Podcast: Dean Prather of Quality Vending & Coffee talks about the journey and strategies that work (Part 1)
Meet Dean Prather, and take a company tour of Quality Vending & Coffee — an operator that has served the greater Kansas City metro area for decades — in the latest episode of Automatic Merchandiser’s Vending & OCS Nation podcast with Bob Tullio.
Dean shares the company journey and his route to becoming a prominent figure in the convenience services business. As it turns out, he has emerged as an inventor, and his product is having a positive impact on operators around the country.
Like many great companies, Quality Vending & Coffee was started in a garage. In 1991, Don Miceli and his late wife Jo Beth launched the company, a bold move following Don’s 30 years in the business working for Interstate United and another local independent operator. Don and Jo Beth decided it was time to do their own thing, and they brought in their son Carl as well.
Less than a year into their new venture and with a growing list of accounts, Don reached out to his son-in-law, Dean Prather, about joining their team. Over 30 years later, Prather — now a co-owner — knows he made the right choice.
This is part one of a two-episode conversation with Dean because once he gets going in an interview, he has some excellent insights to offer.
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Bob Tullio
Bob Tullio is a content specialist, speaker, sales trainer, consultant and contributing editor of Automatic Merchandiser and VendingMarketWatch.com. He advises entrepreneurs on how to build a successful business from the ground up. He specializes in helping suppliers connect with operators in the convenience services industry — coffee service, vending, micro markets and pantry service specifically. He can be reached at 818-261-1758 and [email protected]. Tullio welcomes your feedback.
Subscribe to Automatic Merchandiser’s new podcast, Vending & OCS Nation, which Tullio hosts. Each episode is designed to make your business more profitable.
