In this episode of The Best Dam Podcast, Jill is joined by Angie Rafferty, the creative entrepreneur behind The Bourbon Babe and the current office administrator for the Boulder City Chamber of Commerce. Angie shares her journey of turning 25 years of bartending experience into a thriving mobile business that prioritizes creativity, inclusivity, and the "experience" of a private event.

From designing custom "crystal kiss" cocktails with edible glitter to teaching interactive mixology classes where guests take home their own bar tools, Angie provides a look into the artistry of mobile bartending. She also discusses her background in the military, her transition from a 10-year career as a paralegal, and how the Chamber of Commerce has been a vital catalyst for her business growth.

DISCUSSION

1. The Experience of Mixology: Angie explains that her business is about more than just drinks; it's about catering to themes through colors, titles, and custom ingredients to create a specific "vibe" for private parties.
   
   
2. Mobile Bartending & Mixology Classes: Angie hosts 90-minute mixology classes where she teaches small groups how to craft three distinct drinks, providing them with laminated recipe cards and their own bar kits to keep.
   
   
3. Inclusivity through Mocktails: Angie specializes in creative non-alcoholic options like "dirty sodas" and raspberry purees to ensure children and sober guests feel fully included in the celebration.
   
   
4. Event Concierge Services: Angie offers more than just drinks; she acts as a resource to help clients find bands, photographers, and rental equipment for their events.
   
   
5. The Power of the Chamber: Angie discusses the tangible benefits of Chamber membership, noting that her website traffic increased significantly and she secured three ribbon-cutting events within her first four months of joining.
   
   
6. A Family Affair: Angie shares the pride of working alongside her oldest daughter, whom she has trained to bartend and who occasionally fills in for her or joins her for mother-daughter events.
   
   
7. Life Lessons & Integrity: Drawing on her experience as a veteran and a single mother, Angie emphasizes the importance of honesty in business, providing upfront estimates and "tips and tricks" to help clients stay within their budgets.

LEARN MORE

To learn more about Angie's services or to book a mixology class, you can reach out to her through the Boulder City Chamber of Commerce or contact her directly via her business, The Bourbon Babe.

Boulder City Chamber of Commerce:

https://www.bouldercitychamber.com/

The Bourbon Babe:

https://thebourbonbabeevents.com/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/thebourbonbabeevents

KEYWORDS

Angie Rafferty, The Bourbon Babe, Mobile Bartending, Mixology Classes, Mocktails, Custom Cocktails, Boulder City Chamber of Commerce, Event Planning, Entrepreneurship, The Best Dam Podcast, Boulder City.

#AngieRafferty #TheBourbonBabe #MobileBartending #Mixology #SupportLocal #BoulderCityChamber #TheBestDamPodcast

Podcast Transcript

Jill: All right. Today we have a special guest, a very special guest as far as I'm concerned, because I'm very grateful to have her in our working life. And so today we have Ms. Angie Rafferty and she is with the Bourbon Babe, and I cannot wait to learn more about her business and about her. So welcome Ms. Angie.

Angie: Thank you for having me.

Jill: So I don't know if, anybody realizes this, but Miss Angie is also the office administrator for the Boulder City Chamber of Commerce. And so we are glad to have her in that capacity, but I'm so excited to learn about her business and her being an entrepreneur, and I hope that you are too, because I think that allows our listeners to understand exactly what entrepreneurs go through and, some of the benefits that being a part of the Chamber brings.

So today, Ms. Angie, will you tell us a little bit about what is the bourbon babe?

Angie: I'm a mobile bartender. I do private parties themed events, mixology classes are some of the, my favorite things to do. It's just, it's, I love what I do.

Jill: You are having fun. I, can see the creativity in you, which makes a lot of sense why you enjoy doing this, so that's perfect.

Okay, so who is your client? Who, do you serve at the Bourbon Babe and your mobile bartending business?  

Angie: anyone who wants to have an experience in their private parties, because it's not just drinks and making them and talking to your guests. I do try to cater also to themes and make drinks that fit the theme and taste good.

