The Flashquotes Podcast

Why Instant Quoting Took 2 Years to Build (And Was Totally Worth It)

In this episode, the Flash Quotes founding team goes deep on the most requested—and most delayed—feature in company history: instant quoting.
You’ll hear the full behind-the-scenes story of why this “obvious” feature took over 800 days to ship, what we got wrong in the beginning, and how we finally cracked the code on real-time pricing and availability for catering businesses.
From whiteboard sessions and painful pivots to live feedback loops and high-trust user onboarding, this episode is a crash course in how to build SaaS the hard way (but the right way). If you're a coffee cart, bar cart, or food truck operator—or just building a software company in the trenches—this episode is for you.
We unpack the product lessons, customer stories, and frameworks we used to finally launch the feature that started it all. And now that it’s live, we’ll show you how instant quoting can increase your booking rate, eliminate quoting errors, and save hours every week.
➡️ Join our Mobile Catering Accelerator: https://www.skool.com/mobile-catering-accelerator/about📸 Instagram: @FlashquotesHQ🐦 Twitter: @FlashquotesHQ
⸻⏱️ Timestamps00:00 Intro – Why This Took So Long01:32 The Original Vision for Flash Quotes05:15 Our First Pivot: Event Briefs Before Quotes08:22 Why Quoting Was So Hard to Solve13:07 Early Customers Who Changed Everything17:15 The Real Power of Instant Booking22:45 Real-Time Availability: The Secret Sauce26:18 How Instant Quotes Win More Leads30:49 What’s Next: Smart Pricing and AI35:00 Building Software in Public40:45 Product Lessons from Big Tech42:30 How to Get Involved (and Try It Free!)
⸻🔑 Key Points:• Why instant quoting was the hardest feature to build• How quoting faster = booking more events• What most CRMs get wrong about catering businesses• How to build a startup by listening (not guessing)• Why Flash Quotes is finally a true “business-in-a-box” for mobile caterers
⸻Ready to stop quoting by hand and start winning more bookings? Try Flash Quotes free at https://flashquotes.com

He Quit His Job to Go All-In on Coffee Catering- Here's how!

In this episode, we sit down with Colin from Howdy Coffee to break down how he scaled from 5 weekend gigs to over 250 events per year—and quit his full-time job to go all-in on coffee catering.
Colin shares the real story of how he found his first cart on Craigslist for $200, pulled it with a Subaru, and built a business that now supports a team of 6, three carts, and a growing list of corporate clients. We unpack the exact pricing strategy that helped him double his revenue, the systems he uses to manage multiple events a day, and how FlashQuotes helped him stop missing leads and start booking faster.
Whether you're just starting out or scaling your mobile service business, Colin’s journey is packed with tactical insights you can apply today.
➡️ Join our Mobile Catering Accelerator: https://www.skool.com/mobile-catering-accelerator/about📸 Instagram: @FlashquotesHQ🐦 Twitter: @FlashquotesHQ
—
⏱️ Timestamps00:00 Intro to Colin and Howdy Coffee01:15 The $200 Craigslist Cart That Started It All04:55 From 5 Events to 50+ in One Year06:25 The Exact Moment He Quit His Job09:15 Scaling from 1 Cart to 3 (and Hiring 6 Staff)11:29 How FlashQuotes Changed His Booking Process14:30 His Hourly Pricing Model Explained16:43 How He Handles Forgotten Equipment (and What to Do)24:13 His Vision for 2025 and Beyond25:10 The Challenges of Hiring and Staffing
—
🔑 Key Points• The low-barrier way Colin launched his biz with just $200• Why he switched from manual quoting to automated instant pricing• How to think about hourly pricing (instead of per guest)• What to include on every booking form to avoid client mishaps• Why his dream of owning a café is dead—and what replaced it• Tips for barista training, event prep, and scaling your team
—
🎧 Want more stories like this?Subscribe and follow @FlashquotesHQ for new episodes every Friday.Got questions about starting or scaling your cart? Drop them in the comments.
 

