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5 Ways Healthy Vending Can Make a Difference in Your Community

The healthy vending machine industry is one of the fastest growing sectors in food and service. It’s a lucrative business opportunity for many entrepreneurs and it’s also a venture that can give back to your community.

5 Ways Healthy Vending Machines Give Back to the Community

It’s not often that owning your own business can directly impact your community in a positive way. Luckily, that is just the case with owning your own healthy vending machine. Here are just a few examples of how they can make a difference in your community.

Healthy snacks are more accessible for everyone.

Vending machines are the picture of convenient snacking. When conventional vending machines filled with chocolate candies, salty snacks, and sugar-filled drinks are replaced with nutrient-dense snacks, fresh produce, and vitamin-packed drinks, it means more people can choose healthy snacks at that same level of convenience. When people are trying to make healthier choices, a barrier to their success is what food is readily available to them while on-the-go. Healthy vending machines can eliminate this issue, helping people reach their goals of living a healthier lifestyle.

Impact healthy choices in efforts to shift snacking norms.

As people see more healthy vending machines in their community, the entire concept of vending machines can shift. This means that over time and frequency, people will actually associate healthy snacks with vending machines instead of candy packs or chips. This shift will help people make healthy choices on a regular basis, instead of only once in a while.

Allows off-shift workers or consumers to have healthy options regardless of time of day.

Healthy restaurants or cafes aren’t open 24/7. Many off-shift workers or commuters who travel around peak times are limited in the quality of their snacks. Vending machines are a crucial pit stop for these people to maintain or boost their energy. If conventional vending machines are replaced with healthy vending options, it allows these very important people in the community to get wholesome and healthy fuel for their days.

Creates the opportunity for healthier lifestyles for everyone.

When people aim to make healthier choices, the more options they have to fit something healthy into their day, the more successful they will become. Having access to a healthy snack instead of a candy bar, may also inspire that person to take a walk during lunch or to substitute their afternoon soda with a fruit smoothie or flavored water. These simple swaps can be a ripple effect, helping people make healthier choices throughout many areas of their life.

Over time, may decrease health care costs.

While this benefit is not immediate, it is significant. Over time, as people make healthier choices, including healthy snacking habits, their overall health will improve which will decrease their healthcare costs. This is not only fantastic for each person living a healthier life, but their money saved on healthcare will go to other areas of the economy, ultimately more beneficial for the entire community.

Get Involved and Be Healthy Change for Your Community

To help your community get healthier, contact Naturals2Go.

Why Having Your Own Business is Better than Signing on with a Franchise

If you are looking to get out on your own or be your own boss, you may be asking yourself whether or not you should buy a franchise. This is a common question for budding entrepreneurs.

Yes, owning a franchise will give you some job leadership and freedom that you are looking for as an entrepreneur. However, it’s definitely not the same as starting your own business. In fact, purchasing a franchise might be a very expensive mistake that can be hard to bounce back from if you’re just starting out as an entrepreneur.

3 Reasons Why You Should Avoid Buying a Franchise

Franchises are a tempting idea when you are looking to work for yourself. You envision working for an established brand that has a lot of the hard work, like research and licenses, all done for you. All you need to do is sell the product or service. But, in truth, it’s really not that easy.

Buying a franchise is expensive, plus you have regular fees.

One of the traits of an entrepreneur is his or her ability to be frugal while building a successful business. Buying a franchise comes at a huge cost and is often more expensive than the early entrepreneur has to invest immediately. In addition to a high price tag just to get started, a franchise has regular fees and royalties that you must pay back the company. This means that a portion of your profits go right back to the franchiser. When you are trying to build a profitable business and comfortable lifestyle, this can be a major letdown.

Creative minds aren’t welcome.

If you buy a franchise, you must do everything that they want. You cannot adjust the product line, the decor of the building or store, or any seasonal promotion. You might have amazing ideas, but that doesn’t matter. You must carry out the company’s vision instead of your own. In fact, you aren’t truly your own boss and this is a common misconception.

You can succeed within boundaries.

As an entrepreneur, you have ideas to change your own world and live out your dreams. If you buy and run a franchise, you are limited to how you can achieve this success. In addition, a franchise can only grow up to a certain point. Once you reach that level, you must look at purchasing another franchise, or just stay complacent.

Start Your Own Business Today

If you are interested in learning more about how you can become a small business owner, succeeding at your own rate, fulfilling your own dreams, contact Naturals2Go.

A Day in the Life of a Healthy Vending Operator

If you’re at all curious about becoming a healthy vending operator or owning your own business in this growing industry, it’s important to understand the many different factors involved so you don’t have too many surprises.

