How would you like to start a business off with lots of high quality recommendations? When you get a cleaning certificate, you’re doing exactly that—and you build a good rapport for your business early. A cleaning certificate is a great way to show customers that you are a professional cleaning company. They also give you access to marketing tools and other benefits that will help your cleaning company. In addition, they provide links to your website from industry experts. You can’t beat that! We’ll discuss the benefits of cleaning certificates, the process of getting a cleaning certificate, and the different organizations that offer cleaning certificates. We’ll share more than 45 cleaning certifications that you can choose to develop skills and increase your brand value.

Should I Get a Cleaning Certificate?

If you are in the cleaning industry or thinking about starting a cleaning business, you might want to become a certified cleaner. Completing a course and test can help you because: [su_note note_color="#dbeafc"]

1. You’ll save money by reducing the amount of wasted and damaged supplies. 
2. Proper safety training will reduce on-the-job injuries.
3. You’ll learn more efficient ways to clean.
4. Each certification communicates that you adhere to industry best practices.
5. Most certifications come with brand assets you can use in marketing. 
6. As a member of the certifying organization, you will receive a high-quality backlink to your website. Most top-performing cleaning companies have hundreds or thousands of backlinks. The ones you can get fairly easily are worth getting.
7. People pay more for better quality.

[/su_note] All of these combine to give you a competitive advantage. You’ll be able to use your industry knowledge, safety training, and marketing tools in a way that you can compete even if you do not offer the most affordable price. Next, let’s look at the process of choosing a certification.

How to Get Cleaning Certifications

Cleaning industry organizations expect you to complete specific steps before receiving a cleaning certificate. The certification process follows these steps:

1. Compare cleaning certifications to verify you meet the requirements.
2. Become a member of the industry group.
3. Take certification course(s) or independently study for the certification exam.
4. Take the certification exam.
5. Become a certified cleaning professional.
6. Take continuing education courses to maintain your certification.

There will be some differences in how each company handles these steps. We’ll look at each step, so you know what to consider.

Compare cleaning industry certifications

You’ll want to compare cleaning certifications based on the following factors: [su_note note_color="#dbeafc"]

1. What is the reputation of the organization?
2. Is the certificate and training relevant to your cleaning business?
3. How much experience or education does the certificate require?
4. Does the certification require you to take a specific cleaning certification class or can you study independently?
5. Will the course be a specific length or at your own pace?
6. Is the exam timed or at your own pace?
7. What is a passing score? Most exams are 70%, but some are as high as 85%, while others are compared to other test takers.
8. Can you get the cleaning certification online or do you have to take a proctored exam?
9. Do you have to be a member to take the exam? Is there a discount for joining?

[/su_note] We’ll answer most of these questions when discussing the best cleaning certification programs. Next, we’ll discuss becoming a member of the industry group.

Should I join cleaning organizations?

Yes. They can be highly beneficial. Most of them are fairly inexpensive for the basic membership version, and you get benefits like:

• Discounts on software for your cleaning business
• A publicly viewable member profile
• Free online cleaning courses with continuing education credits
• Discounts on certification exams
• Updates on workplace safety and government regulations
• Discounts to annual conferences and in-person housekeeper training
• Free branding materials
• A high-quality backlink to your cleaning business

Most memberships pay for themselves. I strongly suggest you consider investing in them to fast-track your business.

Study for the cleaning exam

Most of the tests will not be so easy that you can pass them without studying. They will either have online classes, in-person classes, or suggested study materials. I suggest you use them. A combination of online and suggested reading normally works best for the cleaning certifications you might pursue.  Some courses like the Occupational Safety and Health Administration Specialist Certificate Program require 68 total course hours. At the same time, other certifications do not have a time requirement before you take the certification test. Next, it’s time to take the cleaning test.

Take the certification test

To get a certificate in cleaning you will always have to pass a test. The tests are normally timed, multiple-choice, and require a score of 70+ to pass. Depending on whether the cleaning classes and the exam are packed together, you may be able to take the exam at home or in the same classroom where you took the classes. You’ll need to schedule the cleaning test and pay the certification testing fee if they are not packaged together.

Now you are certified

  Assuming you passed the cleaning business certification test, you will receive your certificate. The company will either provide an online certificate or mail the cleaner certificate to you. There’s one more thing, though.

Continuing education credits

Some certifications will require you to submit proof of completion of cleaning certificate courses each year to remain certified cleaners. This is where the memberships pay for themselves. Each course is normally $50+, while memberships usually cost less than the total of all the continuing education.

Organizations Offering Cleaning Certifications

Cleaning services can cover a broad spectrum of skills. What certifications you’ll want or need will vary based on your own cleaning business. The primary organizations that offer certifications for cleaners are: [su_note note_color="#dbeafc"]

• International Janitorial Cleaning Services Association (IJCSA)
• Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA)
• International Sanitary Supply Association (ISSA)
• Institute of Inspection, Cleaning, and Restoration Certification (IICRC)

[/su_note]

Free Cleaning Certificate Courses Online from IJCSA

If you are looking for a janitorial certification, consider becoming a certified janitor through the IJCSA. It’s one of the least expensive ways to get a commercial cleaning certification. In fact, you can get all 12 certification course offerings for the cost of the membership. That’s less than $20 per certification course. The IJCSA requires a membership which you can get for around $250. If you are a cleaning business owner, I would suggest taking this approach to get the Master Certification for yourself and your management staff. Then have employees take the ones they specifically need including:

• Customer Service Certification: Softskills are critical to business success. Learn about customer-focused business practices.
• Chemical Hazards Certification: Learn how to read MSDS sheets.
• Bloodborne Pathogen Certification: This one is required for all businesses and employees before they start.
• Residential Cleaning Specialist: Focus on industry best practices for homes.
• Green Cleaning Certification: Learn how to actually comply with green cleaning requirements.

