Hey there, Vendpreneur!

Welcome to Becoming a Vendpreneur—where every week I help you navigate the challenges of running a vending machine business, whether you’re just starting out or looking to expand your operation.

This week, I’ve got a message some of you might not want to hear:

Not everyone should get into vending 😬

🔗 Best Links

Curated picks for Vendpreneurs

📱 Top Reads

• 📦 Amazon’s getting in the vending machine industry. (CBS News)

• ♻️ Coca-Cola just launched reverse vending machines in Scotland. (Mexico Business News)

😱 Trending Now

• 🚨 Would you buy ammunition from vending machines? (YouTube)

• 🏦 Gold buy and sell vending machine in China is making waves. (Tiktok)

Vending isn't for everyone.

Sure, I work 4-5 hours a week on my machines now. But it took years to get here.

If you think this is easy passive income with no work upfront, you're going to lose money fast.

In this issue: who should avoid vending, and who's actually built for it.

Let's dive in.

🚫 People looking for “passive income” from Day 1

Vending can become semi-passive.

But only after you’ve put in the work upfront.

When you’re starting out, here’s what you’re actually doing:

• Scouting locations

• Sourcing inventory

• Negotiating with venue owners

• Buying, moving, and setting up your machine

• Learning how to fix things when (not if) they break

And checking your machines weekly to make sure they’re stocked, working, and bringing in sales. If that sounds passive, I don’t know what to tell you.

There’s no shortcut to skipping the setup phase.

But if you’re willing to treat it like a business for the first few months, vending can become the most low-maintenance cashflow stream you’ve ever had.

🚫 People chasing a quick flip

30–40% of side hustles fail within the first 60 days.

Because most people expect fast money with minimal effort and bounce the moment it gets real.

Vending isn’t a weekend hustle that doubles your money in 30 days.

It’s a 3–12 month ramp, sometimes longer, depending on your niche, your grind, and how hard you go.

That timeline alone discourages a lot of people.

They want instant ROI, not to build real systems or learn from trial and error.

But if you can zoom out, stay consistent, and play the long game, vending becomes one of the most low-maintenance, cash-flowing businesses out there.

Just don’t expect it to pop overnight.

🚫 People who fold when things get annoying

Vending looks easy… until it isn’t.

Your card reader might glitch.

A venue owner might ghost you after saying “we’re in.” Someone might try to break into your machine.

These things happen. And if little inconveniences throw you off, this business will test you quick.

One time, my machine started dispensing two items for every one purchase.

I didn’t catch it until the next day… and I’d lost thousands of dollars in inventory overnight.

If your reaction to that kind of problem is “I’m out”?

Then vending’s not for you.

✅ Who actually wins in vending:

• People who show up, even when it’s boring

• People who follow simple systems consistently

• People who fix problems instead of complaining about them

• People who treat vending like a real business… not a weekend experiment

These are the exact qualities I’m looking for in my franchisees.

This is not a scare tactic, this is a filter.

If reading this made you more excited, not less…

That’s probably a good sign.

Click here to take the first step towards owning your own vending empire.

This opportunity is perfect if you have:

💵 $15K in available capital
🔥 Drive to build something real
💪 Commitment to make it work
💼 Sales experience (or willingness to learn)

Sound like you? Let's talk.

And That’s a Wrap!

Thanks for reading this week’s newsletter.

Hit reply and let me know what you found most helpful this week—I read every single reply and I’d love to hear from you!

See you next Saturday!

-Ethan