What It's About
A man in London goes from being a bar dishwasher to running his own bartending equipment reselling side hustle.
Business Model
Skills Required
Complexity
Profit Potential
Words of Wisdom
He did set up that website, BarCounterLondon.com, and on its About page it displays a clear mission: To provide bartenders, cocktail lovers and enthusiasts with affordable bar tools and other supplies.
The promise is: “You save money by skipping the middle man when you shop with us since we work directly with suppliers and manufacturers. We even make some of the stuff like wooden muddlers ourselves.”
Create a clear mission statement so that your potential customers know exactly where you stand and what you have to offer them!
Fun Fact
Paul got his start in a busy London airport, and he went from being a glass washer one day to being a store-man the next. After he got his foot in the door and became a bartender, he started to travel and explore the world. During his journeys, he managed to work in dozens of bars in various cities on multiple continents—London, Budapest, Krakow, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore to name a few.
He has also achieved quite a bit over the course of his bartending career, but he says his biggest achievement to date was winning the Best Mixologist (are we still using this word?) of Malaysia Award in 2010.
Notes from Chris
Episode 209
Have you ever said to yourself, “There has to be a better way?” This observation has led to many side hustles. If there’s something you’re looking for and you can’t find it, you’re probably not the only one. If you’re frustrated by something, other people probably are too. Paul Babiak was one of those bartending professionals who truly enjoy mixing up a nice drink. These days he mostly does event bartending, meaning that he doesn’t have a home bar but rather travels around to various corporate parties, receptions, and weddings. He recently had the chance to open a bar in London’s O2 Arena for Virgin Atlantic and Delta Airlines. The supplier they were working with was out of stock of one-third of the items needed. Their catalog and website had no photos, only SKUs—so he had to make his best guess without actually seeing anything. In one case, he needed 4 of an item, but it was only sold in packs of 12. He described it as a nightmare. “There has to be a better way,” he thought. He decided to take things into his own hands and open his own barware shop. He was new to the UK, had no contacts, hadn’t made a website—but he was resourceful and figured all those things out. Bar Counter London is now up and running, serving customers throughout the UK. He’s also been experimenting with setting up shop at London’s famous Camden market. Paul is still bartending but enjoys the passive income that comes from the website. In fact, the best part of the experience is checking his phone while out drinking beer with friends just to see that he made a day’s wages. He’d love for this to become a full-time focus at some point, and he feels he’s on the right track.MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
- Bar Counter London: Check out Paul's line of bar gear on his website
- Camden Market: The famous London market that Paul is looking to set up a shop at
- 44 Secrets of Mixology | Modern Drunkard Magazine: Interested in mixology? Learn more this alcohol drenched movement here!
- Stressed-Out Mom Gives Up TV to Launch Her Hustle: How a San Diego accountant coping with the struggles of new motherhood launched her own private label wine hustle for stressed out parents like herself
- "Airbnb for Beer": Digital Nomad Brews Up Frosty Profits: A brewing innovator bridges the gap between local breweries eager to make money off of their idle equipment and event planners who want to create their own customized beer
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Resources
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