The Flashquotes Podcast

7 Things To Do When Bookings Are Slow

In this episode, we break down exactly what the smartest mobile caterers do when bookings slow down — so you can turn downtime into a massive business advantage.
You’ll hear real stories and practical frameworks from Justin, Daniel, and Zach on how to use the off-season to fix bottlenecks, level up your team, and build systems that make your next busy season your biggest yet.
Whether you run a coffee cart, photo booth, mobile bar, or any event-based business, this episode will help you stop worrying about slow months — and start using them to work on your business, not just in it.
We cover the 7 highest ROI projects to tackle now, from automating your lead flow and customer follow-ups to simple maintenance checklists that prevent event-day disasters.
Flashquotes is helping top caterers work smarter — and this episode shows you how to join them.
➡️ Join our Mobile Catering Accelerator: https://www.skool.com/mobile-catering-accelerator/about📸 Instagram: @FlashquotesHQ🐦 Twitter: @FlashquotesHQ
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⏱️ Timestamps00:00 Introduction to Flash Quotes Podcast01:12 Why Slow Seasons Happen (and Why It’s Okay)03:46 The #1 Mindset Shift for Off-Season Growth06:20 Essential Equipment & Maintenance Checklist10:54 Automate Your Lead Flow While You Sleep15:17 Building a Data System for Better Decisions21:08 How AI Can Cut Busywork in Half28:00 Using Slow Time to Upskill Your Team34:16 How to Tap Your Existing Client List for New Bookings40:23 Action Steps & Flashquotes Tips
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🔑 Key Points:• What to fix, automate, and upgrade when bookings slow down• The top overlooked tasks that prevent costly failures later• How to build a lead list you own (and control) forever• AI tools & simple automations you can set up in a weekend• Why off-season work sets up your biggest busy seasons ever
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👉 Want to work smarter, not harder this summer? Join our Skool community and connect with other mobile catering pros:https://www.skool.com/mobile-catering-accelerator/about

We Hit $13M in Bookings – Now We’re Going Even Bigger

In this episode, we’re pulling back the curtain on the explosive growth of FlashQuotes—from 3 clients to over $13 million in bookings in just 12 months. Join us fireside as the founding team shares what sparked this breakout, how we scaled to 1,500+ daily users, and why we believe this is just the beginning.
We talk about the highs, the hurdles, and the systems that helped us 10X without burning out. You’ll get a look at the product roadmap for 2025, hear what features are launching next, and learn how we’re building a tool that works as hard as our users do.
Whether you’re a solo mobile barista or running a multi-city catering operation, this episode is packed with insights on growth, automation, and how to scale smarter. If you’ve ever wondered what it really takes to go from side hustle to full-stack software—this is the one to watch.
➡️ Join our Mobile Catering Accelerator: https://www.skool.com/mobile-catering-accelerator/about📸 Instagram: @FlashquotesHQ🐦 Twitter: @FlashquotesHQ
⸻⏱️ Timestamps00:00 Fireside Intro from Breckenridge01:22 How We Went from 3 Clients to 350+04:58 Daily Active Users and Scaling Challenges07:43 Revamping the FlashQuotes UI for Mobile11:05 $13M Booked – The Backend That Made It Possible15:50 Roadmap: What’s Launching in 202520:12 From Coffee Carts to Weddings – Serving Every Niche24:01 New CRM & Workflow Features Explained28:49 FlashCon? In-Person Events and What’s Next32:33 Final Thoughts – Why We’re All In on FlashQuotes
⸻🔑 Key Points:• What it takes to grow from 3 clients to 350 in under a year• How we’re building features for mobile-first, service-based pros• Behind the scenes of our CRM, quoting, and booking engine• Why feedback from real users drives every product decision• The future of FlashQuotes—and why we’re just getting started
⸻Want to see how FlashQuotes can work for your business? Book a demo at Flashquotes.com

Cynthia Jaquez Made 6 Figures Her First Year With This Pricing Strategy

In this episode, we sit down with Cynthia Jaquez of Always Kind to unpack how she grew a six-figure coffee cart business from her phone—and closed a $55,000 event deal while watching her kids play at the beach.
You’ll learn the pricing strategy that helped Cynthia double revenue with fewer events, how she books premium clients without paid ads, and why social media—not SEO—was her first growth engine. If you’ve ever wrestled with what to charge, how to grow without burning out, or how to juggle family and entrepreneurship, this one’s for you.
We cover luxury positioning, quoting psychology, mobile ops systems, and what it really takes to scale a high-end events business in today’s market. Cynthia’s journey is proof that you don’t need a big team, fancy gear, or investor cash—you just need clarity, confidence, and the courage to charge what you're worth.
➡️ Join our Mobile Catering Accelerator: https://www.skool.com/mobile-catering-accelerator/about📸 Instagram: @FlashquotesHQ🐦 Twitter: @FlashquotesHQ
⸻⏱️ Timestamps00:00 Cynthia’s first hustle in 4th grade01:53 Lessons from her family’s car dealership business06:30 Why she left photography to start Always Kind10:16 Using social media as a lead-gen engine13:40 Quoting high-ticket events (like $55K Amazon gigs)17:00 Raising prices to avoid burnout22:21 From 84 to 252 events—then doubling revenue with less26:45 How she uses Flash Quotes to manage ops34:01 Hiring, scaling, and navigating chaos41:00 Running a business as a mom (with no balance)50:51 Her vision for the future of Always Kind
⸻🔑 Key Points:• How to price luxury without apology• Why shooting high brings better clients• The $55K quoting mindset (and why it worked)• Using Instagram and Pinterest to close deals• Building a team—and a brand—that lasts