Jill: Yeah, I have noticed that for, the little experience I've seen in the two different, events that you were at, you really do make a difference as far as the creativity. It almost has a vibe to it when you're there with all of your drinks and it just depends on also the cup. I couldn't believe how much difference makes in the cup if it's clear and you've got colors and it's.

fun and inviting and also watching you as you're making them. And people stand there and it's part of the experience. So it really does add to the event.

Angie: I have a lot of fun doing it,

Jill: And so I know that the, from what I have witnessed, also, you're able to do it with liquor or without, so it does not have to be, it can be an experience for a family that doesn't, that have kids that are drinking.

It can also be, you can bump that up and it can be more of a corporate event style. Can give us some ideas of what it is you do.



Angie: So I, my favorite thing to do is create custom cocktails, whether it's the colors that need to go with it for a ribbon cutting I've done or the. Or the theme, like I have another ribbon cutting coming up where it's pinball, so I'm trying to make it all the drinks, pinball themed, whether it's the colors, the titles, the names, what's in it, and it really just depends.

If it's non-alcoholic, the important thing is to make the drink still taste like it is, so you're not missing the alcohol. I can also do dirty sodas. Or Italian sodas.

Jill: Yeah, I noticed that at the last one it was a combination of different juices.

And you were almost doing a little bit of an experiment.

You're like, okay, tell me how that is. And so it was fun getting the feedback from the guests too.

Angie: Yeah, it was a lot of fun. I've been doing this for 25 years, so learning what tastes good together is important.

Jill: And you also teach classes as well, correct?

Angie: Yes. I teach the mixology classes.

Jill: And so what does that look like? Do you just have a group of people that they're, maybe at their home bar and you're giving them ideas of how to mix drinks? Tell me what that looks like. I've never seen that.

Angie: So that's a different experience. So what I do is the person who books with me, we talk about what they wanna learn, how to make what they are, their group, wanna learn how to make.

I have a client that has booked me multiple times because she has her girlfriends over, her family over and I, so I'll go to their house and we already have the list of drinks made. I laminate a card for each person. Each person gets to take home a shaker, a jigger, a strainer, and a one of them stir spoons.

Jill: Cool.

Angie: And so we sit there and we go through making it, and it's an hour and a half class. We make three drinks. They still have time in between drinks to drink them. I can take photos for them. I take 'em for myself as well. But it's a lot of fun to just sit there and make jokes while you're teaching somebody how to make drinks.

Jill: Yes. And your creativity shines on that, and you have a very creative mind. And so even just from the placard that's sitting there that talks about whatever the event, the special drink is of the night, which, we tend to see that at major events or at special weddings, but you do it on a, on every event and it just seems like it adds to the event.

It's almost part of the decor.

Angie: Yeah. For the mixology classes, it's that placard is there before. For private parties, I always make a menu, whether it be I make it and I put it in a frame. Or I have another company, I have a couple of girls that I absolutely adore and they do acrylic menus for me.

Jill: Oh, cool.

Angie: Yeah, so those are really awesome, especially for a wedding or an 80th birthday party. Then they get to keep that forever.

Jill: Yeah. What a cool idea. That is a great concept. Okay, who is your target audience? Are you obviously do Boulder City and Vegas. You'll travel for wherever. But, who traditionally would hire you?

I know that you have had, so you've done it for a couple ribbon cuttings. And so maybe a business owner that's looking to do some kind of a special event, a grand opening, a ribbon cutting, an anniversary, a reopening. I would imagine that, it's also for, like you said for a couple girlfriends that they've got something special going on at their home.

Yeah. But, and obviously weddings, but so you could do children's parties. Absolutely.

Angie: I have, I've done, some children's parties before with the non-alcoholic drinks. I did an 18th. There was a pair of twins in their 18th birthday and graduation happened. So we had, I had mocktails as well as cocktails for the adults I'd made, of course I made the adults wear wristbands because I didn't need to, I didn't wanna check IDs 20 billion times.

