The Food Truck Scholar Ariel D. Smith

ABOUT THE SHOWIt’s been a minute since the last episode dropped, so we are coming in hot!Today’s guest is Marcus Crawford, co founder and co owner of Bro-ritos. Selected by Parade as one of the top Black owned eateries in the country, Bro-ritos is an award winning brand that started with a food truck and later its first brick and mortar restaurant location serving the NJ and NYC areaMarcus stopped by the show to share with us some of his cheat codes to success that include financial capital, ...

ABOUT THE SHOWWhile many people love food trucks, it’s important not to romanticize their relationship with residents, urban planners, and city officials. Over the years, I’ve researched cities that haven’t found a way to properly position food trucks in a way that supports small business owners, the families they support, and the community that supports them.Today’s guest is Jordan Rubin owner of Mr. Tuna a wildly popular food truck has seen business grow in the midst of the pandemic, but ha...

ABOUT THE SHOWI know one of the major takeaways people often get from my show when it comes to starting their food truck is to step out on faith and do it. However, in addition to faith to launch it, you also have to use logic and reason to sustain it.I’ve seen many food trucks get into trouble on the business side simply because agreements were not written down. Did you and friend start a business together? Doing your first catering event? Worried someone may steal your menu? If any of that ...

ABOUT THE SHOWFood Truck owners are hustlers who make their dreams happen. Today’s guest is a brother that takes that to the next level. To some on social Derrick Wood is the owner of My BBQ Man and a food business coach man but to the residents of Dumfries, VA, he’s also the mayor.Derrick and I talk about his entry into the food truck industry and public service and how his hustle fueled bothSHOW SPONSORThank you to BGT Gifts for being our show sponsor!Over the past 5 years, I’ve ...

ABOUT THE SHOWToday I’m giving you a followup episode on a guest that has been a fan favorite since season one. I have always gotten messages and comments from people who have been inspired by the story of Patrick Lanier and wanted to know how he’s been. Like many of you who are listening, the pandemic brought the owner of LipSmackin Creations Food Medic in Nashville some challenges. Add to that some tornadoes, inability to secure emergency Covid funding from the federal government and new fo...

Today’s episode features an entrepreneur that I met through clubhouse and has now got me ready to come to Florida to try these Henny wings and meet my little internet nephew in person. Jeremy “Jerm” Battles and his wife Kaydian Battles are the owners of RightOn Que BBQ in Tallahassee. And Jerm hopped on the mic to share with his journey from being a teacher to a food trucker and the giant leaps of faith and work that went into it.Over the past 5 years, I’ve learned a lot about what...