Focused on luxury apartment buildings, Hunter Hebestreet built AI Vending from scratch

What happens when a successful healthcare technology salesperson decides that great money no longer makes up for burnout? For Hunter Hebestreet, it meant starting AI Vending from scratch and finding opportunity in Denver’s luxury apartment buildings. Today, his company operates 74 pieces of equipment across 45 locations. On this episode of Automatic Merchandiser’s Vending & OCS Nation, host Bob Tullio talks with Hunter Hebestreet about building a focused sales strategy, earning the trust of property managers and securing equipment placement that turns foot traffic into smart cooler sales. Hunter shares what’s working with product selection, commissions, social media and financing. He explains why even an experienced salesperson had to get comfortable walking through doors, cold calling and hearing “no.” How did cold calling make him feel? “I was sick to my stomach. I was scared, and I just moved forward, and I did it scared.” Beyond the technology, Hunter’s story offers a candid look at the persistence required to build a convenience services business. He explains how focusing on one market helped his company sharpen its sales approach and earn opportunities across property portfolios. His advice for aspiring operators: Plan for more rejection, more capital and more time than you expect and find a strong business partner and suppliers to help you grow.