Part-time to Full-time on a Food Truck in Only 12 Months

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If Gene Simmons had a school of marketing, Marty Richie would be the star professor. The owner of Motley Crews Heavy Metal Grill knows a thing or two about catching people’s attention. “The secret to success is to offend the greatest number of people,” Richie says with a grin, quoting Simmons. But it’s not just the loud graphics and heavy metal branding that pull customers in—it’s the food that keeps them coming back.

Not so long ago, Richie was suited up in corporate America, working the typical 9-to-5 grind. But after launching his food truck on weekends, things started to heat up. It wasn’t long before he traded in his tie for a t-shirt and apron full-time. “It was a leap, no doubt. But the momentum was there, and I realized I couldn’t do both. Something had to give,” Richie recalls.

At first, Motley Crews was just a weekend gig—a passion project parked outside local breweries or festivals like the zombie pub crawl. As business picked up, so did Richie’s realization that food truck life had the potential to be more than just a side hustle. “You don’t want to jump in headfirst,” Richie advises. “Start small, part-time. Feel it out.”

The secret to success is to offend the greatest number of people. – Marty Richie, quoting Gene Simmons, who was quoting someone else.

Motley Crews Custom License Plate.

This interview covers a lot of ground. Marty shares the first events he parked his truck at, including breweries and a zombie pub crawl. Over the course of the show we get into how he funded, designed, and launched his food truck and why he recommends getting into the mobile food business part-time at the beginning.

Funding the Dream

Launching a food truck isn’t cheap, and Richie got creative to fund Motley Crews. “We tapped into everything—401K savings, a tax return, family members helped out, and yeah, I even maxed out a credit card,” Richie admits. He also found that securing a traditional bank loan for a food truck was far harder than expected, even with a solid credit score. “Banks just don’t get it. They see it as risky,” Richie says. “If you want to get this thing rolling, you have to piece it together however you can.”

That DIY spirit carried through to the design and marketing of the truck. Richie’s love for KISS and heavy metal heavily influenced the truck’s look and branding, proving that inspiration can come from unexpected places. “KISS is the ultimate in marketing—everything they did was about standing out, making people stop and pay attention. That’s what I wanted for Motley Crews,” he says.

Motley Crews Heavy Metal Grill ready for service.

Advice for Aspiring Food Truck Owners

For anyone looking to follow in his footsteps, Richie has some sage advice: “Don’t quit your day job right away.” Building a food truck business takes time, and jumping in full-time before you have a solid foundation can be risky. “Do it part-time at first. Work weekends, hit local events. Get a feel for the market before you throw everything at it,” he suggests.

Richie also stresses the importance of reliability: “Never cancel a gig, even if a better opportunity comes along. Word gets around fast, and if you flake on one event, it could hurt your reputation for future ones.”

The rock-n-roll attitude, combined with smart business moves, is what’s allowed Motley Crews to grow from a weekend experiment to a full-time operation. And Richie’s final piece of advice for anyone dreaming of starting their own food truck? “Be loud, be bold, and most importantly, keep showing up.”

On tour at the food truck rally.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• How Marty funded his food truck through a combination of 401K savings, a tax return, family members, and a credit card.
• The difficulty of securing a bank loan for a food truck, even with great credit.
• The business and marketing principles you can learn from the rock band KISS.
• Why you should never cancel a gig, even when something better comes along.
• The pros and cons of working with event planners to book events.
• Why you shouldn’t quit your day job (right away) to start a food truck.

Mentions During the Show

Motley Crews Heavy Metal Grill – This is the official website of the Motley Crews Heavy Metal Grill food truck. Check out tour dates, the unique story behind the truck, and just like any legit touring band they’ve got t-shirts for sale!

Martie Richie in high school.

@MotleyCrews – Follow Motley Crews on X.

8 Michigan Food Trucks Win State Grants – This is the article I referenced during the podcast. There are opportunities for grants.

What’s on Tap for Next Week

Next week, we’ll be covering a topic that many mobile restaurant owners would rather not think about… insurance. Regardless of whether or not you enjoy it, you still need insurance to protect your business and legally operate. Next Friday, I’ll speak to an expert about specific ways to lower your rate and why you should never need to pay for a certificate of insurance.

I hope to see you again next Friday morning!

The post Part-time to Full-time on a Food Truck in Only 12 Months appeared first on Food Truck Empire.