While many challenges or considerations of an entrepreneur will apply to your healthy vending business, there are some unique factors you need to know about day-to-day responsibilities as well.

What Your Day Will Be Like as a Healthy Vending Operator

Want a glimpse of what your day will look like as a healthy vending operator? Check it out.

Determine & Evaluate Locations & Products

As an entrepreneur and operator, you will need to determine the profitable locations for your healthy vending machines. In addition, you also need to decide which type of machine you want to operate for each location. Healthy vending machines can carry a variety of products as well, so you will consider location, clientele, and other factors when you decide how to stock your machines.

Once you’ve made your decisions on all of these factors, you will continually have to evaluate the success of each machine you operate and how to make them more successful. Is the location performing? Are the products you’re stocking appealing to your audience? These are questions that you will continually ask while you operate a healthy vending machine to make sure that you are as profitable as possible.

Maintain & Service Your Machines

One of the keys to a successful healthy vending machine is a working machine. As your business grows, you must be vigilant in making sure your machines are working properly, that your product stays fresh, and that customers are happy with the service you’re providing. While you might not be able to repair the machine yourself, you are responsible for keeping your vending machine running efficiently.

Consider Expansion Opportunities & Hiring Help

As you become more successful at owning and operating your healthy vending machines, you might want to consider adding another location. You may even get to the point where you need help managing your locations as best as possible. These are milestones that will require some strategic focus and planning, so do your research and take your time before jumping into anything too fast.

Get Your Healthy Vending Business Started Today

If you’re interested in learning more about a business or entrepreneurial opportunity in healthy vending, contact Naturals2Go.

5 Reasons Why You Need to Have a Vending Machine at Your Workplace

Are you an employer looking for means to increase the efficiency of your employees? Or perhaps looking for an appreciation gift for them? Well if perhaps you could use a vending machine for your workplace. Sounds silly, doesn’t it?

Ways A Vending Machine Can Help You Increase The Efficiency of Your Workplace:

No Staff Requirements

Having your own canteen in the office may sound like a tempting idea. However, that requires you to employ one or more people exclusively to tend to the canteen area. Having two more people on the payroll will significantly increase your operational costs, especially if you own a small business. Moreover, you also meet added inconvenience on days when they do not show up to work.

Easy To Maintain

A Vending Machine is easy to maintain and does not require your undivided attention. Once you install one at your workplace, you will only need to restock it every now and then. The process is fairly easy and convenient and does not require a lot of time.

Staff Satisfaction

One of the most overlooked benefits of installing a vending machine at your office premises is staff satisfaction. By installing a vending machine, you are letting your employees know that you care about them. When they see that you have their best interests in mind, they are able to identify with your business. Do not be surprised to see them putting in more efforts into the work. The ‘happy environment’ will encourage them to do more and thus increase your efficiency.

Keep Your Employees Inside The Premises

Let us get to the most obvious reason why you should consider installing a vending machine at your workspace. An average employee puts in approximately 8 hours at work. This amounts to 1/3 of their entire day. Naturally, they will feel the need to grab a bite every now and then. Leaving them no choice, they eventually have to go out of the office premises.

More often than not, they take some of their colleagues with them. Now try to calculate the amount of productivity that suffers when two or more of your employees go out for a bite. Significant isn’t it?

A vending machine will keep them in the premises and thus ensure that your overall productivity does not get affected.

Healthy Food Options

One of the reasons why employers do not like to invest in a vending machine is the lack of healthy food options there. However, there are a few companies out there trying to change that. Healthy food choices have made their way to vending machines now. This ensures that you offer your employees healthy and nutritional food instead of the conventional Soda and chocolate bars.

One such company is Naturals2Go. Contact us now!

How to Get Your Kids to Eat Healthier Snacks

Let’s face it, kids can be picky eaters. While their palate may be limited and their negotiating skills beyond their years, it’s still important that as an adult in their life, you try your best to help them develop healthy eating habits. These healthy eating habits are important when it comes to snacks as well.

The average child is hungry for a snack every three to four hours, so letting your little one eat chips or chocolate for their snacks will take them down a very unhealthy lifestyle early on.

How Can You Help Your Kid Eat Healthy Snacks?

To help your kids have a healthy lifestyle and snack habit, follow these tips. And remember, just like any lesson in parenting, these tips may take some time for your kids to adhere to; be consistent, patient, and kind along the way.

Get Your Kids Involved

From meal planning, to grocery shopping, and even cooking in the kitchen, invite and allow your kids to help. Kids want to be engaged in your life, so educate them on why you’re cooking with more veggies, or choosing to eat fibrous fruit over salty chips. The more they are involved and invested in your food choices and preparation, the more interested they will become in those healthy foods.

