Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Tyemerica Gbandawa. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Tyemerica , thanks for joining us today. Getting that first client is always an exciting milestone. Can you talk to us about how you got your first customer who wasn’t a friend, family, or acquaintance?

Prior to me starting Kocktail Kulture, I would let people know that I would soon start a mobile bartending school, where I would travel around to different locations to educate people on the proper way to bartend. Nine people were eagerly waiting for me to start teaching. The day came to announce the first upcoming class. I reached back out to those nine individuals via social media, offered them a discount, and sent them the link to sign up for class. Of the nine, one signed up—-Maria.
At first, I was disappointed but throughout this journey of business ownership, I have to remember that your biggest support always comes from people you DON’T know. Now, I can say out of those nine, four have taken my bartending class. I’m truly thankful to those individuals and others who have entrusted in me to teach them.

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

My name is Tyemerica Gbandawa, and my start in the service industry came about because I needed extra money. A few years ago, I was a struggling single mother with one little girl and needed more money to support my family, so I applied to be a shot girl at a local nightlife hot spot. I knew that I could make quick money in a short period of time without having to do anything illegal. I got the job and from there, I never looked back and knew I wanted to grow in the industry.

Kocktail Kulture is a mobile bartending school that provides the fundamentals of bartending. I educated individuals on the proper way to bartend.
Kocktail Kulture is different from any other bartending class because I the primary focus is on customer service; properly building cocktails, pouring and measurement, in addition to memorizing drink recipes and setting up a mobile bartending business. Not many schools offer a guide to entrepreneurship and that’s one of the things that sets my Kocktail classes in a league of its own.
When students take my course, they get my prospective of the bartending/service industry- the good, bad, and everything in between. I think being real with my students, they respect my transparency which allows me to develop a great rapport with them all.

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

Word-of-mouth and Facebook groups have been the best source for new clients for me. I have three former students-Glenda, Jennifer, and Breanna- all of which are constantly sending me referrals. There’s at least one (or more) students in each class that mentions one of the above names when I ask “how did you hear about Kocktail Kulture” during class. Facebook groups have been a great source because I post the upcoming class schedule and I receive TONS of inquires and class registrations. I’m thankful for social media and mailing list as they both help my business grow tremendously!

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

My experience and the transparency I display with the students in class has helped me build my reputation. I have a combination of over 10 years of experience in the service industry as a bartender, manager, spirits promotional model, shot girl, and bottle girl. People have seen me out at festivals, during college homecoming events, and at yearly events such as Bike Week and CIAA promoting and working. They know I have experience then you open up to them and be relatable, this helps to obtain their trust and that’s how you build and secure your reputation.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @KocktailKulture
• Facebook: @kocktailkulture
• Other: Personal pages: FB Tyemerica Gbandawa IG @sip_mai_ty

Image Credits
Marcus Jones of Marcus Jones Photography (1st and last image)