Today we’d like to introduce you to Marty Calderon.
Hi Marty, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My journey into the BBQ world began many many years ago when I was a fireman. A fellow firefighter and friend of mine by the name of Chris Knights bought a vertical offset smoker.
I pretty much spent that summer watching him come up with different rubs and sauces for the meat he smoked. I was intrigued and thought, “I want to do this”, but at the time I was living in a 2 bedroom apartment just outside Chicago, my space was limited all I had was a balcony. So I went on Craigslist and bought a little Brinkmann Smoke’N Grill smoker for $20, it wasn’t very big so I started with just smoking ribs and chicken. A couple of years later, I entered a local rib cook off and I came in 3rd place. I was like “This is fun!”
Fast forward to 2017, I moved to Florida, met my best friend, fell in love, and got married(she plays a key role in this). My wife gifted me an offset smoker for my birthday one year that I named “Jolene”. BBQ quickly become a backyard hobby. I even started an Instagram page called Marty’s Backyard BBQ where I started posting pictures of the stuff I’d smoke and grill.
My family and friends started making comments like “I’d pay for this” and “Why aren’t you selling this”. Living here in Florida the summers are year-round, so it was gathering after gathering of friends and family with BBQ at the center of it all. It was during these moments that I realized the joy and fulfillment I found in creating BBQ! I wanted to share it with people beyond my little circle.
So in 2020, after pitching the idea of having a BBQ food truck to my wife, who is my biggest supporter, and after many nights of prayer, she was on board. We knew we needed a name for our new business venture. I didn’t want to name it after us. I wanted a name that would recognize the person who gave me this ability to BBQ, and that person is God.
One day, as I was making BBQ and watching the smoke rise from the smoker, the word Pillar echoed in my mind. I began to reflect on the significance of a pillar of smoke in the Bible. In the Bible, a pillar of smoke often represented God’s presence among His people. At that moment, PILLARS BBQ was born-a testament to the divine inspiration that fuels my passion and guides me on this entrepreneurial path.
The next step, we needed a food truck. We knew nothing about the food truck business, let alone how to get one. We found Oscar Flores on Facebook I think. He’s the owner of A1 Food Truck Depot. He customizes food trucks here in Orlando. With his expertise and craftsmanship, he transformed our vision into a reality. So in September of 2021, after months of licensing and inspections, we were in business. Here we are in 2023, what started as a side gig has now become my full-time job.
Now, every time I make BBQ and watch the smoke rise from the smoker, it is a constant reminder of God’s presence in our lives. Just as He led the Israelites through the wilderness with a pillar of smoke, we believe He continues to guide us on this remarkable business journey.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has not been a smooth road, but then again what business is? Running a food truck business has been a rewarding journey for us, but it hasn’t been without its share of challenges. We’ve encountered several obstacles that have tested our decision to start this business.
Some of the obstacles/challenges we have faced are things like stiff competition. The food truck industry is highly competitive, we constantly face the challenge of standing out in a crowded market, especially being the new kid on the block. So many trucks are well established and have their clientele. For us to compete we needed to continue to emphasize the quality of our ingredients and the authenticity of our recipes, building a loyal customer base through word-of-mouth and engaging with our community through social media.
Locations for our truck are another hurdle. Finding the right location, and identifying high-traffic areas and events that align with our target audience is crucial. To overcome this challenge we need to constantly be networking with other food truck owners, join food truck forums, and collaborate with event organizers to secure prime spots for our business. Network, Network, Network.
Also, I think if you ask any small business owner work/life balance would be at the top of the list. Running a food truck business demands significant time and effort. Balancing our passion for BBQ with family commitments and personal well-being has become a challenge. We’re still new at this whole small business thing, so this is a work in progress. As we continue to find the right balance we lean on God for strength and focus. By putting Him first, things seem to balance out.
But, obstacles and challenges are good for you, they provided valuable lessons and opportunities to grow. It’s been a challenging couple of years, it’ll be 2 years in September of this year, but our business continues to grow and we’re grateful for that.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a Food Truck owner and operator. We specialize in Barbecue that stands out by using only real wood smoke. Our meat is cooked on site “low and slow” for 12-16 hours in our smoker using only 100% oak wood. Everything is made in-house, from our rubs and sauces to our sides. The essential ingredient in our barbecue is that distinct smoke flavor that only comes from live-fire smoke.
What I’m most proud of with our BBQ food truck business is not only the great flavors we deliver but also the opportunity to serve our customers. Serving others has been a lifelong passion for me, starting with my days as a Boy Scout and continuing through my career as a Fireman. It’s a fulfilling experience to extend the same serving passion to our customers through our food truck. Seeing their satisfaction and enjoyment while eating our food fills me with joy! The combination of creating great BBQ and the joy of serving others is what truly fuels my passion for our food truck business.
We’re passionate about what we do. But it goes beyond our passion for great BBQ, I think what truly sets us apart is our commitment and dedication to providing exceptional customer service. It’s putting our customer’s satisfaction first, rather than personal profit. We’re second to our customers.
We make it a priority to try and create a welcoming and memorable experience for each customer. We aim to have every person who visits our truck feel appreciated. So, I’d say it’s a combination of great BBQ and even better customer service that sets us apart and keeps our customers coming back for more.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up.
One of my favorite childhood memories was going to (Chicago) White Sox games with my Pops, there was nothing like it. The smell of hotdogs, the organ playing the “charge” song.
Chanting “Let’s Go White Sox” at the top of my lungs. Sitting in those stands hoping for a home run so I could see the scoreboard light up with fireworks. Those moments are unforgettable and to this day hold a special place in my heart.
Contact Info:
- Website: pillarsbbq.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pillarsbbq/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pillarsbbq/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marty-calderon-78620497/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/pillars-bbq-orlando
