Hosting a party or looking for something fun to do for a corporate outing? BarBees Bartending, founded by Jessica Blakley and Willow Sprague, has a fun solution for that – cocktail classes. You and your guests can learn to mix great drinks together, making for a unique party experience. The company was recently featured on Shark Tank and has inked a deal with Daniel Lubetzky. Currently, BarBees Bartending is valued at an estimated $1 million.
Jessica and Willow
These two friends have created a one-of-a-kind service to spice up your next party. The team can celebrate with you and teach elegant cocktail mixology techniques from home or in a virtual setting.
Jessica and Willow first met while attending Belmont University. Sprague was studying international business, while Blakely was studying economics and political science. The two immediately hit it off because of their similar interests. First, they both wanted to find a creative outlet outside of college.
Blakely and Sprague decided to take a bartending class. Nashville had no shortage of bars, but the two saw a gap in the market for mobile bartending services.
Founding BarBees
Jessica and Willow co-founded BarBees Bartending in 2019 as an LLC while they were undergraduates and participating in the Entrepreneurs-in-Residence (EIR) program on campus.
The duo initially offered an on-call bartending service, but pivoted to virtual cocktail classes to survive during the pandemic. As restrictions have been lifted, their new service has translated well to in-person classes.
Four years after its founding, the startup received an Industry Impact Award from their alma mater. This award and soaring revenue gave them the confidence to apply for Shark Tank Season 15. Out of thousands of candidates, BarBees was one of a select few companies recognized by the Shark Tank producers.
After Shark Tank
The founders expect a significant increase in sales. The next few weeks will be tough as they may have difficulty meeting customer demand without compromising service quality. The deal with Daniel should be completed in the next three to six months.
You can book cocktail classes on their website, GoBarBees.com, or book live events in 10 cities: Scottsdale, Palm Springs, Washington, D.C., Tampa, Atlanta, Savannah, New York City, Philadelphia, Nashville, and Austin. If your city isn’t on the list, it may still be possible to work out a deal with their team. If not, you can always book a virtual class.
The company caters bachelorette parties, birthday parties, date nights, and all kinds of group get-togethers. They also host team-building events for corporate clients. They charge $60-80 per person for a 60-minute bartending session and $70-90 per person for a 90-minute session. If your party has more than 20 people, the bartenders offer special group rates.
BarBees Bartending has an average of 5 stars out of three reviews on Facebook. This is a small sample, but given the free exposure on national TV, the numbers will multiply in the coming months. The main hurdle to overcome is trying to scale the business long term.
Categories: Shark Tank
Source: svlsf.edu.vn