Bar Diaries with Jason Littrell

Rachel Harrison has 22 years of branding, marketing, and communications experience. Rachel founded Rachel Harrison Communications, a company which focuses on public relations, integrated marketing, primarily in the spirits and hospitality industries. 

Her extensive experience in hospitality, spirits, technology, and fashion allows her to find trends across multiple industries. She has a proven track record of creating unique partnerships and relationships that have helped expand awareness of the companies and brands she’s worked with.

In this episode, she talks about her job in public relations, brand and quality messaging strategies, how she manages her wonderful team, their close relationship, transparency, uses of digital marketing, how she helps their clients and deal with this global pandemic, and many MORE!

Be sure to check out Rachel Harrison's website, and connect with Rachel’s LinkedIN.

The episode at glance:

[2:00] Lion and Lamb and Rachel's humble beginnings

[6:00] Company's clients

[10:00] launching a brand during COVID

[12:00] Servicing restaurant and bar clients

[15:30] Messaging and branding for clients

[25:00] About Public relations 

[27:00] How Rachel manage her team

[34:00] Business aspirations

***

Questions, comments or thoughts please get in touch! I’m on Instagram,

Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and even TikTok…..I think. Or just head to my website http://jlittrell.com. You can even book a call through this link.

***

Want a copy of my Banquet

Event Order Template? Click here! How about my nerdy Cocktail Calculator?

***

Current Library:

The Art of Learning by Josh Waitzkin [Audiobook]

Atomic Habits byJames Clear Weinberg on Writing (The Fieldstone Method) by Gerald M. Weinberg

This is Marketing by Seth Godin

***

How I get things done:

This podcast is recorded on a Blue Yeti Microphone with an ASUS Zenbook Road Rig: iRig Lavaliers and my one plus Android Smartphone with a Powered USB-C Hub and a Bluetooth Keyboard.

SocialBee - My social media automation and syndication software

Appsumo - Where I get all my amazing, cheap software for a lifetime.

Canva - Graphics for all of my memes, flyers, posts, logos, pitches, etc. Fiverr - I hire a number of freelancers from Fiverr to handle things from web tasks, to show notes, to research

projects, to data entry. Outsourcing baby!

NameCheap.com - Whenever I have an idea for a business, one of the first things I do is set

up the domain name!

Hostwinds - This is my web host. This is vital to hosting your website. Having

been through AWS and Hostgator, this is the move!

Kate Levenstien is the founder and CEO of Cannonball Productions, she brought her background in events and PR to the world of food and drinks. Her event management agency Cannonball Productions organizes and produces food and beverage events in iconic stadiums and unique venues all over the country. This includes the Bacon and Beer Classic, a massive celebration of you may have guessed, bacon. And beer.

In this episode, we talked about how Kate started after graduating from college to working in LivingSocial, where she managed the live-entertainment team to making a fearless decision, starting up her own event planning company at age of 26. She also shared how their team produces hugely successful events in massive venues feeding tens of thousands of people and what the future of her company look like in the land of COVID19. 

Be sure to check out Kate’s Linkedin or send her an email to [email protected] or visit www.cannonballproductions.com.

The episode at glance: 

[00:45] About Kate's business-Cannonball Productions

[5:00] where did the concept of bacon and beer come from?

[8:30] Cold calling stadiums

[14:00] Business situation during COVID and vision

[23:00] How do they organize massive events?

[26:00] Communication with the team

[32:00] Resources

***

Questions, comments or thoughts please get in touch! I’m on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and even TikTok. Or just head to my website http://jlittrell.com. You can even book a call through this link. 

***

Current Library:

The Art of Learning by Josh Waitzkin [Audiobook]

Atomic Habits by James Clear

Weinberg on Writing (The Fieldstone Method) by Gerald M. Weinberg

This is Marketing by Seth Godin

Feeding Your Demons by Tsultrim Allione

***

This podcast is recorded on a Blue Yeti Microphone with an ASUS Zenbook Road Rig: iRig Lavaliers and my one plus Android Smartphone with a Powered USB-C Hub and a Bluetooth Keyboard.

SocialBee - My social media automation and syndication software

Appsumo - Where I get all my amazing, cheap software for a lifetime.

Canva - Graphics for all of my memes, flyers, posts, logos, pitches, etc.

Fiverr - I hire a number of freelancers from Fiverr to handle things from web tasks, to show notes, to research projects, to data entry. 

