Today we’d like to introduce you to Tamika Smith.
Tamika, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
In 2014 I relocated to North Carolina from A small Virginia town right over the state line. I came here with my 12-year-old son for a new start. I had over 9 years of private dining experience from a private country club back home. Worked there as a server and occasionally the manager on duty for the Sunday Buffett. Serving I loved, but bartending, I was intrigued by it—the sound in the bar, the smell of cigars. The respect the members had for the bartender, the cosmopolitan he used to make just right that dripped on my hands from the bar to the table. Oh, this was it for me. I wanted to bartend. I would beg him all the time to show me, show me. He offered to come and work beside him, even on my days off.
When I got to North Carolina, I knew I would attend bartending school eventually, but I had other priorities starting: making us money. I worked full-time and took a shift occasionally from a Hospitality Staffing Agency serving beer and wine for UNC football games. The atmosphere was almost magical. I began telling myself, “you could open a bartending staffing service instead of doing it for other people, but I knew I needed more training. In early 2019 I started at Raleigh School of Bartending. My full-time job was Monday through Friday, so I could only take the weekend class, which was only conducted on Saturdays. It was taking me forever, so I enrolled in an online mixology class simultaneously. Once completed, I received an A certificate and immediately started advertising myself on social media as a “mobile bartender.”
My first event was a networking event of 10 entrepreneurs where the client purchased all the alcohol and just wanted me to show up and make “whatever,” were her words. I do not own a brick & mortar (yet), so it’s illegal in the state of NC for me to provide any alcohol. My second event was a wedding. Wow, someone wanted me to bartend their wedding. I couldn’t believe it. I talked to the couple, and we came up with a menu I would serve. There were online tools to tell me how much alcohol the customer should purchase based on how many hours of service and the number of guests. Well, they loved me (their words) and my drinks. A few months later, I stumbled across an online group of “mobile bartenders” this was the jackpot. I learned much in the group, from presentations to liquor laws, to writing contracts and insurance, and even where I could buy portable bars. These people were on their game and ran their side hustle as a business. I’m still a part of that group today, and in 2 years, I’ve hired and trained 2 additional bartenders and have one experienced bartender on my staff now. My ultimate goal is to go into bars and restaurants to train staff and eventually purchase my brick & mortar.
Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
By March 2020, I was in the mindset of setting my business up as an LLC. On April 15, 2020, I filed with the Secretary of State in the middle of a pandemic. Who knew it would last so long and be so deadly? I wasn’t giving up, though. I still advertised myself, especially for the summer, because outdoor events were safer. At the end of 2020, people were canceling more, but no one could believe my business was thriving in the middle of Covid. The intimate gathering is what I advertised; I required a mask, temperature checks, no hand-to-hand service, and the nine guidelines. I was feeling good about it. I purchased one portable bar and one champagne wall out of some of my earnings, along with the essentials bar tools and a 3 pitcher Margaritaville Blender. Today I own 3 portable bars, 3 cocktail tables, coolers, ice bins, a portable sink, and so on. The decision to “keep going” during the pandemic was a rewarding cause. You would be surprised if you knew how many times I wanted to give up. Asking my friends, “Do you think this whole idea is stupid? Do you think I should stop? I was scared I was going to waste my time and money. Now I’m amazed at how far I’ve come in 2 years, and I thank God for the grace and courage he gave me to keep going.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Kountry Girl Hospitality is a mobile bartending service. My slogan of “we bring the BAR to you,” and my customer service is top-notch. I would say I’m known for my delicious recipes and my drink presentation. I build relationships with clients by giving them my joking, cracking, crazy self. We text for months sometimes about their upcoming event, so we get to know each other. Lastly and most importantly, my ability to make people feel special” Like they are most important person in a crowd of 100.
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
I am in Burlington, NC. I provide all over NC, and my Raleigh clients often have the most beautiful venues with some top event planners. They’re always ahead of the game, like the events you would see in metro cities. Working with them, I learn so much.
Pricing:
- Bartender $50 a hour
- Bartender & Package that includes with mixers, garnishes, signature recipes, and alcohol shopping list start at $390 and includes the bartender rate.
- Champagne Wall $200 4 hour rental
- Travel & Mileage -up to 60 miles free and .60 cent per mile thereafter
Contact Info:
- Website: www.kountrygirlhospitality.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KGHBar/
Image Credits
Bright Ambitions Photography, Jason Draper The TAD Space Images, Wayne Draper
