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: Why I decided to franchise Pod Plug, my nightlife vending machine business. You’ll get the full story on:

• How running in multiple cities became a nightmare

• The vending niche no one’s talking about (but should be)

• How to get started and claim your own city

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

🚀 Business Updates

• 📈 Viral TikTok alert! My first-ever viral TikTok hit 1.3M views (and counting) and has generated 164 franchise leads in just 24 hours! The volume is THROUGH THE ROOF.

• Also, I’ve gotten 374 DMs. It’s taking hours to get through them all 😂 but damn, the TikTok algorithm is on another level.

• 👥 As we hit 17 team members, we’ve officially migrated from Slack to ClickUp. The focus now is on better task & project management so we can GET THINGS DONE!

• 🤑 These Pop Mart vending machines are absolutely blowing up. If you’re interested in launching one, reply to this email.

  

• 🎥 Ran my first-ever TikTok Live! It was a blast, and I’ll be doing another one today at 2pm PST about how to launch a ZYN vending machine business. Don’t miss it!

  

• ✈️ Our first potential franchisee based in Kansas City booked his flight for Discovery Day at our HQ in Dallas on June 24th. Can’t wait to meet him and show him the ins and outs of what it’s like to be a Pod Plug franchisee

• 📍Nearing final discussions with another 2 potential franchisees who are brothers: one in Charleston, SC and one in Tallahassee, FL. Absolute hustlers who recently graduated college. I think they’ll crush.

• 📞 Over 80 franchise discovery calls this week, with candidates from 54 different cities. I’m now officially hiring for an Appointment Setter Intern to help qualify candidates in the early stages. Know anyone? Here’s the link to apply!

• 💵 Found a buyer for one of my Dallas routes (20 machines) for over $200k, all cash! Fingers crossed this closes soon!

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

🔗 Best Links

Curated picks for Vendpreneurs

📱 Top Reads

• 🍕 This pizza chain is introducing pizza vending machines at the John Glenn International Airport (AB6)

• 🇲🇽 Mexican bottling company is now entering the US vending market (Yahoo)

😱 Trending Now

• 📼 Feeling nostalgic? Check out this VHS vending machine series! (YouTube)

• 🇦🇺 Vending machines fighting rising costs in Australia (YouTube)

“If you’re really making 6-digits in your business, why would you franchise it?”

Many have asked me the same thing.

And the reason is simple, and in this newsletter, I’ll finally reveal it to you. 👇

Trying to Run This in Multiple Cities Almost Burned Us Out 💀😵

Over the last 6 years, I scaled Pod Plug (my nightlife vending machine company) into cities like Austin, LA, Miami, and more.

The demand? 🔥

No shortage of bars, clubs, and late-night foot traffic. People wanted our machines everywhere.

But the ops? Brutal.

In Austin alone, we had 8 machines running.

We hired a local route driver at $20–$22/hr to handle restocks.

One Friday, he texts:

Just like that... half the machines were empty all weekend.

We lost $4,000 in sales. Gone. Because someone didn’t show up.

That was the wake-up call.

You can’t scale this kind of business relying on hourly employees.

What I needed was ownership.

Someone who actually cared whether the machines were full. Someone who had skin in the game.

That’s when it hit me:

This business should’ve been a franchise from the start.

• Not a route-based hustle.

• Not a side gig for part-time workers.

• But a high-ROI opportunity for entrepreneurs who want a real-world, cash-flowing business they actually own.

If You Know, You Know: The Vending Niche No One’s In Yet 🫣

When you say “vending machine,” most people picture snack machines in school hallways.

But bars and clubs?

They account for less than 2% of vending locations, but are one of the most profitable and untapped markets.

Why? Because at 2AM, drunk people want convenience.

Vapes. Phone chargers. Even tums or mystery bags.

And they’ll gladly pay $10 to get it right there without leaving the bar.

This one insight turned Pod Plug into a 6-figure vending business.

And I Turned Pod Plug Into a Franchise…

I want to help others tap into this overlooked market before it explodes.

Let’s be real, most people will never even think of this. But for the ones who get it? This is the opportunity.

With my franchise, you’ll get:

• ✅ Smart machines

• ✅ Prime locations already lined up

• ✅ Ongoing support to ensure everything runs smoothly

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