NameCheap.com - Whenever I have an idea for a business, one of the first things I do is set up the domain name!

Hostwinds - This is my web host. This is vital to hosting your website. Having been through AWS and Hostgator, this is the move!

Aaron Gregory Smith started working in restaurants to get through school at the age of 18. He’s operated Managing Director for 5 years before accepting his current role as the first Executive Director of the United States Bartenders’ Guild. Since taking over in a management capacity, the USBG staff has expanded from 2 to 14 full-time employees and has experienced significant membership growth representing more than 40 communities nationwide.

In this episode, Aaron talks about donations for United States Bartenders’ Guild, how it is spent, how their guild helps not just community but other countries during crisis and disaster, application to get relief grants, its criteria, screening process, and the selection.

Be sure to check out https://www.usbg.org/ for more info. 

Connect with Aaron through LinkedIN, Twitter or Instagram

The episode at glance:

[1:00] UBSG and Aaron's role at the moment

[1:50] Jameson donation to UBSG

[3:50] How UBSG helps community during crisis and disaster

[7:00] BEAP/NCF and UBSG comparison

[15:00] UBSG focus and role during coronavirus

[22:25] Is USBG involved in local state or politics?

[30:00] Application process for Bartender Emergency Assistance Program

[36:00] Screening process for the application

[41:00] advise to bartenders after COVID and how bartenders can help this time of the pandemic

****

Questions, comments or thoughts please get in touch! I’m on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and even TikTok…..I think. Or just head to my website http://jlittrell.com. You can even book a call through this link.

***

Want a copy of my Banquet Event Order Template? Click here! How about my nerdy Cocktail Calculator?

***

Current Library:

The Art of Learning by Josh Waitzkin [Audiobook]

Atomic Habits by James Clear

Weinberg on Writing (The Fieldstone Method) by Gerald M. Weinberg

This is Marketing by Seth Godin

Feeding Your Demons by Tsultrim Allione

***

This podcast is recorded on a Blue Yeti Microphone with an ASUS Zenbook Road Rig: iRig Lavaliers and my one plus Android Smartphone with a Powered USB-C Hub and a Bluetooth Keyboard.

SocialBee - My social media automation and syndication software

Appsumo - Where I get all my amazing, cheap software for a lifetime.

Canva - Graphics for all of my memes, flyers, posts, logos, pitches, etc.

Fiverr - I hire a number of freelancers from Fiverr to handle things from web tasks, to show notes, to research projects, to data entry. Outsourcing baby!

NameCheap.com - Whenever I have an idea for a business, one of the first things I do is set up the domain name!

Hostwinds - This is my web host. This is vital to hosting your website. Having been through AWS and Hostgator, this is the move!

15 Andrew Rigie: Executive Director of the New York Hospitality Alliance, a non-profit hospitality and nightlife advocacy group.

Andrew Rigie is the Executive Director of the New York City Hospitality Alliance, an association representing restaurants and nightlife venues throughout the five boroughs. He was born into the hospitality business, working at his family’s third-generation bakery and cafe in Queens, NY. 

In 2009, Andrew took the command of the 80-year-old Association's New York City operations as its Executive Vice President. Andrew utilized the knowledge he gained working inside the industry and on its behalf, to become the founding executive director who launched the independent New York City Hospitality Alliance, a trade association formed in 2012 to foster the growth and vitality of the industry that has helped propel the city to be a top hospitality destination.

In this episode, Andrew shared his insights on the coronavirus’ devastating impact on the hospitality industry, he also talked about his thoughts on digital apps that can be used in ordering food and drinks online, his advice to business owners on how they will handle their employees in terms of legalities, PPP loans, and government benefits in this crazy time.

He talks about his work with the government to make sure the hospitality industry will recover, and how he represents the interests of New York City restaurant nightlife industry operators and his future plans advocacies in policies that can help the industry back slowly to normalcy.

Be sure to check out https://www.thenycalliance.org/ and sign up for their newsletter for newsletter and resources and @nycalliance on Twitter. To connect with Andrew, follow him on Twitter @andrewrigie, @politicalfoodie on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.

Be sure to like, subscribe and listen to their brilliant podcast HOSPITALITY AND POLITICS w/ Andrew Rigie.