How This Mom Built a 6-Figure Coffee Cart Empire (While Raising 2 Kids)

 
In this episode, we sit down with Nikki Outlaw, founder of Anecho Coffee and one of the fastest-scaling coffee cart businesses on the East Coast. Nikki reveals how she built a 6-figure coffee catering company—from scratch—while raising two kids and navigating a business breakup.
We cover how she went from markets and wedding expos to premium corporate clients like Pinterest, Coinbase, Gap, and Bloomingdale’s, and why she credits her explosive growth to one key mindset shift.
Whether you're a solo mobile barista or running multiple carts, Nikki’s story is a masterclass in scaling without burnout. You’ll learn how to price with confidence, hire a reliable team, and shift from operator to CEO—without sacrificing your personal life.
➡️ Join our Mobile Catering Accelerator: https://www.skool.com/mobile-catering-accelerator/about📸 Instagram: @FlashquotesHQ🐦 Twitter: @FlashquotesHQ
⸻
⏱️ Timestamps00:00 Intro to Nikki and Anecho Coffee
01:44 Why Nikki Stands Out in the Coffee Industry
02:40 Humble Beginnings: Culinary School to Coffee Cart
06:29 From Pop-Ups to Partnerships
08:52 The Big Shift: From Markets to Corporate Events
11:54 Year-by-Year Business Growth Breakdown
13:08 How FlashQuotes Changed Her Business
18:59 Biggest Growing Pain: You Can’t Clone Yourself
24:11 How Nikki Trains and Onboards Her Team
28:31 Going from Barista to Business Owner
30:41 How Nikki Prices Her Premium Service
34:22 Working with Major Brands Like Pinterest & AIG
35:44 Why Instagram Doesn’t Drive Bookings
38:30 Vision for the Future: Expansion and Balance
40:16 Her Final Advice to Mobile Coffee Entrepreneurs
41:42 Advice to Moms Building Businesses
⸻
🔑 Key Points:• Why corporate catering beats weddings (and how to get in)• How to build a team that cares—even if they’re part-time• The mindset shift that took Nikki from barista to business owner• Why instant quotes don’t hurt your bookings (and what they actually do)• How Nikki built trust with major brands—and kept them coming back

How to Fix Your SEO and 5x Your Catering Leads (in 3 Easy Steps)

Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Flash Quotes Podcast01:15 Understanding Localize and SEO03:43 Kent's Journey in Coffee and SEO10:47 The Synergy Between Flash Quotes and Localize4:04 Results from Valor's Collaboration20:31 Common Website Mistakes in Catering Businesses22:30 The Importance of SEO for Caterers28:18 Understanding Google and SEO Strategies30:06 ROI of SEO in the Catering Business36:24 Dominating Google Search for Business Growth41:02 Building a Strong Online Presence
 
 
⸻
 
🔑 Key Points:
•Why Google is the most important lead source for caterers
•How to optimize your H1, meta tags, and on-page content
•The #1 local SEO mistake (and how to fix it instantly)
•Using SEO to create a sustainable lead engine
•Why your catering site should be your first investment—even before your cart
 
 
⸻
 
Want help implementing this?
Book a call with Kent and the LocalEyes team: https://www.localeyesgrowth.com/flashquotes

The Secrets to Successful Hiring

Hiring the right people is the hardest—and most important—part of scaling your event business. In this episode of the Flashquotes Podcast, we break down the proven hiring systems that took Goodhart Coffee from frantic last-minute flyers to a high-performance, multi-city team.
 
Join Justin Goodhart, Zach Capshaw, and Daniel as they reveal the exact hiring playbook they’ve refined over years of hard-won experience: job listings that attract A-players, filtering frameworks that save time, and the red-flag mechanisms that protect your brand when you’re not on-site.
 
If you’ve ever struggled with finding great help, training them properly, or knowing when (and how) to let someone go—this is your guide to building a team that actually scales your business instead of holding it back.
 