But, I'll cater it to whatever. They need. I have done 'em for, I did 'em for a hundredth anniversary for a flower. For a florist also. That was a lot of fun. 'cause I would top them off with rose petals, edible rose pets.

Jill: Oh

Angie: Yeah. Rose petals.

Jill: There's a lot of edible flowers that, I don't think we really think about. And so I can see graduation parties, I can see bar mitzvahs. there's just no end to the amount of opportunity. what's your favorite part of it? what do you like best about doing your work?

Angie: Creating the cocktails is one of my favorite parts.

I like to just, I like to create them. And don't get me wrong, mixing cocktails has always been something that's always been a blast for me. I've been doing it for 25 years.

Jill: Oh, wow.

Angie: But creating the cocktails is where I get to be creative. I get to think about the client, what they want, what they need, and the theme that it goes to.

So if I need to make one that's specific, I had a bachelorette party and she said, she, her favorite was vodka. And she wanted it to be glittery. So I made it, I called it the crystal kiss. It was pink. It was a little pink, but it also had edible glitter in it. So after you shake it and you pour it, the glitter's swirling for a minute.

Jill: Oh, that's pretty cool. Yeah,

Angie: It was a lot of fun.

Jill: And so you can't get sick from meeting glitter?

Angie: No, it's edible glitter.

Jill: How fun.

Angie: I make sure everything is edible. I'm not just throwing little bits of random glitter My kids have.

Jill: Yeah, I can, I can hear some different movies or, comedies that in the back of my mind, oh no, you got glitter in your teeth.

Angie: No, this is really fine. it's really fine. And don't even notice you're drinking it and it's. Not a lot. It's enough to just make it swirl.

Jill: How pretty. That's cool. I love that concept. Okay, so you, in your creative storytelling, you have had a lot of experience. You can give us an idea of, I would imagine in business you've had an aha moment as you have, interacted with all of these individuals.

Has there been something that has, allowed you to go, there's a reason why I do this job.

Angie: Like I said, I've been bartending for 25 years. Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. And last Halloween, or no, two Halloweens ago when I was working at a bar, I was there for five days. It was all of holiday or Halloween week. I did a different costume every day.

Jill: Oh  goodness.

Angie: It made it so that people would keep coming back in just to see what it was.

And then of course I would tailor my. Responses to the costume. So I was the Mad Hatter one day I was tossing candy around, we were making it fun and yes, I mixed drinks, but it was just a blast. And I realized people, yes. Some people just want to drink, but a lot of people really wanna have the experience, the one-on-one with people.

The, they wanna see your personality shine, right? If you have one.

Jill: Again, what we, have known, and it's just a kind of a unknown experience for me, but I would imagine we see the movies and we see, in life that the bartender tends to also be the confession, receiver and the counselor and the marriage therapist.

And so I'm sure you've got a lot of those experiences too. And we don't wanna go there 'cause we don't wanna lead into, I do have

Angie: A minor in psychology, so that helps.

Jill: That's true. So you're met. For this, right? Yes. Yes. I find it fascinating that, I imagine you have, you've heard so many different stories, but I think too, as a mom, having your kids witness that you have made something, out of your life experience, you have created something so magical as something that makes people's lives better.

They, this is part of entertainment. People love that kind of thing. they're witnessing you doing good things.

Angie: Yes, they are. And my oldest actually bartends with me sometimes. Oh. I've trained her to do the job when I can't do it.

Jill: Yeah.

Angie: Whether I'm working all day or have late night meetings or whatever the case may be, she'll fill in for me.

And we've done a couple of, we've done a couple of events together and everybody loves that.

Jill: Oh, I bet. Yeah, mother, daughter bartenders.

Angie: Oh, we look alike too, so it helps.

Jill: That is awesome. I love that. And I'm sure she totally appreciates what it is you're doing and it's giving her experience as an entrepreneur as well.

Okay. How is it that you create these cocktails? I know I would imagine you interview the client, you get to know who and what they are. Ask them if they have a theme, but there's gotta be something to it. Maybe you just draw an. How is it that you come up with whatever, mocktail cocktail it is you're making?

