Today we’d like to introduce you to Juan Velazquez.
Hi Juan, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I’ve always been in sales, I Transferred from my sales job to San Diego from Orange County in 2007 everything was going well until the house market crashed in 2008, I went thru my savings, lost my condo, Company I worked for went under, the stress hit home and divorced, basically became homeless for about 1month living in my car, then moved to my friends house in corona sleeping on his floor, This time off really gave me a lot of time to think on how to bounce back from where my current situation was, Then “DING” The light bulb lit up in my head, I should take a course in Bartending, People drink when they’re Happy and they drinking when they’re sad (almost like a recession proof job) So I took a Bartending course in San Diego (I was traveling back and forth from corona to visit my daughter) the course was fun and since I’m a people person I saw myself doing this as I enjoyed interacting with complete strangers lol, Well once I finished the course, restaurants, nightclubs wouldn’t touch me as I dint have near as much experience as to what they were looking for, So a friend of mine told me to apply at the sleeptrain amphiteater they were hiring Bartenders, I applied and got hired! (yeeyyy) thinking that this job would help me get more experience behind the bar (this was a Friday gig) I got to meet a lot of people there some that became friends, so talking amongst friends some of them worked at Qualcomm Stadium (Chargers stadium) and they told me they were hiring there for bartenders, so I applied there to with the vision to get more experience not knowing where all of this would be taking me, then I found a Monday thru Friday sales job which allowed me to fit in my weekend side jobs, this was really nice, A person of who I met thru my Sales job had her Venue in Chula Vista and one day she approached me asking me if I were certified Bartender, and of course I was (Qualcomm and sleeptrain gave us the tools to become certified, My answer to her was “YES”! she mentioned she was looking for a certified Bartender to serve at her venue (most events were Saturdays) so if you’re keeping track Im Bartending Some Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays! Well, I was With Sylvia Talavera owner of Talavera events Bartending and Guests really liked the personal attention and drinks, one time a customer turned to me and asked me if I bartend outside of the Venue, and I said “YES”, “YES” i DO! even thou I never have lol, so he hired me to bartend his moms 80th bday party for about 120 guests, quite a bit of guests asked me for my business card (which I didn’t have), there after many guests started calling me (kinda like a forest fire) rapidy spreading and I thought to myself, there’s something here an Opportunity, so I started reaching out to friends that Bartend and started using their services to cover me at other events etc, This is where I told myself I need to follow where all this is taking me, I reached out to a Graphic designer to make me a Logo along with my Slogan “Spend time with your guests, let us do the rest” I had Business cards made, as I was having events I started saving some money to purchase some mobile bars, then bar essentials like cups, stirrers, napkins etc, this was growing faster than I had ever Imagined, Sylvia had lost her venue but by then I was holding myself up with my own events on the weekends, single bookings, just me and another bartender, shortly after I had someone make me a website and business fb, that was really nice it gave the business credibility, I was still working my Mon-Fri full time while doing my weekend events, then in 2019/20 Covid hit a lot of businesses closed, being in sales, this was my main source of income, The company took a hit and it was like the snow ball affect it impacted my income, when the world started to open up little by little few of my clients survived the pandemic many didn’t, I held in there sales not coming in as they used to and rising costs in print it was unfeasible to the company i was working for to keep on bleeding without new revenue coming in, Basically I saw the writting on the wall (I knew where all of this was going with the company) shortly after that they did away from their yearly quinceañera expos here in SD, I started focusing more on My Mobile Bartending business, I had my website revamped, Created my Google my Business and got more active on Social media, It was phenomenal started getting leads thru my website, social media started closing many events, started hiring more bartenders to hold the demand (My people are top producers) we are 5 star rating on Google thanks to them, shortly after that the company furloughed me (let me go) but by then the Business was booming and has been since 2023 as my full time job for the last 2 years and 5 bartenders working for My Bartender SD~. Been brtending for 14 years, going on 3 years as my own Baby. : )
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Some of the struggles were finding the right people that would fit in to My Bartender SD vision, service oriented, people person, amigable, everythng that structures having a Great Experience at the Bar with the Bartender. I have come accross a lot of Great Bartenders but their Customer service skills are not to par. Now we have a solid team (It took me awhile to find them, but they’re a piece of the puzzle) : )
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Entrepreneur: I like this phrase/saying “If you love what you do, you’ll never have to work a day in your life” to me I love what I do, I Like to think Im a people person it comes naturally to me, I don’t shy away from talking to complete strangers, and I like to see people having a Great time enjoying a delicious cocktail, after all I am a customer at restaurants/retail etc and maan, some of these stores need to take a close look at who they have as face of the store thats who they represent. Our Professional customer service staff is what sets us apart from others. We love what we do!
What matters most to you?
Customer service! Because Customer service is the key to success in all businesses!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.mybartendersd.com
- Instagram: mybartender_sd
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mybartendersd/
- Youtube: @Mybartendersd997
Image Credits
Credits to: My Bartender SD
