Today we’d like to introduce you to Rosemary Joiner.
Rosemary, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
While I was deployed in 2015, my best friend and I would regularly discuss ways for us to make money outside of the military. Obtaining our baccalaureate degrees were already in the works, as we were both part-time college students as well as active-duty sailors, but we knew that there was more that could be done once we were settled on land. Two years later, I completed my military contract and applied to a random school in Houston, TX, that I had never heard about a day in my life. I literally found them by google searching “Best Nursing Schools in Houston, Texas.” Prairie View A&M University popped up, and I immediately applied. Within one week, I was accepted. About 90 days later, I packed my entire one-bedroom apartment into a Uhaul, hitched my car to the back, and drove 20 hours from Hampton, VA to what would be my new home, Houston, TX. From Fall of 2017 to Spring of 2020, I was a Full-time student. Additionally, every summer I’d take 1-2 courses just to help me stay focused and keep the nursing content fresh on my mind. Because of this, I was ahead, so I decided to take the summer of 2020 off. That’s when Chews Rose Vending was born.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Far from smooth is what it was lol. In the beginning, my struggle was just getting started. I’m kind of shy, and I’m not from the city, so although people in Houston are incredibly sweet/helpful, I didn’t have the pull I needed to make this a simple “1-2-3” process. Fortunately enough, I have really awesome people in my circle. Once I told my friends that I wanted to start my vending machine business (and they realized that I was serious) they pushed me and supported me in every way that they could! It was a different type of grind for me though, and the pandemic did not make it any easier for me. One of the most annoying and overwhelming things was trying to figure out HOW was I going to market myself to my target audience. Houston is HUGE! Then one day, I walked into the greatest store on earth (H-E-B) and I saw something I hadn’t seen since I was in elementary school… a phonebook.
We’ve been impressed with Chews Rose Vending, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
My company is open to servicing businesses anywhere in Houston, TX. Our job is to supply other businesses and residential locations in the area with vending machines filled with quality snacks and beverages, COMPLETELY FREE OF CHARGE. As long as your business has a physical location, all you have to do is visit www.ChewsRoseVending.com and fill out our inquiry form. We provide the vending machine and all of its contents at no cost to you and your company, but you and your patrons reap all of the benefits by being able to munch and sip on high-quality/unique refreshments! My machines sell out and I refill them regularly because customer satisfaction is #1! I also take snack and drink requests from my clients. I am most proud of the fact that this brand and business is all me. Something that began with a seed planted over five years ago that has slowly blossomed into something awesome. I am also really proud of the fact that when many were without power, transportation, and nourishment due to the snowstorm this year, one of my machines was still active and available to all patrons of that apartment complex.
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
The only advice that I have is just start. Don’t overthink it. Don’t wait until you have every little detail planned out. Don’t stress about a name/logo. Just start. All of those little minuscule things will come to you when the time is right, you just have to take that first step and stop waking up every day with a new excuse as to why you’re gonna start tomorrow. Like my mother always says, “Ain’t nothin’ to it, but to do it!”
Contact Info:
- Email: chewsrosevending@gmail.com
- Website: www.chewsrosevending.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/ChewsRoseVending
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChewsRoseVending
Image Credits
PHOTOSAÉ
