We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Yvonne Rakestraw a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Yvonne thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Talk to us about building your team? What was it like? What were some of the key challenges and what was your process like?
I didn’t have any employees when I first started. Olivia (former co-owner) and I gradually began hiring people who already had the experience, which made our job a lot easier. We were able to focus on building clientele, participant in vendor events, and network with professionals.
Olivia eventually left the business. I knew with her absence I would need extra help. I quickly recruited my family, friends and whomever else needed employment. It didn’t matter if they had experience. I would take them under my wing and go from there.
Yvonne , 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?
Hi everyone! My name is Yvonne. I am the owner of Eleven21Mixology! Like some of us, I’ve been an entrepreneur since I was a little girl. My journey didn’t start with Girl Scouts of America. My hustle developed working side-by-side with my mom, selling ice cream out of her ice cream truck. I was 6 years old, working my little barrettes off and receiving payments in the form of ice cream. Thanks Mom! Lol! Working very young not only built my character. It also taught me some of life’s greatest principles.
My education and background didn’t happen overnight. I have 16 years of experience in the bar industry. During those years I studied and admired one of my manager’s, Tracie. Tracie didn’t play any games. She was stern, very watchful with her eyes and carefully observed her employees. She was powerful, a good listener, and an awesome boss. I admired her high proficiency in literary accomplishments.
Eleven21Mixology now has a staff of fifteen employees and I am very appreciative of them. From creative drinks to fancy garnishes, we will give you the best bar experience possible. Our mobile bartending service caters to providing you with a customized bar that fits all of your event needs. Speaking of bar, we currently have a new storefront located in Downtown Berkley, MI. We host public and private events and offer mixology classes with one-on-one training.
Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?
Always be true to self and kind to others. Being organic has been most effective for me. Think outside the box, explore your creative being and take off without looking back.
Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?
No stories at the moment, but I will tell you that having great customer service goes along way. Be a student first and grasping as much knowledge as possible.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.eleven21mix.com
- Instagram: Eleven21Mixology
- Facebook: Eleven21Mixology