Thread by @anthonyvending

I'm 41 & make $120k/month in revenue…

But 2 years ago, I:

• Got laid off from my job
• Was drowning in bills
• Had 2 kids under 5

Here are the 9 steps I took to reinvent myself (so you can too):

Step 1: Choose time over money.

When I got laid off, I faced 2 paths:

1. Accept a $200k-250k corporate role, but be on the road constantly
2. Build something myself and stay present for my family

Most people grab the "secure" paycheck.

I picked freedom over security.

Step 2: Find your opportunity in chaos.

Labor Day weekend 2023, I discovered an account talking about vending.

That same weekend at the grocery store, my kids were handing me products from the cart.

It clicked…

Low barrier to entry, teachable moment for my kids, real business potential.

Step 3: Take action before you're ready.

I had about $15k available (some in a SEP IRA, some on a business credit card).

Joined the vending community at the end of September 2023.

Did my due diligence, got references, and then jumped in.

You'll never feel 100% ready. Move anyway.

Step 4: Expect mistakes and learn fast.

My first location was a disaster.

Bought a lead for a facility with "75 employees per shift."

Reality: 73 on first shift, 3 on second shift.

I tried forcing bad locations to work because I was desperate.

The lesson?

Foot traffic, foot traffic, foot traffic.

Step 5: Build systems, not just a job.

I got called out during a community call:

"How are you going to scale if you're doing $25/hour tasks?"

That hit hard.

So I hired help, bought a van ($525/month), and injected $20k to float operations.

If you're the bottleneck, you don't have a business.

Step 6: Focus on high-leverage activities.

Once I hired someone to stock machines…

I went from:

90% business development → 10% operations

Nobody else could close deals like me, but anyone could restock inventory.

That's when revenue exploded.

Step 7: Turn 1 win into 3.

My goal with every property manager meeting:

Close the location AND get 3 referrals before I leave.

"Do you know any other managers or business owners who might benefit from this?"

(That's what helped me scale so fast)

Step 8: Move at their speed, not yours.

When someone responds to my outreach, I don't reschedule around my convenience.

If they say 3 PM Tuesday…
→ I'm there at 3 PM Tuesday.

If they say 9:30 AM Friday…
→ I'm there at 9:30 AM Friday.

Speed wins deals.

Step 9: Stay relentless every single day.

In the first six months, I only had 3 locations.

Revenue was slow.

I was doing real estate deals on the side and questioning everything.

But I kept making calls. Kept showing up. Because consistency compounds.

The results 2 years later:

• Work 10 hours/week
• $120k revenue last month
• 80+ machines across 40+ locations

But the real win?

My kids get to learn about entrepreneurship by watching me build.

& that's worth more than any revenue number.

Reinventing myself was one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever done in life.

If you want to take the first step toward building real passive income…

DM me “Passive” and I’ll show you how.

19 months ago I left my real estate job to start a vending machine business...

Now it makes $1,000,000/year.

Interested in doing the same?

DM me "Ready" & let's chat