Meet Jamie Hoolahan
Meet Jamie, the owner of a mobile burger and hot dog business that has been operating for the past three years in Maryborough, QLD. After spending a decade working as a Queensland Police Officer, Jamie decided to retire from the force and turn a long-standing love of cooking into a business. What started as a food trailer serving fresh burgers, hot dogs and chips has grown into a well-known mobile food business, popping up at service stations, private functions and community events across the region.
“Having the guidance from Many Rivers helped me better understand how to manage the business properly. It gave me more confidence in what I was doing and helped me feel more in control of the financial side of running the business.” – Jamie Hoolahan
Read more about Jamie’s business journey so far:
Jamie’s Business
After retiring from the Queensland Police Service, I was ready for a complete change. I’d always loved cooking, and the idea of working for myself really appealed to me. I decided to buy a food trailer and give it a go.
The business has now been operating for about three years. I run a burger and hot dog van where I serve a variety of burgers, hot dogs and chips. Everything I do is cooked fresh, and I focus on simple food that people really enjoy. Being mobile allows me to move around to different locations and events, which has helped me build a solid customer base.
Working with Many Rivers
I connected with Many Rivers around the time I was getting my business set up. The support I received was mainly focused on the financial side of the business and developing my business plan. I usually met with them about once a month.
Having that guidance helped me better understand how to manage the business properly. It gave me more confidence in what I was doing and helped me feel more in control of the financial side of running the business.
Biggest Challenge
Cash flow has definitely been the biggest challenge for me. Like a lot of small businesses, income can change depending on where I’m set up, what events are on, and the time of year. Managing that and making sure everything balances out can be difficult at times.
Biggest Success
My biggest success so far has been getting the business name out there and becoming more well known. I have a mobile vendor’s licence, which allows me to move around and attend different events, including birthday parties and private functions. I usually do around two to three events a month.
I also move the trailer between different service stations, which helps keep things consistent. My monthly sales are generally pretty good, and it’s been great to see the business becoming more popular over time.
Biggest Change
The biggest change for me has been the response I get from customers. The positive feedback and support from regular customers really makes me happy. Knowing that people enjoy the food and appreciate that everything is fresh makes all the hard work worth it.
Future Goals
My long-term goal is to upgrade to a proper food truck that can travel longer distances. At the moment, I’m operating from a trailer, which limits how far I can go.
I’d also like to keep expanding the menu by adding more variety, including new burgers, hot dogs and loaded chips. The focus is to keep improving, keep customers happy, and continue growing the business steadily into the future.
Thank you Jamie for sharing your business journey with us. We wish you the best of luck with future endeavours and business success.
If you would like to stay updated with Jamie’s small business, follow “Hooly’s Hotbox” through the following links:
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