We were lucky to catch up with Shana Race recently and have shared our conversation below.
Shana, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. 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.
TalkTales Entertainment is a mixology-focused entertainment company. I have worked professionally in the bartending industry for 17 years and have experienced all sides of this industry. There are so many beautiful reasons to be a part of this industry that bring wonderful, creative, energetic, kind people to this industry. But there are some things that through my experiences I believe need to change.
Like many industries, I feel that credit needs to be given where credit is due. I believe the people who contribute to the business deserve the credit for the company’s success. As an owner, I play a specific role in my company, as a decision-maker, an innovator, and a leader who needs to set an example. The team is the most important element to the company’s success in its entirety. They are most important.
TalkTales is growing into a new chapter in 2024 with a brick-and-mortar establishment, where our team will be growing. We plan to create a new standard of payment for our employees, changing the industry norm of tipping for service. We are looking to grow a team of people who will be compensated by a higher livable hourly wage, plus profit-sharing compensation. We know that the success of our team equals the success of our company and believe that each employee deserves a portion of that success.
We are looking forward to implementing this innovative structure and seeing the teamwork, productivity and creativity that will blossom with our team.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
I am Shana Race, I opened TalkTales Entertainment in 2018 and we teach cocktails all over the country and are located in Los Angeles, CA. I love my company so much!
When I lost my bartending job during Covid 2020, I launch TalkTales online and started teaching mixology virtually. Since then, we have hosted over 1000 events, grown our team to host events nationwide and innovated really cool cocktail kits to fit every season and holiday.
We bring the spirits everywhere we go and are launching our very first in-person cocktail education center in Chinatown, Los Angeles in 2024.
Can you open up about how you funded your business?
Funding TalkTales is actually a funny story. I was organizing a bartending competition that i secured funding from a liquor brand to put on the event. When I received the check, it was written out to TalkTales Entertainment (which I did have incorporated yet) So in order to cash the check I had to set up the LLC and open a bank account. So that $5000 check is what funded the event and forced me to start my business. We are now in our 5th year of business and growing!
What else should we know about how you took your side hustle and scaled it up into what it is today?
As a bartender for many years, I started getting antsy about a new creative project. This is when I started TalkTales the Podcast. A bartender storytelling podcast where a new bartender came on to share their stories and experiences. The podcast was a passion project for 4 years and was the spring board to starting TalkTales Entertainment LLC.
The podcast has been on pause since covid, but there is always the possibility of bringing it back.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.talktalesentertainment.com
- Instagram: @talktalesentertainment
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/talktalesentertainment/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/talktalesentertainment/about/?viewAsMember=true
- Twitter: @talktalesthepod
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTXvWSO-BgIUxQsRs1N-Pqg
- Yelp: https://www.linkedin.com/company/talktalesentertainment/about/?viewAsMember=true
Image Credits
Rosney Mauger