Women Who Mix: Black Mixologists You Need To Know
For years, the cocktail industry has been dominated by men. But women, especially women of color, are taking their rightful place on the throne and are doing what we do best - being a boss! Recently, we sat down with some of the leading mixologists that are literally shaking up the cocktail industry.
From winning cocktail competitions, becoming the first of their kind to publish a cocktail book, and to being booked and busy by some of the world's most influential brands, these women know a thing or two about the art of mixology.
These women have all worked their way through the trenches, are self-made bosses, and in their own unique way, have built companies that have notably disrupted the game.
Because we can definitely appreciate a good cocktail or two, we couldn't help but to connect with these ladies and of course, we asked them to give us the tea on how they got started and what they've done to achieve the success that they have now. Keep reading to get to know these leading mixologists and learn how they are stirring up far more than just well-crafted cocktails.
The mixologist that you and your favorite brand love to book:
Jessica Robinson of JusTini Cocktails
Courtesy of Jessica Robinson
How did you get started?
I've been a mixologist for 12 years. I started when I was in college at Southern University. A classmate of mine started talking to me about a job at a bar she was working at. At the time, I didn't know much about liquor, just really the basics - I would just mix up Malibu and pineapple juice. But my friend convinced me and said that she would be able to help me get the job. So I started working there and that's how I got started. I fell in love with everything that came with the job, from the atmosphere to the people. Once I got started working as a mixologist, I never stopped.
Before I graduated from Southern, I actually started working in retail, and was juggling being a manager, going to school, and bartending on the side. Once I graduated, I got a job in my major which was doing marketing for a McDonald's franchise and I was also still bartending at night. I ended up getting laid off from McDonald's because they were downsizing and during that time is when I started building JusTini Cocktails. Shortly after that, I worked in HR doing contract work which allowed me to get started with bartending full-time. Now, I've been running Justini's for about a year and a half now.
What makes you unique?
I typically get a mix of both weddings and corporate/social events. I've done events for Essence, Pepsi, and the Urban League.
In my business, my brand is more than just a drink. I create an experience for my guests, from the presentation of my drink, to the name of the cocktail, and the fact that my drinks are actually really good.
What has been your biggest challenge and how do you stay motivated?
I think in the beginning, the biggest challenge that I went through was branding myself to show the need for my type of service. Once I was able to show the need, I was able to get the clientele that I wanted. A quote that keeps me motivated is by Elizabeth Gilbert and it says, "The women I love and admire for their strength and grace did not get that way because shit worked out. They got that way because shit went wrong and they handled it. They handled it a thousand different ways on a thousand different days, but they handled it. Those women are my superheroes."
The mixologist creating Instagrammable cocktails that’ll give your friends extreme FOMO
Kimberly Hunter of Potent Pours
Courtesy of Kimberly Hunter
How did you get started?
Potent Pours launched two years ago but I've definitely been a mixologist for longer than that. Potent Pours was actually birthed from my kitchen bar area. I would often make cocktails for myself, my sister, and friends when we couldn't get to happy hour because of rush hour traffic. When my sister and friends would come over, I would create really potent and beautiful cocktails for them using gorgeous glassware and over the top garnishes.
After a while, my sister actually suggested that I consider making cocktails professionally because of the beauty, attention to detail, and energy that I would put into every drink that I would make. When I started thinking about working in the industry, I tried to figure out where my place would be and how I could start working in it. Because of my schedule with my children, I always knew that working late nights at a bar wouldn't be ideal. From there, I did some research and started looking for a way to bring craft cocktails to the masses and saw that there was a booming market for mobile mixologists. I went ahead and did more research, got my license, and then started working on my brand.
What makes you unique?
My secret sauce is really the whole Potent Pours experience. Every person that has had my cocktails love how I create really potent, over-the-top, Instagrammable cocktails that overall makes the whole experience in indulging so much better. Also, my clients and their guests can always count on me to create original, unique cocktail recipes that they haven't seen or had anywhere else.
Since I launched my company, a lot of my business actually comes from social media. Typically, I've found that clients will book me after seeing their friends post about my cocktails. One thing about my cocktails is that I'm obsessed with making every single drink very potent, very pleasing to the eye, and really something that you would be excited to share with friends on social media.
What has been your biggest challenge and how do you stay motivated?
One of the challenges that I've faced is getting the right client. It's important for me to service clients that really appreciate all of the work and creative energy that goes into my business. Whenever I'm booked for an event, I never show up with a bunch of alcohol and pre-made, store-bought mixers. Literally, every cocktail that I make is handcrafted and are my original recipes. All of my cocktails are also made with juices or add-ons that are all created in-house. None of my cocktails have extra preservatives or anything like that. Finding the right client to appreciate all of this and the work that goes into creating the cocktail has been a challenge. I've been able to find awesome clients that get it, but every now and then, I run into some that don't.