Episode at a glance:

[1:00] Andrew’s part in this coronavirus time, meeting and response from local government officials

[5:00] Thoughts on online food ordering companies

[7:30] Care Act, PPP loans, advice for business restaurant owners in New York City

[14:15] Meal expense deduction

[18:00] online delivery and ghost kitchens compared to restaurants and night life

[20:00] Drinks and cocktails delivery and its effects in economy

[22:00] Plans, advocacies, policies for hospitality industry plus communication with other organizations

[24:50:] Rigie’s thoughts on Andrew Cuomo

[29:00] Links and Resources

***

Questions, comments or thoughts please get in touch! I’m on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and even TikTok…..I think. Or just head to my website http://jlittrell.com. You can even book a call through this link.

***

Want a copy of my Banquet Event Order Template? Click here! How about my nerdy Cocktail Calculator?

***

Support the show by shopping my acu

This podcast is recorded on a Blue Yeti Microphone with an ASUS Zenbook Road Rig: iRig Lavaliers and my one plus Android Smartphone with a Powered USB-C Hub and a Bluetooth Keyboard.

SocialBee - My social media automation and syndication software

Appsumo - Where I get all my amazing, cheap software for a lifetime.

Canva - Graphics for all of my memes, flyers, posts, logos, pitches, etc.

Fiverr - I hire a number of freelancers from Fiverr to handle things from web tasks, to show notes, to research projects, to data entry. Outsourcing baby!

NameCheap.com - Whenever I have an idea for a business, one of the first things I do is set up the domain name!

Hostwinds - This is my web host. This is vital to hosting your website. Having been through AWS and Hostgator, this is the move!

 Questions, comments or thoughts please get in touch! I’m on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and even TikTok…..I think. Or just head to my website http://jlittrell.com. You can even book a call through this link.

Ashtin Berry is an activist and bartender from Chicago. She has worked as a bar manager, sommelier, and beverage director at Tokyo Record Bar and Air’s Champagne Parlor in New York. She’s recently in New Orleans with a new endeavor, Radical XChange individuals and businesses can experience hospitality in an innovative way. She is also the founder of America’s table which is a movement that unites hospitality workers across the United States. She was 2019 Imbibe’s Bartender of the year. In this episode, we talked about her work as an activist, her political views and she helps in labor movement especially in hospitality industry.

Connect with her through Instagram, also check her websites RadicalXchange and America’s table.

Questions, comments or thoughts please get in touch! I’m on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and even TikTok…..I think. Or just head to my website http://jlittrell.com. You can even book a call through this link.

***

Want a copy of my Banquet Event Order Template? Click here! How about my nerdy Cocktail Calculator?

***

Current Library:

The Art of Learning by Josh Waitzkin [Audiobook]

Atomic Habits by James Clear

Weinberg on Writing (The Fieldstone Method) by Gerald M. Weinberg

This is Marketing by Seth Godin

Feeding Your Demons by Tsultrim Allione

***

This podcast is recorded on a Blue Yeti Microphone with an ASUS Zenbook Road Rig: iRig Lavaliers and my one plus Android Smartphone with a Powered USB-C Hub and a Bluetooth Keyboard.

SocialBee - My social media automation and syndication software

Appsumo - Where I get all my amazing, cheap software for a lifetime.

Canva - Graphics for all of my memes, flyers, posts, logos, pitches, etc.

Fiverr - I hire a number of freelancers from Fiverr to handle things from web tasks, to show notes, to research projects, to data entry. Outsourcing baby!

NameCheap.com - Whenever I have an idea for a business, one of the first things I do is set up the domain name!

Hostwinds - This is my web host. This is vital to hosting your website. Having been through AWS and Hostgator, this is the move!

Chris Lowder is the trilingual General Manager of Proof & Company, China - the World's most-awarded bar consulting team and craft spirits importer. With offices in China, Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia and New Zealand, Proof imports and supplies high quality independent spirits, glassware, tools and ingredients to hotels and cocktail bars across Asia. As champions of fine drinking, Chris and his team actively work to build China's bartender community by delivering staff & consumer education, planning & executing cocktail events, and generally speaking, one of the most prolific international cocktail and spirits talents. We talked about his journey from being bartender, consultant to general manager...of a continent.

Be sure to follow Chris on his Instagram , connect to his Linkedin and visit PROOF if you want to know more about the innovative closed-loop distribution system that nearly eliminates packaging waste in the premium spirits supply chain, visit EcoSpirit Global .

Be sure to see last week weeks episode of the Movers and Shakers Podcast for another amazing interview with Chris Lowder and Micaela Piccolo!