📌 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
✅ How to write a job post that sells the role and attracts the right people
🎯 The #1 filter question that saves you from wasting time on interviews
🧠 The video-first strategy that turns interviews into conversations
🚩 Red-flag systems that help you spot bad fits before they hurt your business
💸 How to align staff incentives with event success (without wrecking margins)
⏰ Why punctuality and availability are the ultimate deal breakers
📊 Training systems that empower new hires without draining your time
📉 How to handle mistakes, coach for improvement—and know when to cut ties
 
🔗 Build & grow your event business with Flashquotes – The all-in-one quoting & operations system: https://flashquotes.com
 
⏳ Timestamps:
 
00:00 Hiring Challenges in the Catering Industry
04:29 Developing a Hiring Playbook
08:08 The Interview Process: Filtering Candidates
11:48 Evaluating Candidates Beyond Resumes
16:09 Training and Onboarding New Staff
19:59 Ensuring Quality and Reliability in Staffing
26:48 Navigating Hiring Mistakes
32:15 The Importance of Accountability
36:47 Managing Seasonal Staffing Challenges
40:29 Shift Distribution Strategies
44:51 Career Progression for Event Staff
48:10 Feedback Mechanisms and Operational Insights
53:39 Implementing Red Flag Mechanisms
 
 
🛠️ Resources & Tools Mentioned:
📌 Flashquotes – The best quoting & ops tool for event businesses: https://flashquotes.com
📌 Skool – Join our private community for event professionals: https://www.skool.com/mobile-catering-accelerator/about
📌 Sling & Connecteam– Scheduling software used for team coordination & staffing
 
🚀 Want to Scale Your Event Business With the Right Team?
Most event business owners get stuck because they hire the wrong people—or don’t have a system at all. This episode will show you how to build a dependable team, train them fast, and protect your reputation with quality control systems that actually work.
 
📢 Like & Subscribe for more strategies on operations, pricing, equipment, and building your dream team.
 
🎯 Follow Us for More Insights:
📍 Twitter: @FlashquotesHQ
📍 Instagram: @FlashquotesHQ
📌 Join the Mobile Catering Accelerator – A private community for serious event business owners: https://www.skool.com/mobile-catering-accelerator/about

The Coffee Cart Playbook: How the Right Equipment Can Make (or Break) Your Catering Business

Your coffee cart setup can either make you unstoppable—or hold you back. In this episode of the Flashquotes Podcast, we break down the exact equipment, tools, and strategies you need to run a seamless, profitable coffee catering business.
Join Justin Goodhart and Zach Capshaw as they dive into espresso machines, coffee carts, transport hacks, plumbing setups, and warehouse organization—all optimized for efficiency, growth, and scaling beyond a one-person operation.
Whether you’re just getting started or already running a high-volume coffee catering business, this episode will help you choose the right gear, avoid costly mistakes, and set up your operations for long-term success.
 
📌 What You'll Learn in This Episode:
☕ The best espresso machines for coffee catering—and which ones to avoid🛠️ Custom vs. pre-built carts: What’s the best option for your business?🚀 Why your cart’s size & weight matter more than you think🔧 Transport & storage hacks to cut setup time in half💰 How to scale your coffee cart fleet—without breaking the bank📦 Why organization & storage solutions can save you thousands
🔗 Build & grow your event business with Flashquotes – The all-in-one quoting & operations system: https://flashquotes.com
 
⏳ Timestamps:
0:00 - Intro - The espresso machine mistake that’s killing your scalability

2:12 - The best espresso machines for coffee catering

7:18 - Why cart design matters & how to choose the right one

13:14 - The biggest transport mistake coffee caters make

14:45 - Storage, organization & why the right boxes matter
20:41 - The importance of first impressions when setting up at events

22:08- How 3D printing is changing coffee cart setups

27:20- The two-trip rule: How to optimize your setup time

33:03 - When you should move from a garage to a warehouse

39:14 - The #1 reason coffee caters burn out & how to fix it
 
🛠️ Resources & Tools Mentioned:
📌 Flashquotes – The best quoting & operations tool for event businesses: https://flashquotes.com📌 The Woodress – Beautiful, collapsible coffee carts by Jacqui: https://www.instagram.com/thewoodress📌 Systainer Storage Boxes – The best stackable transport boxes for coffee carts: https://systainer.store/📌 Lelit Bianca & Linea Mini – Two of the top recommended espresso machines: https://www.lelit.com/en-us/product/bianca-pesbn03 https://home.lamarzoccousa.com/product/linea-mini/📌 CaffeWorks Pumps – A top choice for mobile espresso setups https://caffewerks.com/
 
 
🚀 Want to Scale Your Coffee Cart Business?
Most coffee caterers limit their growth by choosing the wrong equipment. This episode will show you how to optimize your setup, improve your mobility, and serve more events with ease—so you can scale faster and increase your revenue.
📢 Like & Subscribe for more insights on equipment, pricing, operations, and scaling your event business!
 