This is the closest you’ll get to free janitorial certification or free cleaning certification from a reputable training company. [su_table responsive="yes" alternate="no" fixed="yes"]

Certification	Study Time	Pace	Test Format	Test Time	Pre-reqs	Cost	Renewal Period	Notes
IJCSA Business Membership	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	Approximately $250 Per Year	Annually	Prereq to take certifications
IJCSA Master Certification (IMC)	20		250 Questions including 110 essay plus oral questions	4	Must pass all other certifications first	Free with IJCSA Membership		Requires all other certifications
IJCSA Residential Cleaning Specialist (RCS)	26	Work at own pace	online	4	(CSC), (CHC), (BPC)	Free with IJCSA Membership	3 years	Overview of house cleaning industry. It requires the customer service, bloodborne pathogens, and chemical hazards certifications
Carpet Cleaning Certification (CCC)	10	Work at own pace	online	2		Free with IJCSA Membership
Bloodborne Certification (BPC)	1	Required by Law Before Working	Online	1	Required by Law Before Working	Free with IJCSA Membership	1 year
IJCSA Janitorial Custodial Certification (JCC)	10	self paced	Online	1		Free with IJCSA Membership
Medical Cleaning Certification (MCC)	40	self paced	Online	3		Free with IJCSA Membership
Biohazard Cleaning Certification (BCC)	40	self paced	Online	4		Free with IJCSA Membership		If you want to clean crime scenes, this is the certification for you! Includes OSHA Hazwopper certification.
Mold Inspection & Remediation Services (MIRS)	80	Set time of 40 hours, but self paced.	Online	2		Free with IJCSA Membership		Able to legally perform mold remediation
Green Cleaning Certification (GCC)	4	self paced	Online	1		Free with IJCSA Membership		Adheres to ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 31000. May qualify to work on buildings with HACCP Standards Certification, ISO Certification, LEED Certification, and CFGS Certification.
Green Cleaning Masters Certification (GCMC)	15	self paced	150 questions, 75 are essay questions	3	GCC, CHC	Free with IJCSA Membership		Tests for greater comprehension of green cleaning
Chemical Hazards Certification (CHC)	4	self paced		1		Free with IJCSA Membership		Master the mechanics of MSDS sheet.
Customer Service Certification (CSC)	1	self paced	online	0.5		Free with IJCSA Membership		Freshen up your soft skills. Every cleaning company should require employees to go through customer service training at least once a year.
Complete All Courses	231			26.5		Free with IJCSA Membership		Effectively the same as one semester at full-time college. Allows you to work on most cleaning projects.

[/su_table]

Occupational Safety & Health Administration Certification

Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) offers three safety and health fundamental certifications that professional cleaners may need each employee to complete. The three certifications are for the :

• General industry: Good for working on commercial properties that require OSHA training.
• Construction industry: Needed if you’ll be doing construction cleanup on major construction sites.
• Maritime industry: Good for cleaning companies that will be cleaning or power washing boats.

If you aren’t working on large commercial properties, you might not be required to have these. It doesn’t hurt to have them, though. Let’s look at each.

General Industry Safety & Health Fundamentals Certificate Program 

The Safety & Health Fundamentals for General Industry requires at least 68 hours across seven courses including:

• 39 hours in the following courses:
  • OSHA #511: Occupational Safety & Health Standards for the General Industry (26 hours)
  • OSHA #7500: Introduction to Safety & Health Management (5.5 hours)
  • OSHA #7505: Introduction to Incident (Accident) Investigation  (7.5 hours)
• Minimum of 29 elective hours across four of the courses listed on the general industry certificate webpage. Some that make sense for cleaning industries include:
  • OSHA #7845: Recordkeeping Rule Seminar (4 hours)
  • OSHA #7205: Health Hazard Awareness (6 hours)
  • OSHA #7210: Pandemic Illness Preparedness (5.5 hours)
  • OSHA #2255: Principles of Ergonomics (18 hours)
  • OSHA #7215: Silica in Construction, Maritime, and General Industries (7 hours) Good if taking either of the other OSHA certificates.

Find courses that work for you on the Occupational Training Institute searchable course schedule.

Maritime Safety & Health Fundamentals Certificate Program

If you clean boats or other facilities on the water, you should consider taking the Safety & Health Fundamentals for Maritime certification. It requires a minimum of 77 hours including:

• 48 hours in the following courses:
  • OSHA #5410: Occupational Safety & Health Standards for the Maritime Industry (35 hours)
  • OSHA #7500: Introduction to Safety & Health Management (5.5 hours)
  • OSHA #7505: Introduction to Incident (Accident) Investigation  (7.5 hours)
• Minimum of 29 elective hours across four of the courses listed on the maritime industry certificate webpage. Some that make sense for maritime cleaning companies include:
  • OSHA #3115: Fall Protection (18 hours). Working on the water creates challenges most cleaning companies don’t encounter.
  • OSHA #7215: Silica in Construction, Maritime, and General Industries (7 hours). If you didn’t take this with the general industry certification, you probably should take it now.
  • OSHA #7100: Introduction to Machinery and Machine Safeguarding (4 hours). Workers will probably be working around unique equipment. They should learn equipment safety.
  • OSHA #7115: Lockout and Tagout (7.5 hours). Anyone working around electrical equipment should understand lockout and tagout. It protects against electrocution deaths.

Construction Safety & Health Fundamentals Certificate Program

Construction cleanup companies should consider getting the Safety & Health Fundamentals for Construction certification. It requires a minimum of 68 hours of training including:

• 39 hours in the following courses:
  • OSHA #510: Occupational Safety & Health Standards for the Construction Industry (26 hours)
  • OSHA #7500: Introduction to Safety & Health Management (5.5 hours)
  • OSHA #7505: Introduction to Incident (Accident) Investigation  (7.5 hours)
• Minimum of 29 elective hours across four of the courses listed on the general industry certificate webpage. Some that make sense for cleaning industries include:
  • OSHA #7845: Recordkeeping Rule Seminar (4 hours)
  • OSHA #7205: Health Hazard Awareness (6 hours)
  • OSHA #3085: Principles of Scaffolding (22 hours). You’ll probably have to get on scaffolds to reach places that can’t be reached by a ladder.
  • OSHA #7400: Occupational Noise Exposure (7.5 hours). Construction sites can damage the hearing. Make sure to understand how to protect yourself.

You should be able to get an OSHA cleaning certification online. Unless you are doing construction and maritime cleaning, I would not expect you to need more than one of these OSHA certifications. However, check with each property owner to establish their requirements for subcontractors.

International Sanitary Supply Association

The ISSA has more than 10,500 members grouped into the following categories:

• Associated service members
• Building service contractors
• In-house service providers
• Distributors
• Manufacturers
• Manufacturer representatives
• Residential cleaners

You can get ISSA cleaning certifications and ISSA accreditation for your business through their subsidiaries:

• Cleaning Industry Management Standard (CIMS)
• Cleaning Management Institute (CMI)
• Association of Residential Cleaning Services International (ARCSI)

Commercial Cleaning Business Certificates from CIMS

CIMS is a management standard for how to operate a cleaning business. They have two levels of certifications for a cleaning business:

• CIMS Certification: This cleaning business certification focuses on operations for building service contractors, in-house service providers, and facility managers.
• CIMS Green Building Certification: This cleaning business certification focuses on operations for facility managers, in-house service providers, and building service contractors that will be working on U.S. Green Building Council LEED Projects.