***

Questions, comments or thoughts please get in touch! I’m on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and even TikTok…..I think. Or just head to my website http://jlittrell.com. You can even book a call through this link.

***

Want a copy of my Banquet Event Order Template? Click here! How about my nerdy Cocktail Calculator?

***

Current Library:

The Art of Learning by Josh Waitzkin [Audiobook]

Atomic Habits by James Clear

Weinberg on Writing (The Fieldstone Method) by Gerald M. Weinberg

This is Marketing by Seth Godin

Feeding Your Demons by Tsultrim Allione

***

This podcast is recorded on a Blue Yeti Microphone with an ASUS Zenbook Road Rig: iRig Lavaliers and my one plus Android Smartphone with a Powered USB-C Hub and a Bluetooth Keyboard.

SocialBee - My social media automation and syndication software

Appsumo - Where I get all my amazing, cheap software for a lifetime.

Canva - Graphics for all of my memes, flyers, posts, logos, pitches, etc.

Fiverr - I hire a number of freelancers from Fiverr to handle things from web tasks, to show notes, to research projects, to data entry. Outsourcing baby!

NameCheap.com - Whenever I have an idea for a business, one of the first things I do is set up the domain name!

Hostwinds - This is my web host. This is vital to hosting your website. Having been through AWS and Hostgator, this is the move!

Anthony Caporale is an award-winning pioneer in the beverage world, internationally known for being the first to bring mixology to both YouTube, with his seminal web video series Art of the Drink TV, and then to the New York stage with his groundbreaking Off-Broadway musical comedy series, The Imbible. He has been a professional Bar Instructor and Bar Chef for two decades, and has been involved in the opening of over a dozen major restaurants in roles ranging from Bar Operations Consultant to General Manager to Owner.

Be sure to check out his website and connect with him through LinkedIn.

***

Questions, comments or thoughts please get in touch! I’m on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and even TikTok…..I think. Or just head to my website http://jlittrell.com. You can even book a call through this link.

***

Want a copy of my Banquet Event Order Template? Click here! How about my nerdy Cocktail Calculator?

***

Current Library:

The Art of Learning by Josh Waitzkin [Audiobook]

Atomic Habits by James Clear

Weinberg on Writing (The Fieldstone Method) by Gerald M. Weinberg

This is Marketing by Seth Godin

Feeding Your Demons by Tsultrim Allione

***

This podcast is recorded on a Blue Yeti Microphone with an ASUS Zenbook Road Rig: iRig Lavaliers and my one plus Android Smartphone with a Powered USB-C Hub and a Bluetooth Keyboard.

SocialBee - My social media automation and syndication software

Appsumo - Where I get all my amazing, cheap software for a lifetime.

Canva - Graphics for all of my memes, flyers, posts, logos, pitches, etc.

Fiverr - I hire a number of freelancers from Fiverr to handle things from web tasks, to show notes, to research projects, to data entry. Outsourcing baby!

NameCheap.com - Whenever I have an idea for a business, one of the first things I do is set up the domain name!

Hostwinds - This is my web host. This is vital to hosting your website. Having been through AWS and Hostgator, this is the move!

April Wachtel has spent over two decades in the beverage and hospitality industry. She is an experienced mixologist, a cocktail and spirits instructor, Founder and CEO of Swig + Swallow (now Cheeky), Host of the Movers and Shakers podcast, and Director of Programming and Education for the Enthuse Foundation.

She has worked in every role from busser to bartender to beverage director, to brand ambassador to beverage consultant. She has developed recipes for the likes of Lincoln Center

Kitchen and MetLife Stadium, and her cocktail classes and personal philosophy of hospitality were featured in The Wall Street Journal and on the Sundance Channel. April has made appearances on The Today Show and Fox and Friends, among other media outlets.

You can check her website, connect through her Linkedin and follow her on Twitter

***

Questions, comments or thoughts please get in touch! I’m on Instagram,

Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and even TikTok…..I think. Or just head to my website http://jlittrell.com. You can even book a call through this link.

***

Want a copy of my Banquet

Event Order Template? Click here! How about my nerdy Cocktail Calculator?

***

Current Library:

The Art of Learning by Josh Waitzkin [Audiobook]

Atomic Habits byJames Clear Weinberg on Writing (The Fieldstone Method) by Gerald M. Weinberg

This is Marketing by Seth Godin

Feeding Your Demons

by Tsultrim Allione

***

How I get things done:

This podcast is recorded on a Blue Yeti Microphone with an ASUS Zenbook Road Rig: iRig Lavaliers and my one plus Android Smartphone with a Powered USB-C Hub and a Bluetooth Keyboard.

