We were lucky to catch up with Lisa Nieto recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Lisa thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. One of the things we most admire about small businesses is their ability to diverge from the corporate/industry standard. Is there something that you or your brand do that differs from the industry standard? We’d love to hear about it as well as any stories you might have that illustrate how or why this difference matters.

In my development of Bar Star Divas, I realized that every client has different needs and requests, when desiring to host a party, All have their own ideas, with the surroundings to their line up of establishing the big day and gathering. No matter how many guests attend or what the situation is, I am available to accommodate all the requests and needs they have in mind. I go above and beyond the level in my services, in offering my experience to what they are dreaming to happen. A lot of details go into the planning and the structure of hosting a party then they may recognize. Some clients have never hosted a party before they reach out for my services. So I enjoy offering more than just bartending services, for I have many years of experience in this field. I have the knowledge to help them make the best decisions for the best turn out of the party and I take the time to do this prior to the big day and also the day of the event. I suggest all things that may be overlooked, and I supply the shop list for them to have on site; of the alcohol, quantities, selections, location of bar set up, drink recipes, ingredients and what is best to have on hand for the guests to be “wowed”. Often clients want to offer too many choices for their guests and this makes guests uncomfortable and can be overwhelming. I like to offer basic options but some creative ideas that guests may not have had before and so that it is a fun involvement for everyone. Even for the Alcohol Free Drinkers, I develop mocktails that are exciting and refreshing, and outside the regular soda or juice choices. I like to prepare and discuss all the options and recipes with the client, on the pros and cons to why I suggest the ideas I do. I enjoy the reaction the client and guests have when they experience the outcome at the event of the specialty beverages offered. I get a thrill with all the events I participate in and when praised by the guests and clients, I feel accomplished and rewarded with their amazing reviews and compliments.

Lisa, 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 have been in the service industry for over 30 years. I have been introduced and seen every possible dimension in the service industry for I have lived in many different states and I have been employed at many different types of service industry jobs. Which not all establishments transfers over the same in work ethic, guest demands or standards.

I developed my company in 2014, I pondered many choices of what to do next in my life but after recognizing I knew this industry so well, I wanted to continue to use my skills and knowledge to give a special kind of service to clients and guests that they would feel was amazing with their experience on what I uniquely had to offer. I established a Mobile Bartending Service for Private Parties. I saw there were not many options for this service when I started out for people to use. I began with forming my own website and used social media and other resources like; Thumbtack to expose myself and my talents. I developed a strong core of clients right from the start and I have these same clients still years later and have returned annually for them, as I have been involved with holiday parties, corporate gatherings, graduations, reunions, receptions, and as their children grew up, and I was invited to be a part of their engagements and celebrations. Also being referred to their friends and colleagues to call upon my services.
Each time a new client comes into my life, and I service their event, they are always return clients moving forward. I have a joy and honor in being called family and friends to my clients and that they look upon my services so respectfully. It is enjoyable that the guests remember each year when I return and notice how many years I am there to entertain the “mixology bartending service” for them. I find that I am different in my services, for I do not always go for the big guest count parties or over-charge for my services. I want to be fair and reasonable and allow a stress free engagement for the client so they can enjoy their party as a guest, and let me handle the service part, I stay after the parties are over to organize and help with the clean up, so that they do not have to wake up to a mess or a heavy clean up from the celebrations, I participate in every way to make sure they are amazed with my services. I love to impress a client that wants to have a party with small intimate friends. I do participate in large groups as well, but I feel that the smaller quaint ones are more personal and win me more accolades and compensation. I have a lot more competition in this business now, years later, however I do not feel threatened for I have loyal clients and I gain new ones each year and I have very rewarding reviews to hold me to the statue of my standards and style.

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

I have been fortunate to have very gratifying 5 Star reviews; on Yelp, Google, Thumbtack, Next Door and Facebook. I believe this has been a great help in getting new clients but the recognition goes to the clients who refer me to their colleagues, friends, co workers and neighbors etc. I often obtain clients from the parties I work, after they request a drink option, they often ask for my card and about my business and then I hear from them to book a gathering. I often get to explain that I am the owner and how I began, we build a relationship with each other and I get to see them again somewhere. My bar set up I supply, is very original and unique and personally designed, and I get a lot of conversation from this and I embrace meeting and socializing with the guests, as I get to be a part of a great environment and celebration too.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

I am the sole owner and coordinator for Bar Star Divas. I advertise my business name as plural “Bar Star Divas”, but in reality I work most of my events personally and I have no partners or other Divas involved. However when staff is needed, I do have qualified, licensed bartenders that assist me or can be sent out to over booked events. I have a very elite team that I use, for I am very protective of my business and the style I produce to fulfill to my clients and guests. So every one that is trained and certified to bartend my booked events, would be a duplicate of myself and my expectations that are given to all clients, guests and events. I prepare the bar items, tools, and requests to ALL bookings and communicate with the client as if I was the one to service the event. My small staff is very experienced and I am lucky to have such a great team when needed. I will still produce all the coordination to the client with the extras and the “above and beyond” of giving them complimentary hours; with suggested quantities and supplies that will be needed or where the bar should be best set up, any fixtures that are needed such as lighting or coverage if outside, options for the drink ideas and specials to the mixology of unique drinks I design, all the special things that are needed approaching the day of event. I have a huge input and investment in each event. Each client is different in requests, so I make sure to treat each event very special and customized. I never book an event without insuring quality staff. Due to the unique style and perfection I provide as my staff does as well.

Contact Info:

• Website: Barstardivas.com
• Facebook: Bar Star Divas
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/writeareview/biz/6iK7Oj_xvoeT6UQK0oK4TA?return_url=%2Fwriteareview%2Fsearch%3Fwar_desc%3Dbar%2Bstar%2Bdivas%26war_loc%3DDenver%252C%2BCO
• Other: Google Page https://g.page/r/CYZcIGkcplvxEB0/review