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

Hi Jonathan, thanks for joining us today. Let’s talk about social media – do you manage your own or do you have someone or a company that handles it for you? Why did you make the choice you did?

I run my own social media from all aspects. It has been a long and hard-grinding road to building an organic following. I choose to run it myself to keep things personal and transparent. The results keep my followers and me engaged, but I am still seeking more traction. The biggest takeaway regarding your social media accounts is consistency in what you post and when you share it. Whether you post once, twice, or more a week, do it and stick with it. It is also important to utilize your stories on platforms like IG to keep followers engaged from moment to moment. Stories are a great way to share behind-the-scenes and in-the-moment shots while executing an event or attending one.

Jonathan, 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?

I started in the hospitality industry in 1999 as a dishwater and busser. For the next seven years, I worked my way through nearly every role in the restaurant. From cooking to serving and managing, I wanted to learn it all. Soon after, I found my place behind the bar, where I flourished. After years of traditional bartending and managing, I began to compete in cocktail and bartending competitions. This led to a great network of similar-minded folks and traveling the country and globe, learning all I could. I took these newly gained experiences and put them into my work. In 2019 I began The Bitter Gringo Co., making small-batch bitters and building content and recipes for brands. I have worked with dozens of brands for the last five years, creating original content for social media and websites. I offer cocktail classes that are hands-on and intimate, with usually 12 students at a time. I have built menus for bars from the East to the West Coast and keep growing into new spaces so people can enjoy my cocktails in different cities.

How do you keep your team’s morale high?

When managing a team, I believe in providing immediate feedback for the best impact. It is much more challenging to communicate with a team member after something has happened, whether at the end of a shift or later. It is best that you talk about it then and there. When coaching a team member, focusing on something constructive while uplifting them with something they already possess is also helpful. This keeps the morale high while hoping to improve on the opportunity.

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

My organic approach on Instagram is the most effective strategy for growing my clientele. I post regularly in my feed and stories. I keep my followers up to date on my projects so they know I am putting out great recipes and content for many brands.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.thebittergringo.com
• Instagram: thebittergringo
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thebittergringo
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanstanyard/