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New Jersey EDUCATION SCHEDULE

DECEMBER 2-3, 2o25

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EMPOWER. EQUIP. CONNECT.

Marketing Strategies:  How to promote your business through social media, community and raising brand awareness

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Profit Maximizer:  Check out these classes for tips on saving money, expanding menus and efficiencies

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Mastering Permits & Compliance:  Industry experts will help you navigate through permitting, legal issues and health issues to ensure your truck’s compliance

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From the Exhibit Floor:  Learn directly from exhibitors about their products and services before you hit the exhibit floor.

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Talks, Trends & Tips: Hear from your peers about how they succeeded (and how they failed) and take these experiences for your own journey

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¿Habla español? ¡Tendremos traducción al español en tiempo real disponible para TODAS las sesiones educativas!

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Tuesday

1:15pm

How to Power On Your Own

Presented by

John Plocic

Get your hands on a generator that keeps you operating off the grid and maximizing your bottom line.

Hands-on Zone

Tuesday

9:00am

The Industry Breakthrough: Solving the Two Biggest Food Truck Problems- Forever

Presented by

Julie Cassens & Robert "George" Georgeff

Confronted by long lines? Frustrated by dead seasons? Learn how innovation and grit solved what most thought was impossible, turning food trucks into year-round, high volume machines built for efficiency, speed and comfort. Thes solutions blew past industry limits - erasing wait times and weather setbacks for good.

Talks Trends & Tips

Tuesday

9:55am

The Future of Food Truck Power - What Cities and Events are Doing Next

Presented by

Gage Jenkins

Regulations and event requirements are changing quickly. As a truck or trailer owner, you need to understand what's coming. This session will highlight evolving city and event standards, incentive programs and compliance opportunities.

Mastering Permits & Compliance

Tuesday

10:45am

Franchise Your Food Truck

Presented by

Andy Klie

A comprehensive guide to franchising your food truck, covering every step of the process. Learn about the legal requirements at both the federal and state levels, the essential operational documents needed to franchise, and effective strategies for identifying and selling franchises to targeted franchisees. Additionally, discover how to provide ongoing support and guidance to your franchisees as a successful franchisor.

Profit Maximizer

Tuesday

11:40am

Community is Your Secret Sauce: Turning Local Love into Loyal Customers

Presented by

Daniel Shemtob

Your biggest marketing asset isn’t a billboard — it’s your community. In this energetic and insightful session, Daniel Shemtob shares how food truck operators can harness the power of local connection to build brand loyalty, boost word-of-mouth, and drive real results. From cultivating superfans and making sure they are return customers to activating local partnerships and pop-ups, you’ll learn how to turn every city block into your billboard. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to deepen your roots, this talk delivers tangible tips and real-life tactics to help your community fuel your growth.

Marketing Strategies

Tuesday

1:00pm

Moving Around or Setting Up in One Permanent Spot

Presented by

Andres Maldanado

Join the discussion regarding location and what is the best option for you! Many people fins success in a permanent location, however sometimes the roadblocks can be too much of a hindrance and a mobile business needs to be mobile!

Camp Fire

Tuesday

3:00pm

What Equipment do I need?

Presented by

Julie Cassens & Robert "George" Georgeff

Learn how to select essential equipment for your menu and operation without overspending or under-powering your build

Camp Fire

Wednesday

9:00am

In Case of Emergency: How to Handle Adversity in the Food Truck Business

Presented by

Tim Tobitsch

Owning a food truck is not all roses and daffodils. Join a 20-year veteran talking about the problems you can control from difficult customers to employee issues to problems you can't control like traffic, bad days and the pandemic. Come talk about how to pivot and solve on the fly. Learn about creating a plan when starting out and when trying to sell your truck. This informative session will give you lots to think about.

