〰 ☀︎ 〰 Lack of Freedom & Flexibility 〰 ☀︎ 〰 limited income potential 〰 ☀︎ 〰 feeling stuck or unfulfilled 〰 ☀︎ 〰 not enough time for family or life 〰 ☀︎ 〰 no control over your future 〰 ☀︎ 〰 lack of purpose or passion 〰 ☀︎ 〰 Lack of Freedom & Flexibility 〰 ☀︎ 〰 limited income potential 〰 ☀︎ 〰 feeling stuck or unfulfilled 〰 ☀︎ 〰 not enough time for family or life 〰 ☀︎ 〰 no control over your future 〰 ☀︎ 〰 lack of purpose or passion 〰 ☀︎ 〰 Lack of Freedom & Flexibility 〰 ☀︎ 〰 limited income potential 〰 ☀︎ 〰 feeling stuck or unfulfilled 〰 ☀︎ 〰 not enough time for family or life 〰 ☀︎ 〰 no control over your future 〰 ☀︎ 〰 lack of purpose or passion 〰 ☀︎ 〰

Vending Success Formula Blog

Thinking About Starting a Vending Machine Business?

January 13, 2026•3 min read

Thinking About Starting a Vending Machine Business? Here’s 10 steps you should complete before you ever place your first machine.

Starting a vending business can be an exciting venture - but it’s important to make sure your foundation is solid.

1. Every city, county, and state has it’s own rules, so you’ll want to reach out to each level of local government to confirm what’s needed. Your city and county may also require business licensing or permits, so start with their official websites - then follow up with a phone call or in person visit if needed.

Once you’ve gathered the basics, here’s a general order of operations I recommend:

2. Decide how you’ll operate your business.

Will you run it as a sole proprietor, use a DBA (Doing Business As), or set up an LLC? Take a little time to explore the pros and cons of each structure.

3. Do a business name search.

Visit your Secretary of State’s website and make sure your business name is available. Once you find a name you love—and it’s not taken—register it officially.

4. Get your EIN from the IRS.

Apply for your free Employer Identification Number (EIN) online at www.irs.gov This number will be needed for taxes, banking, and official documents, typically takes less than 5 minutes, and you’ll get your EIN almost immediately after submission if you opt for an electronic letter.

5. Create your LLC Operating Agreement (If you choose an LLC business entity).

If you’re forming an LLC, you can use a site like Rocket Lawyer for a free 7-day trial to generate a single-member (just you) or multi-member (have a business partner or spouse) operating agreement. Pro Tip: Be sure to set a reminder in your calendar to cancel the trial within five days! This gives you a little cushion if you need to go back and make any changes.

6. Set up your sales tax account.

Once your state registration and EIN are approved, head to your state’s Department of Revenue website to apply for a sales tax certificate and get set up to remit those pesky taxes. This allows you to buy inventory tax-free for resale and set up vendor accounts with suppliers.

7. Open your business checking account.

Bring these documents:

- Your driver’s license and Social Security number

- EIN confirmation letter

- LLC Operating Agreement (From Rocket Lawyer)

- Articles of Organization & Certificate of Good Standing (From Sec of State)

8. Create your marketing materials.

Get your business cards, flyers, item/price list, welcome letter and/or digital presentation ready - it’s time to introduce yourself professionally.

9. Start knocking on doors!

Look for locations that fit your current capital, time, and experience levels. A business with a high employee count or a ton of foot traffic may not be your best bet just starting out. Building relationships is key, so you want to make sure to target locations you have the time to service when needed and can afford the amount of equipment you will need.

10. Get insurance.

Protect yourself and your machines with a business owner’s liability or umbrella insurance policy.

There are about a million other steps in between, but these are the big one’s. Other than research on equipment and inventory, did I miss anything pivotal? Feel free to comment.

Starting a vending business isn’t complicated, but it isn’t easy either. It just takes organization and consistency. The more prepared you are up front, the smoother things will run once you start landing locations. I offer one free coaching session to anyone who wants one. If you get tripped up on any of the above, feel free to drop me a DM and we can set up a call to work through it together.

Need help with #8-9? I've got you covered there too. Check out the deets of my locating workshop at the link below:

https://links.firststepshq.com/locating-20-workshop

#VendingBusiness #SideHustle #EntrepreneurLife #VendingSuccessProgram

Jami Stufflebeam

After 20+ years in corporate retail audit — working with major brands in grocery, mass merchandise, pharmaceuticals, and electronics — I found myself facing an unexpected pivot when my role was outsourced overseas. We opened up a successful Jersey Mike’s and then a vending company where we scaled from 10 to more than 80 machines in about two years. Now, I’m taking everything I’ve learned — from financial strategy and operational efficiency to team-building and bold decision-making — and putting it to work for solopreneurs, aspiring entrepreneurs, and small business owners who want to start or improve their own vending and other business operations. Whether you're launching something new, cutting costs to improve your bottom line, or simply trying to find the courage to take the first (or next) step, I’m here to help them turn hesitation into action. Let’s turn your “what if” into a “what’s next”.

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