Today we’d like to introduce you to Trip Fountain.
Hello Trip Fountain, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
I am a lifelong Memphian born and raised in Bluff City. I own and run Yippie Trippie & The Porkstars Foodtruck. We serve craft BBQ & a Creole-style menu with a smokey twist. When I told friends and family that I was going to open a BBQ food truck in Memphis (the BBQ capital of the world) people thought I was crazy.
I was told the market was over-saturated with BBQ restaurants and there was no way I could make a living selling BBQ in Memphis. Well, I did it anyway, and in September I will have been in business for 7 years. I’ve also been voted the top 5 best BBQ sandwiches in Memphis multiple years in a row!
I wasn’t always in the kitchen or on the grill, when I tell people what got me started it kinda blows their minds. It all started with Popcorn. Yes, you read that correctly. When I was younger, I used to make popcorn for all my friends. I would get into my parents’ or friends’ parents’ spice cabinets and start playing with flavors. My friends called me a gourmet popcorn chef.
This eventually turned into taking over the grill at Memphis Tiger tailgating. I found a love and passion for food and shared my love for food with others. I eventually got into the BBQ competition game and this became my favorite pastime. I had worked in bars and restaurants most of my young adult life but was always in the front of the house. One day I had a rather unpleasant boss who worked me to the core.
I woke up one morning and said “I’m tired of working for the man, I want to be the man.” I decided food truck and Catering were the answer for me. I was going to be a professional tailgater. I started designing my food truck to fit my needs. It was supposed to take 6-8 weeks to build but ended up taking 9 months. I finally started my business at the end of September 2015. It was going into the slow season for food trucks.
The first couple of months were hard. I would come home having not sold a thing. I had people in my ear telling me I needed to give up my dream and get a real job. I knew deep down in my heart if I was willing to work so hard for an unpleasant boss that I would work even harder for myself so I kept on trucking.
February came and I think I had 2 days off for the entire month. I had found my niche and began making a name for myself. It was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.
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?
I wish I could say it’s been a smooth ride, but I’ve definitely encountered many obstacles and bumps in the road. The week my food truck was finally delivered I was on my way home from the health department from getting my inspection.
I was less than a block from my house and an uninsured motorist ran a red light and smashed into the side of my food truck causing over $50k in damages. I had not even cooked in the truck yet. I’ve also learned that I am no longer just a chef, but an electrician, marketer, accountant, and many other hats I didn’t know came along with running your own business.
It has been one of the most challenging things I’ve ever done in life, but it has also been one of the most rewarding. I genuinely get excited every day to go somewhere new and share my love and passion for food with my community.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Food is my art. It allows me to showcase my creativity and think outside the box. I am able to take people’s pallets to places they’ve never been. My goal is for every bite to be an experience.
Who else deserves credit in your story?
My family, friends, and community have supported me through this journey and continue to support me. My fans and loyal customers keep my drive alive!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: Instagram.com/yippietrippieandtheporkstars/
- Facebook: Facebook.com/Yippietrippieandtheporkstars/