Give Them Choices

Don’t assume that just because you like snacking on carrots that your kids will, too. They love you and look up to you, but that’s not always enough when it comes to healthy snacking. Give them choices such as: carrots or cucumbers; cooked carrots or raw carrots; celery with ranch or celery and peanut butter. While too many choices is counterproductive, allowing them to choose between ‘A’ or ‘B’ gives them a sense of control while still trying something new or following your rules.

Set an Example

Why should your kids eat healthy snacks if you don’t? When it comes to enforcing a healthy lifestyle, “because I said so,” doesn’t cut it. If you eat your fruits and veggies, your kids will be more likely to do so. Provide your kids healthy snacks and healthy sides at every meal. The more your kids are exposed to staple fruits and veggies (or seasonal favorites) the more they will try these healthy foods.

Be Prepared or Know Your Options

When you’re a busy parent, you need to be prepared with snacks. It’s all too easy to grab sodium-packed snack bags or sugary food bars at a gas station. Avoid that trap and cut up veggies and fruits ahead of time so you can just grab your bags of healthy snacks as you head out the door. If you don’t bring your own healthy snacks, you can always do a search for healthy vending machines that hand out much better options than a bag of chocolate candies.

Find Healthy Vending Options Near You

To find healthy vending machines, perfect for helping your kids eat good-for-you snacks, contact Naturals2Go.

Top Traits of Successful Entrepreneurs

Do you want to become a successful entrepreneur? Whether you are just starting out, or need a boost in your small business efforts, this list of top traits for being a successful entrepreneur is helpful.

5 Top Traits of a Successful Entrepreneur

If you want to improve your success as a small business owner and entrepreneur, you need to consider how you can demonstrate these top traits.

Passionate & Motivated

You often hear that an entrepreneur must be passionate. That is very true. You will be living and breathing your business, so you must be passionate about it! But you also have to be motivated. Day in and day out, you will be focused on your business, how to improve it, how to expand it, etc. As an entrepreneur, you’ll have to be self-motivated to take honest looks at your business for areas to improve it and you probably won’t have anyone giving you projects and deadlines – you’ll have to set those and complete them on your own.

Risk-Taker

As an entrepreneur, you will have to be somewhat excited or driven by risk. Nothing is safe when you own your own business. The risk level is high, and that should be a motivating factor for a successful entrepreneur.

Agile & Adaptable

A successful small business owner welcomes change and also constructive criticism so that their business will stay successful and relevant. An entrepreneur welcomes suggestions in all areas of running their business, from software, to employees, to packaging. This helps them stay flexible to new opportunities that could mean their business is more successful.

Product or Industry Knowledge

It’s important that an entrepreneur is as knowledgeable as they can be about their product or industry. This will absolutely determine how successful they are and whether or not they will be able to adapt to marketplace changes.

Focused

Another top trait of a successful entrepreneur is the ability to stay focused. With so many responsibilities, information, and advice on their plate each day, they must be able to stay focused and work with purpose. While they have a lot of important projects to accomplish, they should delegate appropriately (if possible). Even though they may have the opportunities to take more risks, or listen to new suggestions about their business, they need to evaluate everything intelligently. And while there is always more information to learn and apply, they must do so with intention. A successful entrepreneur has to stay focused, regardless of how busy they may be.

Start a Successful Business

If you are ready to learn more about a successful small business opportunity, contact Naturals2Go.

What Healthy Snacks Should You Be Including in Your Vending Machine?

The vending machine business has changed drastically in the last ten years. With better technology and more particular clientele, vending machines branched out from the basics of chips and chocolate-covered candies. Growing in popularity are healthy vending machines and they’re popping up in more places than just the gym.

The Rise of Healthy Vending Machines

Office workers and moms alike are thankful for the option to purchase a healthy snack on the go and vending machines are beginning to fill that need for America’s public. Consumers are willing to pay more than 50 cents for a snack, and with debit or credit card functionality, coins or bills are not a limiting factor for purchasing these healthy treats.

Everyone knows that healthier food fuel means better productivity, happier people, and greater overall health of the general public. Sure, this sounds too good to be true, but when people are given the chance to eat healthy snacks, they often will seize that opportunity.

You Should Offer These Healthy Snacks in Your Vending Machine

So what healthy snacks should you include in your vending machine? Depending on your particular machine, location, and clientele, the answers may vary. But, here are a few great ideas to get you started.

Healthy Yet Familiar

Sometimes, when consumers hit up the vending machine, they want a traditional snack from a vending machine. So consider carrying a healthier alternative snack food treat like organic or vegan cookies and popped or baked chips.

