Community Highlights: Meet Colby Smith of Modern Bartender

Today we’d like to introduce you to Colby Smith.

Hi Colby, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I started working for a mobile bartending company while in college at Arizona State. I worked with the company for a couple of years working my way through school and learning the ins and out of the mobile bartending business.

After college, I started working a 9-5 corporate job but still wanted to make extra money on the side. While I spent some time away from the mobile bartending business I started to think of ways to make the experience of a “catering bartender” better, more personable, and better able to match the needs and the energy/visions of the clients we were working with. Wanting to create a new path and new experience to bring to the market I launched Modern Bartenders in the spring of 2019. Initially, I had done a few events (on my own) before officially forming, to test the waters and see if it would be a viable business that I could sustain.

I found out very shortly that the personality, curtsy, and level of service I provided as a Modern Bartender would be a success. I’ve always focused on the customer service side of the business as opposed to a rigidly structured business model. And that’s still what we are focused on today at Modern Bartender. I describe our business (elevator pitch) as a Customer service company that tends to bar, as opposed to a bartending company that has customer service. We connect with our clients on a personal and transparent level, tailoring a plan and service specific to their visions. And we match that with our work in the field. We really strive to be more than a run-of-the-mill catering service, we want to engage and celebrate with our clients. This is who I am and my small staff are. We show respect, work hard, and truly enjoy the process.

That’s what has gotten us to where we are today. Providing and maintaining courtesy and respect! And shortly after starting the business, I was able to move on from my 9-5 job and focus solely on Modern Bartender!

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
All in all, I would say it has been a smooth road. And whether it’s because I choose to look at it that way or it actually has been, the reward at the end of the obstacles and challenges has been very rewarding. The main thing you can take away from starting a new small business is you will always be learning and adapting. Owning a business in essence is not easy, but you can make it a much “smoother ride” if you look at all of the benefits and gratification it can provide.

Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
The best advice I could give is, to be adaptable. It’s rare that the business you envision starting will be exactly or even close to how you envisioned it.

Contact Info:

• Website: modernbartenderco.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/modern_bartenders/?next=%2F