A quote that keeps me motivated when I'm having long days is, "Just do that shit!" Whenever I'm scared to launch a new product or when I get overwhelmed, I tell myself to really "just do that shit" and it gives me the motivation that I need to keep pushing and to just get it done.
The #Blackgirlmagic mixologist duo putting Charleston on the map
Johnny Caldwell & Taneka Reaves of Cocktail Bandits
Courtesy of Johnny Caldwell & Taneka Reaves
How did you get started?
Taneka:Cocktail Bandits ended up becoming a business because we were living in Charleston and we saw the food and beverage industries growing. Even though we saw it growing, we didn't really see a place for us in it. At the time, I was working at an urban bar and they didn't care about being creative with the cocktails. It was really about just making rum and coke or gin and juice drinks.
When I would make my cocktails really creative, my boss didn't like it because they were unable to recreate the drinks when I wasn't at work. So I started trying to find work at a high-end bar, but I couldn't find work there because of my appearance (I was natural). In Charleston at the time, we had over 400 bars downtown and maybe 5 Black mixologists. In 2012 and 2013, a lot of people weren't used to the natural look from people of color so it was hard for me to get a job. Since no one was responding back to my job applications, Johnny and I decided to create a lane for ourselves by launching our own brand.
What makes you unique?
Johnny: We talk about spirits in a very approachable way. I think in the beverage market, buying spirits can be very intimidating. Sometimes a lot of people speak about cocktail spirits in a very elevated way that most consumers don't understand. We work hard on exposing people to new things, and on educating, entertaining, and empowering the consumer so that when they go to the bar, they are confident in what they are ordering.
What has been your biggest challenge and how do you stay motivated?
Taneka: I think one challenge for us has been figuring out the budget cycles for companies. We learned that every company pretty much has a different budgeting cycle so we've been working on figuring that out for companies we're interested in. Whenever we run into challenges, one quote that keeps us motivated is to not look at anything like an obstacle but look at it as an opportunity.
Want more stories like this? Sign up for our newsletter here and check out the related reads below:
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Brittani Hunter is a proud PVAMU alumni and the founder of The Mogul Millennial, a business and career platform for Black Millennials. Meet Brittani on Twitter and on the Gram at @BrittaniLHunter and @mogulmillennial.
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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ItGirl In Motion: Paige Shari Addison Shows Us Why She's The Hostess With The Mostess
Paige Shari Addison is the epitome of an ItGirl, which is why she is one of 100 ladies on xoNecole's inaugural ItGirl 100 list in partnership with Hyundai. Hailing from Atlanta, Georgia, Paige started her journey as a host in high school by hosting parties. Since then, she has made a career in hosting, from parties to big-name events, and she launched Strictly RNB, a platform for new artists and R&B lovers. Paige reflects on her creative path in the limited video series "ItGirl in Motion."
“My first curated event at Criminal Records was incredible. It was all for up-and-coming artists,” she says. “I needed a platform for us as a collective to be able to give ourselves the platform instead of asking for it, instead of looking for it. I was like, I want to make sure I let people get this experience that I would give as a performer but enjoy the experience with them. It was a dream come true.”
The Atlanta native also has her own line of acai bowls called Soulfull Bowls. She started it during the pandemic after events and parties shut down. But it was her love for eating acai bowls and the reactions others had to them that made her want to make it her next business move. Being open to creating new ventures in the midst of uncertainty is a bold move and one of the reasons why Paige has the “it” factor.
“Being an ItGirl means you’re just authentic. There’s an air to us. We have confidence that exudes from the way we speak, the way we put our lip gloss on, the way we walk, the way we talk. I show up as myself everytime I walk into a room. I’m hospitable, I make sure everybody’s good,” she says.
Get to know more about the hostess with the mostess in the video above.
See our ItGirl 100 list in full here. Click through the gallery below for some BTS moments of Paige and our partnership with Hyundai.
Director: Mikkoh @mikkoh
Production company: @polly___studio
Producer/AD: Samuel Cho @choboi90
Producer/Tech: Paul Nguyen @paul__winn
DP: Cristian Bernal @cristianbernal
Editor: @30inthemorning
2nd Cam: Paul Nguyen
1st AC: AJ Paug @ajpaug Gaffer: Dennis Albert @dennisalbert_
Audio Mixer: Victor Chavez @vic_the__
PA: Rick Carreno @ispeakrick
PA: Tiffany Do @tivani.doee
BTS Photo: Prime @theartofprime
Car Detail: @sud_studs @slugglobal
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Creative Producer @iamkingsheyla
Designers @miacolemxn @noelspiva
@xoNecole
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