I never planned to run a coffee cart on the streets of Midtown Manhattan. In fact, I spent most of my life hearing why I shouldn't.
My dad has been in the food truck business since before I was born, and his advice was always crystal clear: "Don't ever get into this business. This is the hardest and the worst business in the world. You'll destroy your life."
Turns out, sometimes life has other plans.
The Ultimatum That Changed Everything
During COVID, I hit rock bottom. I was jobless, directionless, and battling major depression. For about a year, I camped out at my parents' place with my wife and kid, essentially being a dirtbag—my words, not theirs.
Then my dad had had enough.
He came to me with an ultimatum: he'd found a pushcart for sale, and I had two choices—buy the cart or get out of the house.
So I bought the business for $35,000.
What a Day Actually Looks Like
My alarm goes off at 4 a.m. every morning at my place in Long Island. I rush to the garage in Long Island City, where I store my cart, then drive an hour into Manhattan to set up shop in Midtown. Around 11 a.m., I pack it all up and drive it back. Five days a week, without fail.
At first, this routine saved me. Within a year, I started feeling like myself again—grounded, purposeful, alive.
But now, four years in, I've come to a difficult realization: I don't want to do this anymore.
The Reality Behind the Cart
The work never stops, and the customers are unpredictable. When I raised my prices by just $0.25, I lost about half my customer base. That hurt, especially since I pride myself on good customer service—learning names, greeting regulars, being as present as possible.
But the financial pressure is relentless.
Here's what it actually costs to run this business:
- $350/month for garage storage
- $1,200–$2,000/month for baked goods
- $200/month for propane
- $50/week for cleaning supplies
- Plus insurance, gas, and maintenance
At the end of the day, I earn just enough to maintain. And that's not a way to live.
The Part That Hurts Most
The only reason I'm still here is my kids—a 7-year-old and a 2-year-old.
But here's the brutal truth: because of this job, I can only give my kids 20% of my energy while everyone else gets 80%. I desperately wish it could be the other way around.
Finding Meaning in the Struggle
I know I sound negative, but there's actually been so much positivity in this experience.
I had to go through this to grow into the man I am today. Through this process, I've learned who I am and what I want. I genuinely believe every person should go to war with themselves at some point—it's the only way to truly find yourself.
What Comes Next
My dream is simple: I want to own a coffee shop.
When I finally move on from this pushcart, my plan is to work at a specialty coffee shop first—learn how the flow works, understand the rhythm, absorb everything I can. Eventually, I'll open my own place.
Right now, though, the economy's rough. Nobody has the money to buy a street business, so I'm stuck here a while longer.
In the meantime, I'm honing my craft at home with my espresso machine, experimenting with different drinks. My current favorite? A perfectly pulled iced Americano.