Talks Trends & Tips

Wednesday

9:55am

Protect Your Investment Through Detection and Safety Protocols

Presented by

Mark Goldfeder, MS, NRP

Many food truck and/or restaurant owners don't understand how crucial prime cost tracking is to the health of your food truck. But more importantly, how you manage relationships with your food vendors from a cash flow and tax standpoint is the difference between growing your food truck or closing your doors. Am I getting enough float with my vendors? How do portion sizes affect my purchase orders with my vendors? Am I paying for my overhead costs correctly at the right time? Do I have the right tools to remit sales tax correctly? How do I collect cash correctly? Learn from the Enrolled Agent Concierge as to how your food truck can be a lean, mean and cash flow growing machine!

Mastering Permits & Compliance

Wednesday

10:45am

Protect Your Investment Through Detection and Safety Protocols - Part 2

Presented by

Mark Goldfeder, MS, NRP

Learn how to evaluate your truck for hazards, detect leaks and much more to ensure safety in your food truck operations.

Mastering Permits & Compliance

Wednesday

11:40am

Big Events - Are You Ready to Do It Right?

Presented by

Neel Surti

Well, you signed up for a BIG event, and you got in! Now what? This course will provide specific strategies and tips to prepare and handle a BIG event for the first timers and veterans. These large events take proper planning and execution to service a continuous line of customers. Gain insight from a food truck owner and learn valuable takeaways from this course to make you more efficient and profitable at your next big event.

Profit Maximizer

Wednesday

1:30pm

Custom Trailers Cost More- but Can Yield Three Times the Profit

Presented by

Julie Cassens & Robert "George" Georgeff

A look at how strategic customization and premium layouts improve speed, capacity and profitabilty long-term.

Camp Fire

Tuesday

9:00am

Branding Your Truck as a Catering Solution

Presented by

Eric Elenkiwich

So now tyou have a food truck how do you tap into the catering market? This class will teach you how to find catering jobs, how to provide the service your catering client is looking for and why catering is such an important revenue stream for your food truck business.  In depth plans on how to set up a catering job and what catering equipment might be needed to cater the event. Will also touch briefly on how to charge for a catered event (menu items, service and gratuity charges).

Marketing Strategies

Tuesday

9:00am

The Right Power Inverter for Your Food Truck

Presented by

John Plocic

Understanding power inverters and how they can help grow your business and attract customers.

From the Exhibit Floor

Tuesday

9:55am

The Food Truck Millionaire Strategy Workshop - Taking Food Truck Owners from the Concession Window to the CEO Seat

Presented by

Lisa Gutierrez

Running a food truck is more than cooking great food, it’s running a business on wheels. Many owners get stuck behind the concession window, working long hours without building the systems needed to grow. This workshop is designed to help food truck entrepreneurs step into the CEO role of their business. Participants will learn how to streamline operations, manage finances with confidence, build a strong brand, hire and lead a team, and create a roadmap for growth beyond the truck. Whether you want to scale to multiple units, open a brick-and-mortar, or simply work smarter (not harder), this workshop will give you the mindset, tools, and strategies to take your food truck from surviving to thriving.

Talks Trends & Tips

Tuesday

10:45am

The Intersection of Law, Policy and Food Truck Entrepreneurship

Presented by

Jordan Foley

This topic aligns closely with our mission at Let’s Chow. We’ve helped dozens of veterans launch food trucks by guiding them through the legal, regulatory, and compliance maze—from health codes and business licenses to local permitting and employment law. I’ll draw from our real-world experience, including our nonprofit’s collaboration with municipalities and veteran service organizations, to share actionable insights with attendees.

Mastering Permits & Compliance

Tuesday

11:40am

Ready for Events and Festivals? Here's the How-To

Presented by

Eric Elenkiwich

Is your food truck ready to do events and festivals? Get real tips on how to choose the right event, make sure you understand the agreement and terms, ensure you have the correct licenses, choose the correct menu items to make the most money and extend your brand.

Profit Maximizer

Tuesday

1:30pm

Food Truck vs Food Trailer

Presented by

Julie Cassens & Robert "George" Georgeff

Understand the operational, financial, and logistical differences between trucks and trailers- and how to determine which model best suits your business goals

Camp Fire

Tuesday

3:30pm

Menu Strategy: Profitable Foods that Keep Customers Coming Back

Presented by

Julie Cassens & Robert "George" Georgeff

Explore high-margin menu items, smart pricing strategies and crowd-pleasers that drive repeat business and meximize ROI

Camp Fire

Wednesday

9:00am

Maximiizing Profits - Every Penny Counts

Presented by

James Wilhelm

There are so many POS systems out there, how do you know which is the right one for your business? It's definitely not one size fits all. This overview of the POS landscape will help you make the right decisions for your truck and keep more money in your till and not the processor.

