Zoey & Lydia Heyn: So You Want to Launch a Food Truck Business at 15?

In summer 2023, Zoey Heyn finished her freshman year of high school with a simple idea: sell fresh mini donuts in her Michigan beach town.The challenge? She was 15 and couldn’t drive.So she recruited her older sister Lydia, found a vintage Coca-Cola trailer, and set up a tiny roadside stand hoping to sell 50 donuts a week. Four weeks later, they had sold 15,000 donuts.Today Zo’s Mini Donuts operates five trucks across Southwest Michigan, employs 20+ seasonal staff (set to double their staff count in summer 2026), and has built a cult-like following for its hot-and-fresh donuts.In this episode, Zoe and Lydia share:• How their side hustle exploded into a real business • Why keeping their menu simple helped them scale • The marketing trick that made glaze their bestseller • Hiring friends and building a strong team culture • Their strategy for partnering with high school athletes - NCAA NILIt’s a story about entrepreneurship, community, and what happens when you “don’t talk about it — you be about it.”👍 If you enjoyed the episode, help us out by subscribing for more conversations with hospitality leaders.⭐ Brought to you by Back of HouseYour most trusted resource for restaurant tech. Stop guessing and start making data-driven decisions for your business.Learn more at: https://backofhouse.io/⭐ Proudly Sponsored by:RestauRentThe no-fee booking platform helping restaurants and venues book private events.Try it risk-free (3 months free): https://bit.ly/soyouwanttorestaurentScience on CallOffering 2/47/365 restaurant tech support.Sign up at scienceoncall.com/boh⭐ Connect with the PodcastFull Episodes: https://linktr.ee/soyouwanttorunarestaurantFollow Claudia: @claudia.saricFollow Spencer: @restaurantspenny⭐ Learn more about Zo's Mini Donutshttps://zos-mini-donuts.square.site/