Elegant Mobile Bar Pours Passion into a Winning Business
Posh Pours of Hillsborough County
When Elysse Curry envisioned her business, Posh Pours, she knew she wanted to create something unique and unforgettable. Combining her love for events with a passion for craftsmanship, she launched a mobile bartending service that transforms every celebration into a standout experience. At the heart of her business is a retrofitted Italian Piaggio Ape vehicle, now a chic tap bar serving everything from custom brews to Prosecco and non-alcoholic beverages.
Bringing this vision to life required careful planning and financial groundwork. That’s where the Florida SBDC at USF came in. Working with business consultant Brad Owens, Curry developed a comprehensive business plan and financial projections, which proved instrumental in accessing funding.
“I’ve been working with Florida SBDC at USF, and they have been instrumental in helping me build out a business plan and marketing plan for Posh Pours. They have also given me some incredible ideas as to how to access funding. That was where I was really lacking knowledge and my mentor at the SBDC at USF has been incredibly helpful in helping me access different avenues for finance,” Curry shared.
Once the foundation was set, marketing became the next focus. Florida SBDC at USF business consultant Scott Carpenter stepped in to help Curry fine-tune her promotional strategies and build a strong brand presence. “I’ve been working with Brad and Scott to develop a marketing and financial plan, and they have been instrumental in the direction that I’ve been able to take Posh Pours,” she noted.
Since partnering with the Florida SBDC at USF, Posh Pours has grown significantly, earning rave reviews and expanding its clientele. “I actually did my first event last week, which was a grand opening for a dental office in south Tampa, and Posh Pours was a hit. I am so excited now to really dive into the meat of my marketing, to really get the word out there about Posh Pours so we can roll in and park, pour, and party at your next event,” Curry said with a smile.
Looking ahead, she plans to continue leveraging the expertise of the Florida SBDC at USF to explore new opportunities and ensure sustainable growth. “As I continue to grow my business, I’m going to continue to use the SBDC to continue to assist with my marketing efforts. I’d say, as an individual, that’s where I have the least business knowledge and that’s the most difficult aspect of running a business for me so I’d like to do regular check-ins with my mentor, Scott, to ensure that I am getting the best bang for my buck when it comes to marketing and operational budgets and I’ll also be checking in regularly on my financial projections,” she said.
Her advice to fellow entrepreneurs? “The SBDC has been so helpful in creating confidence and it’s been such an easy process, and I think sometimes when you think about getting a mentor and getting help, you think that it’s going to be this big lengthy difficult process and its actually been so simple which is so refreshing,” Curry said.
“I would highly recommend the SBDC to any small business owner at any phase in their entrepreneurial journey,” Curry added.