SocialBee - My social media automation and syndication software

Appsumo - Where I get all my amazing, cheap software for a lifetime.

Canva - Graphics for all of my memes, flyers, posts, logos, pitches, etc. Fiverr - I hire a number of freelancers from Fiverr to handle things from web tasks, to show notes, to research

projects, to data entry. Outsourcing baby!

NameCheap.com - Whenever I have an idea for a business, one of the first things I do is set

up the domain name!

Hostwinds - This is my web host. This is vital to hosting your website. Having

been through AWS and Hostgator, this is the move!

April Wachtel has spent over two decades in the beverage and hospitality industry. She is an experienced mixologist, a cocktail and spirits instructor, Founder and CEO of Swig + Swallow, Host of the Movers and Shakers podcast which talks about people and ideas changing the beverage landscape and she is the Director of Programming and Education for the Enthuse Foundation.

April has worked in every role from busser to bartender to beverage director, to brand ambassador to beverage consultant. She has developed recipes for the likes of Lincoln Center Kitchen and MetLife Stadium, and her cocktail classes and personal philosophy of hospitality were featured in The Wall Street Journal and on the Sundance Channel. April has made appearances on The Today Show and Fox and Friends, among other media outlets.

You can check out her website at http://www.aprilwachtel.com/,connect to her through Linkedin and follow her Twitter.

***

Questions, comments or thoughts please get in touch! I’m on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and even TikTok…..I think. Or just head to my website http://jlittrell.com. You can even book a call through this link.

***

Want a copy of my Banquet Event Order Template? Click here! How about my nerdy Cocktail Calculator?

***

Current Library:

The Art of Learning by Josh Waitzkin [Audiobook]

Atomic Habits by James Clear

Weinberg on Writing (The Fieldstone Method) by Gerald M.

Weinberg

This is Marketing by Seth Godin

Feeding Your Demons by Tsultrim Allione

***

This podcast is recorded on a Blue Yeti Microphone with an ASUS Zenbook Road Rig: iRig Lavaliers and my one plus Android Smartphone with a Powered USB-C Hub and a Bluetooth Keyboard.

SocialBee - My social media automation and syndication software

Appsumo - Where I get all my amazing, cheap software for a lifetime.

Canva - Graphics for all of my memes, flyers, posts, logos, pitches, etc. Fiverr - I hire a number of freelancers from Fiverr to handle things from web tasks, to show notes, to research projects, to data entry. Outsourcing baby!

NameCheap.com - Whenever I have an idea for a business, one of the first things I do is set up the domain name!

Hostwinds - This is my web host. This is vital to hosting your website. Having been through AWS and Hostgator, this is the move!

Sharon Salmon is Business Operations (HR) Specialist whose helping businesses in hospitality industry such as restaurants, bars and organizations build better places for their staffs and remain compliant. She also shares her insights about leadership practices of two of the most famous burger joints Shake Shack & In N’ Out.

You can check out her website at https://atolent.com/ and connect to her through Linkedin

***

Questions, comments or thoughts please get in touch! I’m on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and even TikTok…..I think. Or just head to my website http://jlittrell.com. You can even book a call through this link.

***

Want a copy of my Banquet Event Order Template? Click here! How about my nerdy Cocktail Calculator?

***

Current Library:

The Art of Learning by Josh Waitzkin [Audiobook]

Atomic Habits by James Clear

Weinberg on Writing (The Fieldstone Method) by Gerald M.

Weinberg

This is Marketing by Seth Godin

Feeding Your Demons by Tsultrim Allione

***

This podcast is recorded on a Blue Yeti Microphone with an ASUS Zenbook Road Rig: iRig Lavaliers and my one plus Android Smartphone with a Powered USB-C Hub and a Bluetooth Keyboard.

SocialBee - My social media automation and syndication software

Appsumo - Where I get all my amazing, cheap software for a lifetime.

Canva - Graphics for all of my memes, flyers, posts, logos, pitches, etc. Fiverr - I hire a number of freelancers from Fiverr to handle things from web tasks, to show notes, to research projects, to data entry. Outsourcing baby!

NameCheap.com - Whenever I have an idea for a business, one of the first things I do is set up the domain name!

Hostwinds - This is my web host. This is vital to hosting your website. Having been through AWS and Hostgator, this is the move!