Priscilla Peete

So nice to meet you! First off, what’s your name? Tell our readers a bit about yourself—where you’re from originally and where you live now.

My name is Priscilla Peete, and I’m a South Florida native, born and raised in Broward County, where I’m still based today. I’m the Founder and CEO of Peete Vending, a growing vending company serving businesses and organizations throughout South Florida.

Before stepping into entrepreneurship, much of my professional background was rooted in customer service, aviation, recruiting, and operations. I spent several years traveling the world as an international flight attendant, an experience that taught me a great deal about people, adaptability, professionalism, and service. Those lessons have followed me into business ownership and continue to influence how I lead Peete Vending today.

At my core, I’m someone who values faith, family, service, and continued growth. I believe every chapter of my life has contributed something valuable to the entrepreneur I’m becoming, and right now, I’m focused on building a business that is not only successful, but known for serving people well.

Tell us one thing you love about where you live now.

One thing I love about living in South Florida is having the awesome privilege of living where so many people come to vacation! I love our beautiful weather, beaches, and all-around diversity. There’s always something to see, do, or experience, and it definitely keeps life lively!

Tell us a little more about what your company does and how it started. How does it help your customers?

Peete Vending is a South Florida-based vending company that provides convenient snack and beverage solutions to businesses, schools, and organizations throughout Broward, Miami-Dade, and Palm Beach counties. Our goal is simple: provide quality products, reliable service, and make the vending experience as convenient as possible for both our clients and their customers.

Peete Vending began in 2023 when the opportunity came for me to purchase an already operating vending business. At the time, I was looking for an opportunity to build something of my own, and when vending presented itself, I saw the potential in it. I stepped into an existing operation, renamed and rebranded the company as Peete Vending, and from there began learning the industry firsthand while developing my own vision for what I wanted the business to become. Since then, I’ve continued to grow the company, expand our reach, and build relationships throughout South Florida.

Today, we offer modern vending machines with cashless payment options and product selections tailored to the people actually using them. I’m big on listening to our customers because I don’t believe in simply putting a machine somewhere and filling it with whatever I think people want. We pay attention to preferences, product requests, and buying patterns so we can better serve each location.

At the end of the day, Peete Vending is in the convenience business, but we’re also in the people business. Whether it’s an employee who doesn’t have time to leave the workplace for a quick snack or a staff member who just needs a cold drink during a busy day, we’re able to provide that convenience right where they are. That’s why our motto is, “We seek not only to serve, but to satisfy.”

If someone wants to start a business, what advice would you give them?

For anyone wanting to start a business, my advice would be to JUST START WITH WHAT YOU HAVE! There will never be a perfect circumstance or perfect time to begin, so start where you are, execute with whatever you have in your hands at that moment, and trust that the resources, knowledge, and connections you need will come along the way.

There are so many people with amazing business ideas, but unfortunately, that’s all they ever remain—ideas—because they never execute. You don’t have to have everything figured out before you begin. You’ll learn, adjust, make mistakes, and grow as you go.

Don’t sit on your ideas. ACT ON THEM!

What is one piece of feedback from a happy customer or client that you won't forget?

HA! Believe it or not, one piece of feedback I’ll never forget is that I actually give refunds! I’ve had multiple customers tell me that with other vending machines, it can sometimes be difficult to reach the owner if a snack gets stuck or the machine has a slight mishap after their payment has already gone through.

I made it a priority to create a way for our customers to easily reach us and receive their refund when something like that happens. Several customers have told me how much they respect and appreciate that. It may seem like a small thing, but to me, that’s customer service. If someone paid for something they didn’t receive, I want to make it right. Those little moments of accountability help build trust, and that’s extremely important to me as a business owner.

Where do you see your company in the future?

I see Peete Vending growing into a well-established and trusted vending company throughout South Florida, with a much larger portfolio of locations and the infrastructure to support that growth. My vision is to eventually move from being primarily owner-operated to having a team, company vehicles, warehouse space, and systems in place that allow the business to operate efficiently on a much larger scale.

I also want Peete Vending to continue expanding into larger corporate, government, educational, and high-traffic locations while never losing the level of personal service that helped build the company in the first place.

Ultimately, I don’t just want to own vending machines—I want to build a sustainable company that creates jobs, serves our community well, and has the ability to continue growing long after me.

What is the biggest misconception about your industry?

The biggest misconception about the vending industry is that it’s easy “passive income.” There’s a lot that happens behind the scenes—restocking, inventory management, maintenance, customer service, securing good locations, and managing expenses. The machines may work while you’re not there, but building a successful vending business definitely requires you to WORK!

What has been one of your biggest struggles building your business, and how did you deal with it?

One of my biggest struggles has been learning how to grow the business while having limited access to capital. In vending, growth often requires money upfront for machines, inventory, technology, transportation, and other operating expenses, sometimes before you ever see the return.

I’ve dealt with that by learning to be patient and strategic. Instead of trying to grow faster than the business can handle, I’ve focused on building relationships, improving my financial knowledge, pursuing funding opportunities, and reinvesting into the company whenever possible. It has taught me that every opportunity doesn’t have to happen immediately. Sometimes the best thing you can do for your business is prepare properly so that when the right opportunity comes, you’re actually ready for it.

Any shoutouts you want to make?

Oh, absolutely! First, a huge shoutout to my family, including my grandparents, aunts, and uncles. I must say, I’m incredibly thankful that I was born into the family I was born into. I’ve been blessed with a true village in the form of them, and their love and support have helped shape me into who I am today.

To my friends—you know who you are—thank you for supporting me and treating my business ideas like they were treasures of your own. That kind of support means more than you know.

My siblings are the real MVPs because they have always accepted me exactly as I am, and let me tell you, that is NOT always an easy task! (LOL) Love y’all!

A special shoutout to my dad for having an entrepreneurial spirit and never being afraid to start a business, no matter what it was. Looking back, I realize that seeing that entrepreneurial spirit growing up planted seeds in me long before I ever knew I would become a business owner myself.

And last, but CERTAINLY not least, the biggest shoutout goes to my mother. She has consistently travailed in prayer for me and pushed me to grab ahold of my purpose. She has prayed me through some serious seasons in my life, and I can confidently say that if it weren’t for her, you wouldn’t be reading this interview right now.

My mother is a huge part of why I am where I am today, and I will never be ashamed to say that. I agape you, Mom. ❤️

Where can our readers learn more about you and your company?

Readers can learn more about Peete Vending by visiting our website and following us on social media! We’re active on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and now TikTok, where we share updates, behind-the-scenes moments, business milestones, and more from our journey.

Website: https://peetevending.com/

Instagram: https://instagram.com/peetevending

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/14t1tEH6nqm/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/priscilla-peete-68442183/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@peete.vending