Today we’d like to introduce you to Benjamin Leary.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I caught the business bug early. At 12 in New England, I heard my dad complaining about shoveling our back porch. That same day, I started knocking on doors asking neighbors if they needed theirs cleared. It wasn’t much, but I loved it – finding customers, doing the work, getting paid. And I was making good money for a 12-year-old.
During high school, my parents pushed the traditional path: college, career, stability. But after watching my uncle go through countless layoffs, I wasn’t convinced. I fell in with the wrong crowd. Made lots of bad decisions. Eventually, I was living in the backseat of my car through a New England winter at 19. Exactly seven years later after clearing those first porches.
Rock bottom has a way of clarifying things.
Even then, I knew I wanted to build something. I researched everything – ecommerce, real estate – but I was working at Dunkin Donuts and 2 warehousing jobs and barely making my rent each month. After more financial struggles, I moved back in with my parents in North Carolina, said goodbye to everyone I knew, and started over in their spare bedroom in Hendersonville, North Carolina. I felt like a failure.
But I did what I was “supposed” to do. I got my finance degree, moved to Dallas, landed corporate finance roles, and spent two years climbing that ladder. I hated every minute of it. Sitting in meetings, working on someone else’s vision, watching the office politics – it wasn’t me.
During those corporate years, I attended real estate meetups constantly, trying to figure out how to invest with no capital. Most were guru pitch-fests selling $5,000+ courses. After six months of dead ends, I was ready to give up.
I drove 45 minutes to one last meetup. It was outside of the city. Small bar. No signage. Barely anyone there. I was walking out when a man stopped me. His name was Rich.
We talked. I told him about all my research, reading, and preparation. He said he’d give me his advice, but only after I took action on something.
They say there’s moments in life that can drastically change your trajectory. That was one of those moments for me.
I started looking at ATMs. But regulations killed it. I called every bank and credit union in Dallas trying to open a business account – none wanted a cash business. Back to the drawing board. I found businesses with similar models and discovered vending machines.
I started cold calling every day. This was right between two corporate jobs, and I kept thinking, “this has to work.” No call backs. No responses to my thousands of emails to decision makers. I kept going. Two days before my next corporate role started, I got a callback from a retirement home looking for a new vending provider.
They closed on the spot after our meeting.
That was a year ago.
Since then, I’ve raised $110,000 in funding for the company and built Dallas Vending Solutions. We’re partnered with Cantaloupe, Inc. (NASDAQ: CTLP) and focus on amenity upgrades for luxury apartment buildings across DFW – smart stores, AI coolers, and micromarkets.
What makes us different? We pay locations 5% commission on sales, and residents vote on what products they want via QR codes. Property managers love it because it helps with lease-ups, renewals, and occupancy. Residents love it because they actually choose what’s stocked.
We’re scaling aggressively and looking to get into other property types. The goal is to dominate the Dallas market, then expand to Florida and Colorado. We pay up to $850 in referral fees for installed locations – if you know anyone who needs better food options at their property, send them my way.
We’re just getting started and looking forward to the journey ahead and the hungry people we will meet along the way.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Homelessness, raising funds, endless rejection, corporate jobs, battles with identity, battles with mindset, leaving behind a lucrative industry I hated for something less rewarding on the front end.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Dallas Vending Soluions?
Dallas Vending Solutions provides tech-enabled convenience amenities for commercial properties – primarily luxury apartment buildings offices and senior living communities across DFW. We specialize in smart stores, AI powered coolers and micromarkets that replace outdated vending machines with modern, open concept solutions.
What makes us different?
First, our advanced QR voting system. Residents and employees vote on what products they want stocked. Most vending companies guess what people want and hope for the best. We let customers choose, which means higher satisfaction and better sales. It sounds simple, but we’re one of the only providers doing this.
Second, we pay our locations. Every property gets at least 5% commission on gross sales – passive income for doing nothing. For apartment buildings, this typically means $400-1000+ monthly that goes straight to their bottom line. Property managers love it because it’s revenue they weren’t getting before and there’s no catches or requirements with spoilage limits or sales limits like other vending service providers have.
Third, we focus on the customer experience, not just placing amenities. For apartment communities, our amenities become leasing tools. Property managers show them off during tours. They show up in 5-star Google reviews. Residents mention them as reasons they renewed their lease. We’re not just providing snacks – we’re helping properties compete in a tight market. And Dallas definitely is one.
