Today we’d like to introduce you to Je’ Wesley Day.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Je’ Wesley. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Wow!!! That’s a loaded question for me. I’m not sure where to begin. Cocktail Chronicles began due to multiple reasons as follow:
1) I lost my business (Organix Lounge), currently known as Boogaloo Lounge, which caused me to go homeless. See, I sold my Buckhead condo in an attempt to save the restaurant/bar/lounge. Therefore, I lived out of the restaurant for months until I was forced to close (March 2013). Then, I began to live out of my SUV as I was too prideful to ask for help or return home to Chicago.
2) I was not able to find a job in the spirits business, which is where one of my passions lye. Therefore, I accepted a position in Houston, TX (November 2013; that took me to Beaumont, TX (July 2014). I was unhappy with corporate America and chose to take another shot at entrepreneurship. Therefore, eventually returned to Atlanta (March 2015).
3) Having worked as a bartender for over 15 years as a bartender, I realized that consumers do not know the written and unwritten rules of drinking, Nor are they aware of the spoken and spoken rules of etiquette and decorum. Therefore, I was motivated to create a tool that would assist consumers to learn the do’s and don’ts of navigating alcohol in various social settings.
Great, 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?
It was not a smooth road. I did not know where I would live or how I would make money before abruptly choosing to leave corporate America. I worried constantly, how I would pay rent and received multiple eviction notices, but was able to have each of them overturned. I say, “God has been on my side.”
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Cocktail Chronicles – what should we know?
Je’ Wesley was born the youngest of eleven kids (8 boys and 3 girls), but the only child to the union of his mother (Barbara A. Quinn) and late dad (John Wesley Day) on the West Side of Chicago. He was born on September 13, 1977, at Illinois Masonic Hospital and was referred to as “the miracle baby.” Born into the world lifeless, doctors had given up on reviving him. As Je’ lay on the table unattended and without a pulse, to the bewilderment of the doctors, he was blessed by God with the gift of life. From that point on, he was destined to succeed.
Je‘ Wesley Day, a Chicago native and current Atlanta resident, has quickly become one of the world’s top social influencer’s within the beverage arena. He empowers consumers around the world on their beverage choices (both alcohol and non-alcohol) by informing them of the unwritten rules of drinking, confirming or dispelling myths, and providing knowledge of etiquette and decorum. This is done through daily articles, weekly video blogs, and monthly live discussions at his online multi-digital media publication of Cocktail Chronicles. Cocktail Chronicles provides consumers with awareness of how beverages impact their bodies and lives, how to make their drink orders confidently, the language to engage in dialogue with peers who are wine/beer/spirits connoisseurs, and perhaps the initiative to try a cocktail out of the ordinary for their palate.
Je’ Wesley has over 15 years of experience working in the bar and restaurant industry. He started working at restaurants on the West Side of Chicago at 13 years old, moonlighted in nightclubs of New York City and Houston, TX while maintaining a corporate management position, then opened his own restaurant/bar (OrganiX) in Atlanta, Georgia from 2011 thru 2013. While attempting to rebound from losing his dream of OrganiX that left him homeless, he decided that he would pursue his passion and work in a corporate capacity within the spirits industry. After receiving hundreds of letters of decline from liquor manufacturers and distributors, Je’ Wesley decided to combine his three passions – beverages, journalism and marketing – to create Cocktail Chronicles which launched on September 10th of 2015, in Atlanta, Georgia. Cocktail Chronicles’ mission is to inform and educate consumers on wine, spirits, beers and non-alcoholic beverages while providing knowledge to assist consumers in being confident, smart, aware and responsible for their beverage selections. As an entrepreneur, he is committed to snatching success by force.
Je’ Wesley has a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications from Northern Illinois University, an MBA in Marketing from Keller Graduate School of Management, a second Masters in Human Resources Management also from Keller and is currently a Doctor of Education student at Argosy University with a focus in Business Organizational Leadership. He is an Adjunct Professor at ITT Technical Institute teaching business, marketing, entrepreneurship and communications. He has also done guest lectures on “Discovering Your Passion” and “The Art of Interviewing” at Kennesaw State University, Clark Atlanta University, Leadership Preparatory Academy and many others.
Je’ Wesley is no stranger to leadership as he has presided over local organizations such as Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated (both undergraduate and graduate levels), NAACP, Young Democrats of Illinois, and as the former Community Relations Chairman for the Atlanta Association of Black Journalists (AABJ),former Treasurer of the Digital Journalists Task Force of NABJ and Assistant District Director of Illinois for Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated. He is currently a member of the AABJ, National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ), United States Bartenders Guild, the Georgia Restaurant Association and the National Black MBA Association (NBMBAA).
To enhance his academic and leadership credentials Je’ Wesley has earned the following certifications:
· Wine Certification
· Mixology Certification
· Georgia’s SafeServ Alcohol Certification
Turn to the expert, Je’ Wesley and Cocktail Chronicles, for your knowledge of beverages. Then, read reviews on handcrafted drinks, learn the best places to go for a great cocktail in your major cities, retrieve crafty drink recipes to try at home and much more at www.cocktailchron.com.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Perseverance, determination, dedication, hard-work and being a visionary.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.cocktailchron.com
- Email: jewesley@cocktailchron.com
- Instagram: @CocktailChron1
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cocktailchron1/
- Twitter: @CocktailChron1
Image Credit:
LaDee Ursulla
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