Meet Kodie Ketchbaw | Creative & Entrepreneur

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

Hi Kodie, we’d love to hear what makes you happy.
I find happiness in being of service to others. I feel like there’s a real grace and an art form to it and it can manifest itself in the simplest of gestures to the grandest of ideas. As a flight attendant for Southwest Airlines, it was in the simple act of serving a beverage with a smile and a “My Pleasure” when being thanked. As a mentor with Colorado Youth At Risk it was taking on the role as an important person in someone’s life who came from challenging circumstances and being a source of stability, guidance and compassion for them during their time in high school. And now with K-Bar Events, it’s in the joy of being of service to my clients from start to finish to both alleviate the stress of bar and beverage planning and preparation as well as to create an experience for their guests that is beautiful, memorable and FUN! It honestly makes me so happy!

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I started K-Bar Events, a mobile bar and event rental business, during the pandemic so, naturally, a lot of people thought this was crazy. But I KNEW that the timing was perfect because it gave me time to design and create the trailers and the vision I had for my business while being forced to stay home and isolate. It was great in that it kept me busy and focused on something other than waiting for the world to reopen and having a goal in mind kept me from panicking about the fact that I was essentially unemployed for the time being. I also knew that once people could gather together again and celebrate together that they were going to want to go BIG and I wanted to be a part of that excitement! I love a good party!

K-Bar Events is owned and operated by a small crew of both current and former Southwest Airlines flight attendants – known for our legendary hospitality and our uncanny ability to entertain people trapped in steel tubes with cheesy jokes!

We pride ourselves on being unflappable under pressure and adaptable to schedule changes, weather delays and cancellations – and still smile through it all. We also take pride in our next-level Customer Service because, well… we learned from the best! Our slogan is Raise the Bar and that’s exactly what we aim to do with each and every event, for each and every client we serve!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Denver is such a great city and I’m so happy to call it home and show it off to friends who come visit! I live in the Sunnyside neighborhood so we’d definitely do a pub crawl to some of my favorite bars. My Neighbor Felix, Acova, BarTaco, Tatarian and Happy Camper would all be on the list. Breakfast at Bodega one morning is a must! Depending on the time of year, a Rockies game or a concert at Red Rocks. Paddleboarding on Gross Reservoir in the summer or a visit to the museums or aquarium in the winter. Meow Wolf! A candlelight production by Fever or a broadway show downtown. A trip to Garden of the Gods or a drive through Rocky Mountain National Park! A week just isn’t enough!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
There are probably way too many acknowledge in this space but here are a couple that deserve much credit. My best friend, Honor Blevins, has always supported and believed in my crazy dreams and ideas. She’s always said “What’s the worst that can happen?” And, if you can survive that, then DO IT! She’s always who I call first and say “What do you think of this?” I value her opinion and I trust her implicitly.

Then, there’s Nat. I’m the visionary and he’s the builder of those visions. We’ve been close friends for so many years, I can’t keep count. He’s been with me through the death of both of my parents, two cross country moves and a multitude of ups and downs that are not for the faint of heart. He is my rock and I 100% could not have done this without him. I appreciate him more than he will ever know and I love him dearly, as all my friends know.

Beyond my circle of friends, I am always seeking to learn and grow and just be a better human and I’ve been inspired by the likes of Brené Brown, Mel Robbins and Oprah Winfrey to name just a few. This year, I took the plunge to work with a business coach – Sarah Murphy with Mobile Beverage Pros – and although we’ve just begun, I can tell that this is going to be HUGE for me and I am already so grateful for her guidance and support and I can’t wait to see where we go this year!

Website: https://www.k-bar-events.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/k_bar_events

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/k_bar_events

Image Credits
Troy Brienzo