Today we’d like to introduce you to Travis Roberts.
Hi Travis, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers.
Coastal Donuts began as the “Donut Trailer” – a humble enclosed trailer transformed into a donut shop on wheels. Our CUSTOMERS loved the hot mini donuts and quickly became regulars and friends. We loved getting to support and give back to the community and bring smiles to faces every time we opened the service window! That was in 2019 and our goal is still to provide an exceptional customer service experience with hot mini donuts made just for you, while finding ways to partner with and serve our local community. We’ve since outgrown our trailer and opened Coastal Donuts and Lighthouse Coffee food trucks and an indoor booth at the Daytona Beach Flea and Farmers Market where we serve hot mini donuts and locally roasted coffee and espresso drinks and more! Our commitment to excellence and our crowd-pleasing menu continue to set us apart and inspire us forward. We are a family owned business and love getting to include our two kids in as much as possible while still making quality family time on days off a priority!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Starting a business is a unique experience – full of highs and lows along the way. It’s scary and exciting in the beginning wondering, “Is this going to work? Are people going to love this idea as much as we do?” And all of a sudden, you’re flying by the seat of your pants trying to figure out how to keep up with demand! Owner, Travis Roberts, first built out our original trailer, then purchased an old USPS truck to renovate into a larger “shop.” Of course, you learn things the hard way, but the growth that comes from figuring things out is priceless. When we took our business from part-time to full-time, the truck got more upgrades to make it more conducive to running more efficiently and then we purchased an ISUZU NPR to built out a second food truck. Each time got a little easier, but also brought new challenges… “How can we fit this enormous fridge into the back of the truck?” “Where are we going to mount the generators this time?” “Where are we going to find struts strong enough to hold up this 10-foot window but flexible enough for our team to close?” When we started building out our booth at the Daytona Beach Flea and Farmers Market, the facility flooded twice during hurricane season, and we had to redo the floors each time… that was another unexpected expense. Flat tires, faulty equipment, crazy weather… sometimes you just plan for the best but stay ready for the worst. We owe a lot to friends and business owners who said “Hey, this worked for me… why don’t you try this?” We’ve had the joy of helping several folks get their business off the ground just by inviting them into our lives to check out the truck or ask questions about running a business. It’s so important to share knowledge since there is enough room for all of us to thrive!
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
We are Coastal Donuts! We are a food truck based out of Daytona Beach, FL. We are proudly veteran owned. Our core values are friendliness, integrity, and attention to detail. These values permeate every part of how we run our business. We want each customer to feel valued, welcomed, and given the best possible product and experience when they stop by one of our food trucks or our booth. We don’t take shortcuts when it comes to quality or honesty. We work hard, and we have a terrific staff that truly love their jobs. Our faith in Jesus and our family are the most important things to us. We know our success is only by the grace of God and His provision for us in every area from finances to contacts to staff. If you stop by our truck and shop with us, you are not only supporting our family, but also our employees, the local coffee roaster who supplies our espresso beans, the mechanic who keeps our trucks up and running, schools and sports teams we get to give back to, the artist who prints our shirts and hats, and more!
Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
We haven’t mentioned it yet, but a huge factor is consistency! People need to feel confident that what they experienced last time is what they will experience the next time. We get to serve people some of their favorite treats – coffee, donuts, acai bowls… it all needs to be excellent every time! And when you put KINDNESS and CONSISTENCY together, they are like the magic combo!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/coastaldonuts
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/coastaldonuts
