We had the pleasure of speaking with Vinnie Lisi, an American entrepreneur and second-generation owner of Espresso Mio, a coffee service company based in New Jersey. Since taking the reins of the family business in 2019, Vinnie has transformed it into a modern, forward-thinking operation focused on service excellence, technological innovation, and strategic growth. His leadership showcases a potent mix of industry knowledge, sharp business insight, and a dedication to raising the bar for customer support in the commercial coffee equipment industry.
During the discussion, we asked, What are the five things you wish someone had told you before becoming CEO?
…Scale to sell. Whether you have an emotional attachment to your business and would never sell or you know you’re going to sell eventually, scale and build your business accordingly. If you never want to sell, you should still act so because if you want the highest valuation for your business, then your financials better be on point and easy to understand, A/R is on a tight leash, SOPs and systems are in place, and at this point, the business is running itself. Do you see how it is still worth it to act like it, even if you don’t want to? You are ultimately taking steps in the right direction, regardless. For the first years of getting involved in the company, I wish I had the mentality of scale to sell immediately…
Espresso Mio was founded by Carlo Lisi, Vinnie Lisi’s father and a well-regarded expert in commercial coffee equipment mechanics. For more than 50 years, the company has been a key player in the industry, delivering maintenance and support services for espresso machines used by businesses throughout the region. When Vinnie stepped into leadership, he brought with him a unique perspective shaped by his background as a Union glazier and his hands-on experience servicing espresso machines for Dunkin’ locations. This work exposed widespread inefficiencies in maintenance practices, particularly a lack of focus on long-term equipment care and customer education—insights that would go on to influence the company’s evolving strategy.
