We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Findler Charles. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Findler below.

Hi Findler, thanks for joining us today. Growth is exciting, but from what we’ve seen across thousands of conversations with entrepreneurs it’s also dangerous if costs aren’t watched closely – sometimes costs can grow out of control outpacing revenue growth and putting the viability of the entire business at risk. How have you managed to keep costs under control?

One of the biggest challenges I faced was budgeting as my business grew to a new level. Keeping the cost down and the quality of the food, the same. As we face a increase in the cost of goods and fuel. We manage to control our budget by decreasing our radius and locations to minimize the usage of fuel. Sourcing ingredients from local businesses and suppliers to insure that we’re getting the best prices on the market without risking the integrity of our food. Building a schedule to help with daily operations and adjusting the amount of days that we’re opening to the public, allows me to control the amount of fuel, propane, cost of goods and time working.

Findler, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Based in South Florida I wanted to bring a new twist to a cuisine that have under looked for awhile. At the age of 16 I was introduce to the food and beverage industry. My passion for cooking grew and grew as the years passed. From cooking in nursing homes to private chef catering, I noticed that a food truck is where I wanted to start my first step to my dreams. Starting the business own my own came with a big obstacles and a lot of risk. I wanted to create a brand where anyone can come in enjoy Haitian traditional flavor but in a different way. I created the ideal of having a Haitian infused street food truck that offers at taste of Haitian cuisine. After finding out the route I wanted to go the next step was to find someone to make my vision come true. I had reached out to a local food truck fabricator and decided to move forward with his company Food Truck Heaven. At the time I was working full-time at the dealership and part-time personal chef. Halfway thru the food truck build the owner of Food Truck Heaven stop working on my food truck after. He ended claiming bankruptcy and I almost lost everything in the process. Going for the second time to get my food truck build I found a highly recommend company. After the truck was completed the next step was to build the my brand. Offering new type of option to the food truck world Haitian street food. Introducing a new concept wasn’t easy but 4 years later my following grew to a new level.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

During the time of employment at the nursing home I went to school for automotive. I shifted my career because I wanted to try something new. After 4 years of complete school I finally got the chance to work for Chevrolet. But some how I found myself steering back to the food industry.

What’s been the best source of new clients for you?

I found that social media plays a major role in reaching new customers and clients. We’re on major platforms promote our services and products.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.finskitchenfoodtruck.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fins_kitchen_/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FinskitchenFT/
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/fin-s-kitchen-fort-lauderdale-2#reviews

Image Credits
Findler Charles