Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Mauro Netzahuatl. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Mauro, thanks for joining us today. Can you talk to us about serving the underserved.
Yes, Faster Drivers Delivery is deeply committed to serving underserved communities, especially independent local restaurants and drivers, particularly veterans, who have been overlooked by larger delivery platforms.
For example, in my hometown of Vista, California, I saw firsthand how local restaurants were struggling to stay profitable while relying on third-party delivery platforms. One day, I had a conversation with Priya Swami, the owner of Turmeric Hut, an family-run Indian restaurant in Oceanside, CA., who shared how they are not even breaking even due to the 30% commission fees charged by popular apps like DoorDash and UberEats. These fees were eating into their already slim margins, making it hard to pay their staff and keep prices reasonable for customers.
At the same time, I met a veteran named John, who was driving for a major delivery platform but earning very little after factoring in expenses like gas and car maintenance. John had served his country but was now struggling to make ends meet. It wasn’t just him—many other drivers were stuck in a system that undervalued their work.
Why It Matters:
Local restaurants are the heartbeat of our communities, but they are being priced out of the delivery market. And drivers, the backbone of the delivery industry, are not being compensated fairly for their efforts. The challenges faced by both groups are often invisible but have profound impacts—restaurants close, and hardworking people like John are forced to take on additional jobs to survive.
How Faster Drivers Delivers Change:
Faster Drivers Delivery was created to address these inequities. We offer restaurants like Turmeric Hut a flat, affordable fee structure—no more sky-high commissions—so they can keep their profits and thrive. This helps them focus on what they do best: serving great food to the community.
For drivers like John, we provide better-paying jobs by ensuring they receive a larger share of delivery fees and prioritize hiring local veterans through partnerships with programs like Work For Warriors. This empowers them to earn a sustainable living while serving their community in a new way.
We also increase demand for restaurant’s products through our customer cost-sharing model which allows them to split the delivery between 10 people, encouraging them to order more and with a higher frequency given the fact they are able to pay as little as 50 cents. This gives them the opportunity to incentivize the driver to continue doing a good job because they have more money left in their pocket.
Conclusion:
By reimagining how delivery works, Faster Drivers Delivery is supporting those who have been underserved—small restaurants, local drivers, customers and veterans. Our mission is to build a more equitable delivery system that strengthens the entire community and economy, one delivery at a time.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
Hello! My name is Mauro, and I’m the founder of Faster Drivers Delivery—a platform created to solve the pain points of local restaurants, customers, and drivers in the delivery industry.
How I Got Started:
I spent years as a delivery driver for a major platform, but I saw firsthand how the system was broken. High fees for restaurants, low wages for drivers, and a lack of community support left both sides struggling. After I was suspended unjustly, it was the last straw. Instead of reapplying and returning to a system that wasn’t working, I decided to take a stand and build something better—something that truly benefits local restaurants, drivers, and customers alike.
What We Provide:
Faster Drivers Delivery is a flat-fee delivery service designed to eliminate the sky-high commission fees charged by traditional delivery apps. Our services empower restaurants to retain more of their profits while giving drivers, particularly veterans, the opportunity to earn fair wages. We partner with local restaurants and offer an affordable annual licensing fee—$365 for restaurants and $1,200 for drivers—to replace the high commissions that often take up to 30% of each order on other platforms.
Problems We Solve:
For Restaurants: We help them stay profitable by removing the hefty commission fees and offering zero-commission delivery. Our model allows local businesses to keep their hard-earned money while boosting sales.
For Drivers: We solve the problem of low driver wages by providing fair compensation through our flat-fee system, allowing drivers to take home more of the earnings. We also partner with programs like Work For Warriors to prioritize hiring veterans, giving them a new way to support themselves and their families.
For Customers: Our shared delivery fee model lowers the cost for customers, making food delivery more affordable. Up to 10 customers can split the same $5 delivery fee, drastically reducing costs ,making delivery more accessible to everyone, and have better tip drivers to incentivize them.
What Sets Us Apart:
What makes Faster Drivers Delivery different is our community-first approach. Unlike traditional platforms that treat restaurants, drivers, and customers as separate pieces of the puzzle, we believe in creating a symbiotic relationship where everyone benefits. We’ve designed a system that not only saves restaurants money but also pays drivers fairly and makes delivery more affordable for customers.
What I’m Most Proud Of:
I’m proud of the fact that we’ve built a company that puts people over profits. We’re not just another delivery service—we’re a movement to empower small businesses, create sustainable job opportunities for drivers, and strengthen local communities.
What You Should Know About Us:
If you’re a restaurant owner, driver, or customer, Faster Drivers Delivery is here to make a real difference. We’re on a mission to disrupt the traditional food delivery model and give local businesses a better option. By joining us, you’ll be part of a growing community that’s building a fairer and more affordable delivery system for all.