🎯 Follow Us for More Insights:
📍 Twitter: @FlashquotesHQ📍 Instagram: @FlashquotesHQ
📌 Join the Mobile Catering Accelerator – A private community for serious event business owners: https://www.skool.com/mobile-catering-accelerator/about
#FlashquotesPodcast #CoffeeCatering #EquipmentGuide #MobileCoffee #EventBusiness #ScalingUp 🚀

Are You Charging Enough? The Ultimate Pricing Guide for Event Businesses

Is your pricing strategy helping or hurting your business? Most event business owners either charge too little and lose money—or charge too much and scare off clients. In this episode of the Flashquotes Podcast, we dive deep into the psychology of pricing, pricing models, and how to maximize your profit without losing customers.
Join Justin Goodhart, Zach Capshaw, and Daniel as they break down the most common pricing mistakes, the data-driven approach to setting your rates, and the psychological tactics big brands use to influence buying behavior—and how you can apply them in your event business.
Whether you're running a coffee catering company, a bar service, a photo booth business, or any event-based service, this episode will help you optimize your pricing, increase your bookings, and improve your bottom line.
 
———
 
📌 What You'll Learn in This Episode:
🔥 The #1 pricing mistake event businesses make (and how to fix it)🚀 How to calculate your perfect price using a simple formula💰 The psychological pricing hacks that can boost your bookings🎯 Why "pricing out of your own wallet" is hurting your business📈 How to adjust your pricing based on market demand and competition💡 The secret to charging premium prices—and still getting more customers
 
🔗 Grow your event business with Flashquotes – The all-in-one system for quoting, invoicing, and managing your operations: https://flashquotes.com
 
——-
⏳ Timestamps:
0:00 - Intro
1:39- The biggest pricing mistakes event businesses make
4:34- How to research your competitors (without them knowing)
6:43- The psychology of pricing: why perception matters more than cost 9:49 - Booking rates vs. pricing: how to know if you’re charging too much or too little
26:46 - "Anchoring" & "decoy pricing": How Starbucks and McDonald's use pricing psychology
39:00- Why bundling can increase your revenue (but only if done right)
41:14 - The power of upsells and multi-day bookings
46:49 - How to simplify your pricing and avoid "choice paralysis"
 
🛠️ Resources & Tools Mentioned:
📌 Flashquotes – The best quoting & operations tool for event businesses: https://flashquotes.com📌 The Paradox of Choice – A must-read book on why too many pricing options hurt sales https://a.co/d/5YPafQJ📌 Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion – How pricing affects consumer behavior https://a.co/d/3D94Q03
📌 Predictably Irrational by Dan Ariely — The hidden forces that shape our decisions https://a.co/d/9dNRuZH📌 Always Kind Events – Insights on luxury pricing from Cynthia at Always Kind https://www.alwayskindco.com/
 
🚀 Want to Increase Your Profits?
Most event businesses leave thousands of dollars on the table simply because they price incorrectly. This episode will show you how to charge what you're worth, improve your conversions, and grow your revenue effortlessly.
 
📢 Like & Subscribe for more strategies on pricing, sales, and scaling your event business!
 
🎯 Follow Us for More Insights:
📍 Twitter: @FlashquotesHQ📍 Instagram: @FlashquotesHQ
📌 Join the Mobile Catering Accelerator – A private community for serious event business owners: https://www.skool.com/mobile-catering-accelerator/about
 

How This Coffee Caterer Went from a Garage Startup to 1300+ Events a Year

In this episode of the Flashquotes Podcast, we sit down with Michael Craig, founder of Creature Coffee, to uncover how he scaled his business from a scrappy garage operation to executing 1,300+ events a year across multiple cities.
 
