Hillbilly Posted March 12, 2010 Share Posted March 12, 2010 This is a tough business. I have 5 locations that I need doubles for and 1 location that I need a single for. I've invested all that I really feel I should and yet I need more for more machines. 2 businesses I sell to asked me to put machines in their locations. Just talking about vending and they asked. When you first start out it just doesn't come in fast enough for growth does it? Never mind candy and gum and gas. Plus it seems the more heads you get located, the harder you work for more. This sure is one strange business. Just needed to vent. Hillbilly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kai1836 Posted March 12, 2010 Share Posted March 12, 2010 This is an interesting business. For me I'll go a few weeks with nothing and then get 4 or 5 locations almost at once. Wait till you have a few and want to upgrade to racks.....then it gets really fun! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faith Vending Posted March 12, 2010 Share Posted March 12, 2010 Try to think back on why you got into this business. Part time and minimal income; a hobby or a full time business that really has to pay bills other than just sustaining your business. Anyone who thinks vending is easy is dead wrong. This is a lot of work and consumes a great deal of time and money. There was a great post about this I think from Bob Butler a while back, I'll post it if I can find it. Regardless, hang in there, this can be very rewarding business but it takes time (and money ). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iolaus Posted March 12, 2010 Share Posted March 12, 2010 I think I first heard this story about the Chinese Bamboo tree from Zig Ziglar. I don't know if it's true, but it doesn't really matter. You prepare the soil, pick the right spot, then plant the Chinese Bamboo Tree. You water it and wait. But you wait an entire year and nothing appears. No bud, no twig, nothing. So you keep watering and protecting the area and taking care of the future plant, and you wait some more. You wait another year and nothing still happens. Okay, you are a persistent person not prone to giving up, so you keep on watering. You water, check the soil, start talking to the ground, maybe even click your heels in some kind of growing dance you read about in the National Geographic. Another year passes and still no sign of growth. It has been three years. Should you give up? Someone told you that it might take a while to really see the fruits of your efforts, so you keep on keeping on. More water, more talk, more dancing. The neighbors are wondering. And another year passes. No tree. You now make a decision. If there is no tree on this date one year from now you will stop watering. Period. So you begin year number five with the same passion as day number one. You water, you wait. You keep watering and keep waiting. You water some more and then, could it be? Is it really? Yep, there it is, something sticking out of the dirt. You come back the next day and WOW it has really grown! In fact you come back each day for about six weeks and finally the Chinese Bamboo tree stops growing—but it is over 80 feet tall! Yes, 80 feet in six weeks! Well, not really. It is 80 feet in five years. The point is simple. If you had given up for even the shortest period of time, there would be no tree. It took almost impossible persistence. The Chinese Bamboo tree is there for one reason and one reason only—because you never gave up on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whaletail116 Posted March 12, 2010 Share Posted March 12, 2010 Growth will always be difficult at first. You have to make the choice of either digging deeper into your pockets or waiting longer for the machines to produce. As you begin to grow larger and larger, you'll see more profits and be able to grow faster and faster. Then I think you get to put money back into your pocket. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sherlock Posted March 12, 2010 Share Posted March 12, 2010 Just keep working at it Hillbilly. You're going to grow slow at times. While at other times you will grow so fast you will have to put the brakes on things just to keep control. Of course, that is only true if you keep plugging away. Don't stop doing what you can to grow how/when you can. This reminds me of the story about the stone mason... Whenever a man gets weary from the work he's doing without seeming to get anywhere. When all the effort and energy of the day seem to have gotten him nowhere. He should go watch a stone mason hammering at a huge stone. When the stone mason finally breaks the stone, the weary man watching should realize that it wasn't that 1000th blow of the hammer that broke the stone...but all the blows leading up to it. Strike that stone Hillbilly. You may not get the break today...but those blows with the hammer will get you where you want to get, so long as you don't stop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
agrantha Posted March 12, 2010 Share Posted March 12, 2010 Hillbilly You have a good problem! Most vendors dream of having your issue. Your customers are asking for more machines. That beats them asking you to remove your machines. Just plug away at Craig's list and Ebay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hillbilly Posted March 12, 2010 Author Share Posted March 12, 2010 Thanks for the encouragement everyone. I needed it. BTW, I got another location today. And they asked for gumballs. Large truck shop. Hillbilly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kai1836 Posted March 12, 2010 Share Posted March 12, 2010 Hillbilly, How many of your locations are waiting on triples? How many doubles etc.....? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hillbilly Posted March 12, 2010 Author Share Posted March 12, 2010 Counting the one I got today, I have 6 locations waiting on doubles and 1 waiting on a single. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kai1836 Posted March 12, 2010 Share Posted March 12, 2010 Would any of the doubles take triples if they were the same size as a double? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hillbilly Posted March 13, 2010 Author Share Posted March 13, 2010 Yeah, They probably wouldn't mind. You got something in mind? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kai1836 Posted March 13, 2010 Share Posted March 13, 2010 I try not to think too much these days! Just make sure you have some room in the vehicle you bring. See you tomorrow. You going to the show? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hillbilly Posted March 13, 2010 Author Share Posted March 13, 2010 No, I'm not going this year. Really hadn't planned on it. Money is still kind of tight with the economy down and all. I'm paid straight commission and the last 6 month's have been tough. Starting to pick up now though. I am gonna go next year as long as it's not in Vegas. Do they have it about the same time every year? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kai1836 Posted March 13, 2010 Share Posted March 13, 2010 I'm sorry, I meant the gun show. I can't go to the nbva show either! Perhaps another few hundred machines and I might go! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hillbilly Posted March 13, 2010 Author Share Posted March 13, 2010 I havn't seen it advertised. Is it in Summersville? I just got a new pistol about 6 months ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hillbilly Posted March 13, 2010 Author Share Posted March 13, 2010 You got a CCP? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kai1836 Posted March 13, 2010 Share Posted March 13, 2010 Yes its in summersville, I don't currently have a conceal carry but will most likely get one the more time I spend vending!! I got some interesting looks in pittsburgh yesterday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hillbilly Posted March 13, 2010 Author Share Posted March 13, 2010 Yeah I know what you mean. I still have to get mine as well. Been meaning to get it and actually forgot about it. Carry it though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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