No B.S. Vending is a vending machine company that has business throughout Phoenix. There are several machines that are run by the business. Braden Shuster is a junior year student at PCDS. In 2024, he decided to start his own business, No B.S. Vending, with the name being a play on his initials. He got the idea after his bar mitzvah, when he “wanted to find a way to start earning money”. Shuster now has over six vending machines in multiple locations across the Valley. At the end of every month, he visits each vending machine to check how much money he made.
In an interview, Shuster described his whole process of getting new machines set up, saying that a lot of thought must go into it: “When it comes to buying a vending machine, I typically look on Facebook Marketplace or other shopping sites. I have to consider what comes with them when thinking about the cost.” For example, he always has to determine whether the machine comes with a credit card reader. If not, the amount needed to spend on the machine to make it functional goes up by around $300. After considering it all, he makes an offer, and if he can negotiate his way to a good price, he will set up a time to meet to check out the vending machine. Shuster makes sure to be thorough when checking the machines, testing to see if every motor and part works properly and won’t be a costly issue. After it is all said and done—provided the deal goes through—he picks a location and sets it up.
He also runs social media accounts on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok, where he shows his journey through business. He uploads videos of restocking, money collecting, and the setup of new vending machines on all of his social accounts. He shares his gains and losses, making a video at the end of every month to show how much money he made. He says he is “not too worried about getting a crazy following or making money from the accounts”. He simply does it just for fun and to share his journey with whoever wants to see it. Shuster also runs the Entrepreneur Club at PCDS along with sophomore Sam Meltzer. In this club, Shuster talks about his business with other students and shares with them how it works and what he does. He hopes he can inspire others to start their own businesses and learn entrepreneurial skills.
