Today we’d like to introduce you to Lariesa Davis.
Hi Lariesa, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I moved to GA from Detroit, MI 2015. At the time, I still had my bar open back home so I was back and forth a lot. I was trying to figure out what I wanted to do here in Atlanta, so I decided to stick to what I knew. Well, at 1st I started selling hair and clothes. Then I wanted to stay in the “bar world” but not open a bar here. So that’s when I decided to do a mobile bartending business. I took the Bartending class here in Atlanta cause back home. I didn’t have to I had/have a liquor license, so didn’t need it.
After getting booked a few times, I was like oh ok, I really like this as a business. My very 1st booking was TIP & Tiny baby shower for Heiress. After a few bookings then I become known for my mixologist skills. Crazy part I don’t drink, never have dont know what any liquor even taste like. I just learned what goes good with what by bartending at my bar and having almost ten years of experience. People started telling other people and I became like the go-to mixologist to some of the Atlanta elite. I can create any drink menu for any type of event. My personality is also what I feel brings me my clientele too. I love what I do and it shows. I love dealing with people. I have never tasted anything I’ve mixed together cause, I repeat, I do not drink, but I can make you the best drink you’ve ever had. I feel it’s a gift.
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?
No, it hasn’t. Moving to a new state where I don’t know anybody was very difficult. I came from being a bar owner to a bartender. So it took some getting used to. I came from everybody knowing me to a city nobody knew me and had to start all over.
So at the start of the pandemic, I felt GOD was telling me to do something. I’ve always been into doing a lot of charity work back home in Detroit. So I decided to give out $5 Hot & Ready’s from Little Caesars. I gave each person a WHOLE pizza, not a slice the WHOLE pizza, water, fruit and snacks. I started out the 1st week with 50pizzas & ended with giving out 150 pizzas a week every Sunday for about three months. I had some help for my supporters, but mostly this came out my pockets. I did this solo, but 3x I had help. My Lil cousin (Brittni Mealy kids) helped pass them out. They were really shocked to see that people lived like that cause they had never been exposed to it. I would like to start back doing it, but an incident with three homeless people caused me to stop for safety reasons. They became very hostile cause I didn’t offer options and only offer pepperoni pizzas. All this is in my highlights on my page. I’m very BLESSED to be able to do things like this.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Bar Babez Staffing?
My business is my baby. It’s a brand that I build and proud of the success it has. I specialize in making the best damn drink you will ever taste, lol. I’m known for making drink pouches. People hire me to create drinks in pouches. I feel what sets me apart is my creativity in my names for my drinks, using top-of-the-line products for taste and using fruit. I’m most proud of my repeat clients that they trust what I do and continue to support my brand. I’m most proud of The Housewives of Atlanta hiring me several times. Marlo was my 1st housewife and then Ms. NeNe Leakes also Porsha. When I got them, it was like okkkkkkk, I’m on to something they’re drinking MY DRINKS. 😂 They even had them on a reunion show, that was big even if nobody knew it BUT ME. 😂 My brand offers you one-of-a-kind creative drinks & the names to match. You can hire me and give me a budget to shop with. I’ll even go to the liquor store with you, so the right things are bought.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
I got out here in the streets and talked to people. You have to be a people person. You have to have a PERSONALITY and be approachable. Networking is a MUST. Get you to name out there.
Contact Info:
- Email: barbabezstaffing@gmail.com
- Website: barbabezstaffing.wixsite.com/barbabezstaffing
- Instagram: Barbabezstaffing
- Facebook: Bar Babez Staffing LLC
- Twitter: Bar Babez Staffing
