My Story: College Dropout - > Bartender - > Business Owner

This episode is about how I got started as a bartender and how I started my business. I look forward to hearing your story!

I referenced a product to make a logo for yourself. Check out Canva.com. Honestly, what you're really selling is YOU, so if you just want to get started without spending much money, just use your name. Even filing for an LLC is optional (but recommended!)

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• When I was a kid, my mom told me that I would be a great bartender or a great shrink.
• I was around 22 years old and I got a job as a bus, sir, at a Little East County Irish restaurant.
• I knew I had to start somewhere, but it was always my goal and intention to be a bartender. There s O after awhile, busing tables and washing dishes. I eventually became a server waiting in line to get behind the bar. That day would never come, so I took a job as a day bartender at a complete dive, but I got a lot of valuable experience there, too.
• My job was the head bartender, I guess on I was making 50 bucks a week plus tips to manage the bar.
• The fondue bar led me to a scene that was happening on Elizabeth Street called the Randolph, which is where I really got my start. They partnered with the late, great Mr Sasha Petraski to train us and show us what a proper drink tastes like and how that's made.
• This experience was absolutely pivotal for me, and I still remember the feeling of knowing I was in the presence of a master. The training was ongoing because down the street was one of the cornerstones of the craft cocktail movement Milk and honey.
• This was one of the times that I gained the most knowledge in the shortest amount of time. I mean, they were asking me for, like, Vieux Carre and Queens Park Swizzles and, you know, Ramos Gin fizzes.
• Death & Co. was another massively pivotal time for me. I mean, the entire complexion of how cocktails were built was a completely new structure.
• I was elected to be the second president of the New York chapter of the USBG.
• I got a StarChefs.com Rising Star Award.
• I was most influential 40 under 40 for Wine Enthusiast magazine
• I started my first business as critical Mass Events LLC in the fall of 2010.

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Questions, comments or want are you a bartender/chef who's built a business? Let me know! I’m on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and even TikTok…..I think. Or just head to my website http://jlittrell.com. You can even book a call through this link!

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FREE STUFF:

Want a copy of my Banquet Event Order Template? Click here! How about my nerdy Cocktail Calculator?

What I’m Reading right now: The Art of Learning by Josh Waitzkin [Audiobook]

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How I get things done:

This podcast is recorded on a Blue Yeti Microphone with an ASUS Zenbook Road Rig: iRig Lavaliers and my one plus Android Smartphone with a Powered USB-C Hub and a Bluetooth Keyboard.

SocialBee - My social media automation and syndication software

Appsumo - Where I get all my amazing, cheap software for a lifetime.

Canva - Graphics for all of my memes, flyers, posts, logos, pitches, etc.

Fiverr - I hire a number of freelancers from Fiverr to handle things from web tasks, to show notes, to research projects, to data entry. Outsourcing baby!

NameCheap.com - Whenever I have an idea for a business, one of the first things I do is set up the domain name!

Hostwinds - This is my web host. This is vital to hosting your website. Having been through AWS and Hostgator, this is the move!