We asked our female bar managers, bar owners and bartenders about their experiences in the hospitality industry. We also asked them to share a cocktail using a female-led ingredient from the Craft Spirits portfolio. Here, Karla Flores, owner of Bar Flores in Los Angeles, shares her thoughts with us.  

It’s quite lovely to be able to provide a safe space for our guests and our employees. I think being in touch with our emotions as leaders is something this industry needs. Passion, care but also understanding. Having a strong voice with confidence on decision-making has put me in places where I have had to over-explain my choices.

I build a community for women to be bad ass bartenders and give opportunities that other bars may not give. To have someone tell me they want to barback with us because they love our environment, see them grow from a barback into a great great bartender and continue to learn everyday is special. I don’t need a resume to tell me that. A big one is creating a safe space for literally everyone - you wouldn’t do that at your Mama's house? You are not doing it here! We are now in a place as woman where we can have a voice of what we tolerate. My big hope is equal pay, equal decision making and - a really big one - setting boundaries of what we can and will do and not get taken advantage of. I hope for more bad ass, hospitality loving, no messing around babes!