You’re making an investment in your business, so you’ll want to ensure that you fixed assets are insured.  There are a variety of different levels of insurance that you can look at, but if you make a big investment, then you’ll want to ensure that you are covered for all eventualities.

Another thing to take into consideration is the location of your business.  If you have it on a street corner, then you may have a higher ensurance premium than if you have it located of private property.  Depending on your personal circumstances such as having a cart versus a van, you might want to consider having separate liablity cover and vehicle cover.

photo credit: Digiart2001 | jason.kuffer

We live in a world that is very quick to sue, so you must make sure that you’re business interests are protected.  You don’t have to get the most expensive insurance on the market, but you will want to ensure that it covers you in the event that something does happen.

The Health Department is one of those aspects of the business that you really need to get to know properly.  Because you are dealing with food, it is vital that you have the right permits.

Getting the right permit from the board of health will require that you have a Servesafe certification.  You can find out where to do this by searching online for Servesafe.

This whole process is not difficult to complete and then you will have the Health inspector come and inspect your van. I would recommend that you phone them up after you have done all your research, but before you spend any money to ensure that the equipment you are going to buy for your cart satisfies their requirements.

photo credit: joshstaiger

They are also a really great source of information, so if you want some answers, it’s always a good idea to give them a call and ask.  You will want to make an appointment for them to come and see you.  You could also ask them if all the information you have is correct for the business you want to set up.  They will have a lot of insight into the kind of licenses you need for both a public and a private hot dog stand.

Getting the right information is really important before you spend any money.

No matter what business you decide to start, you are unlikely to be able to begin without first getting the required licenses. Each state and local municipality will have it’s own requirements which means that you will have to do a little research of your own.

State license versus local license?

While you may be expected to have a state business license in some areas, you may not require it where you live. You may only need to have a local license. Some states require that you have one or the other and in some cases you may even need to have both. This makes it extremely difficult for a lot of people to get started. YOu may also need to ask about ‘mobile vendor’ permits befor you get started. Having a guide to help you through this tedious, yet very important part of your business will make it a lot easier.

The best source of information for your area is to ask someone who is presently working a hot dog stand what the requirements are and where to find the best information, or alternatively you can read all the information in our hot dog cash download.

photo credit: Tony the Misfit (taking a break)

When you are doing your research, you may also want to enquire about weather your license can be used if you are going to move your cart to another location. Sometimes a state license will cost a bit more but will allow you the freedom to move your cart when you have an event that is worth working outside of your normal location.

Although licenses and permits are a pain to have to get, getting the right ones is an investment in time and money that you just can’t afford not to invest. Get your licenses and start making money.

So you want to start your own business as a hot dog vendor?

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Do you know that eighteen million hot dogs are sold and eaten every single year.  That works out to be 60 hot dogs per person!

Why is this such a great business to get into – because hot dogs are a way of life, a quick meal on the run and they can be found on nearly every street corner.  You can start to make a good living by knowing where to put your cart, when to work and when to enjoy your time off and how to make people want your dogs more than other dogs.

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The Best Way To Succeed is to Listen To Successful Hot Dog Vendors.

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The best way to do this is to get the inside scoop.  That’s what I did.  I found a website that explained exactly how to start my own vending business, what I needed and step by step how to make it a success.

The guys name is Perry and he’s put together a great book with all the information you’ll need.  I bought the book with the intention of seeing it this was something I could do.  I don’t have anything more than a high school eduction, but I really hate working for someone else.

I didn’t know if I had what it takes or what it would take and having worked in a ‘job to pay the rent’ since leaving school, I was ready to take a look at some alternatives.

photo credit: ceiling

Hot dog vending is not just about living your life, come rain or shine on a street corner, which is what I thought.  You can branch out into a variety of different avenues and with this guide, you can actually grow your own hot dog business with multiple carts and locations depending on the time of year and where the business is best.

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How Recession Proof is This Business?

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What I really liked about the book was the real information you get when it comes to the legal stuff and how to make sure that you do it all right the first time.  After deciding to make the investment and do just do it, I had my cart up and running in three weeks and by the end of the first month, I had earned the same wages as my old job paid me and business was just getting better.

All this started in June 2009, in the middle of the worse recession in decades.  The company I worked for were retrenching and I didn’t know if I would have a job for long.  So I took my package and did this and just six months later I’m definately enjoying the freedom of being my own boss and making more money than I ever did before.

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Click here to go to Perry’s website to find out more.

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