We recently connected with Brianne Kilmartin and have shared our conversation below.
Brianne, appreciate you making time for us and sharing your wisdom with the community. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others overcame obstacles can be helpful. One of those struggles is keeping creativity alive despite all the stresses, challenges and problems we might be dealing with. How do you keep your creativity alive?
Event bartending allows me to constantly flex my creativity. With each event comes a new theme, style, recipes, and even decor! Our bars and menus become a blank slate for whatever the event calls for, and we LOVE delighting and surprising each client with something unique that speaks to who they are as people, or the type of event they’re throwing. I believe that’s ultimately what sets us apart from other bartending companies out there. Sure, anyone can shake a cocktail or two, but we create bespoke bar setups and menus and our incredible team of experts function at high-volume to ensure every guest is taken care of, and the vibes are just right.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I am the founder & owner/operator of Happy Trails Bar Co. out of Santa Clarita, California! We are the original vintage Horse Trailer bar company in Santa Clarita Valley, and we service all throughout Southern California. Since our beautiful Horse Trailer Bar, Annie, busted out on the scene, we’ve added so many other fantastic bars & services to our fleet!
Annie – Our Fabulous 1968 Horse Trailer Bar. She has natural wood finishes, a built-in two-tap keg system, and is an automatic showstopper!
Belle & Daisy – Our two incredible tap trikes! Belle is painted white head-to-toe, while Daisy has a mint green trike, with a natural live edge wood box. We can serve anything from beer & wine to cocktails, mocktails, lemonade & beyond…on draft!
Jane, Kate, Pearl, & Bonnie – Our wide variety of stunning satellite bars! Pearl is featured up top, and with all different sizes & colors, we surely have something that will work perfectly.
We service any and all private events – from weddings, birthdays, showers, corporate events, mixers, conferences, & more. The world is your oyster as far as we’re concerned, and with our amazing team of 23 bartenders, we’re able to act quickly to take care of last-minute bookings, yet still pivot in a way that a small business needs to to take care of any type of event & make each one special.
Our favorite clients include Disney, Paul Smith, Fashionpass, FivePoint, and so many more. We’ve been so blessed to be able to celebrate on a small scale with so many beautiful families for their milestone events, all the way up to serving 2000+ guests at an Easter event this past year. It’s been GREAT!
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
I like to say (& I believe it’s true) that each job I’ve held in my life and career so far has prepared me in some way for Happy Trails Bar Co. I grew up in logistics and product development, working in hardlines. I managed sales teams and drove numbers. After that, I joined a sales team and a new industry myself, when I jumped into the supplier side of the adult beverage industry, working for different companies from start-ups to well-established brands. I recently fully quit my job to focus all of my time and energy on my company, and give each of our clients the attention they deserve when they book us.
I would say my combined experience in Sales, Product Development, and my 13 years in the Alcohol Industry has shaped my journey into what it looks like now. I would advise anyone driving towards their dreams to take a piece of each of their experiences – even if you don’t think it relates to anything you want to do – and shape your future with it. learn – be a sponge, and you can really do anything you want to do!
What’s been one of your main areas of growth this year?
A couple of months ago, I finally quit my full-time job to focus on my business. I loved my career, and it afforded me so much, including starting up this company, but I realized that I didn’t like my work-life balance, and I was spread so thin, and not giving my whole heart to either area of my life. I decided to choose what my heart was telling me, and it was always with Happy Trails Bar Co.
Not only do I COMPLETELY love events and mobile bartending, and everything that comes with it, but I have a team of 23 bartenders who have given me their time and energy – it was time for me to give it my all too.
Spending this extra time on everything from systems and processes, to marketing and team growth, has been a huge boost to Happy Trails’ success, and I’m so thrilled with my decision. On to bigger and better things!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.happytrailsbar.co
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/happytrailsbarco
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/happytrailsbarco
Image Credits
Becca Rillo Photography
Italia Rose Photography
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
