Standing for 8 to 10 hours straight, legs swelling like balloons, collapsing onto the bed at night too exhausted to move—that’s the raw reality Echo Hu faced in her early days as a barista. With only one day off a week and shifts flipping between early mornings and late nights, the grind was brutal.
“It was so uncomfortable. The job felt too hard, and I wondered if I was wasting my time.”
Echo Hu
No sitting allowed behind the bar; just endless standing, serving, and doubting. If you’ve ever pulled a long shift in a cafe, feeling that ache in your feet and fog in your future, Echo’s story hits home. It’s a reminder that the passion for coffee often starts in the trenches, where every pour tests your resolve.
Echo’s coffee adventure began without much fanfare. Fresh into the industry, she admits she had “no real idea what being a barista meant.” It felt a lot like being a waiter—serving meals, clearing tables, wiping down surfaces in what they called the “outer field.” Newbies like her couldn’t touch the espresso machine right away; you had to earn your way there. “You start outside, doing service work,” she recalls. It was humbling, and honestly, tough. For about three months, she watched from afar, soaking up knowledge during downtime as her colleagues shared tips on beans and brews.
But persistence paid off. After proving herself in the front of house, then as a cashier, Echo finally stepped behind the bar. Even her mom, hearing “barista,” pictured her as a server for two whole years. Yet, coffee has a way of pulling you deeper. Over a decade, Echo climbed the ladder in a chain of cafes—from barista to shift manager, store manager, and eventually operations manager overseeing multiple spots. Her boss saw her product savvy and nudged her into sales. Today, she’s a judge at the World Coffee Roasting Competition (her fourth year) and the Coffee and Spirits Competition (her debut). It’s a far cry from those rookie days, but every role built on the last.
One standout chapter? Her time with TIMEMORE, a brand she first encountered in 2018 via their Chestnut G1 grinder. As a distributor in her previous gig, she was blown away by the engineering and the silky extractions it delivered. Joining the company felt right—they’re “authentic,” she says, with bosses whose vision matches the products. It’s that consistency that keeps her inspired.
Echo’s also dived into roasting, earning her judge certification after getting hooked on the sensory side. Competitions gather China’s most devoted coffee folks, all chasing that pure, perfect cup.
“Everyone’s pursuing a great-tasting coffee,”
she explains. Roasting events are introvert havens—quiet, focused. But the spirits side? Pure energy, with extroverted flair and showmanship that even pulled her out of her shell. “It was exciting and lively,” she grins.
Echo Hu
Through it all, Echo’s learned that no path is wasted. The struggles built resilience; the joys fueled growth. Now, chatting with young baristas—who she sees as more open and present than her generation—she advises simply: Enjoy it.
“Be open-minded about coffee. It’s just a drink, but if someone loves what you make, that’s meaningful.”
Editor’s note:
In the world of coffee, where every cup tells a story, we’ve always believed that humanity runs on more than just caffeine—it’s fueled by the passion of those who pour their hearts into it. Since 2020, our journey with I’M NOT A BARISTA has connected us with countless coffee lovers across the globe, mostly through online chats, emails, and Zoom calls. But every now and then, we get the chance to sit down face-to-face, and that’s when the magic really brews. When we were in Shenzhen earlier this January for our MOMENTEM project, we visited TIMEMORE’s new Shenzhen office and Echo was the host that afternoon. Connecting with another soul of coffee who actually built her career from the bottom inspired us to do a spontaneous interview, which was not the plan, but we are happy to hear her story. Her tale reminds us why we do this: to celebrate the unsung heroes who turn beans into belonging.
Stories like Echo Hu’s are why we’re passionate about I’M NOT A BARISTA. They show that whether you’re starting out or judging globals, the heart of coffee is in the people. We hope to brew more in-person connections like this one. Wherever you are in your coffee journey—grinding your first beans or savoring a world-class pour—enjoy the process, stay open, and remember: it’s the passionate souls who make every cup count. Humanity runs on coffee, after all.
