Incfile’s December Business Of The Month is Smokin’ D’s BBQ Fusion, a food truck incorporating Traditional Slow Smoked Texas BBQ, Tex-Mex, Asian, and Creole ingredients around Alvin, Texas. In today's post, the food truck’s mastermind, Dustin Jimenez, shares his recipe for small business success, especially when it comes to food trucks.
Jimenez knew he wanted to be a chef since he was about 12 years old. He’s a third-generation pitmaster, so a love of food runs deep in his family, and it was no surprise that he mixed his passion for BBQ with his spirit for entrepreneurship. After being featured on The Cooking Channel, things truly took off and provided Jimenez with the opportunity to pursue this dream full-time.
To create the successful food truck, Jimenez took his BBQ roots and brought a whole new flavor and flare to the scene, fusing Tex-Mex, Asian, and Creole influences into the dishes they serve up. The unique fare from Smokin’ D’s BBQ Fusion sets it apart from the masses of other food trucks out there — which is helpful since food truck competition is hot right now in a rapidly growing industry.
Luckily, Jimenez knows a thing or two about growing a business. In the short time that Smokin’ D’s has been operating, they have outgrown a couple of smokers and needed to up-size their equipment. More staff members were also needed to help serve up the delicious food and manage some of the day-to-day operations.
While growing his food truck business was the easy part (thanks to the delicious eats), handling the legal aspects of his business was not.
“Learning about taxes, licensing and permits among other things was a big challenge,” Jimenez said. “It became easier to handle with help from Incfile and other friends that are small business owners. They’ve advised me on what routes to take and where to go for answers.”
As Jimenez has learned more about forming and scaling a small business, he hopes to provide guidance to other aspiring entrepreneurs who need it. Here are a couple pieces of advice that he gives to new business owners:
- Always stay true to why you started the business and stay innovating.
- Don’t ever stop networking — there is always someone who can get you a little further in your business
- Always expect the unexpected. There will be times you have a big event or contract and it falls through last minute. You always have to stay prepared.
Inspired by Dustin Jimenez' story and his company Smokin’ D’s BBQ Fusion? Learn more about how you can start your own business with Incfile today. Incfile can assist businesses with anything from business entity formation to filing business taxes with help from a tax professional. With Incfile, you can quickly and easily form your business for $0 + state fees, and receive a free year of our Registered Agent service.
Lisa Crocco
Lisa Crocco is a marketer for an international food manufacturer by day and a freelance writer/marketer for startups and small businesses by night. She's written for outlets like USA Today College, Career Contessa, CloudPeeps and Fairygodboss.
