Spectrum and Entrepreneurship Association teamed up for a final event to host Southern Smoke Truck. This was a local food truck operating in Hamilton. The owner brought his truck food: delicious pulled pork and walnut cherry salads for everyone. It was absolutely delicious!
After everyone had their fill, Mike Pitton, the owner, launched into his tale of how he got started in the business. Oddly, Mike’s background was in automobiles and car repairs. He got a job consulting for a car mechanics position, travelling a lot and visiting sites. As he got interested in the food industry and food trucks, his background came handy, as he built his first truck from scratch.
They opened at various local food shows to gain recognition. The interesting thing is, Mike never spent a single dollar on marketing – word spread only through social media!
As their food truck gained traction, Mike expanded to offer catering services. Now, they are planning to open a brick and mortar restaurant, complimenting the food truck business.
Another interesting tip from Mike: Don’t design a logo with gradient colors. It makes printing a huge headache and costly. It’s also difficult to reproduce the gradient color accuracy between companies. Black and white is simplest and best.