Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashley Porter-collins

Hi Ashley, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.

As so many did, my wife and I really looked at our daily lives during the pandemic and asked the age old question, “are we truly doing what we want and do we want to change anything?” This led to many conversations about the fear of starting something new and how to do it! The facts we landed on were; we hated being powerless in how our respective careers ran and treated customers/employees/faculty/students, we hated how underpaid we were, and we hated how overworked and stressed we and our colleagues were. Ultimately that led to the decision to open our own business and do it how we believe it should be done. Nibbles n’ Noms food truck was then born.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?

Hahaha, smooth road with a new business? Is that a thing? In short, no. Not even close to smooth BUT meaningful and rewarding. Almost anything you can think of going wrong with a mobile restaurant has happened. Our generator had a manufacturing defect, we hit a bridge with our exhaust fan (let’s not talk about that one!), our fryer/stove burners needed maintenance calls, our faucet piping split from an overnight freeze, the potable water tank fell off the bottom of the truck while driving from a bracket snapping, and then all the things that have gone on the truck itself (alternator, short draining batteries, new leaf springs needed, leak in the radiator, etc) are just a FEW bumps off the top of my head. What I can say is that we have created a community with our business and our community has stepped up to help us every time! We have learned SO MUCH from the bumps in the road, that I’m grateful for them at this point! As the days pass, we are hitting fewer bumps and I promise, you can get through it and it will get better!

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?

We are a multi-cultural fusion food truck! We pull inspiration from cultures and cuisines around the world and create unique and delicious flavor combinations! Our claim to fame is our Fried Guacamole and our fusion tacos (Lowcountry, Korean, and Polynesian). We are all about supporting community and everyday folx, so we can meet almost any dietary requirement (gluten free, dairy free, keto, vegetarian, vegan and more). Our mission is to bring people together through the power of food! You can definitely find us vending in local spots or we are available for private events and catering!

Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?

Don’t be shy. It will be your biggest downfall. Rejection is ok and so is criticism. Work with people who are honest with you above all. Finding a mentor can be done in so many ways! We had several starting up and into our first year. The first thing I did (for our industry) was go to every food truck I could and asked if they were willing to chat about the business. I got so many phone numbers with “absolutely, call me anytime,” but here’s the difference, I DID. So many people stop at that initial meeting. Follow up, ask if you can shadow for a day, what they would have wanted to know starting out, what their day to day looks like. If your industry isn’t like that, ask family and friends if they know anyone in the industry and go from there. They don’t? Hop on Facebook and join groups related to the industry. Find people near you and shoot them a message. See a common theme? Don’t. Be. Shy.

Pricing:

• Our golden rule: Don’t be greedy!
• Ask others in the industry what their “formula” is for pricing
• Try to make it affordable. Know your value but appreciate your customers.
• Loyalty cards work wonders
• Don’t be afraid to adjust your pricing if your costs have gone up! Most customers will understand if you need to go up a little, but remember the golden rule!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Www.nibblenomstruck.com
• Instagram: https://Www.instagram.com/nibblenomstruck
• Facebook: https://Www.facebook.com/nibblenomstruck
• Other: https://Www.TikTok.com/@nibblenomstruck