Meet Josh Jackson | Founder and Chief Mixologist at J. Jackson: Mobile Mixologist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Josh Jackson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Josh, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?

People often assume that business is built on objectivity, quantifiable metrics and repeatable systems. Unfortunately, all of these systems are never perfectly repeatable. in that ideally objective way because they are all ultimately run by human beings. For that reason, I believe that my success thus far has hinged on the ability to attract and retain talented individuals. Over the 12 years that we’ve served hosts across Tennessee and Arizona, I’ve learned that it’s not just about trading money for expertise but also about understanding and valuing the silent currencies that are constantly exchanged within an employment relationship.

It’s not good enough to just consider a pay rate for a role and whether or not it’s competitive. You need to consider the unspoken currencies of Knowledge, Time, Well-Being, Autonomy, Security and a sense of Mission. Every aspect of the job experience creates debits and credits in these “accounts” for a worker, and the vast majority of those aspects aren’t readily considered when designing the position.

I’ve been very lucky to have the success I currently enjoy because I’ve fine-tuned each position in the company to account for those debits and credits and match the incentives of each position to the necessary mindset I require for the members in those roles. Because of this, I don’t struggle with turnover like most hospitality companies do. The team is dedicated, and our clients have satisfying service experiences.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
What we deliver at J. Jackson: Mobile Mixologist is a concierge beverage service experience that can be as creative, customized, elaborate, or simple as our clients want. We stand apart from other vendors in our attention to detail in making your event authentic to you and your story. This might mean a custom wedding cocktail with flavors that give your guests a taste of your unique relationship, an elite bar menu that perfectly complements a once-in-a-lifetime milestone celebration, or a crowd-pleasing punch to bring friends together to toast your favorite holiday or seasonal soiree. Regardless of the menu, the bar will be accurately stocked, the lines won’t be long, and the guests will be well taken care of.

We also offer unique group educational presentations for those clients who want to learn how to impress with DIY mixology or geek out about the intricacies of whisky. Our road to this point was not easy–we overcame many hurdles and growing pains and learned invaluable insights in the process–the most important of which is that the biggest differentiator is your people. We have highly knowledgeable and passionate bartenders who make all the difference in the quality of our services. Hiring and developing people who care about providing the very best client and guest experience definitely sets us apart from ordinary beverage catering–and helps us help you celebrate well.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
We love showing friends around Nashville–and steering them away from the typical tourist traps! For brunch, we would hit up Milk and Honey in the Gulch shortly before the bachelorette parties arrived. Next, we’d show them around our old neighborhood of East Nashville with the Shoppes at Fatherland and a midday pick-me-up coffee at Ugly Mugs. Then we’d have dinner at Bob’s Steak and Chop in the Omni and take a walk on the pedestrian bridge where I proposed to my wife 12 years ago and enjoy the skyline views. Afterward, we could get drinks at one of our favorite bars like Chopper for great tiki cocktails. Then of course, live piano karaoke at Syd’s Gold.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?

I owe a great deal of Thanks to my Operations Manager, Paige Melton. She is a solid rock and a reliable friend!

A big shout out to Becca George and Jessie Pinson of Modern Vintage for entrusting me with their clients early in my journey. Their investment in me made all the difference.

Books everyone should read:
Traction by Gino Wickman
The One Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan
The Road Back To You by Ian Cron
The E Myth Revisited by Michael Gerber
The 6 Types of Working Genius by Patrick R Lencioni

Website: jjmm.bar

Instagram: jjacksonmobilemixologist