Both cleaning certifications require cleaning services to:

1. Submit an application and a $500 (approximately) non-refundable fee.
2. Create processes for the cleaning business that include written standards and proof of application for:
   1. Quality Control 
   2. Service
   3. Human Resources
   4. Health, Safety, and Environmental Stewardship
   5. Management Commitment
   6. Equipment, Supplies, and Tool Policies
3. Approve the assigned auditor for their cleaning services.
4. Paying additional fees including:
   1. $995 (estimated) certification fee for ISSA members or $1,695 (estimated) for non-members
   2. Assessment fees based on complexity of the commercial cleaning business
   3. Expenses for the cleaning business auditor.
5. Allow a CIMS Certification Expert to evaluate their business in person.

After this process is complete, you will be certified assuming you meet the standards, which you can find here. I would recommend taking the green building certification when you decide to pursue these cleaning certificates because there is no point in paying for the audits twice.

Cleaning Management Institute (CMI)

The Cleaning Management Institute offers numerous certifications for cleaning companies to prove their knowledge, but the most popular cleaning certification program is the Certified Custodial Technician. This certificate program has three levels of certification for the industry today. Here is an outline of the program:

1. Basic version: Pay course fee (about $315), take the course, and score 80% or better on the exam. Learn more about the janitor certification.
2. Advanced Clean Certification: Pass the basics course, pay another $315 (estimated), take a course on advanced techniques, and score 80% or higher to pass the CPI Custodial Advanced certification.
3. CMI Custodial Expert: This 20 hour in-person ISSA cleaning certification requires completing the basic and advanced cleaning certificate online before you can participate in the program and become a certified janitorial expert. Find locations to take the cleaning course and advance your career.

You can also check out the free materials included in ISSA CMI Cleaning Professional 101.

How to Become a Certified House Cleaner with ARCSI Cleaning Business Certifications

ARCSI is the residential cleaning arm of the ISSA and offers two cleaning certifications:

1. ARCSI Professional House Cleaning certification (PHC): An eight-hour online certificate that covers the knowledge you need to clean homes. You can get a single online certificate or unlimited certifications for growing businesses. Take the PHC course on ISSA Learning Portal. Get more details about the residential cleaning certification. 
2. IICRC/ARCSI House Cleaning Technician Certification (HCT): The house cleaning technician training & certification is actually an IICRC certification, but the only available courses are from ARCSI. It claims to be both online and in-person, but the online course is not available at the time of writing. (The online certification course will become available in 2023). The course is $275 for IICRC and ARCSI members or $575 for non-members. There is also an $80 exam fee. Additional certifications are only $200 regardless of your member status. 
   1. If you only get one exam, this would be a good one to choose because you’ll be listed on two major players' websites if you become a member of each.

Institute of Inspection, Cleaning, and Restoration Certification (IICRC)

The IICRC mostly focuses on certifying inspection, cleaning, and restoring floors, carpet cleaning jobs, and other surfaces. They offer a house cleaning technician certification, which we discussed earlier, but some of their most noteworthy certificate of cleaning programs include the Master Designations. There are three master tracks including: [su_note note_color="#dbeafc"]

1. Master Textile Cleaner (MTC)
2. Master Fire and Smoke Restorer (MSR)
3. Master Water Restorer (MWR)

[/su_note] Each of these programs shows an in-depth understanding of the techniques used for specialty cleaning jobs. They are sure to advance your career and help you make more money by offering better services and techniques than other successful cleaning businesses. Let’s look at how to become a master textile cleaner first.

How to become a Master Textile Cleaner

To become an IICRC Master Textile Cleaner requires five certifications plus three years as a certified cleaner. The IICRC requires the following five steps to achieve the Master Textile Cleaner (MTC) designation:

1. Pass three certification tests:
   1. Carpet Cleaning Technician (CCT) or Commercial Carpet Maintenance Technician (CCMT): The CCT is focused on application of cleaning skills for carpeted floors and other surfaces, while the CCMT is focused on the management of floor cleaning.
   2. Upholstery and Fabric Cleaning Technician (UFT): This certification is focused on understanding fabric and cleaning challenges related to different methods and chemicals.
   3. Odor Control Technician (OCT), Carpet Repair and Reinstallation Technician (RRT), or Color Repair Technician (CRT): Choose one of the three. The OCT is also required for the MSR, while the RRT is required for the MWR. If you live in an area prone to floods, you might want to do the RRT first.
2. After 12 months of IICRC certification, you obtain Journeyman Textile Cleaner (JTC) status.
3. Complete the other two certifications from Step 1c.
4. Complete three years of IICRC Certification.
5. Become a Master Textile Cleaner (MTC).

Each certification runs about $80, so it will cost approximately $400 plus annual renewal fees and continuing education credit costs.

How to become a Master Water Restorer 

To become an IICRC Master Water Restorer requires five certifications plus three years as a certified cleaner. The IICRC requires the following five steps to achieve the Master Fire and Smoke Restorer (MSR) designation:

1. Pass three certification tests:
   1. Carpet Cleaning Technician (CCT) or Commercial Carpet Maintenance Technician (CCMT): The CCT is focused on the application of cleaning skills for carpeted floors and other surfaces, while the CCMT is focused on the management of floor cleaning.
   2. Water Damage Restoration Technician (WRT): The WRT focuses on understanding the processes to repair property after water damage. 
   3. Carpet Repair and Reinstallation Technician (RRT): The RRT teaches you how to remove and reattach carpet using industry best practices.
2. After 12 months of IICRC certification, you obtain Journeyman Water Restorer (JWR) status.
3. Complete the following certifications:
   1. Health and Safety Technician (HST): The HST is focused on hazard risk assessment and prevention while operating your own cleaning business.
   2. Applied Microbial Remediation Technician (AMRT): The AMRT is focused on the mold and sewage remediation techniques and how to perform them while preventing potential health risks.
   3. Applied Structural Drying Technician (ASD): The ASD focuses on the techniques for cleaning and drying customers’ property after water damage. Also focuses on proper health safety for your workers while cleaning the client’s home or office.
4. Complete three years of IICRC Certification.
5. Become a Master Water Restorer (MWR).

Each certification runs about $80, so it will cost approximately $400 plus annual renewal fees and continuing education credit costs.

How to become a Master Fire and Smoke Restorer 

To become an IICRC Master Fire and Smoke Restorer requires five certifications plus three years as a certified cleaner. The IICRC requires the following five steps to achieve the Master Fire and Smoke Restorer (MSR) designation:

1. Pass three certification tests:
   1. Fire and Smoke Damage Restoration Technician (FSRT): The FSRT is focused on scoping, mitigating, cleaning, and documenting residential and commercial fire cleanup.
   2. Upholstery and Fabric Cleaning Technician (UFT): This certification is focused on understanding fabric and cleaning challenges related to different methods and chemicals.
   3. Odor Control Technician (OCT): The OCT teaches you to remove odors from mold, smoke, chemicals, and urine.
2. After 12 months of IICRC certification you obtain Journeyman Fire and Smoke Restorer (JSR) status.
3. Complete the following certifications:
   1. Health and Safety Technician (HST): The HST is focused on hazard risk assessment and prevention while operating your own cleaning business.
   2. Carpet Cleaning Technician (CCT) or Commercial Carpet Maintenance Technician (CCMT): The CCT is focused on application of cleaning skills for carpeted floors and other surfaces, while the CCMT is focused on the management of floor cleaning.
4. Complete three years of IICRC Certification.
5. Become a Master Fire and Smoke Restorer (MSR).

