We recently connected with TREY WALKER and have shared our conversation below.

TREY, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Alright, so we’d love to hear about how you got your first client or customer. What’s the story?

I started bartending back in 2004 — young, eager, and honestly just trying to find my rhythm
behind the bar. My first client came in on a quiet weekday evening. I was asked to “Surprise
me.” Now, at that time, I didn’t have years of experience or a long list of signature cocktails —
but I knew balance, and I knew how to make something smooth and classic. I created a whiskey
sour — fresh lemon, a touch of simple syrup, shaken just right.

They took one sip, smiled, and said, “That’s exactly what I needed.”. I didn’t realize it then, but
that was my first real “client” — someone who trusted my craft and connected with the
atmosphere I created.

I bartended for a while, but eventually stepped away for personal reasons. Life happens, you
know? But in 2015, I decided to get back behind the bar. Coming back felt different — I wasn’t
just there to pour drinks anymore. I understood that bartending is about people — listening,
connecting, and creating an experience that makes them feel seen.

That first client back in 2004 taught me something I still carry with me today: it’s not just about
the drink, it’s about the moment. And that’s what keeps me passionate every time I pick up the
shaker.

TREY, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

It started out just for fun, I recall with a laugh. I was the guy who could make a decent drink at
the party, so everyone just started calling me the bartender.”

Years later, life had taken him in a different direction, and bartending had become just a memory
— until 2015, when one of his fraternity brothers reached out. He called me up one day and said,
Hey Trey, you still remember how to bartend? I told him I was a little rusty, but I’d never
forgotten the basics.

That one call reignited my passion. My brother was organizing an event and needed someone
reliable behind the bar. I agreed to help — and by the end of that night, I knew I had found my
calling again. Once I started mixing and connecting with people again, it felt like this could
really be a thing, Bartending isn’t just about pouring drinks — it’s about creating an experience,
building connections, and setting the tone for people’s good times.

Since then, I have built a reputation of professionalism, creativity, and signature hospitality.
What began as a college skill has grown into a lasting career — all thanks to a fraternity
brother’s simple question.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

When I first stepped behind the bar in 2004, I never imagined how much that space — a simple
counter filled with bottles, glasses, and stories — would come to mirror my own life.

I started bartending young, Back then, it was exciting — the energy, the people, the late nights. I
felt like I was part of something alive. But life, as it often does, threw its share of challenges.
Over the years, I faced personal storms, financial setbacks, and seasons where clients
disappeared and motivation followed. There were times I questioned if it was all worth it, I
admit. I thought about walking away from bartending completely.

And for a while, I did. I stepped away from the bar, searching for stability and direction. But
even during those years away, something in him missed the rhythm — the conversations, the
creativity, and the sense of purpose that came with serving others.

Then in 2015, after years of personal rebuilding, an old fraternity brother reached out, asking if I
still remembered how to bartend. That call changed everything, It reminded me that I still had
something valuable to offer. I returned to bartending with a different mindset — no longer
chasing the rush but embracing the craft.

I’ve learned that resilience isn’t about never falling — it’s about choosing to stand back up every
time you do. I’ve lost money, clients, and confidence at different points, but I never lost the heart
to serve people. Bartending taught me how to rebuild, one pour at a time.

Today, I’m known not just for my skill behind the bar, but for the authenticity I bring to every
interaction. The storms made me better, they reminded me that even when life gets shaken —
you can still come out balanced.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

The art of bartending has always been more than mixing drinks — it’s been about adaptability,
creativity, and connection. Those same qualities helped me master one of the biggest pivots of
my life.

When the economy shifted, I had to rethink everything, Bartending is great, but I knew I needed
stability too. That’s when I stepped into the world of fleet management, a completely different
industry that demanded structure, leadership, and precision — skills I unknowingly had been
perfecting behind the bar for years.

Instead of choosing one path over the other, I decided to blend both. Today, I successfully
manage two bars, leads a talented team of mixologists under my brand T.A.G. Team Mixologists,
and thrives in his fleet management career.

It hasn’t been easy, I admit. There were long nights, tough decisions, and moments where I
wondered if I could balance it all. But pivoting taught me that passion and professionalism don’t
have to compete — they can work together.

My journey proves that success isn’t always about staying on one path — sometimes, it’s about
building your own lane.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://WWW.TAGTEAMMIXOLOGISTS.COM
• Instagram: TAGTEAMMIXOLOGISTS
• Facebook: T.A.G TEAM MIXOLOGISTS