There we were, standing in the rain, unloading supplies and setting up our mobile beverage cart for our very first private event. The party was starting in one hour, the weather wasn't cooperating, and our fearless leader was thousands of miles away in France.
It was just Lorenzo and me.
And somewhere in the back of our minds, we were both probably thinking the same thing.
We've got this...right?
If you've been following my blog, you know that earlier this year, my daughter Hannah, her boyfriend Lorenzo, and I launched Stay Dirty Italian Soda Co., our mobile beverage business. It's been quite the adventure, filled with learning curves, excitement, a few frustrations, and plenty of laughter.
The three of us each have our own responsibilities, and together we've developed a pretty good system. Hannah naturally takes the lead when it comes to organizing and managing our events. She likes things done a certain way, everything in its place, and the entire operation running smoothly.
I'm afraid she may have inherited a few of her mother's perfectionist tendencies. Sorry, Hannah!
When Hannah learned she'd be traveling to France for business, she suggested that Lorenzo and I work a market without her. After all, we'd both been involved in plenty of events, but Hannah had always been there, even when one of us couldn't make it.
Then an opportunity came along to provide beverages for a volunteer appreciation dinner celebrating the people who helped make our community's annual Zinnia and Monarch Festival possible.
Our first private event!
Originally, I understood there would be approximately 20 guests, and I figured I could handle that on my own. But when the number grew to around 50, I quickly decided having Lorenzo join me would be a much better idea.
Suddenly, Hannah's suggestion that we manage an event without her was becoming a reality.
There was just one other little complication.
I was going to be out of town visiting my mom and sister, and my flight home wasn't scheduled to arrive until the morning of the party.
Now, I know plenty of people who would have been perfectly comfortable with that arrangement. They'd hop on the plane, arrive home, grab their supplies, and head to the event.
Not me.
I'm not exactly a fly by the seat of my pants kind of gal when it comes to commitments. I like to be prepared. I like to have plenty of time to organize everything, double check the details, and know that I've done everything possible to make an event successful.
And what if my flight was delayed? Worse yet, what if it was canceled?
The more I thought about it, the more uncomfortable I became. Finally, I decided to bite the bullet, change my flight, and pay the rather hefty additional fee to get home earlier.
Was it an expense I wanted? Absolutely not.
But the relief I felt once I'd made that decision was worth it. Sometimes peace of mind comes with a price tag, and this time I was willing to pay it.
I'm pretty sure Lorenzo was relieved too!
Before Hannah left, we made sure we had a comprehensive checklist of everything that needed to happen. It wasn't that Lorenzo and I didn't know our jobs. We did. But there were so many little details Hannah typically handled that we hadn't needed to think about before.
Where was everything stored? What needed to be packed? What supplies had to be checked? What needed to happen before we left?
We created a detailed list, and that list has since become something we use for every event. Funny how stepping outside your usual routine can lead to improvements you might never have thought to make otherwise.
Since the private party had a specially selected menu, Hannah made sure we had all the necessary ingredients before leaving for France. Once I returned home, I prepared our batches of cold foam and picked up a few last minute supplies. Lorenzo was responsible for getting the ice and bringing our trailer to the event.
We had a plan.
We were organized.
We were ready.
And then Mother Nature decided to join the party.
It had rained all morning, but the forecast suggested the weather would clear. For a while, it looked promising. Then, about 90 minutes before the event, the rain started again.
Oh boy.
We arrived an hour early and began setting up our little pop up camper beverage cart in the rain. And let me tell you, we needed every minute of that hour. Between unloading supplies, organizing our workspace, preparing the drink station, and dealing with the weather, there wasn't much time to spare.
But we worked together, each taking care of what needed to be done. When one of us needed help, the other stepped in. We weren't following Hannah's exact routine, but we were finding our own rhythm.
And wouldn't you know it? Just moments before the guests arrived, the rain stopped.
Thank goodness!
Before long, people began gathering for the appreciation dinner. The organizers had also hired a taco truck, so guests could enjoy dinner along with one of our specialty beverages.