From the Exhibit Floor

Wednesday

9:55am

From Food Truck to Food Empire: the Legal Blueprint

Presented by

Camille Wilson

Your food truck isn’t just a business - it’s a brand waiting to explode. Learn how savvy mobile food entrepreneurs are using trademark and patent strategies to transform single trucks into "franchisable" concepts, product lines, and licensing goldmines. We’ll break down real case studies of food truck owners who turned legal protection into profit protection.

Talks Trends & Tips

Wednesday

10:45am

Road to Success: Expert Discussion With Justin Prestidge and Bill Moore

Presented by

Justin Prestidge & Bill Moore

Continue the conversation about the Road to Success in this roundtable, discussing the food truck journey from concept to creation to continued success.  This panel will engage food truck owners about the pitfalls, but mostly what makes ownership of food trucks so rewarding.

Talks Trends & Tips

Wednesday

11:40am

Protect Your Investment Through Detection and Safety Protocols

Presented by

Mark Goldfeder, MS, NRP

Learn from an NFPA expert about the fire prevention code nationwide. Learn how to evaluate your truck for hazards, detect leaks and much more to ensure safety in your food truck operations.

Mastering Permits & Compliance

Wednesday

2:00pm

Maintenance Means Money: The Cost of Non-Conformance

Presented by

Julie Cassens & Robert "George" Georgeff

Learn why preventative maintenance isn't optional- and how staying proactive saves thousands in downtime and repairs.

Camp Fire

Tuesday

9:00am

Bridging Military Leadership and Business Success

Presented by

Jordan Foley

This session reflects our core belief that military service prepares veterans exceptionally well for the food truck industry. I’ll highlight how discipline, logistics, and mission-first leadership translate into small business success, using examples from Let’s Chow’s national program and our veteran-run trucks. I’ll also offer practical tools and mindset shifts that help our veterans make the leap from the military to main street.

Profit Maximizer

Tuesday

9:55am

Maximizing Digital Presence for Your Food Truck Business

Presented by

Scott Kaplan

In today’s market, being found online is just as important as serving great food. This session will teach food truck owners how to build and strengthen their digital footprint to attract more customers and land more catering gigs. We’ll cover practical strategies for boosting your SEO, optimizing your Google Maps listing, and turning online reviews into powerful marketing tools. You’ll walk away with actionable steps, simple tools, and a repeatable game plan to increase visibility, win trust, and drive sales—without needing to be a tech expert.

Marketing Strategies

Tuesday

9:55am

Accept Credit Cards at 0%

Presented by

Carrie Alex

Do you know the difference between Cash Discount and Rate Based merchant services? Speak to a team from an experienced processing company who can help you find a plan that suits your business needs and save money.

From the Exhibit Floor

Tuesday

10:45am

Sucess Is Not a Guessing Game

Presented by

Justin Prestidge

Don't just survive - thrive! Learn how to properly assess how your business is performing and correct it on the fly. This class is designed to dramatically increase your chances of success by giving you the tools needed to constantly and consistently improve and grow. If you attend this class, you will leave with very real tools to self-evaluate your business, along with the ability to implement necessary changes moving forward.

Talks Trends & Tips

Tuesday

11:40am

Health Inspection: How to Get the Green Light

Presented by

Marc Tarazevits and Llla Gucwa Rehs

Even if you are not selling in New Jersey, get the skinny from a Registered Environmental Health Specialist on how to keep your truck sanitary and safe. Learn the importance of following regulations and how to avoid violations. Here’s your chance to ask questions to ensure your truck is up to standards.

