Meet Brittany Vermilyea | Owner, Tini Mobile Bar

We had the good fortune of connecting with Brittany Vermilyea and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Brittany, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
When I turned 30 I started reflecting a lot on my career, and if I had truly found “what I want to be when I grow up.” Through this reflection process I came to the realization that my favorite moments have been those where I was hosting friends and family and celebrating life’s biggest moments. Following this epiphany, it was absolute peddle to the metal. Having no entrepreneurs in my family or circle of friends, I spent each night after my 8-hour workday researching and working on building my business and my brand, and Tini’ Mobile Bar was born. I knew I was on the right path when all I could think about each day at work was getting home to work on the bar. Although owning a mobile bar business wasn’t exactly what I wanted to be when I grow up, I can absolutely say I discovered that being an entrepreneur is.

What should our readers know about your business?
My business was born out of a love for hosting and bringing people together. My mom constantly hosted friends and family at our house and no one left thirsty or hungry, and I definitely inherited the party hosting gene. Whether it is football Sunday or a summer concert, the pregame is always at my place. When I began to feel that nagging urge to pursue something outside of my career, I knew event bartending was it.

In the first few months of opening my business there were so many nights that I would get home from my job, and go straight into working on the bar – I was OBSESSED! When it became all-consuming, I knew I was on the right path, as I hadn’t been that passionate toward something in a long time. I also faced the added challenge of not having any entrepreneurs in my immediate family, so I depended on research and teaching myself what I needed to know about starting my own business. Just about six weeks after starting my business I was up and running. Being born and raised in the Denver area, I am so fortunate for the support system around me and I owe my initial success to them. So, one booked event became two, then that became three, and we were off.

If you know you’re not doing what you love, then what do you have to lose by trying to find something that you do? It’s definitely not easy, and the uncertainty and fear of failure still keeps me up at night, but it is so rewarding and worth every second. My mom passed away in 2015, and when I am conceptualizing the bar menu, shopping for the bar decor or talking with party guests from behind the bar, I definitely feel her spirit with me.

While mobile bars aren’t new or revolutionary, I want potential clients to know that I am dedicated to helping them throw the absolute best party for their guests. I don’t just mix drinks, I work with each client to get to know them, their guests, their party theme and their preferences. We work together to create custom cocktails and a bar menu that will suite them best. From there, I hand-design a bar menu and begin shopping for custom bar pieces so the theme is brought to life. I am also known for bringing a handcrafted bouquet of flowers to display on the bar to each event, which is SO something my mom would do.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I love playing tour guide! I am so proud of my hometown of Denver, and truly love showing it off to anyone who comes to visit. I do have to admit, my definition of outdoorsy is sitting on a patio with a drink, so I take all of my guests on a tour of my favorite patios and rooftops! I love starting in the Highlands for brunch, then making our way to LoDo for some pre-Rockies game drinks at Viewhouse. After the game, we’ll make our way toward RiNo, stopping at Federales for a margarita. An absolute must-try for dinner is Barcelona (I recommend ordering several plates of the bacon-wrapped dates). Then, it’s time to wrap-up the night with some karaoke at Embassy Tavern.

If your friend is coming to visit in the winter – no problem! Take them on an espresso martini crawl through the city. Here were all of the stops on my 32nd birthday espresso martini crawl this year (including neighborhood, I got you):

1) 54thirty (downtown)
2) Four Season Bar (downtown)
3) Cruise Room (LoDo)
4) Death & Co (RiNo)
5) Welton Room (Five Points)

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
When I say my heart is full, I mean it is OVER FLOWING! The support I have received since starting my business has been truly overwhelming. Following an exceptionally hard couple of days of stress, anxiety and doubt, I woke up to a note from my boyfriend that said, “I am proud of you. Keep up the good work in all that you do.” I still have that note by my front door and read it each and every day. As if I wasn’t already feeling the love, following the launch of my Etsy storefront orders started coming in like crazy from friends all over the country. These moments of support have truly been what has kept me going.

Website: https://www.tinimobilebar.com

Instagram: @tinimobilebar

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brittanyvermilyea

Facebook: @tinimobilebar

Yelp: Tini’ Mobile Bar

Image Credits
Mary Alex Photography
@maryalex.photography

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Cade + Anna
@garrettfilms