am learning what the business world is and how to run one. That is an achievement that I am grateful for. I may move on to another business(es) in time. But for now, I am a vendor.

Thank you all for your help. I intend to hang around.

Continue with that mindset and you will enjoy it a lot!

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Congrats to you! There's nothing quite like the feeling after your first successful location. Keep up the great attitude and good work! 

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I am officially a businessman.

Yesterday I placed my first machines in the break room of my local bank branch. Two single heads on a stand, filled with Skittles and Peanut M&Ms. See my first post about it here:http://vendiscuss.net/index.php?/topic/22544-first-success-permission-to-locate/

A few days elapsed between getting permission and actually placing the machines because I followed the advice (wise, I think) of a loved one, to not risk the extra money of forming a corporation before I knew I had customers, or in this case, people who would allow me to place machines. Well, I got permission and filled out my papers to start the LLC that evening, mailing them the next day. I checked the state website every day to see if the papers were approved. The day they were approved I filed for an EIN with the IRS and filed online for my sales tax license. Then I checked every day to see if the license was granted. Finally saw it on Saturday night (they work on Saturday? No complaints here, I guess!) And spent the next few hours getting the little details taken care of with machine prep. Every day seemed to take too long and brought up thoughts that I would be rejected for being too slow when I finally brought in the machines!

Well, I went in on Sunday to cash my paycheck and brought the machines with me. The teller immediately remembered the machines, and I said I have them! Brought them in, placed them in the break area, and thanked the tellers.

Back to the important part: I am now a businessman. No one in my family has started a business. We started my life poor, my parents worked their way up to middle class, and mediocrity was all that was expected of any of us. But this is an achievement. Will I get rich in vending? I don't know. That's not what this is about. Will I be successful? I already am. And I will continue to be so long as I remember to let the Lord build this house (see Psalm 127). From vending I am learning what the business world is and how to run one. That is an achievement that I am grateful for. I may move on to another business(es) in time. But for now, I am a vendor.

Thank you all for your help. I intend to hang around.

 

Proverbs 21:5

The plans of the diligent lead surely to advantage, But everyone who is hasty comes surely to poverty.

Proverbs 14:23

In all labor there is profit, But mere talk leads only to poverty.

Proverbs 10:4

Poor is he who works with a negligent hand, But the hand of the diligent makes rich.

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I am officially a businessman.

Yesterday I placed my first machines in the break room of my local bank branch. Two single heads on a stand, filled with Skittles and Peanut M&Ms. See my first post about it here:http://vendiscuss.net/index.php?/topic/22544-first-success-permission-to-locate/

A few days elapsed between getting permission and actually placing the machines because I followed the advice (wise, I think) of a loved one, to not risk the extra money of forming a corporation before I knew I had customers, or in this case, people who would allow me to place machines. Well, I got permission and filled out my papers to start the LLC that evening, mailing them the next day. I checked the state website every day to see if the papers were approved. The day they were approved I filed for an EIN with the IRS and filed online for my sales tax license. Then I checked every day to see if the license was granted. Finally saw it on Saturday night (they work on Saturday? No complaints here, I guess!) And spent the next few hours getting the little details taken care of with machine prep. Every day seemed to take too long and brought up thoughts that I would be rejected for being too slow when I finally brought in the machines!

Well, I went in on Sunday to cash my paycheck and brought the machines with me. The teller immediately remembered the machines, and I said I have them! Brought them in, placed them in the break area, and thanked the tellers.

Back to the important part: I am now a businessman. No one in my family has started a business. We started my life poor, my parents worked their way up to middle class, and mediocrity was all that was expected of any of us. But this is an achievement. Will I get rich in vending? I don't know. That's not what this is about. Will I be successful? I already am. And I will continue to be so long as I remember to let the Lord build this house (see Psalm 127). From vending I am learning what the business world is and how to run one. That is an achievement that I am grateful for. I may move on to another business(es) in time. But for now, I am a vendor.

Thank you all for your help. I intend to hang around.

That's great news!  You have a bank that is open for business on Sundays?

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That's great news! You have a bank that is open for business on Sundays?

Yes, it's TCF bank. They also gave a coin counter in the lobby that is free for account holders.

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Yes, it's TCF bank. They also gave a coin counter in the lobby that is free for account holders.

That's what I like about Fifth Third bank, they have a free coin counter in every location lobby for account holders.

They also have free business checking. That's important to me.

I don't know about all bank chains, but both Bank of America and Chase want to charge between $15-30/month just to have an account. That's a deal breaker for me.

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 5 weeks later...

Second pull, at six weeks:

Skittles 27 quarters makes $6.75

Peanut M&Ms 4 quarters makes $1.00

Quite surprised at the PMM performance, especially given the first pull. I reduced inventory on site to prevent spoilage. Also found a good deal on Crispy M&Ms, so if the PMMs continue to perform poorly I will replace them.

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