From Cleaning to Waffles: My Food Truck Journey
Every business has a story. Mine is one that began long before waffles and food trucks ever entered the picture. Between 2007 and 2014, I dabbled in two completely different businesses, a cleaning company and a vending machine business with over 150 machines dotted across Northern Ireland. On paper, things looked busy and successful. In reality, I was juggling too much, moving too fast, and heading straight for burnout. The result? Stress related depression. It took me a long time to recover and I eventually made one of the hardest decisions of my life ,I sold up everything and stepped away.
Taking a Year Off
I had always been someone who worked non-stop, so taking a year off felt alien. Honestly, I hated the thought of it. But I knew I needed to rest my head if I was going to move forward. During that year, my wife Lisa and I found ourselves hooked on George Clark’s Amazing Spaces. The creativity inspired me. Then one day I saw a guy turning a horse trailer into a food truck — “The Whole Cheese.” Something inside me sparked, and I said out loud: “I’d love to do that.” Lisa, always the encourager, looked at me and said: “Why don’t you?”
That simple question was the push I needed.
The First Steps
Within weeks, I’d reached out to The Whole Cheese for advice on converting trailers. They were kind enough to share tips, and soon after, I bought a Rice Beaufort double horse trailer. I was committed. As a sheet metal worker and welder by trade, I had the skills to make the conversion happen and truthfully, I couldn’t wait to buy some new tools! Within five weeks, I had almost finished converting the trailer. The only problem? I still had no clue what I was going to sell.
Finding the Product
At first, I thought about donuts. It seemed easy enough. But Lisa had a different idea waffles. To test the waters, I bought a second-hand waffle iron for £90, picked up some cheap waffle mix, and gave it a go. The result? Absolutely disgusting! 😂 After a lot of research, we discovered the magic of the Liège waffle. Dense, sweet, and caramelised, it was nothing like the bland mixes I’d tried before. It felt like we had found “our thing.”
Next came the name. My ideas were terrible (trust me, they were). Then one day, Lisa was listening to John Mayer’s song “Born & Raised” and said, “What about Born & Raised Waffles?” Instantly, it clicked. The name was perfect. It felt like us. And so, Born & Raised Waffles was born.
Reality Check
I had seen food trucks at events with queues stretching down the street and thought: “That’ll be me. Big lines, big cash.” Oh, how wrong I was. The reality of markets and events was very different. Low footfall meant poor sales, event fees were expensive, and finding good pitches that fit with family life was nearly impossible. The occasional wedding or birthday party seemed to work better, because the clients paid for a set time and amount, no guesswork, no standing around hoping for sales.
This was my first lesson: private hire worked, kerbside trading didn’t, at least not for me. I needed to find a way to bring in more of those private events.
Learning the Power of Online Visibility
At first, I thought success would come from just showing up at enough markets. But slowly, I realised the real opportunity was online. I started blogging on my website (badly at first), using social media more, and setting up a Google Business Profile. Bit by bit, website traffic started to trickle through. And with it, bookings.
It was like unlocking a secret. Instead of chasing random events, I was attracting weddings, corporate clients, and private parties directly to me. The more I leaned into online visibility, the more consistent my business became.
Studying SEO and Blogging
Once I saw the potential, I threw myself into learning SEO (search engine optimisation) and blogging properly. I researched what couples were searching for, what businesses wanted, and how to write content that spoke directly to them. I started targeting my ideal clients and their locations on my website. Within six weeks of applying what I’d learned, I had £7,000 worth of bookings confirmed. It didn’t happen by accident, it was the result of putting the right effort into the right places.
Helping Others
As my bookings grew, other food truck owners started asking me how I was doing it. “How are you getting so many film shoots?” “How are businesses finding you?” These conversations sparked an idea: what if there was a dedicated food truck directory? A platform where food trucks could be found by clients, but also one that supported listings with SEO and blogging to drive traffic. That seed eventually grew into what we’re building today with Born & Raised Collective.
Lessons Learned
Looking back, my journey has been full of lessons. Here are some of the biggest ones:
- Know your audience – Are you chasing festival goers, or do you want corporate clients and weddings? Each requires a different approach.
- Work out your numbers – Decide how much you want to earn, then figure out how many bookings you need to get there.
- Value your service – Not everyone will want to book you, and that’s okay. The right clients will see the value.
- Don’t just rely on social media – Likes won’t pay the bills. A website, SEO, and Google Business Profile will bring in real bookings.
- Invest in your brand – A name, a logo, professional photos, they all matter more than you think.
Life Beyond the Truck
Building Born & Raised Waffles was one of the biggest challenges of my life, but also one of the most rewarding. It came out of a time of struggle and uncertainty, and it taught me resilience, focus, and the importance of working smarter, not harder. Most importantly, it gave me the chance to combine my creativity with my skills and build something that supported my family.
Now, with Born & Raised Collective, I’m excited to help other food truck owners achieve the same. If you’re starting out, don’t make the mistakes I did. Get visible online. Value your service. And remember, behind every booking is a client who’s choosing you not just for your food, but for the experience you bring.
Summary
My journey from a cleaning business, through vending machines, into waffles, and now into helping others may sound unconventional, but that’s the beauty of it. Every step, even the difficult ones, shaped where I am today. If you’re reading this and you run a food truck, my encouragement is simple: figure out your audience, focus on what works, and invest in being found online. Do that, and you’ll not only get noticed, you’ll build a business that lasts.
Michael (The Waffleman)
