Nikki Goff: Building a Mobile Bartending Business in Kentucky

Welcome back to In Good Company, where real entrepreneurs share real growth stories. In this episode, we sit down with the owner of On The Rocks, a mobile bartending and catering company based in Kentucky, to talk about building a business from the ground up in the hospitality industry. She shares how she went from working in restaurants and bartending to launching her own company — and growing it into a full-scale operation with 35+ staff, repeat clients, and expanding services into catering. We dive into: How mobile bartending actually works (and Kentucky liquor laws) Why experience matters more than just "pouring drinks" Scaling a service business with employees The realities of weddings, events, and client expectations Social media challenges as a business owner Building a brand through reputation and referrals Managing growth while staying hands-on This episode is a behind-the-scenes look at what it really takes to run a hospitality-based business. Guest On The Rocks (Owner) Mobile Bartending & Catering Company – Kentucky 8+ years in business 35+ staff members Services: Mobile bartending, event staffing, catering Timestamps 0:00 Intro 0:15 What is On The Rocks? 0:50 Mobile bartending explained 1:30 Kentucky liquor laws (dry hire model) 2:30 Why clients need bartending services 3:00 Managing alcohol safety at events 4:00 Going beyond bartending (event support) 6:00 Wedding industry insights 8:00 Transition into catering 10:00 Early career in hospitality 11:30 Starting the business 12:30 Challenges in the beginning 14:00 Taking risks with financial security 16:00 Parenting and entrepreneurship 18:00 Building a team and company culture 20:00 Biggest challenges of owning a business 22:00 Doing everything yourself early on 24:00 Social media struggles for business owners 26:00 Delegating and hiring help 28:00 Family involvement in the business 30:00 Expanding into corporate and distillery events 32:00 Daily operations and workflow 34:00 Networking and chamber involvement 36:00 Farm life and work-life balance 39:00 Travel and lifestyle goals 43:00 Creating experiences for clients 47:00 Why presentation matters in events 50:00 Handling client expectations and flexibility 54:00 Booking process and client communication 58:00 Scaling and future growth ______________________________________ ✨ FREE Cashflow Calculator: https://chamberlainandgoodcompany.com/cashflow