Hey there, Vendpreneur!

Welcome to Becoming a Vendpreneur—where every week I help you navigate the challenges of running a vending machine business, whether you’re just starting out or looking to expand your operation.

This week, I want to share you the 5 fastest businesses you can start today (and the best one for you):

• 💻 Tech Startups

• 🛠️ Cleaning Service

• 🧳 Airbnb Arbitrage

• 🛒 Dropshipping

• 🥤 Vending Machines (my fave)

But before we jump into more details, I want to share a few quick updates on my nightlife vending franchise, Pod Plug:

🚀 Business Updates

• Recorded a YouTube video at 2AM while Rafael was snoring on the floor.

• Had an awesome call with a potential franchisee in Madison, WI who’s looking for a business his 17 and 20-year-old kids could run.

• Gave my first franchise launch presentation. It’s a candidate from Columbus, OH which is a Pod Plug Prestige Market with 650+ bars and clubs.

• Had 17 successful franchise sales calls. Strong interest this week.

• Heading to Laguna Beach for the weekend for my first ever TRIBE retreat. Can’t wait to network and connect with 18 SMB founders doing between $1M to $10M a year!

Now, let’s dive into this week’s newsletter. 👇

🔗 Best Links

Curated picks for Vendpreneurs

📱 Top Reads

• 🧊 Twice the Ice beats the heat at Midway Shopping Center (Cape Gazette)

• 🆓 Advocates launch free contraceptive vending machine in Bloomington (Indiana Public Media)

😱 Trending Now

• 👀 Pokemon machines have popped up all over Texas! (Houston Chronicle)

• 🧸 Check out this Pop Mart vending machine (YouTube)

You don’t need an MBA to start a business.

If you know how to sell, talk to people, or hustle, you already have the most important skills.

Here are the 5 fastest businesses you can start, ranked from hardest to easiest.

Only one of them is built for speed and real margins.

Let’s get into it. 👇

#1: Tech Startups: High Risk, High Burn 💻 

Starting a business in 2025 is easier if you know how to code or have an IT background.

But it’s also one of the hardest.

63% of tech startups fail within the first year. And over 40% of those fail because the product didn’t solve a real problem.

I saw an amazing tweet breaking down how today’s biggest companies came up with their ideas.

Most of them focused on solving a real-world problem or just improving what was already working.

So, if you’re thinking about jumping into the startup world in 2025, don’t just follow the crowd.

Find a real problem, solve it, and and you might just make it.

#2: Carpet Cleaning: Tough Work, Big Rewards 🛠️ 

You can make up to $600 a day cleaning carpets.

That adds up to $19,000 a month or $228,000 a year with just one truck.

The best part? You don’t need a $20,000 van to start. A few hundred bucks for supplies and a decent vehicle is all you need.

The U.S. cleaning industry brings in over $60 billion yearly, and carpet cleaning is a big part of that.

It’s not flashy, but it’s a solid business with real profit potential.

However, it’s not all easy. It’s a physically demanding job with long hours, heavy lifting, and tight spaces. Plus, it’s seasonal.

If you can handle the work, carpet cleaning can be a rewarding business for you.

#3: Airbnb Arbitrage: Trendy, But Overcrowded 🧳

Airbnb arbitrage used to print cash.

Now? It’s overcrowded, overregulated, and way more expensive than people think.

On-going costs can go up to $21,600+ annually (rent, cleaning, utilities, permits) with only $4,900 average annual profit per unit.

Regulations are also tightening.

Cities like New York and San Francisco now enforce strict permit rules and rental limits, and those laws can change overnight.

So what used to be a passive cash cow now looks a lot more like a fragile side hustle with full-time stress.

#4: Dropshipping: Low Startup, Low Trust 🛒 

It gets pitched as “easy money.”

But here’s what the numbers actually look like:

• 💸 Startup costs: $1,500–$13,000 depending on setup

• 🔁 Monthly spend: ~$1,000/month on ads, tools, and support

• 📉 Profit margins: 20–30% average, if you're not getting undercut

And if a product flops?

You’re back at zero with no brand, no equity, and no backup plan.

That’s why 90% of dropshippers shut down in month one.

#5: Vending Machines: The Shortcut No One Talks About 🥤 

My vending machine makes $1,200 a month with 80 transactions.

With a 70% margin, I spend $360 a month to stock it. I also spend $240 on expenses to keep things running.

The biggest cost? Location commissions.

After all expenses, I make $840 in gross profit and $480 in net profit each month.

That’s $5,760 a year... from just one machine. (Imagine having 10! 🤫)

My situation might be an outlier, but most operators—especially those in snack & soda vending—earn a lot less because of low profit margins and fierce competition.

I explain everything in my latest video, so be sure to watch! 👀

Question for you:

What if you could have a side hustle making $10,000-$50,000 per month (with just few vending machines)?

Well, you can.

And it’s easier than you think.

But to make it happen, there are a few key things you need to get right:

• Prime locations

• Right products

• Smart machines

• Full support along the way

That’s why I’m franchising Pod Plug, my nightlife vending company, to help you get exactly that—so you can skip the trial and error and start earning faster.

So, if you’re ready to become a franchisee, I’d love to work with you.

But first, let’s make sure we’re the right fit for each other.

If you have:

• $25k in liquid capital

• A willingness to learn and grow with support

• The motivation to build and scale your own business

Let’s make it happen.

And That’s a Wrap!

Thanks for reading this week’s newsletter.

Hit reply and let me know what you found most helpful this week—I read every single reply and I’d love to hear from you!

See you next Saturday!

-Ethan