Meet Ainsley Toal | Owner, The Steel Magnolia Bar

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

Hi Ainsley, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?

To be honest, I never thought I would become a business owner. It never occurred to me that I wanted to be, or even could be, my own boss. I was simply looking for a new hobby that didn’t revolve around my roles as a mom, wife or my full-time job. I think it’s easy to lose ourselves in those things. In April of 2023, I had a quick thought of “Why not? I can do that!” and decided to do something for myself. I swiftly got to work on converting my family farm’s rusty trailer into a stunning mobile bar. My aim was to turn my passion for event planning and bartending into something that could help support my family. That’s how I came up with the idea of a mobile horse trailer bar.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?

I take pride in creating memorable experiences for people. I am excited about my future with The Steel Magnolia Bar. I am proud of what I have built, and I am thrilled to share it with others.

I am most proud of the fact that I tried. Initially, I would say, ‘If this turns out to be a total flop, well at least I tried.’ Perhaps, I used this as a defense mechanism because I was genuinely scared of failure, and the world would see it. I now believe this is a key component that sets entreprenuers apart – we temporarily put fear aside. I firmly believe that fear holds us back from pursuing our dreams and achieving goals. So, if you’re reading this I encourage you to try and try again.

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.

I highly recommend visiting during fall season as the weather is beautiful and the foliage is breathtaking. You can start your day by visiting Burt’s Pumpkin Farm, then head towards Fausett Farms Sunflowers. After that, take a short ride to the top of Amicalola Falls and finish your day by grabbing a Bully Burger from Dawsonville Pool Room.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?

Of course, my husband, family, and close friends have shown unwavering support and excitement from day one. However, my business received its biggest push from my father-in-law, Eric. He is a successful business owner himself and has always had an entrepreneurial spirit. His encouragement and belief in me have been instrumental in pursuing my dream. I am grateful for his unwavering support and the impact he has had on my life. Shout out to Papa!

Website: thesteelmagnoliabar.com

Instagram: thesteelmagnoliabar

Facebook: thesteelmagnoliabar

Image Credits
I have the rights to all the images. I took them myself.