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The Jitter Bus, New Haven’s First Café on Wheels
I sat down with Dan Barletta one of the founders of New Havens first mobile coffee shop to delve into a story of resilience, innovation, and the pursuit of one’s passion. Dan shares his journey from uncertainty and setbacks to finding purpose and success in the world of entrepreneurship.
Drawing from his personal experiences, Dan reveals his struggles with traditional education and the uncertainty it brought about his future. Despite feeling disillusioned by his college experience, he found success when him and his friends decided to pursue an idea for a coffee bus. Through this endeavor, he discovered that success is deeply rooted in personal happiness and witnessing the growth of his business, rather than conforming to societal norms about education and career paths.
Dan recounts the inception of his coffee bus business, highlighting the pivotal role of his partners and navigating the various challenges encountered during the initial stages. From the setbacks of equipment damage during the winter to the complexities of finding a suitable location for vending, Dan’s journey paints a vivid picture of the resilience and perseverance required in the entrepreneurial world.
We discuss his insights into the impact of the 2020 pandemic on food truck vendors in New Haven, an unexpected hurdle that affected Dan’s business. As food trucks were banned from vending, Dan navigated the unpredictable landscape by adapting his business model and opting to pivot to selling bags of coffee beans. Providing contactless delivery, he displayed remarkable adaptability and determination in ensuring the survival of his venture during a challenging period.
The conversation concludes with Dan contemplating the future of his business, expressing a keen interest in expanding into a coffee shop with a physical location and identifying promising locations for this new venture. His aspirations and determination to grow his business reflect the tenacity and passion that have fueled his entrepreneurial journey.
Overall, Dan’s narrative is an inspiring testament to the relentless pursuit of one’s passion, the importance of adaptability in the face of adversity, and the transformative power of entrepreneurship. Listeners are left with a profound understanding of the resilience required to navigate challenges and the immeasurable value of finding purpose and fulfillment in one’s professional endeavors.
To listen to the full episode and discover more stories of purpose and fulfillment, you can subscribe to “Working Towards Our Purpose” on your favorite podcast platform.
Topics in this episode:
- New Havens first mobile coffee shop
- From being fired at Starbucks to entrepreneurship
- Not feeling like college was the right fit
- Starting a business with your friends
- The challenges of the first year of business
- Vending at farmers markets
- An exploding an expresso machine
- Thinking outside the bus to survive the pandemic
- Plans for a new physical cafe
Bio: Dan Barletta
Dan Barletta is a West Haven, Connecticut native who attended Southern Connecticut State University from 2009 to 2019. Although he had reservations about going to college immediately after high school, societal pressure pushed him into pursuing higher education. Unfortunately, college turned out to be a disappointment for Dan, as he struggled with daily anxiety and a general disinterest in the traditional school setting. Despite the challenges, he persevered through nine years of on-and-off attendance, eventually graduating. It didn’t stop him from starting a business with his friends though. The Jitter Bus started as an idea and kickstarter. 7 years later the Jitter Bus is still going strong.
Connect with Dan:
- The Jitter Bus can be found on corner of Hillhouse Ave. and Grove St. in downtown New Haven M-F
- Follow The Jitter Bus on IG
- thejitterbus.com