Each certification runs about $80, so it will cost approximately $400 plus annual renewal fees and continuing education credit costs.

Building Service Contractors Association International (BSCAI)

The BSCAI creates four courses that help people prove their knowledge of the cleaning, safety, and management of buildings. If you perform work for government agencies or large business complexes, you might benefit from these certifications. The two most commonly recommended are:

• Registered Building Service Manager (RBSM): At about $275, this course is a great way to familiarize yourself with OSHA safety, employee management, floor care, and more.
• Certified Building Service Executive (CBSE): With a cost of about $50, this course is a good one to help build a more successful cleaning business. It includes business law, industry considerations, inventory, employee management, quality control, taxes, and more.

Sanitation Cleaning Certification

If you specifically need sanitation certification, consider the following courses and certificates:

• IJCSA Medical Cleaning Certification: Covers bloodborne pathogens, chemical hazards, covid, PPE and more as it relates to cleaning companies. Learn more.
• Certified Health Care Environmental Services Professional (CHESP): The Association for the Health Care Environment offers this certification. 

Specialized Cleaning Certification Organizations

• Portable Sanitation Association International (PSAI): Certifications for sanitizing porta potties.
• North American Power Sweeping Association (NAPSA): Certifications for street cleaning.
• Pool and Hottub Alliance (PHTA): Pool cleaning certifications
• National Association of Sewer Service Companies (NASSCO): Certifications for sewage and pipeline cleaning.
• United Association of Mobile Contract Cleaners (UAMCC): Power washing certifications

Which Certification Will Help Your Own Cleaning Business?

The goal of this blog is to provide you with as many cleaning certification options as possible. Each cleaning business will need to consider how each certification fits within your own business. What cleaning certifications would help your business most?

Do you love painted furniture and crafty furniture makeover videos you’ve seen on social media? If yes, you might enjoy furniture flipping.

Jennifer Beck burned out from being the number one seller in a corporation. She started Saved by Design to escape the rat race and turned her passion into a six-figure furniture flipping business—without taking on any debt.

In this article, you’ll learn about the most profitable furniture to flip and how to use the cool videos you’ve seen to refinish coffee tables, chairs, dressers, and other quality pieces people want to buy.

[su_note note_color="#dbeafc"] Jennifer shares how to start a furniture-flipping business, with information about:

• What is furniture flipping?
• What is the best furniture to flip?
• Is flipping furniture profitable?
• Where to find furniture to flip
• How to start a furniture flipping business
• How much can you make flipping furniture?
• When is the best time to buy furniture?
• What is the best way to find free furniture near me?
• Valuable resources for furniture flippers
• Start flipping furniture yourself[/su_note]

Read all her advice, or click on any of the links above to jump straight to the section that interests you most.

What is furniture flipping?

Flipping furniture is a process where you find old furniture, improve it by fixing any damage and adding new hardware, stain, paint, or fabric, and then resell it for a profit.

Jennifer told us:

[su_quote]I knew I loved DIY, fixing things, and design and saw people doing it, but not focusing on the sales aspect, so I knew I could do it better.[/su_quote]

What is the best furniture to flip?

The best furniture to flip depends on your skill set. A furniture flipper might focus on end tables, dressers, shelves, couches, and chairs. Jennifer shared the simple key to a worthwhile furniture makeover:

[su_quote]It needs to be what your customers want to see.[/su_quote]

Check out our interview with her below.

Is flipping furniture profitable?

According to business research firm IBIS World, the furniture restoration industry makes $1.8 billion per year. The firm estimates furniture restorers spend 42% of their revenue on wages, purchases, and rent; the other 58% of revenue could be comprised of marketing costs, tax payments, and profits.

According to Jennifer, Saved by Design was profitable immediately, and it has remained so every month for five years.

But how profitable is it?

[su_quote][We make] $12K in revenue [annually], and our gross profit margins are 80%. You’ll have to be frugal, and [remodeling the furniture] will take a little more time because you aren’t investing in crazy expensive tools.[/su_quote]

Where to find furniture to flip

Places to find used furniture include thrift stores, garage sales, auctions, yard sales, Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, and friends and family. You can even grab unwanted furniture from the side of the road.

Be careful when grabbing furniture from the side of the road, though, because it could have bed bugs or other critters in it.

How to start a furniture flipping business

Starting a furniture flipping business can be a creative and profitable venture. Here are steps to help you get started:

1. Research the market.
2. Create your business.
3. Get furniture-flipping supplies.
4. Source furniture.
5. Do a furniture flip.
6. Establish the price.
7. Create a sales strategy.
8. Market your furniture flips.
9. Provide great customer service.
10. Keep detailed records of each furniture flip.
11. Reinvest in the business.

Get ready to learn all about flipping furniture for beginners.

Step #1. Research the market

Before you decide to flip furniture, you should research the market. You’ll want to:

1. Identify the type of furniture to flip.
2. Identify your target audience.
3. Perform competitor analysis.
4. Write a business plan (optional).

Identify the type of furniture to flip

Decide what type of furniture you want to focus on. You might narrow it down by the furniture piece or style.

We discussed standard furniture pieces earlier, but the style might be vintage, modern, Victorian, or custom.

Jennifer explained:

[su_quote]We have two main ways we make money: custom commission work [and] sourcing our pieces … We mainly focus on old pieces.[/su_quote]

Identify your target audience

You’ll want to identify your ideal customer to simplify selling furniture. If you don’t know who might like a piece of furniture, it may be harder to make extra cash on it.

Jennifer explained:

[su_quote]We focus on high-quality clients who value design quality, value the history [of the piece], and are willing to pay a price.[/su_quote]

Perform competitor analysis

Jennifer stressed the importance of paying attention to furniture flipping trends. She researches major retailers and listens to her customers’ demands.

Create a business plan (optional)

When you write a business plan, you’ll want to have at least the following sections:

1. Mission and vision statement
2. Budget and financials
3. Marketing plan
4. Operational plan

Mission and vision statement

Tell people why you do what you do and how you do it. Even though Jennifer never wrote a formal business plan, she still knows her mission clearly:

[su_quote]We provide quality pieces, customer service, and [honesty]. And if I can’t do something, I’ll tell you.[/su_quote]

Budget and financial projections

It helps to estimate your startup costs, ongoing expenses, and projected revenue.