Michael shares his raw, unfiltered journey—from taking on his first gig with zero equipment to mastering the art of coffee catering and building a thriving brand in a competitive industry. If you’re an entrepreneur, coffee enthusiast, or service business owner looking to scale and streamline operations, this episode is packed with golden nuggets on business growth, team-building, and expansion.
 
🔥 Want to scale your coffee or catering business? Get access to the Mobile Catering Accelerator community: https://www.skool.com/mobile-catering-accelerator/about
 
 
Growth Playbook: How Creature Coffee Scaled
💡 The power of saying yes—how a single event changed everything🚀 The growth journey from one coffee cart to a multi-city business⚡ The systems & processes that allowed Creature to scale efficiently🔑 The toughest lessons learned—failures, pivots, and game-changing insights🏆 The future of coffee catering—why it’s a massive untapped opportunity
 
 
Resources & Tools Mentioned
📌 Flashquotes – The all-in-one software that powers Creature Coffee’s operations: https://flashquotes.com📌 Creature Coffee – Book them for your next event: https://creaturecoffee.co
 
Timestamps
X:XX - IntroX:XX - How Michael stumbled into coffee cateringX:XX - Scaling a coffee cart business: Key turning pointsX:XX - The moment Michael knew it was time to go all-inX:XX - Building an amazing company culture that attracts top talentX:XX - The systems challenge—switching from HoneyBook & 17Hats to FlashquotesX:XX - Expanding to Seattle—the biggest lessons from opening in a second cityX:XX - The biggest failures & how to recover from setbacksX:XX - The future of Creature Coffee & advice for other service-based businesses
 
Why This Episode Matters
⚡ Learn how to scale a service business beyond one location☕ See why coffee catering is booming while cafes struggle📈 Discover the exact systems that make high-volume event businesses work
Notable Quotes:👉 “The best thing I ever did for my business was stepping away.” – Michael Craig👉 “You don’t build a business, you build systems. The systems build the business.” – Justin Goodhart
📢 Subscribe & turn on notifications so you never miss an episode!
Follow us for more insights:📍 Twitter: @FlashquotesHQ📍 Instagram: @FlashquotesHQ📍 LinkedIn: Flashquotes
 

How AI Can 10x Your Event Business (Real-World Examples)

AI is changing everything—including the event catering business. Whether you’re a mobile barista, event planner, or full-scale caterer, AI tools can help you automate sales, streamline operations, and scale faster than ever. In this episode, we break down real-world AI applications in catering—from chatbots that handle customer inquiries to AI-powered assistants for baristas and event planners.
 
🔥 Join the Mobile Catering Accelerator (FREE Community for Caterers)
Get exclusive insights, private Q&As, and direct access to industry leaders: https://www.skool.com/mobile-catering-accelerator/about
 
Timestamps:
0:00 - Cold Open & Intro
03:38 - Why AI is the Future of Catering
07:27 - How Goodhert Coffee Uses AI Chatbots to Automate Sales & Ops
11:02 - The Best AI Tools for Caterers (Chatbase, Claude, GPT)
16:04 - How AI Reduces Customer Service Workloads
24:56 - AI in Sales: Preempting Customer Questions & Automating Follow-Ups
34:51 - The 5 Most Common Catering Questions (And How AI Can Answer Them)
41:51 - How AI Can Write Sales Emails, Proposals, & Customer Support Responses
48:42 - Advanced Prompting Strategies (How to Get the Best AI Output)
54:44 - The Future of AI in Catering & Events
 
Key Takeaways:
✅ AI Chatbots for Catering - How to train a chatbot on your data to answer customer & team questions
✅ How AI Can Reduce Your Workload - Less back-and-forth emails, fewer support calls, and faster decision-making
✅ Top AI Sales Strategies - Using AI to automate lead follow-ups, FAQs, and pricing inquiries
✅ Best AI Tools for Caterers - Chatbase, Claude, ChatGPT, and workflow automations
✅ Why Every Caterer Should Use AI in 2024 - Future-proofing your event business
 