From Zero to 175 Events: Noah Dupree’s Coffee Cart Masterclass

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🚀 From Zero to 175 Events: Noah Dupree’s Coffee Cart MasterclassIn this episode, we sit down with Noah Dupree of Reunion Coffee Cart, who scaled from zero to 175 events in under a year—quitting his job just three months in. He shares the exact steps, mindset shifts, and gritty stories behind his rapid growth.We cover the sales strategy, launch playbook, and system setups that let him scale without burning out. If you're building or growing a mobile service business, this one’s a blueprint.
👇 TIMESTAMPS00:00 Intro01:33 Why Noah was built to win03:38 From real estate to coffee cart07:48 The wedding that sparked the business10:48 Events, revenue, and quitting the job14:59 Flying to Denver, finding a mentor19:32 How to actually get a mentor (and keep one)24:42 Say yes, then figure it out27:37 Booking his first event with just 3 Instagram posts30:50 Spiral staircases, milk floods, and learning on the job34:44 Hiring baristas and building a team40:29 Working on the business, not in it42:55 Scaling smart before scaling wide45:13 Treat it like a business—or it’ll pay like a hobby
👇 LINKS➡️ Join our Mobile Catering Accelerator: https://www.skool.com/mobile-catering-accelerator/about📸 Instagram: @FlashquotesHQ🐦 Twitter: @FlashquotesHQ🔔 Subscribe for weekly tactical drops on mobile event businesses📩 DM us on IG with your biggest early biz win or lesson learned

Transform Your Company Culture Without the Corporate Cringe

🚨 Transform Your Company Culture Without the Corporate Cringe
In this episode, we break down exactly how to build a company culture that scales with your business—without falling into the trap of cheesy slogans and forced Zoom happy hours. Learn how top founders build loyalty, performance, and trust through clear values, incentives, and radical candor.
Whether you're just getting started or scaling fast, this is your blueprint for creating a team that actually wants to stay and grow with you.
👇 TIMESTAMPS00:00 Intro01:34 How founder personality shapes early culture04:31 What culture really is (and isn’t)07:58 Culture gone wrong: the poster-on-the-wall effect11:44 Gratitude, incentives, and respect that sticks17:47 Charlie Munger and the real cost of bad incentives24:49 How to build team culture in a remote/event-based model30:22 Why post-event time is your hidden culture asset33:38 Retreats, pods, and real connection strategies40:12 Home dinners, care, and building authentic trust42:50 Radical candor: say the hard thing with heart44:45 Fire your C players or lose your A players47:11 Recap + cultural takeaways for your business
👇 LINKS➡️ Join our Mobile Catering Accelerator: https://www.skool.com/mobile-catering-accelerator/about📸 Instagram: @FlashquotesHQ🐦 Twitter: @FlashquotesHQ🔔 Subscribe for weekly tactical drops on mobile event businesses📩 DM us on IG with your best culture-building move or question

Launch a Coffee Cart Business in 30 Days

🚨 Start a Profitable Coffee Cart Business With Just $10K
In this episode, we walk you through exactly how to launch a mobile coffee catering business in 30 days or less—with just $10K. No fluff. Just proven tactics from a team that’s helped build carts across the country.
Whether you're looking to quit your job, build a side hustle, or create something that scales, this is the roadmap.
👇 TIMESTAMPS00:00 Intro01:31 Why 10K is enough02:40 Day 1: Buy your domain + build your site06:28 Aged domain hack for faster SEO08:00 What your 5-page site needs10:40 Why Squarespace beats Wix/WordPress12:17 Mobile-first mindset: critical for bookings13:15 What to order + when18:09 Cart mistakes to avoid21:05 Full budget breakdown24:06 What really matters for your setup26:02 First mock event = game changer30:05 How to get your first leads33:56 Low-cost ways to get reps early35:26 Google Business Profile tips40:06 When you’ll get your first lead43:48 Why SEO = lead flow45:09 Treat your leads like gold47:30 Recap + action plan50:00 Book a call with Justin
👇 LINKS➡️ Join our Mobile Catering Accelerator: https://www.skool.com/mobile-catering-accelerator/about📸 Instagram: @FlashquotesHQ🐦 Twitter: @FlashquotesHQ
🔔 Subscribe for weekly tactical drops on mobile event businesses📩 DM us on IG if you’re launching your first cart
 

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
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⏱️ 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
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🔑 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
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🎧 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
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⏱️ 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
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🔑 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)

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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
 
 
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🔑 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
 
 
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Want help implementing this?
Book a call with Kent and the LocalEyes team: https://www.localeyesgrowth.com/flashquotes