For Jennifer, taking on debt was never a consideration:

[su_quote]I filed bankruptcy at 22 and committed to never taking on debt again. For my small business and lifestyle, taking on debt was never even considered.[/su_quote]

Marketing plan

Outline how you will market your business, including how you’ll create your online presence, use social media, and the software you’ll use to accomplish your goals.

We’ll talk more about marketing later, but Jennifer explained:

[su_quote]I will never downplay the word of mouth. Our very first customer was a coworker of a friend of ours.[/su_quote]

She also explained that much of today’s word of mouth occurs on social media.

Operations plan

You’ll want to detail the day-to-day operations, including sourcing furniture, refurbishing, and sales.

Jennifer had numerous furniture-flipping tips when it came to managing operations. First, you need to:

[su_quote]Educate yourself about everything you can about small business, and then let go and let people better at specific skills take over those.[/su_quote]

Jennifer stressed the importance of setting designated to work on your furniture flipping business—it’s important to have a life outside of your business.

How does she manage her furniture revamps?

[su_quote]Our workdays are Monday through Friday. 8 hours a day. We are doing physical work when we’re in the office. We do all our pickups and deliveries ourselves. We do all our filming ourselves, too.[/su_quote]

Next, you’ll want to create the business.

Step #2. Create your business

You aren’t required to report flipping furniture on your taxes until you make over $600, but if you’re trying to make substantial money reselling furniture, you should probably create a business.

That means you’ll need to:

1. Create a business structure.
2. Register your business.
3. Comply with tax laws.

Create a business structure

Decide whether you want to operate as a sole proprietorship, partnership, limited liability company (LLC), or corporation. Most small businesses opt for an LLC or S-Corp. You can learn more in our guide to business structures.

It’s helpful to consult a legal professional to choose the best option for your situation.

Register your business

You must register your business name and obtain any necessary permits or licenses. You may need state, county, or municipal registrations. Each state is different, so check your secretary of state’s business guide for what you’ll need when selling used furniture.

Comply with tax laws

You must understand tax obligations, including federal and state income, payroll, and sales taxes. There are over 13,000 tax jurisdictions in the U.S., so if you furniture flip in multiple jurisdictions, you might want to use the tax resource Avalara.

Once you’ve created your business, it’s time to flip furniture.

Step #3. Get furniture-flipping supplies

You’ll need tools and materials to perform a furniture makeover. Each piece of furniture is different, so you’ll need to research what is required.

You can choose power tools or hand tools. Hand tools require more elbow grease, and Jennifer doesn’t mind using a little elbow grease. She explained:

[su_quote]We are frugal about what we spend. Our first tools were old hand-me-downs we got from friends and family.[/su_quote]

[su_quote]Start with the basics. Research. Then, decide what you think works. Take $20 and go to a thrift shop. Don’t buy a bunch of expensive tools.[/su_quote]

At a minimum, you’ll probably want the following items for wood furniture:

• Sandpaper
• Paint
• Brushes
• Stain

As for acquiring a physical workspace, Jennifer told us:

[su_quote]My daughter and I work out of our garage, so the space for each furniture flip is free. Where we spend money is on the supplies.[/su_quote]

Step #4. Do a furniture flip

For each furniture flip, you’ll need to:

1. Acquire furniture.
2. Take before and after pictures.
3. Repair the furniture.
4. Find a buyer.

Find furniture

You’ll want to find quality furniture reasonably priced that you can flip. People commonly look for a coffee table, end table, chair, couch, shelving unit, or dresser.

Flippable furniture can often be found at a thrift store, garage sale, Craigslist, OfferUp, Facebook Marketplace, or on the side of the road.

You’ll want to look for relatively good-quality furniture, but you can repair it to create the perfect piece.

Take before and after pictures

Flipping old furniture usually requires some marketing to sell it. That means you need to take some before pictures of the piece to show what it looked like before you gave it new life.

After you finish, you’ll want to take some well-lit pictures that provide a perfect example of how someone might use the new furniture in their house.

You can also record a video of yourself sanding, applying paint, and performing other repairs.

Repair the furniture

You’ll want to develop a style or signature touch that separates your furniture. This could be a particular finish, color palette, or design element.

How to create painted furniture

One of the trends that a lot of people love is painted furniture. You just sand the original finish off the wood, add a little paint, and maybe change the hardware, and it’s ready for a resell.

How to flip a dresser

Dressers are one of the more challenging flips because they have drawers. If the drawers aren’t in working condition, your dresser flip will require replacing hardware, which will add to the cost of your dresser makeover.

Other than that, the procedure is the same as different furniture makeovers and flips.

How to flip couches

Flipping a couch is entirely different than most furniture makeovers. You will most likely be working with fabric or leather instead of (or in addition to) wood. That means you’ll need additional tools.

Most couch-flipping blogs focus on finding sellers, buying the couch cheap, and cleaning it up.

You might also consider reupholstering couches if you can get them for a steal. Check out Family Handyman’s reupholstering guide for couch-flipping tips.

Now that you know how to flip a couch, let's discuss finding a buyer.

Step #5. Establish the price

When you establish your asking price, you’ll want to consider your material costs, time you spent, and desired profit margin.

Jennifer prices her items based on market value, the time the flip takes, and the cost of the materials. Her profit margins tend to be higher when she sources the furniture herself.

She usually does 12 pieces per month, nine of which are her selections, while the other three are commissioned. She makes about $1,000 per piece.

Step #6. Create a sales strategy

Decide where you'll sell your refurbished furniture. Venues could include online marketplaces, your website, local consignment shops, or even your own showroom.

Jennifer mainly uses word of mouth to make money flipping furniture, but she includes social media in the “word of mouth” category. She explained that she didn’t know much about how to make money flipping furniture when she started:

[su_quote]I had no idea what I was doing. During the first year, I didn’t put much energy into it (selling on social media).[/su_quote]

Fortunately, you can learn from her mistakes before you start flipping furniture. Learn how she markets her business now.

Step #7. Market your furniture flips

There are many ways to market your work. Jennifer uses two main methods. To follow her path, you’ll want to develop an online presence and get referrals to sell your work.

Create an online presence

You’ll want to build a website and create profiles on social media platforms. Check out all of Saved by Design’s web assets.

Jennifer’s website uses a simple one-page design, but she also does a lot on social media. She told us:

[su_quote]We utilize Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. Instagram does best for us.[/su_quote]

[su_quote]For those who are wondering how to succeed on social media, she suggests you:
• Find your niche.
• Post consistently. [And I mean] all the time.
• Provide content that your followers want and need to see.[/su_quote]

It should be noted that Jennifer has other streams of revenue, including:

• Consultations: Jennifer advises people on how to flip furniture for a rate of $100 per hour with a 15-minute minimum.
• Affiliate links: She also sells products to paint furniture on Amazon using affiliate links. Learn more about affiliate marketing.
• Etsy: Jennifer also makes additional revenue by selling gallons of paint on Etsy. The colors for painted furniture range from neutral shades to bright yellow and Tuscan red.

