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.
Jennifer Agnew, Good Bitter Best
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.
Good Bitter Best
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.
Good Bitter Best
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
KC GIFT’s $100K grant — its largest-ever — aims to help boost Black-owned job creator
A newly opened $100,000 grant represents a significant step in Kansas City GIFT’s mission to close the racial wealth gap — investing in Black-owned businesses that have the potential to become significant employers and economic drivers in their communities, said Brandon Calloway. “We exist to right the wrongs of the past and create the economic…
They just wanted someone to notice: 10 years (and an exit) later, the first founders featured in Startland News have come 360
Editor’s note: Startland News — officially launched May 4, 2015 — is marking its 10-year anniversary this spring. As part of this observance, the nonprofit newsroom is taking a look back at pivotal moments in its decade-long run, as well as impact along the way. Longtime editor-in-chief Tommy Felts caught up with Stuart Ludlow and David…
Entrepreneur flexes her creative strengths into visibility for Kansas City’s lupus warriors
Keisha Jordan refuses to be a wallflower in the fight against lupus, she said. The founder of Kansas City-based creative home design brand Complex Flavors, Jordan is working to raise awareness this month with her own story as an entrepreneur-turned-lupus warrior. “We just want everybody to know that Kansas City has not forgotten about the…
KC’s 10-year playbook: Celebrate the wins, but go faster, farther (and leave no talent behind)
A decade of focusing on inclusive prosperity helped Kansas City rise among its peers, said David Warm, but the next 10 years require the region work quickly, with even more intention, and leaning into Kansas City’s willingness to forge its own path, together. “We are not going to get direction from the federal government. It…