Vending Circle is a membership community for vending machine operators, built and run by people who currently operate active routes rather than consultants or course creators. It combines a weekly live Q&A, five structured courses, a resource library, and manufacturer-direct pricing through the community's distributor relationships.
Who built it
Manuel Mojica is a military veteran who built a $750,000-a-year vending operation in San Antonio, Texas — San Antonio Vending — after several earlier business attempts that didn't work out. When he was starting out, there wasn't an organized place where working operators shared what they'd actually learned; most of what existed online was generic, outdated, or written by people who'd never run a route. He built Vending Circle to be that place, and brought in four other active operators to run it alongside him: Jami Stufflebeam, Sean Coffey, Alondra Gaddis, and Scott Ziegler.
What membership actually includes
- Weekly live Masterclass — a live Q&A every Monday where mentors answer real member questions, with 52 sessions a year and recordings posted for anyone who can't attend live.
- Five structured courses — covering the fundamentals of starting a route (The Launchpad), finding and winning locations (Location 2.0), equipment setup and troubleshooting (Equipment Playbook), school contracts (School Location Basics), and a resource library (The Circle Vault) with contract templates and margin calculators.
- Manufacturer-direct pricing — access to distributor relationships with QinGo, HaHa, Nayax, Vistar, and others, at pricing that reflects the community's collective volume.
- A nationwide operator network — 70+ active operators sharing location wins, machine troubleshooting, and distributor contacts.
Standard vs. Premium
Standard membership is $79/month and includes all of the above. Premium is $199/month and adds a monthly one-on-one Growth and Operations Strategy session, school placement strategy support, and direct contract and proposal review. Both include a 7-day free trial, and most members start on Standard.
Who it's for — and who it isn't
It's built for people actually operating, or about to operate, a route — whether that's a complete beginner working through The Launchpad or someone scaling toward a district-wide school contract. It's not built around a "buy a machine and forget about it" passive-income pitch; the courses and Masterclass assume you're going to do the location outreach, servicing, and account management yourself, or build a small team to help.
FAQ
Do I need vending experience to join?
No. The Launchpad is built specifically for people starting from zero.
Can I buy machines without joining?
Yes — the Vending Circle store is open to non-members, though members access lower distributor pricing.
Is there a contract or minimum commitment?
No. Membership is month-to-month and can be cancelled anytime.
You can see all of this firsthand with the 7-day free trial, or read more about the mentors directly.