Word of mouth requires a great product and excellent customer service, which we’ll discuss next.

Get referrals

You can get referrals by handing out business cards, asking for customer reviews, or running an affiliate program. The goal is to get people who have already benefited from your furniture flip services to spread the word (which means you have to do a good job).

Step #8. Provide excellent customer service

Customer service can make or break companies. Jennifer explained how to flip furniture and provide excellent customer service. She started with a little about her history:

[su_quote]I was trying to figure out what made me such a great salesperson and concluded that follow-through is the difference between what I did and what other salespeople do. … People want to know they can believe what you say. [Which means] always underpromise and overdeliver.[/su_quote]

Jennifer explained that she takes this approach from the first time someone reaches out to her about a project. She’ll use an email or script that says:

[su_quote]Thank you for reaching out to me. I will always be honest with you, and if I can’t do something, I’ll tell you.[/su_quote]

Something as simple as that helps build trust with customers, even if she has to reject certain requests. She explained:

[su_quote]I reject a project mainly because I am too busy. I will (also) reject pieces if it’s so far gone that we can’t, or it’s a piece that so inexpensive we can’t justify working on it.[/su_quote]

In the rare instance that Jennifer has an issue after completing an order, she has an excellent way to handle that, too!

[su_quote]If you did make a mistake, own it and offer to fix it. Alternatively, ask them what can I do to correct this?[/su_quote]

Sometimes, that just isn’t enough, and you must be more creative. Jennifer explained:

[su_quote]When people just want to be angry, offer them solutions. Tell them we’ll have to agree to disagree if they don't accept them, but these solutions are still open if you change your mind.[/su_quote]

Another piece of customer service Jennifer and her daughter employ is personally delivering the furniture themselves, further building a relationship with the customer.

Step #9. Keep detailed records of each furniture flip

As a small business owner, you must track expenses and income. When flipping furniture for profit, make sure to document:

1. The cost of the furniture piece.
2. The mileage to pick up and deliver it.
3. The time it takes you to do the makeover.
4. The cost of paint, varnish, and anything else went into the redesign.

Use accounting software, like QuickBooks, to track income, expenses, and payroll. You might also want an accountant to help you automate your record-keeping and audit your books quarterly.

Step #10. Reinvest in the business

You’ll want to expand your business as you go. This may mean investing in more tools, moving into a store, advertising, hiring employees, or adding new revenue streams.

However you decide to expand your business, Jennifer recommends reinvesting profits. She told us how she handled hers:

[su_quote]It took at least a year for [the company] to fully cover [our living expenses]. … When we started, we reinvested 50% of our profit. As we’ve grown, we reduced our reinvestment down to 10%.[/su_quote]

Pro Tip: You can make a profit, and a business still fails. Imagine your cost of running a business is $2K per month. You make $3K per month, but your living expenses are $5K monthly. Are you paying all your bills? Nope. When calculating the cost of doing business, include your cost of living by adding up all your bills and multiplying by 2.5.

How much can you make flipping furniture?

The sky is the limit. People spend over $243.8 billion annually on furniture, with an average of $767 per person. That means there is plenty of room for you to expand, especially if you focus on living room furniture.

The most significant percentage of the spending is on living room furniture, like coffee tables, end tables, and couches.

When is the best time to buy furniture?

The best time to buy furniture from a store is during the end of the summer or winter seasons because that is when retailers shift their stock the most. During those times, you are likely to save money.

What is the best way to find free furniture near me?

If you hope to find free furniture to make extraordinary profits, you should look at online marketplaces. While you can sometimes find free pieces on the side of the road, people moving will often include words like “sold immediately” in posts that you can find with an easy search.

Valuable resources for furniture flippers

• Furniture Flipping Teacher: Want to take a course on furniture flipping? Blogs typically recommend Furniture Flipping Teacher. We have not audited the course to see if it is applicable. We suggest watching their YouTube videos first.
• Dave Does Carpentry: Check out the YouTube channel on carpentry.
• Home Depot: Home Depot does lots of DIY videos.
• Business book: Try reading Jennifer’s favorite business book, Financial Peace by Dave Ramsey

Start flipping furniture yourself

Now you know how to start furniture flipping. It’s up to you to create creative ideas that will look amazing in people’s homes. Then find people who want the redecorated furniture. What kind of furniture revamps have you done?

Have you ever bought a sandwich or a taco from a food truck and thought, “I wish I could quit my job and start a food truck for a living!” Then you've come to the right place! We interviewed food truck owners Nic and Jada Jones to learn how they run Hen House, a food truck modeled after the farm-to-table style. Jada and Nic started Hen House in Nashville, Tennessee, and shared insights on how to make $300K in your first year as a food truck business. [su_note note_color="#dbeafc"] We’ll share the lessons learned from these food truck owners to guide you through how to start a food truck business. Click on any step below to learn more about food truck operations.

• How to Start a Food Truck Business
  • Step #1. Learn about the food truck industry
  • Step #2. Generate food truck ideas
  • Step #3. How much does it cost to start a food truck business?
  • Step #4. Figure business operating costs
  • Step #5. Write a food truck business plan
  • Step #6. Determine financing options
  • Step #7. Obtain licenses and permits
  • Step #8. Buy your truck
  • Step #9. Secure your suppliers
  • Step #10. Streamline the process
  • Step #11: Build your food truck business/brand
• Are you ready to start a food truck business?

[/su_note]

How to Start a Food Truck Business

Starting a food truck business is as simple as following these eleven steps: 

1. Learn About the Food Truck Industry
2. Choose Your Food Truck Concept
3. Estimate Food Truck Startup Costs
4. Plan for Business Operating Costs
5. Write a Food Truck Business Plan
6. Get Food Truck Financing
7. Obtain Licenses and Permits
8. Buy Your Truck
9. Purchase a POS System
10. Streamline the Process
11. Build Your Food Truck Business/Brand

Nic had been a cook his whole life before moving to Nashville with Jada and starting their food trucking business. They knew they wanted to start a food truck business and decided to seek a unique food truck concept while they were moving. They told us: [su_quote]One of our goals when we started a food truck business was to help local businesses.[/su_quote] Hear about how to start a food truck business directly from Nic and Jada below. [su_youtube url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gKgHdQ4_aM"] If you are ready to learn how to start a food truck business, keep reading! You’ll get your food truck business up-and-running, feeding people and bringing in a profit in a fairly short amount of time.

