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Permalink Reply by Mickael on November 26, 2011 at 4:03pm

The hard thing about becoming "just an espresso tech" is that it just doesn't work.  Owners expect you to know "everything".  The company I work for has people that have come from all kinds of trades, printer repair, auto repair, computer repair, etc... I think I'm the only tech that works here that was a barista.  You have to be a plumber, electrician, and refrigeration guy to succeed for the most part.  And you need lots of support!  We have a full time parts guru he does just that.  We need a part, he finds it and usually very fast.  Also, large companies (evil green giant) usual require that you have at least 1million in liability insurance to work for them.  Having parts "on hand" is also a giant investment.  We carry about 30k in our vans and just under half a million dollars worth of parts in our shop.  People don't like it when they are down more than a day because you had to order a part.

 

Good luck!

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Permalink Reply by Stephen Bricker on November 3, 2015 at 11:37am

Hey,

That's some good info. Seems like there is a pretty well established demand out there if you're in the right place. What city do you operate in? How long did it take to become established? 

Thanks

Brady said:

I'll second the recommendation for the Nuova Simonelli class. I did it last year and it was good. That said, most manufacturers have them and there are benefits to training on the machine you feel you'll encounter most in your area - both in machine specifics and networking with that manufacturer's staff. Which machines are most prevalent in your area? I'd suggest starting with one of those manufacturers.

 

Another benefit of attending training is that you'll meet other techs there, who might be willing to answer questions about the other aspects of being a tech - especially the various systems, forms, and processes that you'll need to employ.

 

Another worthwhile activity is to see about finding a machine that you can work on - something older that will need a total rebuild. Hands-on work on something old, dirty, and crusty is valuable practice.

 

There was a similar discussion a little while ago, and I recall writing lots more in that one... will look for a link so that you can see those thoughts as well.

 

"How to become one?" Can you find someone that will hire you to do it? If not, becoming a tech will also require you to start your own small business... not an insignificant undertaking. It is much easier than starting a cafe though. You'll also need to invest in tools - mostly common mechanics tools, with a couple of special items.

 

One more consideration - inventory. In order to properly support customers you will need to invest in a minimum parts inventory. Stocking enough parts to handle common problems without waiting for the manufacturer to ship a part to you is key. Depending on your machine, you will need at least $500 in parts to support a line... though there are some common parts between manufacturers, learning where you can sub takes time. Don't forget brewers and grinders too. To properly support a couple of manufacturers machines, brewers, and grinders, you should plan to spend a couple grand in your first year... though you can certainly build a little more slowly, buying the barest-essentials. This approach will compromise your ability to get someone up and running same-day though, which could be a serious issue.

 

I've been in business for 2 years now, and really enjoy being a tech. I'm just about full time at this point, and am happy I took the plunge. Happy to answer any questions you may have about any aspect of this, so let me know.

 

Hope that helps.

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