Fund Me, KC: Good Bitter Best hopes to mix cocktails with community, pivots to add virtual bartender
September 22, 2020 | Startland News Staff
Startland News is continuing its “Fund Me, KC” series to highlight area entrepreneurs’ efforts to accelerate their businesses. This is an opportunity for entrepreneurs — like Jennifer Agnew’s Good Bitter Best campaign — to share their crowdfunding stories to gain a little help from their supporters.
Who are you?
I am Jennifer Agnew, public school art teacher by day, entrepreneur by night. I love the outdoors, working out, and connecting with friends. My mission is to grow my mind, body, and soul to love as the universe loves and to promote empowerment for myself and others.
What is Good Bitter Best?
We offer unique cocktail bitters, kits, and virtual classes. Some of our flavors include Cherry Cacao, Smoke, Strawberry Basil, and Apple Cinnamon. We also create flavor-infused sugar cubes and dehydrated fruit garnish to elevate your home bartender game.
Click here for the Good Bitter Best Kickstarter page.
What’s your ‘why’?
People connecting with people. In our social media-saturated age, it can feel more lonely than ever. My original goal was to host cocktail classes where folks would learn how to make delicious drinks in a party-like atmosphere. Because of COVID, we have made a pivot and will soon offer Virtual Bartender classes. This has very exciting implications as we could eventually employ bartenders from across the world to teach folks how to make cocktails from their region. During class, there would be built-in time for connection questions, so people are enjoying each other’s company as well as learning a new skill.
How much do you hope to raise with the crowdfunding campaign?
$8,000 (Kickstarter ends Oct. 8)
What do you plan to use the funds for?
I will use the funds to scale: buying ingredients in bulk to make large batches of bitters in order to sell to local shops, restaurants, and bars. If I reach my stretch goals of $10,000 to $15,000, I will also be able to offer Good BItter Best barware and merch including a to-go cocktail kit.
How are you differentiating your campaign?
My campaign offers awesome rewards! My favorite is working with backers to create a cocktail named after them, and at the top tier working with backers to create new bitters according to their favorite flavors!
Is there anything quirky with your campaign?
The to-go cocktail kit is pretty dope. It comes with a fanny pack and collapsible cups. Imagine going on a hike with your boo, then at the halfway point taking everything out of your fanny pack to have a freshly muddled cocktail? Pretty impressive.
Anything else readers should know about Good Bitter Best?
Our fall flavors will be up on our online shop soon! We have recently added curbside pick up and local delivery options. Check us out at GoodBitterBest.com and follow us @goodbitterbest on IG/FB!

2020 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
2022 Startups to Watch: afloat makes same-day gifting from local stores easy with soon-to-launch app
Editor’s note: Startland News selected 10 Kansas City firms to spotlight for its annual Startups to Watch list, now in its seventh year recognizing founders and startups that editors believe will make some of the biggest news in the coming 12 months. The following is one of 2022’s companies. Click here to view the full…
Annie Austen reinvents herself as a KC jewelry maker without tarnishing her influencer brand
To reshape her 2020 “blahs and feelings,” social media lifestyle influencer Annie Austen picked up a pair of pliers. She’d been collecting jewelry-making kits for years — but never committed to putting the jump rings, clasps, charms, and other pieces together. An Etsy shop launched with her younger brother, Matthew, changed everything, as the two…
Their KC company didn’t sell a single puzzle during the pandemic; today the best-sellers need restocked ASAP
The puzzle finally fits together this holiday season for Tim and Stefanie Ekeren as the couple discovers the missing pieces that kept Kansas City Puzzle Company boxed on the shelf for more than a year. The small business, based in Mission, Kansas, offers a line of 10 puzzles, most featuring Kansas City-area landmarks or illustrations…
How a KC partnership helped Idle Smart avoid a cold start that could’ve stalled its recovery
Editor’s note: The following story is sponsored by Academy Bank, a Kansas City based community bank, and is part of a series of features spotlighting some of the bank’s startup and small business partners. Wasted time is wasted money — a notion at the forefront of Idle Smart, a Kansas City IoT tech company built…