What I’m Most Proud Of:
Building a business that solves a real problem. Property managers are constantly looking for ways to increase NOI without raising rents, improve resident satisfaction, and compete with newer buildings. We do all three at zero cost to them.
I’m also proud that we’re local. We’re not some national corporation – we’re Dallas-based, we respond quickly, and we care about our locations because they’re right here in our community.
What Readers Should Know:
If you manage a property, run an office, or oversee a facility in DFW, you’re probably leaving money on the table with outdated amenities. The old vending machine with 30 items that gets restocked once a month isn’t what modern tenants expect.
We install everything at zero cost, handle all maintenance and restocking, and share revenue with you. Your people get better options and actually choose what’s stocked. You get monthly checks, and we help you do your job better.
And if you know someone who needs better food options at their property, we pay up to $850 for successful referrals. We’re growing fast and always looking for great locations to partner with.
We’re not just in the vending business – we’re in the business of making properties more competitive and residents happier. That’s what drives us.
Any big plans?
Short-term: Dominating DFW Luxury Apartments
Right now, we’re laser-focused on becoming the go-to amenity provider for Class A apartment buildings across Dallas-Fort Worth. We’re aiming on installing 15-20 new locations per quarter, and the goal is to have a presence in every major luxury apartment community in DFW by end of 2026.
Property managers talk. When one community installs a micromarket and residents love it, neighboring properties notice. We’re building that momentum.
Expanding Beyond Apartments
The big change coming is diversifying our property types. Apartments are our bread and butter, but we’re actively moving into:
-Office buildings – Corporate tenants want the same modern amenities their apartment buildings have. We’re talking to building owners about installing coffee bars in lobbies and smart coolers on every floor. Better employee experience, tenant retention tool, and revenue for the building.
-Senior living communities – Retirement homes and assisted living facilities need 24/7 convenience options that complement their dining programs. Residents want independence. Families want peace of mind. We provide both.
-Car dealerships – Service waiting areas with premium coffee and grab-and-go options. Better CSI scores, happier customers who don’t leave during service appointments. We’re piloting this now and the feedback has been incredible
-Warehouses and distribution centers – Third-shift workers need food access when everything else is closed. 24/7 operations need 24/7 food solutions. The really big opportunity we’re exploring here is how to provide these workers with meal options, not just snacks and drinks.
Geographic Expansion: Florida and Colorado
By EOY 2026, we’re planning to launch in Florida – likely Tampa or Orlando first. High growth markets, similar demographics to Dallas, and strong demand for modern amenities. Colorado is next. Denver’s apartment market is massive, and mountain resort towns need better food solutions. We have existing partners there now and my brother lives out that way and I definitely wouldn’t mind tearing up the slopes more with him.
Technology
I’m really excited about where the technology is going. AI-powered inventory management that predicts what sells before we run out. New payment systems. Integration with property management software allows residents to get vouchers to our micromarkets for resigning leases early.
We’re also building out our voting platform – making it more robust, adding features where residents can suggest new products and see real-time inventory. The more control customers have, the better the experience.
Building the Team
Right now it’s mostly me grinding. But we’re getting ready to staff sales people by Q1 2026 to help with expansion. By end of year, the goal is a team of 5-7 people.
The Bigger Vision
Long-term, I want Dallas Vending Solutions to be the brand property managers think of when they hear “modern amenities.” Not just vending – the entire convenience experience.
I’m looking forward to proving that you can build a cash-flowing, scalable business by actually caring about customer experience and solving real problems. Most vending companies are stuck in the 1990s or push overpriced products they’re trying to get rid of. We’re building for what people expect in 2025 and beyond.
What I’m Most Excited About
Honestly? Showing other people it’s possible. I was living in my car seven years ago. Now I’m building a real company with real revenue and real growth. If someone reads this and thinks “maybe I can do that too,” that’s as rewarding as any deal we close.
We’re just getting started. The next 12 months are going to be wild.
Pricing:
- We don’t sell equipment
- We don’t sell service
- We just sell snacks, drinks, and other items residents need.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.dallasvendingsolutions.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dallasvendingsolutions/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61560966910585
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-leary-6a1184129/