Angie: It is drawing on experience, but it's also taste testing. I do taste test a lot. So even if I'm just hanging out with friends and I'm like, okay, what do I have? Let's see what I can throw together.

Let's see what happens. Like I found out that, Crown vanilla and cream soda. Really good combination.

It sounds like it'd be too sweet and it is sweet, but it's a really good combination because it almost takes tastes like a rip your float. It's really good.

Jill: I do love a w bear floats, but I can't say that I've tried the others and I'm gonna take your word for it. So that is great.

And I, we've referenced the fact that you do mocktails as well. How is it that you try to include everybody in what it is you service? 'cause this is a customer service that not everybody would think that they need and utilize, but gimme an idea of why everybody could utilize you.

Angie: I have had, I had a party once where they only did, we only planned an alcoholic menu and then there were kids there.

I guess they weren't expecting the kids or something, so they came up and were like, what can I have to drink? It's a matter of looking at what I've got. I had an or I had orange juice, pineapple juice, and cranberry juice. I threw it all together. They loved it.

Jill: Oh yeah. Perfect.

Angie: It was just juice.

Jill: And kids think they're getting something special.

Angie: Exactly, yeah. Because you just, if you're mixing it together and then you stir it, it looks like you're putting something together.

Jill: And then they feel included. But I would imagine sober drinkers too. Not always do they want to be called out. For being, the person that's excluded or the odd man out.

And so this gives them an option too.

Angie: I've all, I've also done like a raspberry puree and a little bit of, and some, and top it off with Sprite, so it's like a raspberry Sprite.

Jill: Yeah,

Angie: I mean it's not hard to mix these things together. You just gotta figure out what might taste good.

Jill: Yeah. That's,

Angie: It's trial and error, and then you just tweak it if you need to.

Jill: And that's where your talent and skill comes in, because I would imagine not everybody has that ability to have the forethought of what works together. I, my daughter and I were at a, an event, just on Friday night, Saturday night, and went over to the bar and they had no water.

They had no soda. It was alcohol only. And I was like, are you kidding me? So I literally, can I just have a cup of ice? And he goes, what? Do you want me just to put a splash of cranberry juice in there? I'm like, yeah, please. Why would somebody have not have thought of that? I realize this is Vegas, there's, I know that there were other people in that room that didn't drink alcohol and I was like, man, they really didn't think through who their guests were.

And, it, it actually made me, as I was reviewing our, Our information with you today. I thought, you know what? I'm so glad somebody thinks about being inclusive of everybody, because not everyone chooses to have alcohol in their life, and so this is a perfect way for everybody to be included and for you to be able to service and open up this opportunity for all.

Angie: Unless it's just a straight liquor bar, they're always gonna have some sort of mixer.

Always.

Jill: I thought that was,

Angie: And so there's ways to, there's ways to get around not drinking there's, I don't drink much. So when I don't want a drink, I need to find something else.

Jill: I would think that they just want people to stay hydrated for some, not having a bottle of water.

Angie: Especially here.

Jill: Yeah. It's all, it was different. Okay. So Ange, we need to know a little bit more about who you are. I love to learn about the person behind the business, the couple that, that we're driven to start a business, the single individual that is looking to start a business. what is it that is all about,the driving force that puts you here?

What was your first job?

Angie: Oh, my first job I was a server and I learned very quickly that the experience is what people are tipping you for,

Jill: Right.

Angie: Yes, get your, get the food out on time and get it out, correct. Pay attention to them, but it's the experience, having the ability to talk to people, the ability to engage with them and interact with them.

Even talk to 'em on somewhat personal level is huge. People will always remember that. And that's

Jill: Customer service 1 0 1.

And you learn that very early on and you learn if you're not good at it. Because not everybody is, no, I'm super sorry to say that, but it's not for everyone.

Not everyone enjoys it. And I would imagine that you learned very quickly if the kitchen's behind, if something's delayed, if something's missing. The way that you present that, the way that you interact with that guest can make all the difference. A hundred percent. They'll live through that. If you're able to walk

Angie: A hundred percent.

