Meet Benjamin Quinutolo & Chris Giuditta

 

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Benjamin Quinutolo & Chris Giuditta a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Benjamin & Chris, so great to have you with us today. There are so many topics we want to ask you about, but perhaps the one we can start with is burnout. How have you overcome or avoided burnout?

“How did you overcome or avoid burnout?” means a lot to Chris and me. We often find ourselves in situations where we’re trying to do the most in the shortest amount of time. We’ve owned these food trucks for seven years now, and this question always comes up at the beginning of each season.

One of the biggest lessons we’ve learned about avoiding burnout, especially in a small business, is to evaluate what needs to be done and when. Setting boundaries around when you will and won’t be working, and communicating those boundaries with your team, is crucial. Recognizing when you have the energy for something and when you don’t is important.

A great example of this is when we face drastic changes at the start of a season. We always sit down, assess what needs to be done, and build a schedule that allows us to complete tasks in a timely manner without compromising efficiency or enjoyment in the work we’ve built for ourselves.

Don’t get me wrong—owning a small business is no easy feat, and there are times when it feels like the work isn’t worth it. But at the end of the day, seeing the results of your hard work and staying focused on the goal rather than getting overwhelmed by everything at once helps create a clear path forward. That’s why I believe the key to avoiding burnout is setting priorities, maintaining boundaries, and keeping the bigger picture in mind.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

Our food truck dream started in the spring of 2019 when Chris and I were just 18. We wanted to expand our Westfield, New Jersey storefront into a food truck down the shore—serving up fresh, feel-good eats right on the beach. We called it “beach body food” because it wasn’t just delicious, but also packed with nutrients.

As two high school seniors, we had no clue how to build a food truck. From sourcing ingredients to constructing the truck itself, it was a wild learning experience. I’ll never forget June 5th, 2019, when our custom hot-pink trailer arrived from China. Wrapped up like a bubblegum dream, we had no idea what this business would become. Fast forward to today, and that little pink trailer has grown into a thriving operation in Ortley Beach, where we serve up the same acai bowls we dreamed about seven years ago.

But we didn’t stop there. We expanded into catering, serving everything from birthday parties to the Atlanta Falcons and even backstage at PNC Bank Arts Center. What sets us apart? We never cut corners. While food trucks are often associated with fried, indulgent eats, we saw an opportunity to bring high-quality, nutrient-packed food to festivals, beaches, and beyond. Why grab a pizza slice or an ice cream cone when you could have a vibrant, refreshing acai bowl that looks great, tastes amazing, and makes you feel even better?

As for what’s next—big things! Our storefront is getting a full Hawaiian-inspired makeover, embracing the ohana spirit that started it all (our owner’s husband is from Hawaii, so it’s in our roots!). Our trucks will be back down the shore this summer, and we’re growing our catering business across New Jersey.

You can find us in Ortley Beach, right by the water and boardwalk, catering out of Watchung, and of course, at our flagship location in Westfield on Quimby Street—where it all began.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Small business owners need a lot of things to succeed, but if I had to narrow it down to three, it would be adaptability, organization, and passion.

First—adaptability. You have to be ready for anything because, trust me, everything will go wrong at some point. A flat tire in the middle of an event? A generator failing right as service starts? A sink blowing a fuse? You name it, it’s happened. While having backup plans is great, being able to adapt on the fly is even more important. The best way to do that? Know your business inside and out. Build relationships with repair contacts, keep backups of essential equipment, and develop problem-solving skills over time.

Next—organization. Even the most prepared business owner will face chaos, but staying organized minimizes the damage. Whether it’s keeping your books up to date, scheduling in advance, or ensuring employee contracts are in order, a tight system keeps things running smoothly. The more streamlined your operations, the more time you have to grow the business instead of just maintaining it.

Finally—passion. You have to love what you do. Sure, there will be tough days, but at the core, your business is your baby. For Chris, Trish, and me, it’s not just about making money—it’s about serving a product we truly believe in. Knowing that we’ve provided thousands of people with something that makes them feel good is incredibly fulfilling.

As for improving in these areas? It’s all trial and error. Play to your strengths and recognize where your business partner excels. If you’re weak in an area, lean on them or do the research to level up. If you’re serious about starting a business, dive deep into every aspect of it—because the more you know, the more prepared you’ll be for whatever comes your way.

Do you think it’s better to go all in on our strengths or to try to be more well-rounded by investing effort on improving areas you aren’t as strong in?

I love this question because the answer really depends on the business. For our truck, we play to our strengths. I focus on ingredient procurement, customer interactions, and recipe formulation—everything consumer-facing—while my business partner, Chris, handles finances, margins, and building our financial strategy since that’s his background. Mine is in food science, so our skill sets complement each other perfectly.

That said, if you’re starting a business and don’t have a strong team to balance your weaknesses, you need to be well-rounded. Being a great salesperson is valuable, but if you’re running the entire business, you have to understand more than just one aspect. Having a broad knowledge of operations, finance, and strategy is key—though how much you need to learn depends on your team and the goals you’re trying to achieve.

Contact Info:

Suggest a Story: BoldJourney is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems,
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
Leadership Development
Where does your self-discipline come from?

One of the most essential skills for unlocking our potential is self-discipline. We asked some

Productivity
Tactics & Strategies for Keeping Your Creativity Strong

With the rapid improvements in AI, it’s more important than ever to keep your creativity

Productivity
Working hard in 2025: Keeping Work Ethic Alive

While the media might often make it seem like hard work is dead and that