Our current focus is on the 300 Restaurant Challenge, where we’re aiming to partner with 300 local restaurants to help us complete our app upgrade and improve the user experience. We’re offering exclusive perks and discounts to restaurants that join us early.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
From Setback to Success: How One Delivery Driver Built a Platform for the People
As a small business owner, I know firsthand how tough it can be to keep going when the odds are stacked against you. My journey with Faster Drivers Delivery is a testament to resilience and the power of never giving up.
Years ago, I was just like many other gig workers—driving for a major food delivery platform, working long hours, and barely making enough to cover the costs of my car, gas, and bills. But I kept pushing, determined to make the best of the situation. Unfortunately, that situation took a turn for the worse when, one day, I was suspended from the app because of an order the previous driver failed to deliver. I was devastated—this was my livelihood, and I was cut off just like that.
At that moment, I had two choices: reapply and wait a year to maybe be reinstated, or take my experience and turn it into something new. I chose the latter. I didn’t want to return to a system that didn’t value its drivers or the restaurants it claimed to support. Instead, I set out to create something better—a delivery platform that would put people over profits.
The road wasn’t easy. I had to raise funds, build relationships with local restaurants, and gather support. There were countless late nights, unexpected roadblocks, and moments where it seemed like my vision might never come to life. But I kept going because I knew the community needed a solution that worked for them, not against them.
After many trials and setbacks, I’m proud to say that Faster Drivers Delivery was born. The platform is designed to eliminate the problems I faced as a driver and that so many restaurants face with high commission fees. Flat-fee pricing, better-paying jobs for drivers (especially veterans), and affordable delivery for customers—these are the pillars of what I’ve built.
But the journey isn’t over yet. Our app is still being fine-tuned, and I’m working hard to get more restaurants to join the cause. We’ve launched the 300 Restaurant Challenge to complete our app upgrades and improve the experience for everyone. I know there are more challenges ahead, but I’ve learned that resilience isn’t about avoiding obstacles—it’s about facing them head-on and refusing to quit.
For every small business owner or creative out there, I want you to know that setbacks are part of the process. Your strength comes from how you rise after each fall. And if you keep pushing forward, even when the path seems uncertain, you’ll find success on the other side.
How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?
The Power of Community: How I Raised $260K to Launch Faster Drivers Delivery
Starting a business is never easy, but doing it without significant financial backing can seem almost impossible. When I set out to build Faster Drivers Delivery, I knew I wanted to create a platform that could revolutionize food delivery—making it more affordable for local restaurants, better-paying for drivers, and more accessible for customers. But I also knew that turning that vision into reality would take money—a lot of money.
I didn’t have access to big investors or venture capital, so I started with what I did have: my network of friends and family. I reached out to the people who believed in me, who understood why this mission mattered, and who saw how it could change the game for local communities.
At first, it felt daunting. How could I ask the people closest to me for such a big financial commitment? But I knew that I couldn’t do this alone, and I believed that Faster Drivers could make a real difference. So, I started having conversations—over coffee, on the phone, during family gatherings—sharing the vision and showing them the potential impact. I wasn’t just asking for money; I was asking them to join me in building something that could help small businesses thrive and create opportunities for drivers like me, who had been underpaid and undervalued for too long.
There were moments of doubt, but slowly, something amazing happened. My friends and family started stepping up—not just with words of encouragement, but with financial backing. One by one, the contributions came in. Some offered small amounts, while others made larger investments. Every single dollar mattered, and each contribution felt like another vote of confidence in the vision.
What truly touched me was how many of them were willing to take the leap with me, even when the future was uncertain. I’ll never forget when my cousin, who had just started her own business, gave more than she could afford because she believed so deeply in what I was building. My childhood friend, who knew me before all this, chipped in his savings because he wanted to support a venture that gave back to the community. And my parents, who had always supported me through every challenge, provided a financial cushion that gave me the confidence to keep going when things got tough.
Before I knew it, I had raised $260,000—enough to start building Faster Drivers Delivery. It wasn’t easy, and it took time and effort to pull it together, but with the support of those around me, I was able to turn my vision into something real.
Raising that kind of money taught me a lot about the power of community and how much stronger we are when we work together. My friends and family didn’t just help me launch a business; they became part of the foundation that Faster Drivers Delivery was built on.
Now, as we continue to grow, I’m proud to say that Faster Drivers is a product of community-driven support. We’re on a mission to help local restaurants keep more of their hard-earned money, provide better wages for drivers, and offer more affordable delivery services to customers. And none of it would have been possible without the faith and backing of the people who believed in me from the start.
If there’s one lesson I’ve learned, it’s that you don’t need big investors to make a difference—you just need a strong network of people who share your vision and believe in your mission.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.fasterdrivers.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fasterdrivers/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FasterDriversDeliveryServiceLLC
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fasterdrivers/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@FasterDrivers