Everybody I've noticed, yes, there are the exceptions, but for the most part, everybody is a decent human being and as long as you are treating them with respect and honesty. It's not gonna be a problem. I've noticed the issue usually arises when the server's not telling the customer what's going on.

Hey, your food's coming. I promise I put it in. It's gonna be a few more minutes. The kitchen's behind. And they're usually very understanding about that

Jill: Right

Angie: Now if you're ignoring them, they're gonna get mad and rightfully 'cause then they're feeling like they're being ignored.

Jill: I have even eaten at a location that, Yeah, ever. The length of time we were there was horrible. The food wasn't even that great, but our server was dynamic and we were so grateful for that. And I did go back to try it again because, the customer service was there.

So I appreciate the fact that you realize that was first jobs leave a great impression in life.

Angie: They really do.

Jill: And so what is something that somebody may not know about you, we don't know you too well yet. So tell us a little bit about what's something we don't know?

Angie: Well after. The Army. I spent 10 years as a paralegal. I actually graduated college the same year my daughter graduated high school.

Jill: I love that.

Angie: It took me a little while, as a single mom.

Jill: Yeah.

Angie: I just wanted to show my kids. It's never too late to go for what you're gonna go for.

And everything you do in life, everything is a learning experience and you can grow from it. Whether it's you have kid at 19 and you're raising her by yourself. Or, you join the military to try and make a better life for your family. It's important that they understand that everything is a learning experience and living your life, regretting any of the mistakes you might've made isn't gonna help anybody. It's just you've gotta learn from them.

Jill: Yep. It was a lesson that was, that's, one of those experiences in your life that's built you to who you are today, and they'll see that as well. Do you have something that one of your parents or both parents have taught you that you, are you still using today or that you're maybe teaching your kids?

Angie: Oh yeah. my dad has been, A major factor in my life. He's actually my stepdad.

Jill: Oh.

Angie: But I didn't know that until I was 18. He never treated me any differently than my siblings. He always looked out for, looks out for, and takes care of me. So he taught me discipline and respect and honesty. He was a air force, and because of that, it's, I have the discipline and I have the respect, and I am an honest person.

Sometimes too honest, but it, it, at least I'm honest. But because of that, I've been able to accept and love everybody else's kids like they're my own.

My ex-husband's son that I still absolutely adore and take care of once in a while. I love these kids,

Jill: Right

Angie: Even if they're not biologically, they don't have to be biologically mine for them to be included.

And so because of that, my daughter feels the same. My, my kids feel the same way. They've never felt, they have different fathers and they've never treated each other differently, right? They've always looked out for each other. They still do.

Jill: And I would imagine that helps them appreciate and understand other individuals as well.

Everyone's story's a little different.

Angie: Yes.

Jill: And yeah, that makes a lot of sense to me and I'm glad to know that he, was such an influence in your life, and please tell him thank you for his service as well as yours. I hadn't said that as well, we appreciate that. And the fact that, to talk about the, you spoke of integrity and courage and all of those factors that the military and any of the services.

Provide to our young people is so vital and we, obviously we need them and it's also nice to know that they become great individuals and are wonderful citizens as well. So an what book are you reading right now?

Angie: I listen to audio books at work every day. You know this?

Jill: Yes. I'm fully aware,

Angie: Especially when I'm having to go, hold on.I can't pause it. I need new headphones. it's, I listen everything from fantasy to science fiction to. Like right now, I'm currently on the fifth wave.

Just, it's a reread because it's an audio book. I won't listen to anything brand new or read a brand new book while I'm working. 'cause I can't do both.

I want to completely focus on work, but having that in my ear makes it so that the distractions are minimized and I'm able to focus.

Jill: That is so funny because I, it would totally drive me nuts and I would start listening to that and then I wouldn't be doing my work. So I find that fascinating 'cause I know quite a few people who listen to classical music while they're working.

'Cause that creates that ability for them to focus. And I'm the opposite. So I'm, that's a skill set you guys have developed.

