Today we’d like to introduce you to Carrie Eddings-Foster
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I would have to say its either my parents fault or my best friends?
I first began working in the food & beverage industry when I was 13; working at a local casino’s diner in Nevada (where I am from). My dad came home one day and told me he got me the job. Looking back him doing that, at young age, taught me about having a strong work ethic. Since that moment, and all though I worked other jobs outside F&B, I have always steered towards working in F&B either serving or bartending.
When I moved to South Carolina, I moved to a very small town, it was very hard to meet new people. I decided to take a job serving, at a well known local hangout. There I met a lot of wonderful people and I fell in love with South Carolina. About that time I was moving up the career ladder professionally, yet with every new shift or life turn in my life I always bounced back to serving or bartending. With each new bar or restaurant I worked in, came a new position, where I learned something new that I have taken with me to each new place. It was behind the bar, I felt at home. Bartending is understanding, there is a order to bar that needs to be maintained; its complex and demands one to be precise yet, there is this chaos that also exits. I found this always super stimulating, challenging and fun! Behind the bar I always met someone new, heard a new story, or joke, met a new friend. When the opportunity came to start bartending events, I was all for it! I got hooked, started taking bartending jobs on the side at hotels for events. I eventually, went on to run another bar & beverage company. Which taught me even more about the industry of Bar Planning and Event Bartending.
My best friend, who has always been my biggest cheerleader, would say to me “you need to go set up bars and teach bartending!” When I shared with her the idea of doing my own business in Bar Planning and Event Bartending she immediately said, “where do I invest?!” It was then Dragonfly started to grow is wings.
The name means a lot to me. Dragonfly’s have always been a beautiful, significance to me, and also to my mom. My mom always had this way about her; she would always remind me who I was, at the exact moment I needed it most. When I was thinking of the name, about that same time, I received a small (but significant) tin box in the mail from my sister. It was the very tin my mom kept all her secrets recipes in. When I opened it the first recipe was her recipe for Kahlua. That’s when I knew our company had to be named “Dragonfly”, after my mom. It’s not just a name, its a journey that requires you to remind yourself, you have wings, fly!
Dragonfly is a woman owned business. I get to work with youngest son and many of the bartenders I have had the privilege to work with or train and become friends with throughout my career.
I want hope that in some ways at Dragonfly we don’t just serve a pretty drink, we create a vibe that even just for a moment allows us to be part of a new story unfolding and hopefully through the drink we can create a little beauty in the story.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The road has been long, filled with many up’s and downs and many times I questioned it. Not knowing where it would lead and not knowing leads to doubt. Turning from a career I spent most of my life doing, towards this industry had me questioning my sanity. F&B isn’t an easy business to be in, people who persevere in F&B are some of the toughest, smartest people I know; but its far from easy. It can push someone to find out what they are made of. It would be at these moments the voices of some of my favorite people and mentors would get louder and remind me who I was, to push through, and that I had no other option but to succeed here.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Dragonfly Cocktails and Spirits is a woman owned business. We specialize in Bar Event Planning and Bartending services. If someone is planning to have a bar for a wedding, corporate event, or private party, we can help plan the bar for the exact vibe someone is looking for. We offer all inclusive bars that include us providing everything from the Product, Bar and Bartenders, to Specialty Bars and Signature cocktails / mocktails we can do it all. Or if someone is just looking for staffing an event we have top bartenders, who are all TIPS Certified. We also offer private cocktail parties, where we teach the participants signature cocktails and a little history on the liquor or drink, they get to make the drinks themselves, its loads of fun! This is great for bachelorette parties, ladies night, or couples nights. We offer homemade party favors, like our pocket cocktails; which come with everything one would need to make a special cocktail. We also do Happy Hour Bouquets or carts to surprise an office with a happy hour cart or individual with a spicy yet fun thank you gift that surpasses just getting flowers. All of out mixes are inspired by those who have taught us and are homemade.
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
10 years ago I would of said something so different. I have learn so much! I am most happy when my life is in harmony. I don’t believe in balance or have given up on the notion of a life in balance. Life is always going to be a little off balance, especially if you’re out doing the game of life. Its harmony, I strive for. To be living in a way that excites you in the morning, gets you out of bed, and eager for the day, keeping those you care about the most about close, continually looking for the good and positive in each thing you do, and in people you meet, all striving for your goals and desires. Its the knowing that Gods not done with you yet….when those things align, you have harmony.
I think its important to take the time to replenish your energy, to do the things that fill your cup. I love an early morning walk, quality time with those close to me, juicy time with my best girlfriend, doing fun things in the community that put me in the space of seeing a different part of the city, meeting new people and experiencing new things, or time on the beach with a good book.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://dragonflycocktails.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dragonfly_cocktails_spirits/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dragonfly.cocktails.spirits
