Tales of the Cocktail 2021

The world has changed and how we run bars needs to change with it--but old habits are hard to break. Still, prioritizing the well-being of personnel should be top of mind, but how do we make changes that stick? As the world reopens, what can bars do to shift away from what was and move towards a better future?

In the last year, it’s become painfully clear that the ways we’ve operated our bars and restaurants don’t equip us to be agile when responding to the needs of our communities, and more importantly, the needs of our teams.

As our businesses reopen (or open for the first time) what can we do to avoid falling into the pitfalls of the old paradigm? What can we adopt a new way of operating bars and restaurants so we can prioritize the well-being and care of personnel? In what ways will centering the needs and growth of the individuals working in our spaces improve our businesses?

In this seminar, we will ask you to reimagine how we can run our bars so we all leave inspired to build in ways for our teams to evolve, employees to stay engaged and grow personally and professionally, and ensure individuals working in our spaces are able to live full, long, and healthy lives. You’re invited to explore how incorporating transparency, abundance, and wholeness into your business can carry you into the future of our industry.

Some people energize an entire room. You know the ones. Most of them work in hospitality. You see them galavanting on Instagram while also galvanizing the industry. So how do they not burn out? What keeps their sanity and successful careers intact? In a word, “no.” Knowing what’s a yes and what’s a no is a honed skill. This practice is what today’s award-winning panelists credit for their fulfilling lives and the passion they bring to their work. Tune in to hear how they play it BIG. Moderated by Allison Parc (Founder & President of Brenne Whisky and Partner at Samson & Surrey), this event will leave you with practical advice and tools that have worked for firebrands across their sectors.

Imagine a hospitality industry where everyone took time to process their experiences, behavior, and emotional life the way we explore the flavor and texture of a drink. Think of how different our working lives would be. Think of how open individuals would be to change, growth, and creating spaces for belonging. Think of what hospitality could become.

Whether we like it or not, we are all emotional creatures. Before we are able to think, we feel. Those feelings become impulses, they turn into thoughts, those thoughts incite more feelings, all of that turns into actions, and those actions then externally define who we are on a social level. But if our emotions and feelings are the basis of everything we do, why do we spend such little time learning about them? Exploring them? Understanding them?

The good news is that emotional intelligence is a skill that can be developed and cultivated, because when we know what we feel, we are better informed about our thoughts and actions. This is especially awesome for someone who is required to use their emotional life in the workplace, like someone who works in hospitality, because rather than fracturing our emotional lives to get through a shift, we can listen to them, embrace them, and help us to navigate challenging situations without costing ourselves our mental health.

In this seminar, we'll learn more about emotional intelligence, literacy, and agility, as well as how to implement these new skills in the workplace.

We can apply mindfulness strategies to alcohol use; from enhanced enjoyment to the sober curious. The seminar will include mindful tips and techniques for sipping smarter, as well as a mindful awareness exercise for seminar participants.