Starting from a BBQ catering background, I jumped in head first into the world of beverage catering with our mobile bar business, Tap Truck. Overall, it has been such an awesome journey. I wouldn’t change it for the world. Growing up, I never thought I would be the entrepreneur that I am today. At the end of high school, there was a lot of pressure pushing me to pursue a college education so I did what any college-age teen would do...
I applied a lot. Time and again I applied, not quite knowing what to study or what career path to follow. As a small town kid from California, I was drawn to the city. A change of scenery and people. I applied to a number of colleges and universities across the map with no luck. It was hard to believe. In high school I was actually a good student.
I remembered the words of my auto shop teacher in high school. “A lot of smart people go to community college.” Maybe that’s where I belonged. Long story short, I went to junior college, learned a bit, moved to another junior college and graduated with a focus in business. Looking back, I was glad I did it, however nothing fully prepared me for the mobile bar or BBQ business ahead.
When I started each business, I really wish I knew all the answers. The truth about entrepreneurship is that you have to find the answers or develop them yourself. In the real world, you either sink or swim. School gives you the preparation to succeed, but ultimately you don’t know how to swim until you hop in the water. Hopefully the shallow end has some space!
Some of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned have been in the field. There was never a class on starting a BBQ or mobile beverage catering business. You might be wondering how I made all this happen. Some people are truly brilliant and gifted in business, but the source of success behind this entrepreneur was the power of the team behind me. Their intelligence, communication skills, initiative, and organization skills are the foundation under each of my businesses. Certainly education is important but at the end of the day, attitude, experience, and perseverance prevails. With any business, there’s always someone that can lend you advice and help you along the way. Don’t be afraid to reach out and network! If there’s a problem to solve, chances are somebody has been there already. A different pair of eyes to analyze your business and help you along the way is invaluable.
If there is one lesson I hope you learn is that it never hurts to plan! Failing to plan can set you back financially, logistically, and operationally. This develops stress, loss, and waste. Especially in the mobile bar business, you can’t afford to dump perfectly good beer down the drain. There is no such thing as overplanning and emergency planning. How I wish I did all of these over the years!
With preparation and work hard, you can grow as an entrepreneur and ultimately make smarter moves in business. Your time is always valuable. Make sure to spend your time wisely on growing yourself alongside your business. I hope you crush the game in your current job or growing business. If you need help with your wedding or beverage business, you can reach out to me on our contact page. If you’re looking to start your own mobile bar, be sure to check out How to Start a Mobile Bartending Service. As always, keep truckin’ my friends.