Today we’d like to introduce you to Jelon Smart.
Hi Jelon, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Cocktail Hour “The Experience” was birthed from my passion for food and all things pretty. My love for meeting and connecting with new people has allowed the business to blossom into what it is today. I started this journey in August of 2013 while working as a sales assistant for a local news station, which was a great place to be; as it allowed for great exposure. I had always worked administrative and professional jobs but my true passion was hospitality, planning beautiful parties and cooking delicious cuisines. Prior to moving back home to Savannah and working at the local news station, I was a hospitality leader for 2 mega ministries one in the Middle Georgia area and one in the suburbs of Atlanta, these two positions really provided a space for me to flourish in my passion. When I started in 2013, it was part-time on the weekends just to satisfy my need to be creative and before I knew it Cocktail Hour was a well-known brand in the city of Savannah and after 2 years of working at the TV station I was able to resign to run my company full-time. The business has since grown tremendously and expanded to other cities and we are looking forward to future growth.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The road has not been smooth and yes there have been struggles. One of the biggest struggles in the beginning was closing the deals and getting future clients to say yes to the prices and understanding that it was not only food that was being provided, that it was an entire experience. Our team is designed to come in and create a beautiful experience through food and event design. Once the masses understood what we provided it made closing those deals much easier. The second biggest challenge that was and still is; is proper staffing. I get people saying they are willing to help and work all the time but I don’t think that from the outside looking in they really understand the logistics and hard work that goes into what we do.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Cocktail Hour “The Experience” is a full service event design and catering firm. We provide the finest in creative cuisines and unforgettable event experiences. What I am most proud of are our client connections that we have made over the years. Customer retention is very important to me so I am proud to have those clients who love our services and continue to support our business.
We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
Waking up each day not to work, but happy to do what I love and it is financially rewarding.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.cocktailhospitality.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cocktailhourtheexperience/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Cocktail-Hour-THE-Experience-102315601657959/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCf0HHG5vW0Sh58GiEpUpPgg
