Meet Njeri Wainaina | Co-Owner of NYCE Mobile Bar Experience

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

Hi Njeri, do you have any habits that you feel contribute to your effectiveness?
I would have to say the 3 key habits that have helped me succeed in business and all aspects of life are consistency, reliability, and strategy. I really pride myself on consistency. Being consistent in the small things, such as daily workouts and affirmations, to the big things – doing what I say I will do and showing up where I am needed, make me reliable. To make sure that brand of reliability is intact I must be strategic. I enjoy finding ways to work smarter, not harder, so that I can effectively execute any task at hand.

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?
NYCE Mobile Bar Experience is Atlanta’s premier mobile bar service! We not only serve up some of the tastiest cocktails in the city, but we provide a unique curated experience for our clients. When looking at the actual mobile bar industry, we are one of the very few black-owned mobile bars. While you might find other black mobile bartenders that will come to your event to serve, we are the event. We customize events for our clients including everything from music, themes, to specialty craft cocktails. Our trailer is outfitted with a full speaker system, a plush greenery wall, a custom-built wooden bar, and neon lights throughout. Whether you have a wedding, birthday party, or block party (to name a few), we bring the experience and create the vibe.

However, starting this business has not been easy. We have faced challenges just like anyone else who embarks on a new business or endeavor. One of the biggest challenges was getting the mobile trailer customized in time for our first event. The company responsible for customizing our trailer faced challenges during covid and was unable to meet the original deadline on the trailer. This threw us off schedule and put us in jeopardy of hosting our first event. Aside from that, working with 2 other people brings along its own unique set of challenges, from creative differences to varying skill sets. While these differences initially proved to be a challenge, they are actually our secret weapon to being successful. We balance each other’s strengths and weaknesses. Compromise and prioritization have been key to being successful in our business. The hospitality and the energy we bring to each event make us a standout amongst our competition.

I am super excited for Atlanta, and the surrounding areas, to get a taste of the NYCE experience.

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.
The Atlanta Beltline is one of my favorite places in the city! You can generally catch me walking the eastside trails of the beltline because it has everything I love: the outdoors, art, people watching, eating, and drinking. Various types of artwork can be found along the trial and the opportunities to people watch are endless. In terms of food and drink, where do I start!? You have Playa Bowls if you want something healthy. Estrella Rooftop has great vibes and views. There are plenty of other amazing restaurants/bars on this side of the Beltline, including but not limited to: Bar Taco, Victory Sandwich Bar, Beetlecat, Del Bar, etc. I also have to call out The James Room which is an awesome café and craft cocktail speakeasy/bar.

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?
First and foremost, I would like to shoutout my 2 business partners Chapin Payne and Crystal Bethea! These two amazing women have been instrumental in the birth of NYCE Mobile Bar Experience. We push, challenge, and support each other like no other. Another big shoutout goes out to my friends and family for indirectly sparking the idea and supporting our events. If it weren’t for such an embracive tribe that likes to gather and find creative ways to connect, NYCE wouldn’t be what it is today! I also want to thank anyone who has and will spread the word and/or show up to support our public events! While I appreciate all the physical and tangible support, I do believe in a higher power and I know none of this would be possible by man alone, so God gets the “saving the best for last” shoutout.

Website: nycembx.com

Instagram: nyce_mbx

Facebook: Nyce MBX

Image Credits
IG: @_theflyonthewall_