So...what's our deal?
Hi, I'm Jason. I'm an entrepreneur and pizza fanatic. Little Pizza Heaven is my baby. Yes, we sell pizza. But my vision for Little Pizza Heaven goes well beyond selling pizza to my friends and neighbors in Montclair, NJ (I live here too!). I've got designs on Little Pizza Heaven becoming a national brand.
Joining me on this adventure is my old buddy and new business partner Moe. Moe is a pizza man's pizza man. He's been working in pizzeria's since we was 18, so it's safe to say the man know his way around a pie! Moe will handle the day-to-day operations of the trailer. Moe and I worked together on my previous attempt at mobile pizza (see below). After one too many breakdowns (the truck, not us!), we decided that "next time", we'd do a trailer instead of a truck. Guess what....it's next time!
We're attempting to shake up the traditional pizza business by challenging the existing business model that virtually every pizzeria uses. I'll explain...
1) Rent is Ridiculous
In 2009, I founded (and still operate) a consulting business that helps small business owners after their ventures fail.
Over the past 11 years, I've helped countless business owners, and a common cause of business failure is sky high rent. How many knick knacks and chochkees does one need to sell to cover $4,000 per month? Quite a few.
So how can one avoid such an excessive expense? A TRAILER!
For a small one-time investment, my pizzeria is unshackled from the monthly burden of "making rent". In late 2019, I put my money where my mouth is and ordered a custom pizza trailer.
Everyone knows that delivery apps (UberEats, Doordash, etc) have exploded over the past few years, and so have ghost kitchens. This venture is my attempt to seize on these trends.
2) I Plan To Earn Your Business By Delighting You
Too often, the food service business feels impersonal and transactional. I honestly can't tell if restaurants I order from care about my business.
With Little Pizza Heaven, I want there to be no doubt that I appreciate your business.
I want your experience with us to be extraordinary. That's why we offer some unique and tasty pizzas, include free toys for kids, and a little something sweet with every order.
I've got a million ideas about how we can earn your business, and make you fall in love with us. Will they all work? Probably not. But I'm committed to testing as many ideas I can think of to convert you into a Little Pizza Heaven fanatic.
Have a thought? I'd LOVE to hear what matters to you.
So...what else? Here are a few more things I thought would be interesting to share:
Little Pizza Heaven Ain't Our first Rodeo
6 years ago, I bought the truck you see above.
My consulting business was doing well, but I just wanted dabble with something completely different. After working in finance for 14 years, the idea of owning a business that created a tangible product was attractive.
I considered buying a pizzeria, but given that my wife works 25 hours a day, it wasn't feasible. Then, I came across a pizza truck that was for sale.
On a whim, I bought the truck. 3 years later, I sold it, taking some valuable lessons with me:
- Parties and fairs are great, but they can't be relied on for consistent revenue.
- Trucks have a fatal flaw. They break down! Especially when they are old.
- The ovens on that truck were able to crank out as many pizzas as a traditional pizzeria, with no rent.
These basic truths swirled around in my head for the past few years. I had considered doing local delivery before I sold the truck, but never got around to it. But the idea of a delivery-only pizzeria kept popping into my head.
The catalyst that set this venture in motion was the fear that someone else would create this concept, and I'd be left kicking myself.