Today we’d like to introduce you to Luis Moreno.
Luis, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
The process from the first drink I poured in bartending school to now, being an established small business, breaks down into two major parts.
My intro to cocktail mixing about five years ago, and starting private bartending gigs, and then my intro into specialty coffee about two years ago, and quitting my full-time warehouse job to just working and creating my own income. Bartending private events was really about the money at first.
Right out of the gate, I got my first party the Saturday after graduating bartending school. Walked away with a few bills and was very much “hooked.” However, I would not have made it this far with just that. Money was a nice prize to walk away with, but looking back now, my real satisfaction came from being as creative, as passionate and as myself as I wanted… and people loved it.
The branding and marketing of my company, my name, my reputation is what I became fascinated with. From then on, I spent every moment thinking of my business and how I can improve and impress. Grow and help grow. And really without even knowing I was already doing it at the time with social media, talking to everyone about my ideas and becoming an entrepreneur.
I guess you can say; I broke out of the “assembly line” mindset. And it really wasn’t until I was introduced to coffee that the clear vision of Mobar & Co was first seen. I had tried being a catering company, party rental company, managing a bar and so many other things. I worked with great companies in the private event sector for some time at this point.
Event coordinators, planners and even other already established bartending and catering companies, but just like most positions I held, I was seen as too “out there,” taking things too fast, rebellious, or my favorite “too young.” All the “noise” of what my company was going to be really died down once I was introduced to one specific company Coffee Catering LA.
At this time, I worked for Tierra Mia Coffee Company and was getting more and more into making well, coffee drinks as a barista. Coffee Catering LA really linked the two things I really enjoyed, Bartending for private events and being a barista. That’s really when I decided to dedicate to just being a beverage vendor, simplified our menu and fired all cylinders on mastering the event bartending and coffee world.
Fast forward to now, a year and a half later, we worked events almost every day and booked every weekend. We travel all around Los Angeles and surrounding counties and have gone interstate to Las Vegas and plans to go to Austin Texas and Portland for future collaborations and events by the end of 2018.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
The biggest struggle is really gaining and learning experience. Taking every moment, or in my case event and always learning and growing from them. Moving forward and taking what you can. Some of the biggest mistakes or “bad events” were caused by my ego really. Not knowing when to turn the other cheek or ask for help. And that’s really what it’s all about is just doing your homework and being prepared both mentally and knowing your business inside and out.
However, some things you just can’t be ready for and you have to learn the hard way. Like staffing and partnerships. There’s a lot of people out there who are running the same race, and as much as we try not to let business become personal, it happens more times than not. And in doing so, relationships are affected in all areas.. staff, other vendors, clients and even with friends and family.
Along the same lines as learning how to do things, managing your money has to be one of my personal struggles that took me a bit longer to get a hold of. Knowing how to prioritize your income for your businesses outcome and the harsh truths of our economic system nowadays really float to the top of your list of things to worry about when running a business.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Mobar & Co. – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
I’ve always said, bartending sells itself. Everyone always has the same reaction when they see the company van. They say, “Uuu Bartending” with a big smile, “got any drinks in the van?” then we laugh, and I ask them about what drinks they like… have they tried this drink or that drink… and maybe even suggest something they can try in the future.
Give them a business card and if we really hit it off get a number and send them a text right away. So I can’t say, we specialize in being friendly and social… that’s more of a requirement to do what I do. The specialize part really comes into the planning.
The next step from there, the client calls or asks me about pricing. Always the first thing to come up which is understandable. So we break down everything they want and everything they can get. I work with them making customized packages and the who brings what discussion.
Everyone who calls me can get a customizable shopping list and budget without even booking. And, on top of that, we also offer a full-blown espresso bar with hot, iced and iced blended drinks. From lattes to iced tea to kid-friendly cocoa and milkshakes. So we can cater to anyone and everyone.
Preparation, presentation, and performance are what we look for in working an event. So you can always count on us being prepared, looking and making you look good, and great customer service. Guaranteed! And part of making you look good is our setups. We have our own custom, built-to-order bars that we make ourselves.
Going from LED bars to rustic wood bars, we can adapt to any event for a very affordable cost. This is what has really caught the attention to our of state companies. We have a few orders in Austin and Portland interested in them, mainly for their look and collapsibility.
Easy to move and transport specifically for on the go bartenders. So aside from our great consulting, excellent service and amazing products, the idea of one little mobile bartending company going nationwide is what sets us apart from others.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
Ten years from now, I do see myself doing what my dad and I kind of always just said but never took seriously. Which is opening up a restaurant? It’s going to be more of a bistro bar and cafe. A few tables and patio area with live music weekends and taco Tuesdays on Wednesdays or something crazy like that.
As far Mobar, we are definitely going nationwide and interstate. Riding this as far as it’ll take me. The way I’ve set things up has a very franchised vibe to it already. So I want to set up an office in Vegas, New York, Texas, Italy! And everywhere we can. Obviously after doing our homework on what areas will work. Manufacture bars and bar products and a few inventions of new bar products I’ve come up with.
Our own product line of syrups and flavors, labeling some drinks that have been made by our bartenders and finally starting a school. I understand the stigma that comes with alcohol, I really do. I understand it’s affected many people for the bad and no doubt in my mind that it’s something that can easily be abused and misused.
So the school with be for education on alcohol for a career AND the dangers of it as well. What to do if someone is an alcoholic, who to call. Give people not only the help they need but a voice and a platform to be helped.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.mobar.company
- Phone: 323-804-6311
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mobar.co/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mobar.company/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/mobar-and-co-los-angeles-2?osq=Mobar+%26+Co.
Image Credit:
The DownTown Leche Family, Hugo Rez, Chris Pan
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