Meet Bryan Douredjian

We were lucky to catch up with Bryan Douredjian recently and have shared our conversation below.

Bryan, thank you so much for making time for us. We’ve always admired your ability to take risks and so maybe we can kick things off with a discussion around how you developed your ability to take and bear risk?

For me, taking risks didn’t come from being bold. It came from realizing that staying comfortable wasn’t helping me grow. I played things safe for a while, and all it really did was keep me in the same place. Every time I ignored what I genuinely wanted, life felt tighter, like I was shrinking instead of moving forward.

The turning point was noticing that the moments I improved the most were the moments I took a chance on myself like leaving a job that wore me down, starting Neat & Shaken without having it all figured out, accepting gigs that made me nervous, trying ideas that could’ve easily missed the mark. But every time I pushed into something uncertain, I walked away with something valuable: experience, confidence, or at least a clearer understanding of what I wanted.

I also stopped waiting for ideal timing. It never showed up. So I learned to move with whatever I had.

So if anything, my willingness to take risks came from trial, patience, and learning to trust myself, not from trying to be fearless or make anything sound bigger than it is.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

I run Neat & Shaken, a private bartending service where my goal is to make cocktails feel approachable and familiar, while still bringing in the kind of flavor and technique you’d find in a good cocktail bar. I like using fresh ingredients and simple, thoughtful methods that lift a drink without making it feel overly complicated or “fancy for the sake of being fancy.”

What I enjoy most is creating drinks that people recognize but experience in a new way – maybe it’s a cleaner flavor, a better balance, or a small detail that makes someone say, “This is the best version of this I’ve had.” I want guests to feel comfortable walking up, ordering whatever they like, and knowing it’ll be made well without any pretense.

Neat & Shaken has been growing through private events, and I’m continuing to build relationships with clients, planners, and local venues. Each event gives me the chance to refine what I do and offer something dependable and easy for people to bring into their celebrations.

Looking ahead, my focus is simple: keep improving the drinks, keep improving the service, and keep showing up with the same consistent quality. If people walk away feeling like they had a great time and the drinks played a part in that, then I’m doing what I set out to do.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Curiosity pushed me to keep learning, but not in a formal way, just by paying attention to what makes a drink work, what flavors go together, and why certain techniques make a difference. Anyone starting out can build this by staying open minded, asking “why” a lot, and learning from the people around them. You don’t have to master everything at once; just follow the things that interest you and let that snowball.

Consistency mattered more than anything. Neat & Shaken only grew because I kept showing up, improving small details, and learning from each event. You don’t need a perfect plan – just get in the habit of doing a little bit every day. Whether you’re practicing your craft, networking, or building your brand, consistency compounds in a way that feels slow at first but pays off later.

People skills ended up being just as important as making cocktails. Being able to read a room, talk to guests naturally, and make people feel comfortable is huge in this line of work. For anyone new, the best way to build this is by being present. Listen more than you talk. Pay attention to what people respond to. Hospitality is really just noticing things and caring enough to respond to them.

If I had to give one piece of advice, it’s that you don’t need to force expertise. Just stay curious, stay consistent, and treat people well. Everything else develops with time and reps.

One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?

Yeah, I’m definitely open to working with people. If someone has an event, a venue, or a project where good cocktails and solid hospitality would add something, I’m always down to talk. I like working with folks who care about creating a smooth, enjoyable experience – planners, caterers, photographers, or really anyone who’s trying to put together something memorable without making it overly complicated.

If anyone reading this wants to connect, the easiest way is to reach out on Instagram @neat.and.shaken or send me an email at [email protected]. I’m always open to seeing where things go.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://neatandshaken.co
• Instagram: @neat.and.shaken
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/neatandshaken.co/
• Linkedin: Bryan Douredjian
• Other: https://share.google/cfUEKxbIccRD3OwMX
  Neat & Shaken Google Page