Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Amanda Brincat and Kathryn Altman. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Amanda and Kathryn, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.
We have always enjoyed going out and being social. Sacramento has a lively downtown and there is always a new bar or restaurant popping up, so playing tourist and exploring the city on weekends is a favorite activity. When we made the decision to stop drinking, we truly realized how much alcohol had permeated every aspect of our lives, including our weekend adventures. We found that when we would visit with friends or family, or check out that new spot, we would get a lot of questions about why we weren’t drinking. We tried searching for social activities that didn’t include alcohol and it was very hard to come by. We talked about this realization with several friends and colleagues, and we were surprised at the number of people who also expressed disappointment in the lack of booze-free spaces for adults. After doing some research, we decided that our community was in need of an alcohol free space, and the idea for our bar was born.
In a room full of people, it can feel lonely choosing to lead a different lifestyle than everyone around you. Whether you’re taking a short break from booze, are sober curious and want to try something new, or are sober serious, you are not alone. We are so passionate about creating a space you can walk into and know that everything here is designed with you in mind. You can still have a delicious, aesthetically pleasing drink, listen to live music, dance, and gather without alcohol in the room. Once we realized the truth of this we knew we had to create space for others who felt the same way. And by the response we’ve gotten so far, a lot of people are onboard.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
We are Amanda and Kathryn, dog moms to Phin, Remi, and Koda! When we are not working on The Teetotalist, we are planning our wedding and taking the boys on road trips. We’ve always enjoyed exploring and trying new things, and once we made the decision to quit drinking earlier this year we took that curiosity and turned it towards non-alcoholic beverages. Drinking is so ingrained in our culture, we felt we needed an alternative to really stick with cutting it out. We began experimenting with non-alc spirit brands such as Lyre’s and Ritual, and NA beers from Athletic Brewing and Best Day Brewing. We found so much joy in diving into this new world together, it became an exciting way for us to really be present with each other. We made a ritual of post-work happy hours in the kitchen, trying new things along the way.
Amanda has had a career in event planning, and Kathryn in project management. This background, combined with our passion for the alcohol free movement, has really helped lay the foundation for a successful business. We got to where we are by putting the experience of our community over everything else. There are not many spaces that are truly free of judgement, that allow people to be themselves. As members of the LGBTQIA+ community, and now sober, we see this first hand all the time. We have always wanted to create something that helps other people live the lives they want, and this space is the way we can do that.
How did you build your audience on social media?
We are still fairly new to the social media game, but we have doubled our following and engagement each month since we launched our Instagram page at the end of August. We attribute this growth to really diving into who our ideal customer is, then reaching out to them on social media. Getting your story or idea in front of your ideal audience is key. They will do the work for you by sharing their excitement for what you are bringing to the table with their own followers, increasing visibility. We got our page in front of several local influencers who are alcohol free, and our mission resonated with them. Searching relevant hashtags and following the people who use them is a great start. We also partnered with networking groups that are composed of our target demographic, furthering our reach into the community. This is always said, but consistency in posting is key. It doesn’t have to be high quality, production level content, but it does have to be real and authentic. People are buying into you, not just your product or service.
How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?
Our authenticity and willingness to be vulnerable is the biggest booster. Being sober can feel extremely isolating, especially when you are just starting out. It’s not easy to go against the grain and by putting our story out there it has shown others they are not alone. Letting other people know on our personal pages what we were going through, then sharing our journey on our business page, has created a real sense of community. We have had several private messages thanking us for creating a safe space, for normalizing a life without alcohol. We are always willing to listen to the stories of others, offer words of encouragement, and support our community in any way we can. Being real humans, not just a business, is what is going to help us continue to grow.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.theteetotalist.com
- Instagram: @theteetotalistsac
Image Credits
Chase Daley Carmen Salazar