Truck Stop Missouri Boss on How to Negotiate with Mud Wrestlers, Medieval Actors

Joe Bechtold offers advice for turning unusual propositions into big business.

learn more about Jason Fell

By Jason Fell

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Truck Stop MissouriIf you told Joe Bechtold in 2000 that he'd someday earn a living doing business with medieval-themed actors and competitive mud wrestlers, he probably would have thought you were crazy. But the unexpected came true that year when Bechtold moved from Australia back home to Missouri to run his family's business: The Midway Truck Stop, now the subject of the Travel Channel's new reality TV show Truck Stop Missouri.

Far from your typical highway gas station, Midway is located on more than 200 acres halfway between St. Louis and Kansas City on Interstate 70. Among the 12 businesses on the property, the Bechtolds own several, including a diner, a motel, an antique mall and an exposition center. Among the other businesses are a fireworks store, a tattoo parlor and a haunted house. Last year, Midway's revenues reached $10 million.

"They [Travel Channel executives] were looking for the most unique truck stop in America and, of course, they found Midway," explains Bechtold, who is 44. Truck Stop Missouri airs Sundays at 8 p.m. EST.

Overseeing such an unusual collection of businesses that cater to some of the most colorful people traveling across the U.S., Bechtold constantly fields wacky business propositions -- from hosting lawn mower races to motorcycle rallies and mud wrestling extravaganzas. Here, Bechtold shares his top tips for negotiating unusual business propositions:

Give every pitch a fair shake, but weed out the bad ones.
Depending on the type of product or service your business sells, taking on unconventional propositions can mean more money for your business. When Bechtold is approached by a promoter about producing events at the truck stop, he asks some basic questions to help qualify the promoter and event. Generally, he wants to know how many previous events the promoter has produced, how they promote the events, how many paid attendees the events draw and what their budget is.

"The answers I get will let me know if I want to proceed further or not," he says.

Know who's pitching you.
The more you know about the company, person or group you're dealing with, the easier it should be to find a common speaking point, Bechtold says. This was true when he was approached by a medieval-themed role playing group that wanted to rent space at the truck stop for an event.

"They have an in-depth hierarchy with crazy names for different roles," Bechtold says. "When I introduced myself as the 'King of Midway,' they immediately warmed up to me and I knew I'd close the deal."

"Leave a little salt on the table."
To Bechtold, this means you shouldn't always try to pinch every penny from your customers. Bechtold put this to practice when a local organization approached him about hosting an event, but they couldn't afford the rent. Instead of telling them to hit the road, he cut them a deal.

"I had a feeling the event had the potential to grow so I reduced the rent substantially in the first year to let them get going," he says. "The event grew for many years and as they needed additional goods and services, they always came to me first. I gained a customer for life."

Jason Fell

VP, Native Content

Jason Fell is the VP of Native Content, managing the Entrepreneur Partner Studio, which creates dynamic and compelling content for our partners. He previously served as Entrepreneur.com's managing editor and as the technology editor prior to that.

Related Topics

Editor's Pick

Everyone Wants to Get Close to Their Favorite Artist. Here's the Technology Making It a Reality — But Better.
The Highest-Paid, Highest-Profile People in Every Field Know This Communication Strategy
After Early Rejection From Publishers, This Author Self-Published Her Book and Sold More Than 500,000 Copies. Here's How She Did It.
Having Trouble Speaking Up in Meetings? Try This Strategy.
He Names Brands for Amazon, Meta and Forever 21, and Says This Is the Big Blank Space in the Naming Game
Business News

These Are the Most and Least Affordable Places to Retire in The U.S.

The Northeast and West Coast are the least affordable, while areas in the Mountain State region tend to be ideal for retirees on a budget.

Thought Leaders

The Collapse of Credit Suisse: A Cautionary Tale of Resistance to Hybrid Work

This cautionary tale serves as a reminder for business leaders to adapt to the changing world of work and prioritize their workforce's needs and preferences.

Data & Recovery

If You Have a Business, You Have Passwords to Manage

How a password management system is crucial for entrepreneurs.

Business Solutions

Learn to Build a ChatGPT Bot for Only $30

If you want to see what AI can do for your business, grab this course bundle today.

Business News

I Live on a Cruise Ship for Half of the Year. Look Inside My 336-Square-Foot Cabin with Wraparound Balcony.

I live on a cruise ship with my husband, who works on it, for six months out of the year. Life at "home" can be tight. Here's what it's really like living on a cruise ship.

Business News

Meta Employees Interrogate Mark Zuckerberg in Town Hall Meeting

The CEO fielded tough questions from rattled staffers at an all-hands meeting.