Nutritious & Refreshing

There’s a wide variety of juices, waters, and even shakes that you can offer in your vending machine that are packed with vitamins, minerals, and nutrients that will satisfy your snackers while giving them valuable fuel for their day.

Snack Bars that Raise the Bar

There are a ton of snack bars on the market. Choose the ones that are packed with protein and can cater to a variety of dietary needs (like vegan or gluten-free). Since most healthy snack bar companies cater to these populations, it won’t be hard to find a bar that your consumers will enjoy!

Ready to Succeed with Your Healthy Vending Business?

If you are looking to add healthy vending to your business portfolio, contact Naturals2Go.

Setting Yourself Up for Success as a Small Business Owner

Any smart small business owner has created a strategic business plan that guides all of their focus and efforts. But as a busy entrepreneur, it’s also important that you organize some of your less exciting tasks and responsibilities so that you can be prepared. These plans will set you up to be successful as well. As 2018 approaches the halfway point, now is a good time to get organized and reassess your plans for the year.

Set Yourself Up for Success by Focusing on These 3 Things

Now is a great time to review your yearly plans and set yourself up for a successful second half of the year. Consider these three things when you gear up to finish strong.

  • Prepare for Taxes

As a small business owner, you have a lot to keep track of when it comes to your taxes. Regardless of whether you have a business accountant or file your own business taxes, don’t wait until the last minute to collect receipts and information. Schedule in time to get your files and information organized so that when it comes to do your business taxes, you know where to find all the information you need. Not only will this help you file on time (please, oh please, don’t be late), but by getting yourself organized and prepared, you have a better chance at getting the most out of your write-offs and deductions.

  • Evaluate Your Hiring Needs

Take an honest look at your business operations. Is there an area that would be more successful and help increase your profits if you were better staffed? Before answering a quick ‘yes’ or ‘no’ take the time to run some numbers and brainstorm. Remember, you can choose from many forms of employment: internships, part-time, full-time, or even temporary employees. If more hands-on-deck makes sense for the next stage of your business, then you’ll need to take the time to determine the responsibilities of this position and fair compensation in addition to writing and posting the job position. It’s better to get started on these tasks now than to be scrambling later when you’re in desperate need of more help.

  • Consider Technology to Streamline Your Efforts

In the early stages of owning a small business, many entrepreneurs have their business operations running on different platforms and software systems. As your business is growing, you should take the time to research different business applications that can streamline all your operations so that you are more organized and productive. Sure, it takes time to determine the best business software solutions, but it’s a change that will help you become more successful.

Grow Your Small Business Today

To learn about more ways to strategically grow your small business portfolio, contact Naturals2Go.

When is the Right Time to Become a Solopreneur?

Do you have a dream of starting your own company and being your own boss? While many people may have this dream, only a select number of people can make this dream a successful reality. To be a successful solopreneur, and creating your own business, you need to make sure you are organized have a plan before you quit your day job.

Do These 4 Things Before You Become a Solopreneur

While you continue to perform well at your day job, there’s a handful things of things you can do during your evenings and weekends to get yourself ready to become a solopreneur – and a successful one at that.

Do Your Research

It’s important that you do thorough research before you go ahead and start your company. You should know your industry inside and out. Learn about competitors, opportunities, regulations, licenses, etc. The last thing you want to encounter as a solopreneur is a roadblock that could have been avoided had you done your research.

Be an Entrepreneurial Student

As a working professional, you have a set of skills that allows you to perform your work well on a daily basis. As a hopeful solopreneur, you now must develop skills relevant to running your own business. It’s true that hopefully you can delegate some responsibilities like bookkeeping or accounting to an employee down the road, but as you get started, you may not be able to afford to hire anyone right away. As a solopreneur, you need to develop the skills required for running a business. Similar to the step above, as a solopreneur, you will always be learning something. It’s how you will become successful.

Claim Your Digital Space

Before you create your business name, and register it, first make sure that you choose a name that is available on the web. You can easily check out existing URLs or social media handles and this is an important step to setting up your business and attracting future customers.

Build a Brand

While still at your day job, take the time to build your brand. Design a logo, create marketing materials, build your website. Marketing and branding is always a work in progress, but it’s incredibly helpful to have SEO and brand recognition established before you officially launch your business and your life as a solopreneur.

Hard Work Pays Off

Before you start your new career as a solopreneur, you’ll be putting in a lot of work on the side, but that is a smart decision. Keep performing well at your day job; you never want a negative exit and it’s paying your bills. Then once you feel you’ve tackled the four steps above, you’ve created a solid foundation on which you can launch your business.

A Strategic Solopreneur Opportunity

If you are looking for your solopreneur business opportunity, contact Naturals2Go.