Bar Diaries with Jason Littrell

Chef Dave Martin is one of my favorites in the F&B world. Capable, candid, versatile, and committed to doing things right the first time.

Chef took some time to walk me through some of his thoughts on how he built his business, his brand, and how he keeps hustling day in and day out. Nothing was off limits in this interview.

For his latest projects, follow him out on Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

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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.

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

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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

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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!

***Correction!! Applications are open until March 1, 2020!!!***

Chris is one of those guys that can pretty much build anything whether a bar operations and communications system to a business, to woodwork, metalwork, and leather-work. Were we not such a tight-knit community, I think we would in another dimension be perceived as competitors. Instead, we're great friends who feed off each other's ideas.

In this episode, Chris shares some of his thoughts about building the operations behind Liquor Lab, to and how he build Bar Methods from scratch as a founder. Applications are open to all bartenders until March 1st 2020!

Follow them for updates @barmethods on Instagram and Twitter!

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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?

What I’m Reading right now: 

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!

It's a tough pill to swallow, but we're not going to be dining the way we used to in ten years. It's Chefs like Chris Spear from Perfect Little Bites and Chefs without Restaurants who are going to surface in the emerging gig and convenience economies. Chef breaks down his techniques and tactics to build his brand, and deliver world-class in-home dining experiences.

Be sure to follow him HERE, HERE, and HERE.

***

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?

Nerdy Cocktail Calculator? Ok.

What I’m Reading right now: The Art of Learning by Josh Waitzkin [Audiobook]

***

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.

Video stuff: Canon 80D with a Rode Windjammer via CamLink with an HDMI mini adapter to PowerDirector.

***

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!

A big problem in our industry is newcomers in the industry working for cheap or worse, free. They say you always get what you pay for, but here are my notes on what I learned from my first consulting gig, how to establish your rates, and how to politely say no when the juice just isn't worth the squeeze.

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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.

***

FREE STUFF:

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

What I’m Reading right now: The Art of Learning by Josh Waitzkin [Audiobook]

***

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!

Ideas pop up into my head at the absolute strangest times. Sometimes I have Business ideas for a bar, or a brand, or a website...anything. This episode is about the thought process and vetting of the name of a business, and how to secure the properties, as well as what I do to develop the concept.

• Naming Your Business
• Namechekr.com to see if it's available.
• Trademark Resarch
• Getting the Domain name with Namecheap.com
• Email Catchalls and they're useful
• Picking a name and SLEEPING ON IT.
• Movers and Shakers podcast! MY FAVORITE!!!

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Questions, comments or want are you a bartender/chef who's built a business? Let me know! 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!

***

FREE STUFF:

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

What I’m Reading right now: The Art of Learning by Josh Waitzkin [Audiobook]

***

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!

How are you able to publish so much content on Social Media? The answer is by understanding the kind of content I need to be pushing, based on the platform and audience, syndicating and spinning my own content, and scheduling based on content type. Buckle up, there’s a lot of information here, so I’ll try not to talk too fast.

• Why I use social media and why you should too.
• Your customers are hiring based on relationships and recommendations.
• If you’re a consulting bartender, chef, entrepreneur, bar or brand owner, you need to be pushing content that reflects your brand values. Full stop.  
• By putting out content that reflects your expertise or values, you can be recommended to by your friends, customers and peers, but also by GOOGLE.
• A large part of Social media is SEO or search engine optimization which means that your content is parsed by Google and other search engines to help you create authority. This comes with talking about subjects you’re an expert on.
• Must be mobile
• Must not take more than a few hours a week
• Must be fun and interesting to produce
• Must help me learn something.
• The content I create
• I am not a photographer.
• What my clients ARE looking for is experience, reliability and expertise,
• This means sharing what I know, without pitching. 
• Depending on the platform, I will ask a question, or simply share a nugget of wisdom from 15 years in the business. 
• Spinning Content
• There are two basic types of content I produce, short form (like a meme, or a tweet) and long form, which is like a podcast, blog, or video.  
• I do not let a single piece of content go to waste
• This is usually just thought that I am waiting to turn into a meme. That thought can be screenshot to become an Instagram or twitter post, but here’s what I do with it.
• Social Bee manages Twitter, Linkedin, Google Business, and Facebook for me using content buckets.
• Content Buckets are specific types of content. All of my content falls into five buckets:
• To get all this content out evenly and consistently, I schedule different content buckets on different platforms at different times.  
• For Linked in, I always publish between eight and nine am, one post a day
• For Instagram, I post once a day around 10am
• For twitter I post around 8-10 times a day because the average lifepan of a tweet is around 10 minutes.  
• Google My Business gets one post a day
• The tools and techniques I mentioned are by no means the only way to get your messaging and brand out there, but this is what I have found works for me. This is the engine I built.

