Today we’d like to introduce you to Jonathan Schmidt
Hi Jonathan, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Hi, my name is Jonathan Schmidt and I’m the founder of Johnny Mixology Inc, a premium bartending and events company based in Los Angeles, California.
My experience in hospitality really started when I was living in New York working as a touring drummer. I would be on the road for months at a time, and I would come back and work at some of the most interesting cocktail bars in the city, which is where I really developed a love of the craft. One night I would be playing for a few thousand people in any given city, and the next night I would be serving drinks to hundreds of people on one of the coolest rooftop bars in Manhattan. It was quite the life!
I started Johnny Mixology almost immediately upon moving to Los Angeles in the fall of 2021. A friend of mine had asked me to bartend his friend’s backyard birthday party to which I, of course, obliged. I had such an incredible experience building the event from the ground up, that it really became the lightbulb moment when I started the company.
Fast-forward 3 1/2 years, and I have done well over 500 events. I now have a team of about ten bartenders, two people on the admin side, and some of my clients are the biggest names in Hollywood. It’s been pretty unreal to be totally honest.
What started out as a favor for a friend, quickly turned into a business that I have fallen in love with and nurtured since that very first event. My whole goal was to bring the high level of service, creativity, and warmth of hospitality I gained over the years, to the more intimate gatherings and venues of Los Angeles – and doing so with my own personal style.
It has been incredibly rewarding to build a company that helps people celebrate the important milestones of their lives.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I would say for the most part, it has been relatively smooth, and for that I am extremely grateful, but there have definitely been some growing pains along the way. I had never run a company like this before, so when it came time to scale it naturally as more demand came in, I simply had to adjust to the challenges. I had to buy more gear, make more space, and strategically hire and train the perfect people who now define the brand.
Having come from the touring and music world, I’ve found that there is so much crossover from one to the next. Running a bartending & event business feels very much like planning a tour that doesn’t really have an end date. You’re booking the events, advancing the ‘production’ if you will, and coming into a performance mindset once you’re at the venue, which changes from day to day. There is very much a performative aspect to running the bar that I absolutely love.
At the beginning, I felt like I was the only one who could do all of the jobs, however, that quickly became untenable. In the beginning, on any given Saturday, I’d be downstairs washing bar tools, cutting limes, and packing up the gear for that day’s events. Meanwhile, I’d be racing back and forth to my computer to answer emails, respond to clients and send proposals for new requests! It was a lot, but I was so grateful there was such demand begin with, it really helped me never feel completely overwhelmed.
But when the bolts felt like they were coming off, I really had to figure out how to delegate and run a team, even if it’s just one other person at the beginning. My first real hire was on the event coordination side, Talia, who helped so much in terms of prepping all of the events, so I could focus on marketing and growing the company. That was really when I saw the true value in delegating tasks to the right people.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Johnny Mixology Inc.?
It is truly a passion of ours to create memorable moments, and believe the bar is the heart of any event. This is why we’re dedicated to providing concierge-level service from the first stages of planning, to designing a bespoke cocktail menu, to pouring that final drink. We are here to assist with any type of event – whether it be an intimate gathering or a large-scale production – and we bring style, warmth and the creative spirit to ensure an unforgettable experience.
What sets us apart is our passion and true dedication to the detail that goes into planning every event. I feel so lucky to be able to help people celebrate the most important days of their lives. Be it a wedding, engagement, birthday or memorial, these are events that people are going to remember for the rest of their lives and subsequently, the care that was put into making their event a success.
I also can’t say enough about the quality of my team. We are unique in that we all come from artistic backgrounds. Many of us are performers, so we are able to bring a lot of passion and a level of performance to every event. I’m so proud that clients know when they hire Johnny Mixology, no matter if it’s myself or somebody from my team, they’re going to get one of the best, most personable and skilled bartenders that this city has to offer.
At the end of the day, it’s all about the people, of course the cocktails have to be amazing and look picture perfect, that’s a given, but what people are going to remember is the experience they had, the camaraderie they felt, and the moments they shared. THAT to me is the most important part of this entire endeavour – to create beautiful memories, one sip at a time.
Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
I am such a sucker for personal development books, podcasts, and anything else I can get my hands on in that realm. I find the more I can absorb on personal development, the better. Two podcasts that I’m a huge fan of are Diary of a CEO and the Modern Wisdom Podcast – two very popular ones, but popular for a very good reason.
One thing that has been incredibly helpful during this journey has been working with a business coach. She has helped me immensely with direction, tapping into the creativity of it all and how to successfully run a business of any kind. I would highly recommend anyone to look into some kind of mentorship or business coaching if it’s available to them, as it has been imperative in keeping me on track with operating this business with positivity and intention.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.johnnymixology.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/johnnymixology
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JohnnyMixology/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-schmidt-710a517
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@johnnymixology
Image Credits
Missy Marie Photography
Raven Berlin Photo
Arnold Photography
