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’m answering a question I get a lot: “If it’s so easy, why don’t bars and clubs do it themselves?” Here’s why:

• They don't want to buy the machine

• They don’t have the time or the team

• They don’t want to deal with compliance

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

🚀 Business Updates

• 🎉 After just two months, we’re bringing on our first-ever franchisees in Tallahassee, FL and Charleston, SC! We’ll be training all weekend at our HQ in Dallas. This is a huge milestone for us!!!!!!!

• 📱 I’ve been going live on TikTok almost daily, and it’s been a total game-changer. We’re averaging 1k viewers per live, plus 3-5 franchise applications each time. Major lead gen machine!

  

  Pyramid scheme? More like a simple business model with a great ROI and a lot of happy customers. 🍿

• 🚚 We just ordered 60 vending machines, our biggest order yet. These are all gearing up for our franchisees.

• ✈️ In two weeks, a potential franchisee in New Mexico is coming to our HQ in Dallas for Discovery Day. Crazy thing is he found me on YouTube! I’ll be flying out to meet him as well!

• 🤝 We’ve got 4 other potential franchisees in the pipeline who are very interested.

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

🔗 Best Links

Curated picks for Vendpreneurs

📱 Top Reads

• 🤖 Here’s another reason vending > remote tech jobs: It’s AI-proof (Inc)

• 🧢 Sports merchandise just got a distribution upgrade! (Vending Times)

😱 Trending Now

• 🏥 Harm reduction vending machines are working! (YouTube)

• 🥧 This bakery in Australia just launched their pie vending machine (YouTube)

A lot of people ask me:

“If bars like your machines so much, why don't they set it up themselves?"

Good question.

Truth is, most venues could try to figure this out on their own.

But here’s why they’d rather partner with me:

They Don't Have To Buy The Machine 💸

Here’s how expensive vending machines can be:

• New machines: $3,000 to $5,000

• Used machines: $1,000 to $2,000

• Refurbished machines: $1,500 to $3,500

Most venues would rather put that money into liquor, DJs, and other services.

With Pod Plug, I cover all the upfront costs and handle everything:

Setup. Restocks. Repairs. Product mix.

And because customers stick around longer, bars see a 5% revenue boost just by having our machine in the room.

Venue owners just sit back and watch the profits roll in.

They Don’t Want To Deal With Compliance 📋

First off, vape & ZYN vending machines are legal.

But the compliance side? It’s a nightmare:

• Age verification

• Location restrictions

• FDA packaging laws

• State-by-state rules

Venues already deal with liquor licenses. They don’t want more red tape or legal risk.

I handle all of that. Fully compliant, start to finish.

They Don’t Have the Time or The Team ⌛

Most bars spend $1,000–$1,500 per year just on staff training and lose up to 53 hours per employee.

Now imagine throwing in:

• Vape inventory

• Machine restocks

• Repairs + tech issues

No thanks.

They’d rather let me take the wheel and just collect their cut.

Now That You Know Why… Here Are The Next Steps 🧠

Bars and clubs LOVE vending machines.

And it’s a two-way street.

Their bars get a boost in profit and vibe, I get the revenue from my machine.

Win-win.

If you want a piece of this, that’s where my franchise comes in:

✅ High-traffic locations already lined up
✅ Smart machines with data-driven inventory
✅ Ongoing support so you’re never stuck figuring it out alone

If you’ve got:

• 💵 $15K in liquid capital

• 💼 Sales experience (or the motivation to learn)

• 🔥 A passion to grow

• 💪 The drive to make it happen

We should definitely talk!

Investing in the right machines is one thing.

But investing in the full system, that’s how you turn a side hustle into a vending empire.

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