The AI Playbook for Event Businesses
🚀 AI for Customer Service & Sales
• Build an AI chatbot trained on your website, emails, and call logs
• Automate common customer questions to speed up bookings
• AI-generated follow-ups that increase conversion rates
 
⚡ AI for Operations & Logistics
• AI-powered barista support (troubleshooting, setup instructions)
• Automated equipment tracking & replacement reminders
• AI-driven event logistics planning
 
💡 AI for Marketing & Lead Generation
• AI-generated blog posts, social media captions, and ad copy
• ChatGPT-powered sales emails that close deals
• AI-enhanced SEO strategies for local catering businesses
 
🏆 The Future of AI in Catering
• AI for event personalization (customized menus & guest experiences)
• Predictive AI for demand forecasting & inventory management
• Fully automated AI-powered event assistants
 
Resources for Caterers:
📌 Flashquotes - The #1 software for mobile caterers: www.flashquotes.com
📌 Mobile Catering Accelerator - Private community for serious caterers: https://www.skool.com/mobile-catering-accelerator/about
 
Follow Us on Socials:
📍 Twitter: @FlashquotesHQ
📍 Instagram: @FlashquotesHQ
📍 LinkedIn: Flashquotes
 
🎙️ Subscribe & Review the Podcast!
If you enjoyed this episode, leave a review and share it with a fellow caterer looking to level up their business! 🚀

From Side Hustle to Catering Empire: The 5 Stages of Growth

In this episode, we break down the 5 Levels of Event Catering and what it takes to move from a side hustle to a full-time, multi-location catering business.
The conversation covers the key challenges at each stage, strategies to scale, and the operational pitfalls that keep many caterers stuck. Whether you're just starting or looking to expand, this episode is packed with real-world insights from industry veterans who’ve built seven-figure catering businesses.
Timestamps: 00:00 - Intro & the flashquotes origin story 11:05 - The Goodhart Coffee story 15:20 - What are the 5 levels of event catering? 17:00 - Level 1: Side Hustle 25:57 - Level 2: Going Full-Time 36:20 - Level 3: Scaling with a Team 50:40 - Level 4: Market domination 55:44 - Level 5: Multi-city Key
 
Takeaways:
✅ The 5 Stages of Growth for a Catering Business
✅ Why Most Catering Businesses Get Stuck at Level 3
✅ The #1 Mistake New Caterers Make (And How to Fix It)
✅ How to Price, Staff, and Market Your Catering Business for Growth
✅ The Equipment & Logistics Setup That Will Make or Break Your Business
 
The Catering Growth Playbook
🚀 Level 1: The Side Hustle • Getting your first 50 events • Avoiding the “bad website” trap • How to follow up with leads to maximize bookings
⚡ Level 2: Full-Time Catering Business • How to go all in without burning out • The biggest time management mistake at this stage • When and how to raise your prices
💡 Level 3: Scaling Beyond Yourself • Why hiring baristas is not enough • The logistics trap that keeps most caterers small • The “trailer problem” and why you should avoid it at all costs
🏆 Level 4 & 5: Multi-City Expansion & Dominating Your Market • Building a scalable team & systemizing operations • When to invest in warehouses, vans, and logistics • The future of event catering & where the market is going
 
Notable Quotes:
"Nobody can do it as good as me"—every Level 2 caterer ever (and why that mindset is holding you back)." — Justin
"The moment I let someone else run an event, I realized I was the bottleneck." — Justin
"If you’re still using a trailer to transport your cart, you’re playing the game on hard mode." — Daniel
 
Resources for Caterers:
📌 Flashquotes - The #1 software for mobile caterers: flashquotes.com
📌 Mobile Catering Accelerator - Private community for serious caterers: skool.com/mobile-catering-accelerator/about
📕 The E-Myth Revisited - www.amazon.com/Myth-Revisited-Small-Businesses-About/dp/0887307280 Follow Us on Socials:
📍 Twitter: @FlashquotesHQ
📍 Instagram: @FlashquotesHQ
📍 LinkedIn: Flashquotes
 
🎙️ Subscribe & Review the Podcast! If you enjoyed this episode, leave a review and share it with a fellow caterer looking to level up their business! 🚀