Angie: I can't listen to music while I'm working 'cause I'll just start dancing and singing along and, annoy the whole office, which is exactly what they want.

Jill: She's singing again.

Angie: I started singing, oh, I think it was right after Christmas I started singing, I wanna Hippopotamus for Christmas 'cause it popped in my head. And so then that was stuck in Michelle's head. The rest of the rest of the time she was there.

Jill: The volunteers are like, please stop her. Alright.

Very cool. I think that's awesome. And are, is there anything else that you would like to share? I know that you've got, a lot of skills and a lot of talent and a lot of experience, but, is there another key point about the Bourbon babe that you want us to know about?

Angie: I am, I mentioned it earlier, the way my dad raised me, that I'm extremely honest.

So I always put it out there when I'm talking to clients where they go, okay, so what are your rate? It's, 85 an hour. what does that include? It includes me being there. What if I need you to get alcohol and mixers and everything else? that's, I'm gonna buy it for you if you want me to, but that'll be at your price plus 30% for my time and gas.

So I will always do my best to try and be honest so that they're not getting, fees that they didn't expect,

Jill: Right upfront.

Angie: So everybody always gets a full estimate that they could look over and approve before we move forward because I know money's not easy to come by for some people, and I get that

Jill: Right

Angie: So if I need to work around a few things, I can do that. I can give you some tips and tricks to make things a little better for you. I can tell you where the best prices for certain things are, or I can adjust where some purees are more expensive than others. I can adjust the recipe a little bit to make it fit into your budget.

Jill: So then, I am picking up that not only will you bring the product and the inventory it's needed for that evening, but you also, give them the option they can supply everything and you just derive and serve their drinks,

Angie: Right. If they wanna supply everything, I give them a full menu. Exactly how much of what they'll need for however many guests they have in the amount of time that I'm serving.

Jill: Okay. that makes sense. I, and I think it gives people options so then they can provide the product and the, whatever type, like you said, whether it's a stronger puree or a more organic, or any of those kinds of things.

Angie: It's less of a guessing game too.

But a lot of things that people don't realize is I do offer, event concierge service, which is basically, okay, so I need a band.

I need a photographer. All right, I've got 300 bands. I've got 60 photographers. I've got people that I can bring in to fill whatever need you need. Whatever need you have. You need tables, chairs, you want glassware instead of plastic. I can do that.

Jill: Oh, 'cause and that's just because of your connections over all the ears?

Angie: Correct.

Jill: Oh, very good. Yeah, you're quite a wealth of information and a true resource for their event.

Angie: I won't plan your wedding, but I'll help you reach out to the people you need to reach out to.

Jill: Yeah, I've been down that wedding planning business route. That's emotional. I will say that. Lots of work in emotions.

Okay, you now have been with the chamber for what? And so you've gotten to know the inside version of the chamber and what goes on the daily, and then also as a member, what goes on for the members benefits and in the programs and working with other businesses and collaborating within the Chamber investors.

And so share with me a little bit, what do you see in the two sides? And this is gonna a trip you up on this question, but Yeah. So from the entrepreneur side, what are the benefits? Why would you recommend the Chamber to others? But then on the internal side, you see the inner workings, you know how hard you're working. Can you give us an idea of both sides of that

Angie: On the entrepreneur side? I can tell you honestly, I have done, I'm about to do my third ribbon cutting, and I've only been a member of the chamber for four months, and that's because they found me through the chamber. When you join the chamber, you have access to the directory, so you're able to see who can provide what service, and then you can work together and it's,

it's really rewarding. It really is. Not to mention the ribbon cutting the podcast, the extra benefits of being able to throw your logo out there. My logo's up in the chamber.

Jill: Lobby

Angie: And thank you. The chamber lobby on the tv, it's one of the ones that flashes up there because of my membership, being able to, I have my coupons that go in the welcome home packet as we, we send out every quarter.

It's really is rewarding, DEI has a, an ad in the chamber,

Jill: Right

Angie: Lobby on the TV with the on the atmosphere tv.

