Three Business Lessons CEO Brandon Frere Learned From Bartending

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Jul 16, 2018, 13:00 ET

PETALUMA, Calif., July 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Working as a bartender requires multiple skills, but mixing a good cocktail does not make someone a great bartender. Making drinks correctly is simply a job requirement. The more significant skillset behind the bar is based on social intelligence and practical thinking. Entrepreneur and CEO Brandon Frere spent time bartending before venturing into his various business projects, and his time pouring beers and mixing drinks supplied him with strategies and habits that have transferred into the business world.

"Bartending was a while ago for me, but when I look back on that time, I realize that I was learning lessons that would stay with me through my professional life," Frere answered when asked about his time slinging suds.

Lesson number one is that selling is a mindset rather than an action. This is why a good barkeep will always find time to give a new customer a warm greeting. Even if in the middle of a task, when a potential customer comes within range, the skilled bartender will make sure that a positive interaction occurs — even if it's just eye contact and a nod of the head. Behind a bar or on a corporate call, "selling is about creating a genuine connection with people and then rising to their expectations about the product or service they need," Frere explained.

Communication is the theme of lesson number two. Good communication skills in either the business or bartending arena will consist of knowing when and how to say no, being willing to talk to anyone and speaking well publicly. A skilled mixologist will find ways to say no to customers who may have had one too many drinks without creating a negative experience. The ability to let people down gently is valuable in any workspace. So, too, is a willingness to talk to anyone despite any personal trepidation or issues. All bartenders have had a customer they can't stand. Part of the skillset is to work around the aversion to a person or institution. Public speaking is also an art that will benefit a person in nearly any endeavor.

The third lesson Frere picked up working in a tavern was that in a high-stress situation, job titles lose meaning and everyone needs to work toward the same goal by doing whatever needs to be done. Maybe the bartender is not responsible for cutting limes, but when a rush of thirsty patrons forces the barback to fall behind on prep and a customer orders a round of Mojitos, someone has to cut those limes. Stepping up to do what needs to be done, regardless of job title and description, is a trait that will always be valuable.

"There was a time when I realized that I needed to work the phones, even though I was the CEO," Frere recalled, "and being willing to do the work normally relegated to other people when it needs to get done has been part of my success. I started learning that lesson behind a bar."

About Frere Enterprises
Brandon Frere is an entrepreneur and businessman who lives in Sonoma County, California. He has designed and created multiple companies to meet the ever-demanding needs of businesses and consumers alike. His company website, www.FrereEnterprises.com, is used as a means to communicate many of the lessons, fundamentals and information he has learned throughout his extensive business and personal endeavors, most recently in advocating on behalf of student loan borrowers nationwide.

As experienced during his own student loan repayment, Mr. Frere found out how difficult it can be to work with federally contracted student loan servicers and the repayment programs designed to help borrowers. Through those efforts, he gained an insider's look into the repayment process and the motivations behind the inflating student loan debt bubble. His knowledge of the confusing landscape of student loan repayment became a vital theme in his future endeavors, and he now uses those experiences to help guide others through the daunting process of applying for available federal repayment and loan forgiveness programs.

FrereEnterprises.com

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