Inspiring Conversations with Syreeta Fogg of ReetaJazz Bartending

Today we’d like to introduce you to Syreeta Fogg.

Hi Syreeta, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory. 
I started my bartending journey back in 2004, right after I left college. I knew that this was something that I wanted to do, at the time, to make a little extra money.   I took the courses to become a certified/licensed Bartender. In the beginning, it was hard to find jobs at restaurants, as many establishments told me that they had a waiting list of servers that were waiting to get behind the bar.

I had no choice, but to wait until it was my turn. While waiting, I would do private events, weddings, parties, etc., to work on my craft. Then, in 2006, I started working at a new restaurant in downtown Raleigh called Yancey’s! I started off as a server and then worked my way to being behind the bar. After a little while, I worked my way to Bar Manager. After the restaurant closed in 2009, I went back to just working events and weddings on the weekends when they were available.

In 2018, I connected with a Raleigh Catering Company and became their Lead Bartender, and the spark of what I had loved to do was coming back!!! I had to find a way to not just bartend events, but to create my own company and make this my career! It took a little time to get everything the way I wanted it, especially after COVID closed the world for almost 2years.

In November of 2022, I decided that “now was the time”. My support system (husband, kids, family, and friends) were all behind me, and I wondered why it had taken me so long to get it off the ground. I just never felt like it was my time or something that I could do full-time. I had reached out to a friend of mine that helped me LLC my new name “ReetaJazz Bartending”, I had another friend that helped in creating my website (www.reetajazzbar.com) and updating my social medias (IG/FB: reetajazzbartending), and it was off from there!

Although I had everything ready to go, my daily schedule didn’t give me the “time” I needed to really put forth the energy to really promote and get myself out there. I had clients and events, but nothing to the point of where I should have been. I had told myself back in November of 2022 that I would give myself 1 year to see if this was something that I could actually do. Well, half of my “1 year” was gone, and I had to figure out if this was still going to be lucrative and something that I still wanted to do.

Then, I got the disheartening call back in June 2023 that I (along with others) were being laid off. I was distraught, and fear started to set in. Then I had a good friend say to me, “What did you tell the guest at the last event we did?” For the life of me, I couldn’t remember. She then stated, “After the guest said, ‘You love what you do?’ you said “If I could do this full time, I would! I love doing this!” That pulled me out of my funk and motivated me to start working on promoting myself!!! Things started slow, but by the end of 2023, I had grown a clientele, gotten my name out to the world, and booked more events in the last 3 months than I had all year!

With my family and friends praying for me and speaking life into my business, I knew that I was right where I needed to be! A business owner, a mixologist, fearless… A BOSS!!!

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It hasn’t always been a smooth road. There are times/weeks/months when I wonder if the contracts would come or if I would have enough events to make it. With having faith and the support of my husband, it helps me to keep going.

As you know, we’re big fans of ReetaJazz Bartending. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about the brand?
I am the Owner and Lead Mixologist of ReetaJazz Bartending. 

I am a licensed and insured (General and Liquor Liability) Mixologist with over 19years (20 years this November 2024) of experience and bar management. 

My staff and I bartend Weddings, Parties, Mixology Classes, Corporate Events, etc… 

I specialize in being an all-inclusive mixologist. I provide everything that the client needs without the client having to lift a finger. 

Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
For those that are just starting out and have a feeling of uncertainty…don’t give up! Trust your gut, trust the signs, have faith in yourself, and keep going!!! It seems scary at first, but once you get your feet on the ground and things are rolling, you will be so glad that you kept pushing along! 

Contact Info:

• Website: www.reetajazzbar.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reetajazzbartending
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100088070011936
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/syreeta-fogg-281a6345/