Jill: And I would imagine there's plenty of other Mary Kay ladies here in Boulder City, but she's the one that gets the attention and is the splash at the chamber office. So when new people are coming in, she gets to talk to them.

And if they're looking for services, she's right there. Her card's right there. And like you said, she's also in the welcome home packet, so anybody new, moving to town, turning on their utilities. provided one of those packets each quarter, and that then lets them know who in the community they can reach out to.

It's a great resources packet.

Angie: It really is. And it's not expensive either.

Jill: No.

Angie: And then if you get certain level or higher, it's included.

Jill: That's right.

Angie: I've noticed on the office side, the only issue is that I don't think. a lot of these businesses realize the benefits that we offer them. They're not noticing. I went through and I did the welcome Home packets a couple weeks ago. We had so many businesses that had the welcome Home packet included, but they didn't, they haven't taken advantage of it.

Jill: Oh. They haven't provided us with the material.

Angie: And I'll reach out and I'll try and get the materials from them, but they don't reach out back.

Jill: Yeah.

Angie: And that's a missed opportunity. That's included in your package right in your membership. every single member from Classic and UP can put their business cards in our lobby. We get visitors all the time. That's a, that's another benefit. The flyer rack, the bronze level and UP can put their logo on the TV right above my desk, and that just flashes through all the logos all day long.

Jill: And it's, yeah, there's a lot of promotional opportunities that. Some take advantage of others, probably should, and others just forget that it's even an option. And, You are right. We need to constantly be talking about that. That's something that Layla has been working on, our communications director has been working on a lot more, is trying to share all of that messaging.

We have a new investor relations director, Mr. John Barlow, and he is gonna be out there also talking about those messages and also making phone calls and just reminding people, Hey, in order to make sure that we meet all of the benefits that you've purchased over the year that you've invested in. We need you to take part on this or that.

And there's always, the flip side of that is also the opportunity to, you can be a member, you can be an investor in the chamber, but you don't have to be totally engaged in, and you can just simply have the recognition, the credibility, all of those things that having your, the Chamber logo on your website, being able to say that you are an investor and the chamber means you're an investor in this community.

And I think that people, they might have a couple different reasons why they're a member. You're a member and you've gotten a lot of great information out there and people have been able to see and collaborate with you. Others, we've got another great member that's up in the industrial area that simply wants to contribute and give back to the community.

They realize we do a lot of the special events, their grandkids go to those events and they just wanted to be a contributor. They're not open to the public. They can't even have the public in their location. And there's so many reasons to be a member on that spectrum and we wanna make sure we're catering to all of that and providing all those benefits to anybody who's interested.

Angie: I think my favorite one is the free landing page and I pay for a website. I pay somebody to manage my website, and he does a great job. Yeah, but he told me that since I joined the chamber, the amount of people that have gone to my website has increased.

Jill: Oh, great.

Angie: By a lot. I can't remember the exact numbers, but it's increased by a lot and I'm getting more, people are reaching out.

it's been great. It's been a huge help. And I haven't even really done any advertising because I've been so busy trying to learn how to do my job here at the Chamber.

So it's, I think it's a benefit that anybody can take advantage of and. It's not like it's expensive. It's not like we're asking you to give us all your money and all your time.

It's just, it might take a little bit of extra effort to build the landing page or to put that together, but we're here to help,

Jill: Right

Angie: You can call John. You can call me. My cell phone number is on my email and my business cards. Call me,

Jill: Right

Angie: Text me. Whatever you need to do.

Jill: We sure appreciate you.

We're so glad that you're available to those, different investors and we're grateful for you working at the chamber. Thank you very much for

Angie: Oh, I love it,

Jill: Your willingness and you bring, a wealth of information and great tools in your tool chest. And so we're glad to have you. You've been fun and so thank you Bourbon Babe, for being a part of the show today. And, we're hoping that all of our listeners get to take advantage of your great service. And I can see many opportunities in our future to be able to have feature Bourbon Babe, as one of our events. So thank you for being here today, Ms. Ange.

Angie: Thank you for having me.

Jill: We're glad to have you.