I started with an established route with 18 machines on location and a couple spares for parts and such. Over two years later and I’m about at 30 machines. I’ve had my route up to 35 locations but I have a hard time getting above this level. Some is due to problems beyond my control and some is due to the economy, but I’m realizing that if I ever want to do anything other than tread water, I better get cracking.

When I started my vending business in November of 2007, I was a wide eyed dreamer, now, a couple years later and I’m a wide eyed realist. I still have big hopes for my vending business route, but I realize the path will be a bit longer and the traveling a bit slower than I would have hoped.

I’m having a few main problems that I need to address:

One, businesses are closing at a rapid rate; this is reducing my placement options and also increasing completion. I try not to worry too much about completion, but it is a factor. I’ve also lost a few machines due to businesses closing, losing me both a machine and a location, so this has had a psychological toll on my progress.

Two, my current zip code zones are saturated with vending machines, both mine and other peoples, so I need to expand my vending area. Not to make excuses, but this presents problems with servicing. I work another job so I service some of my route on my lunch break and a good chunk one Sunday every other month, so a larger service area is harder to manage.

Three, my locator was having a hard time locating and fell down on the job recently. I’m not sure if this is due to the economy, market saturation in my current area, or just bad telemarketing skills, but regardless, it’s left me hanging.

Four, I am lazy by nature.

As I see it, these are my main problems. So, currently I‘m worried I may lose my day job, so this is helping as a motivational tool. It’s amazing how motivational desperation can be. In a crazy bid for vending dominance, I bought 40 used vending machines off of Craig’s List. They are sitting all around my house waiting to get on location. Will I succeed or fail? I’m not sure, but I’m pretty sure that problem number 4 is going to be the hardest obstacle to overcome on my road to success.