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Questions, comments or want are you a bartender/chef who's built a business? Let me know! 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!

***

FREE STUFF:

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

What I’m Reading right now: The Art of Learning by Josh Waitzkin [Audiobook]

***

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!

This episode is about how I got started as a bartender and how I started my business. I look forward to hearing your story!

I referenced a product to make a logo for yourself. Check out Canva.com. Honestly, what you're really selling is YOU, so if you just want to get started without spending much money, just use your name. Even filing for an LLC is optional (but recommended!)

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• When I was a kid, my mom told me that I would be a great bartender or a great shrink.
• I was around 22 years old and I got a job as a bus, sir, at a Little East County Irish restaurant.
• I knew I had to start somewhere, but it was always my goal and intention to be a bartender. There s O after awhile, busing tables and washing dishes. I eventually became a server waiting in line to get behind the bar. That day would never come, so I took a job as a day bartender at a complete dive, but I got a lot of valuable experience there, too.
• My job was the head bartender, I guess on I was making 50 bucks a week plus tips to manage the bar.
• The fondue bar led me to a scene that was happening on Elizabeth Street called the Randolph, which is where I really got my start. They partnered with the late, great Mr Sasha Petraski to train us and show us what a proper drink tastes like and how that's made.
• This experience was absolutely pivotal for me, and I still remember the feeling of knowing I was in the presence of a master. The training was ongoing because down the street was one of the cornerstones of the craft cocktail movement Milk and honey.
• This was one of the times that I gained the most knowledge in the shortest amount of time. I mean, they were asking me for, like, Vieux Carre and Queens Park Swizzles and, you know, Ramos Gin fizzes.
• Death & Co. was another massively pivotal time for me. I mean, the entire complexion of how cocktails were built was a completely new structure.
• I was elected to be the second president of the New York chapter of the USBG.
• I got a StarChefs.com Rising Star Award.
• I was most influential 40 under 40 for Wine Enthusiast magazine
• I started my first business as critical Mass Events LLC in the fall of 2010.

***

Questions, comments or want are you a bartender/chef who's built a business? Let me know! 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!

***

FREE STUFF:

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

What I’m Reading right now: The Art of Learning by Josh Waitzkin [Audiobook]

***

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!

I have a worrisome relationship with this site. This is a meaningful spending bucket for my business. AppSumo offers lifetime deals for software tools that are essential in running my business. It's geared towards entrepreneurs, internet marketers, and product marketers which is pretty much what I do. I'm relentless about checking this site for new deals, but if you're not obsessed like I am, just check out their email list. Here are some of the things I mentioned on the site:

https://thenycalliance.org/information/hospitality-politics-with-andrew-rigie

***

Questions, comments or want are you a bartender/chef who's built a business? Let me know! 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!

***

FREE STUFF:

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

What I’m Reading right now: The Art of Learning by Josh Waitzkin [Audiobook]

***

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!

On this episode I want to present a tool I use every day to organize the various projects, events, and ventures I am a part of.

Sure this episode is mostly about trello, but what we’re really talking about is project management. Being able to visually identify who is doing what is a key collaboration tool that goes far beyond the capabilities of pen and paper.You need a powerful system that actively takes thoughts, ideas, and tasks out of your head, and into a machine to focus your energy only on what’s most imporant at that time. Having a bunch of random thougths and a mental to do list is stressfull. Get it out of your head, and put it out there so you can work on it when it matters, or when you have a team to support you.

Project management is essential when producing an event, building a bar, running your business, anything. I produced this podcast from a trello board. The goal is to make sure you’re keeping track of all the little things that need to be done, and that you’re doing them in the sequence of priority and interest.

***

Questions, comments or want are you a bartender/chef who's built a business? Let me know! 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!

***

FREE STUFF:

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

What I’m Reading right now: The Art of Learning by Josh Waitzkin [Audiobook]

***

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!