Hustles
Joshua Valencia sold backyard fried rice until it filled trucks
Joshua Valencia sold fried rice from his parents' backyard between restaurant shifts. He tells Upflip four trucks now do $50,000 to $60,000 a month.
Joshua Valencia moved from the Philippines and tried the path his family wanted: nursing school and a stable job. Restaurant kitchens pulled him the other way.
On his two days off he and a childhood friend set up takeout in his parents' backyard, posted fried rice on Instagram and took orders in messages. For six to eight months they kept full-time jobs. Some days, he says, the backyard did $2,600.
They saved, borrowed the rest from their parents and bought a used $16,000 truck off Facebook Marketplace. Four years later he describes four trucks, a commissary kitchen and months of $50,000 to $60,000.
DMs before a truck payment
The Upflip episode stays on the backyard and the used truck, not a concept deck. He talks about juggling shifts until the truck could stand on its own.
The monthly range is his account. The start was fried rice on two days off.