Step #1. Learn about the food truck industry

According to IBIS World, the food truck industry makes $1.5 billion per year with a median profit of 6.4%. Food trucks are expected to see industry revenue growth of 1.2% per year between now and 2028.  There’s a lot of competition, though. There are over 36,000 food truck businesses and 2,000 new people are starting a food truck business every year.

How much do food trucks make a year?

Over the past decade, food trucks have become a viable, reputable business option far beyond the tired pretzel or questionable hot dog vendor. The average food truck makes $41,295.  Don’t assume you can’t make more. We’ve interviewed five food truck owners, and each business owner makes more than $300K per year.  Check out our interview with the most successful food truck owner, Carlo Chalisea, who built his food truck business from a taco truck to a brick-and-mortar location and multiple local food trucks. [su_youtube url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8MPTE67PYcY"] Next, find out if starting a food truck business is profitable.

Are food trucks profitable?

Many food truck owners are making peanuts, but a great food truck idea can make great money. Nic told us: [su_quote]Our food truck makes $20K-30K per month depending on the catering and seasonal fluctuations. The expenses break down to: 

• Food: 30%
• Labor: 25%
• Overhead: 25%
• Profit: 20%[/su_quote]

That means they make about $60K profit after deducting all the business expenses. Given the business owners are working in their business, they pay themselves an undisclosed wage, too. Assuming they pay themselves the average for a food service worker, that means they are making about $30K each, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Think working with your spouse and making a combined $120K sounds good? Keep reading to learn more about becoming a food truck owner.

Step #2. Generate food truck ideas

You might wonder, “What is the best food to serve in a food truck?” You should look for the intersection between what you’re good at cooking and what the area needs. According to other food truck operators, those choosing which food to serve for their food truck should heed this advice: do one thing and do it well. Make it a quality product and keep it very, very simple.

How do I price my food truck menu?

One of the key things to research about how to start a food truck is the menu pricing. Pricing menu items can be tricky. Charging too little causes losses, while charging too much means no one will buy from you. Food costs should stay under 35% of the revenue for successful food trucks. The most commonly used pricing method for food trucks is based on the food cost percentage formula.  The formula can be worked in two ways:

1. Actual Food Cost / Food Cost Percentage=Customer Price
2. (Choose a Value between 3.33 and 5) x Actual Food Costs=Customer Price

Nic told us: [su_quote]I prefer to stay under 30%.[/su_quote]

Step #3. How much does it cost to start a food truck business?

Expect to spend between $15K and $250K to purchase a food truck and start the business. Nic told us starting a food truck business required spending: The good news is that buying a food truck normally requires less than 20% down. That means starting a food truck company can get started for $57K instead of $250K+. You can also rent a food truck, which we’ll discuss in a separate blog. Food trucks have some additional costs, which we’ll discuss next.

Other startup costs

Other startup costs for a food truck may include: Kyle, the owner of Vet Chef, bought a food trailer and custom designed his kitchen, which required adding in $8000 for equipment,  another $7000 for truck permits/inventory, and various other costs. All in all, it came to just over $40K. Check out our interview with him below. [su_youtube url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCnE13BaQlk"]

Step #4. Figure business operating costs

To figure out if this will work for you and exactly how to start a food truck, it's vital to understand what your business will cost so that you know what kind of profit you can expect to make. As with any restaurant, expect your largest costs to be food, supplies, and labor. Other food truck financial projections for regular costs may include: Should I hire employees for my food truck business? While it's advisable to keep the staff small, it won't be long until you'll need another person or two on your team. If you have a business partner, this might be delayed since you can both commit your time to working in the food truck. Customers do expect fast delivery times from a food truck, so having staff will help you get those orders out efficiently and keep the wait times down. (Of course, you can only fit a limited number of employees in a truck at one time.) Keeping labor costs as low as possible is vital to profitability, but you can't do everything alone. Kyle notes that: [su_quote]You have to have employees, or you'll drive yourself into the ground. We hired my cousin, who was a high schooler then. We gave her a few hours, and we were able to only pay her for the time we were open. I cleaned and sent the employees home.[/su_quote] According to Kyle, it's best to hire part-time staff that are willing to work very short shifts on an ad-hoc basis at the food truck. High-school students, family members, and others who need just a few hours are often a great way to begin. Kyle also advises that, at least for the first year, it is important to make sure that you minimize what you need to pay employees for. Do all of the prep work and cleaning yourself until the business becomes more viable.

How much do food trucks make a year?

Over the past decade or more, food trucks have become a viable, reputable business option that has gone far beyond the tired pretzel or questionable hot dog vendor of long ago. In fact, food trucks have now become a $1.2 billion industry annually. Local profit figures vary greatly based on location, products offered, and other factors. However, according to IBISWorld, profit for a food truck may be around 7.7% of your entire revenue, after accounting for overhead costs and wages. That means a food truck making $400,000 in sales each year would pull in just over $30,000 in profit. So, you aren't necessarily going to get rich quick as a food truck entrepreneur. But with determination (and some hard work) you can make a decent living and own your own profitable business! Of course, all of this is after you break even in your business, which is when your business finally stops costing you money and becomes profitable. The Vet Chef reached this at around the one-year mark, which is fairly typical. You may need to plan for longer if your starting costs are high.

Step #5. Write a food truck business plan

One of the most important steps in how to start a food truck is a solid business plan. According to Business News Daily, two important purposes of a business plan are to establish focus and secure funding. Writing a business plan is a fairly detailed, time-consuming process, and you may want to access online business plan resources to help you with a template. A general run-down of what you'll need in your food truck business plan includes: After you’ve written a business plan, you’ll want to consider how to buy a food truck.

Step #6. Determine financing options

If you're one of those lucky people with tens of thousands of extra dollars lying around to start a business, that's great! But otherwise, you may need to figure out how to finance your food truck business until it provides more cash flow.

How to start a food truck business with no money

While it's great if you have some money upfront, it is possible to get business credit. Many food trucks start by using: The Small Business Association (SBA) Microloan Program makes available small loans of up to $50,000 (although the average loan is $13,000). Entrepreneurs may use this for supplies, startup costs, equipment, etc.  Instead of applying directly through the SBA, you'll need to find a non-profit intermediary to get you started with your food truck.

Step #7. Obtain licenses and permits

As with any business, you will need to make sure your food truck complies with all of the local government standards regarding permits and licenses. This is a very important step when you learn how to start a food truck. These may range from permission to run a business to food-handling certifications and will change based on state and local regulations. Similar to the advice of other food truck owners, Kyle's advice is that potential owners of food trucks should contact their local health department right away, and they'll know how to proceed from there. He says to expect approximately 6 months from the time you make your first contact until you can get up and running. Entrepreneur.com parallels Kyle's advice, noting that your local department of health should be first on your list of contacts and then go from there. Below is a general idea of what you might need, but, of course, it is necessary to find out exactly what is needed for starting a food truck in your particular location.

