I've helped dozens of people launch vending routes. The ones who fail almost always make the same mistakes.

1. Buying machines before having locations. This is the #1 killer. You end up with $3K machines sitting in your garage. Always secure the location first, then buy the machine that fits.

2. Targeting the wrong locations. Not all foot traffic is equal. A gym with 200 daily visitors will outperform a gas station with 500. The key is dwell time — how long people stay.

3. Overpaying for machines. Brand new machines are rarely worth it when you're starting. Refurbished combo machines ($1,200-1,800) can do $300-600/month in the right spot.

4. Ignoring the pitch. Getting locations is a sales game. Most business owners get pitched by vending companies constantly. You need a script that actually works — and it's simpler than you think.

5. Not tracking numbers. If you don't know your cost-per-fill, revenue-per-machine, and margin-per-product, you're flying blind. A simple spreadsheet changes everything.

The vending business model is real — low overhead, semi-passive, scales nicely. But only if you avoid these traps.

I break down the full system inside Vend Academy.