Mastering Permits & Compliance

Tuesday

2:00pm

More Catering Bookings, Less Stress: How our AI-powered marketing system changed the game for our food truck

Presented by

Dallas Shipp

Tired of chasing leads, missing messages, or constantly being “on” just to keep the calendar full? In this fast-paced session, discover how a well structured AI system can turn your website and social media pages into a 24/7 booking machine that helps food trucks and caterers land $15–20K+ per month in catering gigs—without the stress of doing it all yourself.

Camp Fire

Wednesday

9:00am

Better Food Photos With Simple Lighting Techniques

Presented by

Peter Little

A practical workshop for food truck owners focused on clean, consistent lighting. Learn how to use affordable modifiers—diffusion, bounce, and other affordable light sources —to elevate texture, color, and shine. We’ll cover placement, shaping, and fast setups that work inside the truck or curbside. Leave with repeatable lighting setups and a lean gear checklist to improve menu images and social posts.

Marketing Strategies

Wednesday

9:55am

Raving Fans: Food Truck Style!

Presented by

Bill Moore

Most food truck owners think they're in the food business. Actually, you are in the guest experience business. Food is the product, but loyalty comes from how guests feel every time they interact with your truck. Find out how to go beyond "satisfied" customers and build Raving Fans. Learn why "satisfied" customers leave, the 3 pillars of service that keeps guests coming back and how to create simple, repeatable systems that turn one-time buyers into long-term food truck promoting Raving Fans.

Marketing Strategies

Wednesday

9:55am

Why Going Electric is Better for Your Business and Your Customers

Presented by

Gage Jenkins

Cleaner, quieter power leads to more opportunities for event access, happier customers and a stronger brand image. Lean into the national interest in sustainability while increasing your bottom line.

From the Exhibit Floor

Wednesday

10:45am

Local SEO Secrets: How to Rank Higher, Get Found Faster, and Book More Gigs

Presented by

Dallas Shipp

If people can’t find you online, you’re leaving money on the table. In this session discover proven strategies to help food truck owners dominate local search results and turn Google into their best lead source. You’ll discover simple, actionable steps to boost your visibility in the map pack, optimize your website for local keywords, and generate more inbound catering inquiries—without spending a fortune on ads

From the Exhibit Floor

Wednesday

11:40am

Think Big, Serve Bigger: the Leadership Mindset for Food Truck Growth

Presented by

Daniel Shemtob

It's easy to run your business from the counter. A successful food truck needs you to be a leader. Take a moment to look at your business from 50,000 feet. Examine the tactics needed to build strong reliable teams, streamline daily operations and improve efficiency, so your Food Truck can become Food Trucks.

Talks Trends & Tips

Wednesday

2:30pm

Keeping Cool without Air Conditioning

Presented by

Julie Cassens & Robert "George" Georgeff

Practical and cost-effective solutions to control heat, protect equipment and maintain comfort in any climate.

Camp Fire

Tuesday

9:00am

Fire Safety Essentials & New Vendor Tools for Cooking Vendors

Presented by

Louis B. Kilmer, CPM

This session will provide cooking vendors with practical guidance on fire safety requirements in the State of New Jersey. Topics include proper maintenance of fire protection equipment and compliance with the Uniform Fire Code, including tips to prevent common fire hazards. The session will also include a preview of the upcoming cooking vendor portal within the Division’s Fire Solutions system, currently in development, which will streamline the application and permitting process once available.

Mastering Permits & Compliance

Tuesday

9:55am

Go From One to Many: Multi-Truck Mastery

Presented by

Bill Moore

Ready to break the single-truck mold and build your own mobile empire? Join Bill Moore for a master-level session where you'll uncover the secrets of managing a multi-truck fleet, streamlining centralized operations, and forming strategic partnerships that drive expansion. Discover actionable strategies to penetrate new markets. Whether you're looking to scale up or simply refine your growth blueprint, this session will ignite your ambition and set you on the path to enviable success. Scale up, level up, and lead the way!

Profit Maximizer

Tuesday

10:45am

Building a Million Dollar Brand

Presented by

Jeremy Limerick

Feel like you've hit the ceiling in your revenue? Learn how to turn your food truck dream into a thriving, high-revenue brand. This course covers everything from concept development, branding, and menu design to location strategy, social media marketing, and scaling operations. Gain insider tips on standing out in a competitive market, creating a loyal customer base, and building systems for long-term success.

