We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Brigitte Harley. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Brigitte below.

Hi Brigitte , thanks for joining us today. Risking taking is a huge part of most people’s story but too often society overlooks those risks and only focuses on where you are today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – it could be a big risk or a small one – but walk us through the backstory.

My background of finance and law is not the most risk forward. I always wanted to own a bar or restaurant and was afraid to take that step on my own. Being afraid kept me from doing this for years. Always found a reason it was not right. Now over 3.5 years into it, I really wish I had not let my fear hold me back for so long. Granted we had the curve ball of the pandemic to hit 2 months after we opened and it has been a process to fully get on the other side of all of the ramifications associated with that, but we feel solid and are thriving. We have the best team who are so creative and work well together. Loving what you do/where you work is always something I have strived for as it makes all of the difference in how you approach your entire life. I wish I had not let my own worries get in my way of doing something that deep down I knew I was capable of. Reward is not without risk. I am a firm believer in it all works out how it is supposed to so I will take all the leaps going forward and will land where I should.

Brigitte , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I moved to Savannah from New York City where the choices for great food and bars were endless. Seeking out the best spots was always something I did whether at home or on my travels. When I arrived in Savannah, I was looking for a creative outlet from my day job in finance and law. I pondered for years as to what would be a great addition to Savannah. After determining that a tiki bar would be a great fit, the fun began. Having great people to help bring it to life was such an exciting endeavor. For sure it has been hard work, but while it builds on my strengths and training in business, it has offered me a creative outlet and exposed me to a whole new world of great people. I wanted a place that I would want to spend my time. It provides an escape from what is outside the wall of leaves. We focus on making creative cocktails with fresh and house made ingredients with a friendly and knowledgeable staff.

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

After quite a few hiccups getting this business off the ground, we finally opened the doors on January 20, 2020. Unfortunately the world came to a halt with the pandemic and we were forced to close two months to the day after opening. After all of the uncertainty of how long it would last and when we would be able to reopen, we had the loss of new business momentum and all of staffing/distribution woes that everyone suffered with upon reopening. Being in a city that thrives on the tourism industry was not a real benefit to us in the Starland district. Tightening the purse strings, strategically altering our marketing efforts and dealing with employee staffing issues was our focus. I feel like we put our head down and just pushed through the sludge to what now fully feels like we are on the other side.

What’s been the best source of new clients for you?

Our initial client base was firmly made up of locals. We have such great neighbors who live in the surrounding areas who are loyal patrons. We have a large contingency of SCAD students as well. The Starland District has become a destination for tourists who seek out some of the city’s best food and drinking establishments. I have redirected my marketing efforts to tap into the thriving tourism industry in Savannah. We have seen a huge increase in the ratio of locals to tourists who visit Water Witch.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.waterwitchtiki.com
• Instagram: waterwitchtiki
• Facebook: Water Witch Tiki