Cousins Maine Lobster
How One Food Truck Became a Multimillion-Dollar Business
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- $11.99
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- $11.99
Publisher Description
"Required Reading," The New York Post
From the co-founders of the smash hit Cousins Maine Lobster food trucks comes a business book revealing to new entrepreneurs how the authors built their brand through integrity and authenticity.
In early 2012, Jim Tselikis visited L.A. and met up with his cousin Sabin Lomac. Over a few drinks they waxed nostalgic about their childhood in Maine, surrounded by family, often elbow deep in delicious lobster while gathered around the picnic table. From this strong memory was born the very first Cousins Maine Lobster food truck. Smart, authentic marketing, and sustainable, delicious ingredients helped turn that one food truck into an overnight sensation. Then, in just three years, they went from a single food truck to a nationally-franchised legion of trucks, an online delivery service, and a brick-and-mortar restaurant, grossing over $15 million dollars in sales a year.
Start-up fever has taken hold of America, and there are hundreds of books to teach readers how to become an entrepreneur; this is the first book to answer the question: What’s next? At each step, Jim and Sabin were faced with hard decisions—opening each new food truck carefully instead of rushing to meet the demand; turning down a six-figure franchise offer because it came from someone who didn’t support their vision; turning down Shark Tank (twice) until they could insist on participating only if Barbara Corcoran was one of the Sharks. Now Jim and Sabin teach readers how they, too, can reach the next level of success in their own businesses, without having to compromise themselves.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Tselikis and Lomac come across as thoroughly likable storytellers in this account of how they transformed from business neophytes, with a half-baked idea to relive their Maine childhoods, into the founders of a recognizable food-truck brand. The cousins, who pitched their food-truck business on Shark Tank, provide entertaining, hard-earned lessons for would-be entrepreneurs and fans of their lobster rolls alike. They write with zeal about their brand and their devotion to Barbara Corcoran, the "shark" who became their mentor. But the book successfully avoids being an extended commercial for their company or a retelling of their appearance on the popular TV show. Though they continually remind readers of their na vet when they started and strong work ethic, the lessons that flow from their experience how to decide when to franchise, the dos and don'ts of adding a bricks-and-mortar presence are valuable. Their passion for the "Maine way" permeates the book, revealing the deep connection they have with their beloved state, as well as insight into the insular culture of its lobster industry. The authors' story is more personal and idiosyncratic than those related in many other traditional CEO bios and titles about start-ups. Kirsten Neuhaus, Foundry Literary + Media.