Marketing Strategies

Tuesday

10:45am

More Bookings, Less Stress: How our AI system changed the game for our food truck

Presented by

Dallas Shipp

Tired of chasing leads, missing messages, or constantly being “on” just to keep the calendar full? In this fast-paced session, discover how a well structured AI system can turn your website and social media pages into a 24/7 booking machine that helps food trucks and caterers land $15–20K+ per month in catering gigs—without the stress of doing it all yourself. You’ll learn how to: * Drive more traffic to your website * Capture more of your website/social media traffic and turn them into leads * Build a system that will qualify those leads instantly and schedule sales calls with you and your team (even while you sleep) * What tools and automations actually work for food truck operators * Stop letting hot leads go cold * Launch the exact system I used to scale my food truck from occasional gigs to booking $15-20k/month in catering contracts. Walk away with a clear roadmap—and an invitation to get the same tools working for your business by the end of the month.

From the Exhibit Floor

Tuesday

11:40am

Things Every Food Truck Owner Should Know

Presented by

Rashid Sarwary

Just about to purchase a Food Truck? Don't miss this session with an experienced food truck builder. Learn the most common errors that most beginners make, where you should spend money and where you shouldn't.

From the Exhibit Floor

Tuesday

2:30pm

The Future of Food Trucks - Pretty Wild and Interesting

Presented by

Daniel Shemtob

Let's discuss what the future might hold. Staying on top of where the industry is heading is key to going with it.

Camp Fire

Wednesday

9:00am

4 Wheels, 4 Walls......4ever Expanding!

Presented by

Pamela Lorden

From one truck to four revenue streams. Discover how to build a food business that lasts. One concept and a trailer grew into catering, a restaurant and franchising. Get the inside scoop and use these tips to grow your own business.

Profit Maximizer

Wednesday

9:55am

Prime Cost: The Number One Most Critical Financial Metric That Makes or Breaks Your Food Truck Business

Presented by

Elan Becker

Many food truck and/or restaurant owners don't understand how crucial prime cost tracking is to the health of your food truck. But more importantly, how you manage the relationships with your food vendors from a cash flow & tax standpoint is the difference between growing your food truck or closing your doors. Am I getting enough float with my vendors? How do portion sizes affect my purchase orders with my vendors? Am I paying for my overhead costs correctly at the right time? Do I have the right tools to remit sales tax correctly? How to collect cash correctly? Learn from the Enrolled Agent Concierge as to how your food truck can be a lean, mean & cash flow growing machine!

Profit Maximizer

Wednesday

10:45am

Corporations & LLCs: Secret Strategies for the Food Truck Industry

Presented by

Michael Wedaa

Time to level up your corporation or LLC. Legally shift up to $250K in personal expenses to your business. Explore secret tips for building hundreds of thousands in business credit while discovering advanced asset protection strategies used by the ultra-wealthy.

Profit Maximizer

Wednesday

11:40am

Maximizing Digital Presence for Your Food Truck Business

Presented by

Scott Kaplan

In today’s market, being found online is just as important as serving great food. This session will teach food truck owners how to build and strengthen their digital footprint to attract more customers and land more catering gigs. We’ll cover practical strategies for boosting your SEO, optimizing your Google Maps listing, and turning online reviews into powerful marketing tools. You’ll walk away with actionable steps, simple tools, and a repeatable game plan to increase visibility, win trust, and drive sales—without needing to be a tech expert.

Marketing Strategies

Wednesday

1:00pm

Layout Matters: Equipment Placement for Maximum Efficiency

Presented by

Julie Cassens & Robert "George" Georgeff

See how optimized design and kitchen flow can increase output, reduce prep time, and enhance your team's performance.

Camp Fire

Wednesday

3:00pm

Prime Cost Strategy

Presented by

Elan Becker

This includes controlling portion sizing, streamlined menu creation, menu pricing, "dish specialty", cash flow management etc.

Camp Fire

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