We were lucky to catch up with The Vend Bros MyKail and Miguel recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi The Vend Bros, thanks for joining us today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

2 Bros, 1 Mission: Advocating for Autism Awareness! Our mission became clear on Oct. 22, 2019 when MyKail (5.5 years old) was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. It was then, with 1 label, an entire family will change and in that change, I (mom) realized that there is little resources or guidance for other families as well.

The Vend Bros, 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?

Promoting Independence, Responsibility, Generational Wealth, Autism Awareness, and a Structured Routine. In October of 2019, co-owner of the Vend Bro’s was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Those with Autism (ASD) usually function better with a structured routine. The Vend Bro’s was created for so much more than profit! Having a structured routine in one’s day-to-day life can alleviate stress and anxiety. A child with ASD can be stressed by simple day-to-day task as they try to make sense of it all. What started as a venture for vending machines has transformed into a deeper community once MyKail was diagnosed. Our audience shifted as we started posting more real life facts, and less business content. With our growing following, we aim to open an inclusive play center within the inter city.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

When I thought of The Vend Bros, I thought long term easy profits, but at the same time of TVB’s birth, covid was brewing. We were faced with a pandemic, a change shortage, and a routine that was constantly being shifted…so we pivoted! We created subscription snack boxes! When that didn’t align with our mission anymore, we focused on having a support group for special need parents. All over the place, a little, but definitely more fitting to our family. (Mom)

Can you talk to us about how your funded your business?

The funds from our first machine were to come from my job at the time! The same week that we were looking into purchase our first vending machine, we learned about the reality of covid! Fast forward, we put on an Autism walk every April and the last one was fully funded by community sponsors! We sent out our pitches and the community saw the lane for the cause!

Contact Info:

• Website: [email protected]
• Instagram: @TheVendBroas
• Facebook: The Vend Bros