Meet Jarick White | Freelance Bartender & Event Specialist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jarick White and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jarick, what is the most important factor behind your success?
The most important factor behind my success and my brand, is simply, me. I believe that if you are trying to build an empire, one needs to start by networking and engaging with the right people, building their trust. That can only happen by being a kind, personable, and inspiring person. Without that lovable personality, finding success can tend to be difficult.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
After I graduated from Illinois State University with a Broadcast Journalism degree, I jumped right into working at a very popular restaurant in town just to have an income while searching for a job in my field. However, as time went on, I started to realize how much appreciation I had for the restaurant industry that I sort of got sucked into it and began building a career in it. Within a year of me working at the restaurant, I went from serving, to bartending, to management and event coordinating. Bartending the events I coordinated is what I really fell in love with. Being able to provide great service in all aspects of the events and seeing how appreciative the clients were, was always a heartwarming experience.

Fast forwarding to my move to Phoenix in 2018, I was hired at a restaurant called North Italia in Arcadia, and sure enough I was put on the fast track to management there as well. Working at North made me realize that management was not for me, however, bartending and connecting with the guests still was. So I stepped down from my position to continue to bartend there a couple of days a week so I can focus on getting back into events as well. I have made many connections through North that have led me to bartending private events for some of my regulars at the bar. Building these connections brought along a lot of referrals which pulled in a lot of freelance work for myself as a bartender and hospitality director, that now it’s almost all I really do and I couldn’t be happier.

I’m very proud that I’ve gotten to a point that I’m getting hired for events left and right, and now they’re beginning to overlap. Which is why I started my own bartending business, ‘Top Me Off (AZ)’, and hired some very talented bartenders to send to events when I can’t make them due to prior engagements. I (the business) still has a lot of growing and networking to do, but knowing that I am high on the list of hospitality specialists in town is very motivating to keep pressing on. In the meantime, I’m still working events for amazing companies like Cloth & Flame, PHX Art Museum, The Heard Museum, Cabana Boys, along with helping organize events for the LGBT community with a group called Phoenix Takeover. Keeps me busy for sure.

Getting to where I am now wasn’t really difficult for me at all. Opportunities have been presented to me because I know how to engage and network with people which helped build relationships that have brought me success. It takes time for sure, but with the right attitude, things will fall right in your lap and you just have to go for it.

Some lessons I have learned along the way is that no matter how great you think you are at something or how much people love you, it really is all about who you know. Being able to identify the right environments and the right people to engage with is what will help bring you success.

I just want the world to know that I want to bring something special to it with my charisma, hard work, and positive energy and help put on some of the greatest events with the most reliable set of bartenders possible.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
For a week long trip, I would definitely start it off with an amazing dinner at my favorite restaurant in town, Buck & Rider. I have taken multiple people there before and they are never disappointed. It has been my favorite spot since I moved here in 2018.

If it’s over the weekend, I would take them to some of my favorite bars in downtown Phoenix: ‘Lucky’s’, ‘Sazerac’, and ‘Bar1’. There’s so many great spots around town, I’d try to fit as many in as possible, but downtown in the Roosevelt Row Art District is definitely my vibe and always a good time.

I’m also a huge road tripper, so over a course of a couple of days, I would definitely drive them to the Grand Canyon and Sedona. I did this trip with two friends from San Francisco and they were in awe over all of it. Exhausting driving all day but worth it for the experience.

Then of course I’d have to take them on a hike just for them to get all of the Phoenix views in. Once all of that’s said and done, some quality time with my friend groups would be essential.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I want to send a huge shoutout to all of my closest friends, partner, and clients who have all supported me, connected me with the right people, and who have trusted me with their events and providing a great time during such. I have an amazing network of people in my life and I wouldn’t be growing as much as I am without them.

Instagram: @jarickwhite, @topmeoff_az

Linkedin: Jarick Mitchell White

Facebook: Jarick White