We'd created a menu especially for the Zinnia and Monarch Festival celebration, and it was so much fun introducing people to our drinks. Some had never heard of a dirty Italian soda, let alone tasted one.
Watching their reactions was one of my favorite parts of the evening.
People were curious about the flavors, excited to try something different, and genuinely appreciative of the experience. Some came back for seconds. Others returned for thirds!
There is something incredibly rewarding about watching someone take that first sip of something you've created and seeing their face light up.
As the evening progressed, Lorenzo and I found ourselves settling into a comfortable rhythm. Orders came in, drinks went out, and we were enjoying ourselves. The guests were friendly, the atmosphere was wonderful, and the organizers were thrilled with both our setup and our beverages.
We were doing it!
Now, I have to share one little observation that made us chuckle.
The taco truck arrived right as the event was beginning. They pulled into place, opened for business, served their customers, and when the evening ended, they started their truck and drove away.
Meanwhile, Lorenzo and I had spent an hour setting up our beverage cart, and now we had to take everything apart, pack up our supplies, and prepare the trailer for the trip home.
We looked at each other and laughed.
Apparently, there are a few advantages to operating out of a fully equipped food truck rather than a converted pop up camper!
But even with the extra work, we couldn't have been happier.
As we finished packing up, we both felt an enormous sense of accomplishment. We'd managed our first private event together, handled the unexpected rain, served a wonderful group of people, and received enthusiastic feedback from the organizers and guests.
And we hadn't needed to call Hannah once.
Of course, with the time difference between the USA and France, we couldn't easily reach her anyway. I'm sure she was anxious to hear how everything went, and we couldn't wait to share the good news.
Although Lorenzo and I did joke that we'd probably still get in trouble for putting something back in the wrong place!
All kidding aside, I came away from that evening with a greater appreciation for what the three of us bring to this business.
Hannah has wonderful organizational skills and a strong vision for how things should operate. Lorenzo brings his own strengths, and I bring mine. Together, those different abilities make us a team.
But sometimes, when we become comfortable with our individual responsibilities, we forget how much we've learned simply by being part of the process.
We can start believing that certain things belong to someone else because that's the way we've always done them.
And then one day, circumstances change.
The person who normally leads isn't available. The familiar routine gets interrupted. Suddenly, we're asked to take on something that feels a little outside our comfort zone.
That's when we discover what we're capable of.
I also realized that trusting someone else doesn't mean they have to do things exactly the way we would. Lorenzo and I approached certain tasks differently than Hannah might have, but the result was the same. We delivered a wonderful experience for our customers.
And isn't that a valuable lesson for life?
Whether we're working with family, friends, colleagues, or business partners, we each bring something different to the table. We don't all have to think alike, work alike, or approach every challenge the same way to accomplish something wonderful together.
Sometimes we simply need to trust ourselves and one another enough to figure things out.
There's another part of this experience that made the evening especially meaningful. Our first private event wasn't a wedding or a large corporate celebration. It was an opportunity to help our community thank a group of volunteers who had generously given their time and energy to make a local festival successful.
We weren't simply serving beverages. We were helping create a little celebration for people who deserved to feel appreciated.
And that's exactly the kind of experience we hope to bring to future gatherings through Stay Dirty.
As I look back on that rainy evening, I can't help but smile. What began with a little nervousness, an expensive flight change, and two business partners wondering whether they could manage without their usual leader ended with a wonderful sense of pride.
We learned that preparation matters, flexibility matters, and trusting the person beside you matters just as much.
Most importantly, we learned that sometimes we have to step outside our familiar roles to recognize the strengths we've had all along.
So the next time you find yourself facing something new without the person you usually depend on, don't automatically assume you're not ready. Take what you've learned, prepare as best you can, trust the people around you, and give yourself the opportunity to discover what you can do.
You might just surprise yourself. And when that little voice in your head whispers, We've got this...right? Maybe it's time to smile and answer, "Yes. Yes, we do.”
xo, Sheryl
PS …Planning a special celebration? Stay Dirty Italian Soda Co. would love to help make your next employee appreciation event, volunteer celebration, wedding, or private party a little sweeter. We'd love to bring the magic to you!
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