We recently connected with Courtney Wysinger and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Courtney, thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?
I got my work ethic from my mother, Deborah Wysinger. She was a single mother of two girls. My father gave little to no support. So she worked and worked. Did I mention that she worked lol?! She always worked at least two jobs.
When we were in high school, mama worked two jobs plus woke up at 4am to help me and my sister run our paper route. Mama firmly believes that everyone HAS to have a job. She always supported our goals and dreams but made sure she threw in there, “you may have to do that AND wait tables like Felicity.”
Mama also believes you don’t call into work unless you are shedding blood or in the hospital (she recently threw in Covid because no one wants to catch that). “You go to work and you make them send you home!” Mama taught to us to work hard and be the best at whatever job we take.
“Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.” Colossians 3:23
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I like to think of myself as an Entertainment Entrepreneur. Did I just coin a phrase lol?! My scope is so much broader than just one single thing. I feel you limit yourself when you are placed in a monolithic space. I’m not just a musician. I’m a bartender (or a bar alchemist because I create magic). I’m not just going to pour your a drink, I’m going to pour you a drink, sing you a song, tell you a joke, encourage you, pray for you, counsel you. I’m multi-passionate.
I am the owner of Bar Magic mobile bar catering service. Bar Magic was conceived out of my search for more in life but it was birthed out of a need during the pandemic. Thousands restaurants and bars were closed. We were all out of work and the patrons were left with a void that needed to be filled. Through the benevolence of God and the government, liquor stores were deemed essential. So I strived to bring the bar to people at home. I sold drinks and I would do live videos to be interactive. Now that we are back outside, I still sell drinks by the gallon but we are also now doing private event bar catering as we intended to do before the pandemic started. We have done events in people’s homes, weddings, funeral repass, birthday parties and so on. However, we have also done bar management at venues like Houston Botanic Gardens and events such as Black Chef Table at Kulture.
People often ask me, what is the magic of Bar Magic? A friend of mine said the magic is she kept drinking and didn’t have a hangover the next day. That was luck lol! Another friend of mine said ” like Black Jesus, the drinks just kept on come and that’s the magic!” Well, the magic is the experience that comes from the people. We aren’t just pouring drinks. We are curating an enjoyable experience that you won’t forget. The alcohol isn’t the magic. How you felt when you encountered the cocktail, the people that were around, the connections that were made… That is the real magic.
Currently, we are working on a couple web series; Magic Mondays and The Magic chasing The Rescue (name is still being played with). Magic Mondays will be a show where we make drinks and interview different people from varying people. The Magic chasing The Rescue is where I go to every bar that Bar Rescue has been to because I love the show.
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?
Three things that have helped me while along this journey are: 1. Hard working
2. Accepting help and learning from other people; no man is an island
3. Tenacity and Persistence
There are no short cuts. You have to work and work hard. People often start businesses under the assumption that can work when they feel like it, do whatever they want to do and work less. That is dead wrong. I work harder and more hours now than I ever did at a regular job. Owning a business is a 24/8 job. Yes I said 8! It is never ending. Starting a business is not for the weak. You have to be built Ford tough. You must love and be passionate about what you do to keep going. Also you have to have people in your life that push you, hold you accountable and will teach you things. You can’t make it on this journey on your own. And above all KEEP GOING! You will get knocked down. You will have an idea that doesn’t work. You will have haters. You will have slow months. You will cry. You will hurt. You will feel alone. KEEP GOING! You have to believe in you and believe in your product. Do it sad. Do it while you are crying. Do it alone. Do it broke and broken. The only failure is not having tried at all.
Looking back over the past 12 months or so, what do you think has been your biggest area of improvement or growth?
My mama often tells me, “you don’t have to run to every fight that you see.” Well, I have discovered that I don’t have to runt to every client that calls me. I have the right to say “no thank you.” For so long I was afraid to say no to engagements thinking that I need to take every job. “I’m too small to turn down jobs.” “What if no one else calls? “Why would I turn down potential money?” Well just like saying yes gives you power and adds value to your brand, so does no. You have to know what clients and jobs align with your brand. You can’t live with the fear of “what if” because that will get you stuck with clients that will not help your business grown and thrive. I am also learning that I can say no to friends and family too. Saying no doesn’t mean I love you any less. Saying no simply means it doesn’t work for my company and that has to be ok. No is hard but it’s just as necessary as a yes.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.alittlebarmagic.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/alittle_barmagic
- Facebook: facebook.com/barmagic7
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ALittleBarMagic
