West Texas Elixir - (More than just a side hustle...)

This whole thing didn’t start with some diabolical plan to get rich... There was no whiteboard, or a “let’s build a brand” business meeting held with investors… It started the way most good stories do — someone needed some help and I said, “yeah, I gotchu, don't you worry.”

As most good stories begin, they usually involve "la familia." Well, this one is no different. An uncle of mine needed a bartender for a birthday bash he was throwing his "suegro", and somehow I was "the guy," to get in contact with.. (Ay yay, amirite?... as the kids say these days "NO CAP".... somehow during my tenure away from home, I was labeled "the guy/bartender.") All because I couldn't figure out what to do with my life after I graduated from college, so I picked up a bartending gig at a local bar near my college apartment. So needless to say, once you become a bartender for real, you're now the family bartender for every holiday.

Back to the heart of the story... I told my uncle I would help him out. It's only fair.. he always helped me out when I needed it, so I was returning the favor. Now, to be fair—it’s not like I was walking in blind. Up to that point, I already had over 10 years experience in the alcohol industry.

I was:

• A Store Manager at Whiskey Charlie’s Liquor Store (shout out to Jarrek, Amy, Marc, & Ted) - assisting with the growth of that chain.

• A Sales Rep & Small-Batch Brewer for New Republic Brewing Company (shout out to Nick, LA, Dean, John, Brian, Travis, & Jerry)

• Bartender at:

  • Paddock Lane

  • Tipsy Turtle

  • Proudest Monkey

  • All The Kings Men

    (shout out to my peeps... @ the northgate and downtown crews.. too many to mention)

    
    

So yeah… I wasn’t exactly Googling “how to open a beer.”

I knew how all this stuff worked. So, I figured I'd just dive straight in. I did a few events here and there. At first I didn't market myself. It was all word of mouth, and it was fun. To be completely honest with you, I missed being behind the bar. It was the one place left on this planet where I felt like I could post up behind, and be myself. There was no facade, there was no "fake it til you make it" type of energy, I was genuinely myself. And from what it sounded like, most people who had me at these events wanted me there because of that energy. I wasn't out here trying to impress anyone. I was just trying to give people a much needed vice away from reality. And if i was able to do that with a cocktail, something I pride myself in, or cracking a cold one with the boys than that was truly enough for me.

But what I didn’t expect was how different things felt bartending private events... I wasn't just clocking in and slinging drinks.. It was a genuinely unique experience. Especially managing it from a mobile platform. And after doing a few events, I started to notice something....

👉 People were paying a lot (sometimes wayyyyy too much ) —but not always getting the kind of experience they deserved.

And that’s where it clicked for me.

To me bartending has never just been about pouring drinks or keeping a line moving, or floating a few drinks to hold out for a bigger tips.

It’s always been about:

• Creating a good vibe

• Bringing people together (all types of personalities)

• Making sure everyone feels comfortable

  
  

  and

  
  

👉 Making sure the host isn’t running around like their group chat just exploded and everything’s on fire. That’s not your job. That’s mine.

First "official" Bartending Gig as WTE Co. - Backyard Birthday Bash

A Real Experience That Changed Everything

One of the biggest moments that shaped how I run this business came from a close friends wedding.

The couple reached out to me ahead of time and asked for help with:

• Bar inventory

• Drink menu

• How much alcohol to buy

• Overall planning

  (even though I wasn't bartending this wedding, I helped them out... because I'm a good dude, and also I love them so that helps... I guess.)

  
  

We went through everything together—numbers, drink ideas, all of it. I thought we had it dialed in.

But in the end, they decided to go with the venue’s bartending service and let them handle the details.

And like a lot of things people worry about… things didn’t go the way they expected.

After the wedding, they were left with way more alcohol and inventory than needed, and suddenly the celebration was over—but now they had a whole new problem to deal with.

“What do we do with all this?” (to most people, it's a - "well just drink it bro" - solution).

For some that's not a problem, but for most people (cough cough... "normal people" lol), it becomes a "Why did I spend all this money on this to only have wayyy too much not used." or a "This was a huge waste, wasn't it" - kinda question.)

That moment stuck with me.

Because it highlighted something most people don’t think about until it’s too late.

The Real Fear: Not Just Running Out—But Overbuying

Most people think their biggest concern is:

“What if we run out of alcohol?”

But just as often, the opposite happens:

👉 People overbuy👉 Spend more than they need👉 End up with leftover inventory and wasted money

And now instead of enjoying the memory of your event… you’re managing the aftermath.

The Solution WTE Focuses On

That experience is exactly why we do things differently.

When you work with us, we don’t just show up and pour drinks—we help you plan everything upfront so you actually feel confident going into your event.

We help you:

✔ Estimate the right amount of alcohol ✔ Avoid running out OR overbuying ✔ Build a balanced, efficient drink menu ✔ Create a smooth, stress-free experience

👉 So you’re not guessing👉 You’re not second-guessing👉 And you’re definitely not stuck with a garage full of leftover liquor afterward (unless you absolutely want too.... make sure your wife approves first)... hell it may be one hell of summer with those leftovers, but the hangover (ooof)....

Cheers!

manny - WTE owner