Throughout my life I have had the opportunity to work directly with people planning events that highlight special moments of their lives. I love spending time with people, especially whey they are celebrating. And, when attending events myself, I noticed how people were always happy to see the bartending crew. So I thought, “Here is an opportunity to have fun while being of service to others.”
I had first-hand experience watching others work in this industry and I knew that having a business that would let us work with people coming together in celebration was something that I would always enjoy. The tipping point came after several conversations with friends and family. I began to brainstorm- was this something that I could really do?
My husband has years of marketing experience, and is friends with many creative talents in the Upstate. Both he and I have made careers in planning events. I knew that our connections would help us come up with a brand name and logo that would set us apart. While I loved planning large nationwide events, I missed the intimacy of small gatherings. We put our heads together and came up with a business that both of us are proud of- and hope you find special too!
I also have been blessed that two or our sons have played essential roles in our business. That they are 6’2 and 6’4 and quite strong has also been a great help - believe me a cooler filled with 80+ beers on ice is heavy! Between them and their friends, we were able to set up a network of barkeeps that are reliable and have become an extension of our family. We love how Barkeeps and Butlers has been able to remain a family business and that we have built strong connection in our community!
However, I knew that starting a business can be difficult- especially in places like the Upstate with such a small-town atmosphere. I looked for mentors in the area with experience in the industry for advice. I wanted to know if there was room in the Upstate for another bar catering service. What would we have to do to ensure our launch was successful? What are the best ways to communicate with venues and build relationships with other event services in the area? These conversations led to confirmation that there was a need to be filled in the Upstate. I became even more excited.
We launched in April of 2019, had our first event two months later and haven’t looked back since. I think what I love the most about this job is interacting with people during some of their happiest days. I also like that no two events are quite the same. For this reason we will always give our customers the option to customize our menus, design their own cocktails, create specific themes and even choose how many bar areas they want at their events.
What I am most proud of is our team of barkeeps. Our customers love them because they make it obvious that they love what they do. We are excited to go into 2021 and will continue providing uniquely tailored bar services to all our customers. After all, it’s their special day, we are privileged to play a part in it. Our promise remains the same, we will wow you and your guests with our service and presentation!
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