What licenses are needed to start a food truck?

Here are some commonly required licenses and permits for a food truck:

• Business License –This depends on the city/county/state where you work and is based on the type of service you provide, whether events, catering, etc. In addition to licensing fees, a percentage of the revenue may also go to the government agency, so be sure to factor this into your budget.
• Employer Identification Number – You need this in order to start legally paying employees, withholding taxes, etc.
• Business Permits – This is usually issued by local municipalities. These can change over time, so be sure to review this annually so you understand what is required in the way of food truck permits.
• Vehicle Licensing – Make sure the person driving the food truck is appropriately licensed and insured for that particular vehicle. Find out if you need a commercial driver's license in order to drive the food truck (this is often related to the size/length/weight of the truck.)
• Food Handler's Permit – This may require you and your employees to take a Food Safety Course. Often done online and fairly inexpensive, it may be necessary for truck owners and all employees to complete this in order to comply with food safety requirements.
• Health Department Permit – This differs between states but is typically similar to what a restaurant requires since, technically, your food truck is a restaurant on wheels.
• Fire Certificate – This requires a local fire department inspection. Your equipment must be safety certified, whether electric, propane, generator, etc. If you purchase your truck new and/or have it retrofitted, the vehicle supplier should already know these requirements and have it ready for this inspection.
• Parking Permits – If your food truck is invited to a festival or a private event, this shouldn't be an issue. But if you plan to simply park your food truck on the side of the road, you'll need to do your homework about local parking ordinances in your area.

Where should I park my food truck?

This is the beauty of a mobile food truck business! You can park it almost anywhere you are invited. Look for opportunities like local festivals, schools, neighborhood events, and more. Festivals can be some of the most profitable (and least profitable!) locations for the mobile food truck business. Kyle mentions that some festivals can be packed with customers, with 200 people standing in line. On the other hand, based on weather or other circumstances, they can also be dead and cause you and your food truck to take a financial loss. [su_quote]One festival, we served 900 people in a day. So we went back the next year and we had all this food ready for long lines of people—but they added 20-30 more food trucks and we were doing nothing.[/su_quote] Along the lines of locations, the Vet Chef truck has recently been invited to park at Boeing during their lunch breaks, which is like striking gold. This came after the business had built a good reputation and won the “Best of Western Washington” Award. But it took some building of the brand before these types of invitations started rolling in for Kyle and his food truck. In the beginning, he says, you just need to go wherever the people are and take the opportunities as they come. Eventually, once you gain a reputation, you can become choosy about which events you'll agree to, based on how profitable they will be for you.

Step #8. Buy your truck

Now comes the exciting (and perhaps a bit scary) part! Buying your truck and outfitting it for your needs is critical to the success of your food truck business.

What types of food trucks are there?

Essentially, you can choose from two styles of food trucks: drivable and pull-able. Drivable Food Trucks are licensed motor vehicles that can be driven from one place to another on their own. These are typically like a standard delivery truck, often retro-fitted to create a kitchen and serving window in the back. Trailers and Carts are other options for mobile food service that must be towed from one place to another by a separate vehicle. These are outfitted with cooking and refrigeration capabilities and everything needed to prepare and serve food. Food carts are smaller, whereas food trailers can be as large as an over-the-road semi.

Step #9. Secure your suppliers

While your food truck is in the midst of being purchased or retro-fitted, you should be making contact with the vendors and suppliers you plan to use to source your food. You may choose these based upon quality, price, and sustainability factors. You may want to start by asking other food trucks and similar concept restaurants who their vendors are. Restaurant industry trade shows may also reveal vendors you didn't know were out there. Of course, a quick online search might reveal dozens of restaurant supply chains, but many small business owners prefer to deal with local suppliers. One thing to think about is that you may want to consider vendors who will allow you to be billed monthly (rather than cash up front). Centralized billing and other contract options may help to streamline the financial processes of running a food truck business.

Step #10. Streamline the process  

One of Kyle's sticking points for his food truck is that he aims to get food to his customers in 30 seconds or under from the time of ordering. It's part of the reason his customers love the Vet Chef food truck. This means you'll need to have your kitchen organized for maximum efficiency. Everything that can be prepared in advance should be. And employees need to be trained to work as quickly and efficiently as possible. The good news? Your food truck is very small, so you should have everything available at your fingertips!

Should my food truck have a POS system?

One important consideration along the lines of efficiency is whether your food truck will offer a Point of Sale system for credit and debit cards. While cash used to be the mainstay for food truck mobile businesses, it's a bit slow and can be complicated when it comes to making change. More and more mobile food truck businesses are taking advantage of Square and other Point of Sale options for accepting credit and/or debit cards. This not only makes it fast and easy for the customer, but it may also allow for an integrated accounting and business tracking system for your food truck business. The startup costs for these can be very low, and the fees are typically minimal. But the convenience could definitely be worth it—and you aren't turning away customers who don't have cash.

Step #11: Build your food truck business/brand

Here is the place where the rubber meets the road (figuratively and literally). Once you're ready to open your food truck, getting your name out there is everything! Throwing a bunch of money at advertising is one option. And social media might be a helpful way to get people to find your food truck—since you're often on the go. On top of that, social media can often be a free option for advertising. A solid Instagram or Facebook social media page may be an effective business tool. But even social media hype can only take your food truck so far. According to Kyle, the best way for food truck owners to become successful is to create a dependable business that offers a quality product people want: [su_quote]We don't spend a lot of time on Facebook. You don't have time to focus on marketing. It wasn't our most important thing. What was the most important thing was putting out the very best food, the top quality that we possibly could.[/su_quote] If you want to jump right in, you may be thinking of buying an already-established food truck business from someone who has done the startup work and created a good reputation for you. Check out this step-by-step guide that will help you understand your options for buying an established business.

Why do food trucks fail?

Kyle told us many food truck businesses fail because their business owners lack dedication. They agree to be at a community event and arrive late, leave early, or maybe even don't show up at all. The Vet Chef says: [su_quote]If you say you're going to be there, be there. I don't care if your tire pops on the side of the road, you better have AAA and make it to where you say you're going to be.[/su_quote] Your successful food truck business needs to have a solid reputation for being reliable so that you'll be the first one who gets an invitation to the next event. If you do this, hopefully you will be one of the people who survives the first five years of business. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, only about 55% of all new businesses last through this period.

Are you ready to start a food truck business?

It's possible to open a food truck business with less than $50,000 in startup costs and some hard work. You can start earning $100K gross revenue really quickly by following this guide. Though you'll put in a lot of work to enter the food truck industry, it's worth it for those who wonder how to start a food truck. With dedication, you can be like Kyle and run a successful small food truck business within a year or two. What kind of food would you serve in a food truck?