“Something in my gut felt it was right,” says Madison Monnone, about creating First Sip, a mobile bar serving Coronado and the greater San Diego area. “I had the idea years ago. I went to a coffee shop and worked on it. I was so excited.” Madison shares that being in her early thirties, she felt ready for something new and fresh. “I can see the vision and the different steps that it’s going to take me throughout my life, and that excites me. I started, and I didn’t look back.”
From Texas to San Diego
Madison’s hospitality career started with her first job in Texas. As a teenager, she was a hostess at Applebee’s. From there, she served at multiple small-town restaurants before falling into a rut after several years in the industry. “I was kind of beat down a little bit from serving, not really knowing where I was going. I was young, and I felt lost in a way.”
It was this feeling in her early twenties that caused her to pivot. She became a personal trainer and was drawn to the fitness community in San Diego in 2018. “I was a personal trainer for two to three years, while also still serving on the side. And then COVID happened.”
With her personal training on hold, Madison focused on the service industry and was recruited to be a bartender at an Italian restaurant. She jumped in with excitement. “This could be a totally different approach when it comes to the service industry. I loved it. [The restaurant] was classic Italian, so I learned all of the classic old school cocktails.” Madison enjoyed learning about the different digestives and aperitifs, as well as the mixology behind each drink.
Creating a career she’s proud of
Madison has been part of the Fox Restaurant Concepts group for a decade and has been at The Henry for over four years. “[Fox Restaurant Group] really focuses on hospitality and guest-first experiences. I’ve really honed in on those skills to make sure that guests will have a good, positive experience.”
Building an authentic connection is important for Madison. “I have so many regulars that come in, and we laugh and joke. They update me about their life, and that’s what makes the experience really special.”
Reflecting on her journey, Madison shares, “I’ve spent most of my career in the service industry. For a while, I thought I wanted to move away from it, like with personal training. It can sometimes be looked down upon or seen as temporary while you’re in college or trying to figure out your next step in life. Then COVID happened, but coming back to the service industry and starting bartending gave me a completely different perspective. Instead of trying to move away from it. I embraced it.”
Starting First Sip
Madison’s personal training background combined with her bartending experience was a perfect skillset to start a mobile bar business. She knew the entrepreneurial side from personal training, and now she’s older and wiser with more skills. “I wanted to create something that not only fulfills me, but brings fun and memorable experiences to other people.”
Coming up with the name First Sip for the mobile bar came easily to Madison. “I wanted to have something short and sweet.” Whether it’s beer or wine, a cocktail or mocktail, or even tea or coffee, Madison says, “With the first sip, it feels good. Your serotonin is flowing, and you feel relaxed. You’re here to enjoy the rest of your experience, and I want people to remember that feeling when they’re thinking of First Sip.”
Along with developing the business concept, she need a physical bar. “I had a friend who builds things, and she offered to help me. I told her I’d do it with her. It took many months. It was really fulfilling to put it all together and make my own bar. I’m super proud. I have purchased another bar since then, and will probably keep purchasing different bars for different occasions, but it was so fun building my first one. I’m building this business, I’m building this bar. Truly bringing it from the ground up.”
First Sip events
Madison is open to working a variety of events. Currently, there is demand for backyard parties, which she describes as “a ton of fun,” and the sky is the limit. She envisions building a bigger bar for more elegant, extravagant weddings, corporate events, and wellness events. “Even if it’s making mocktails, that would be so fun. It doesn’t always have to be an alcohol situation.”
By hiring First Sip for your bar, Madison brings an upbeat experience from start to finish. “Knowing how to build a cocktail and different types of alcohol makes an experience completely different from the whiskey soda next door. Also, I’m a people person, and I love to crack jokes and make people laugh. If someone’s having a bad day, I can tell, so if they’re sitting at my bar and I make just the smallest joke to get a little smile on their face, just knowing that they’re leaving happier, makes me happier and makes my job even more fun.”
Coronado Community
Being part of the community the last four years, Madison knew that Coronado would be a great place for First Sip. “Coronado is a community that values hospitality events, bringing people together. There is live music on Sundays, the Fourth of July is a big party for the entire island, and now we’re about to accommodate NASCAR on Father’s Day weekend.”
Working at The Henry, Madison has built long-lasting relationships with people. “I hear about people’s birthdays and graduations. I’ll see one regular come in with somebody else, and then I’ll see that somebody else come in with a different regular. So they all know each other, and now they know me, and that’s really special.”
Even after feeling confident about the business itself, Madison admitted to being nervous in promoting First Sip. She’d spent many months preparing everything when she met JP Parkhurst, owner of Culinary Kitchen Catering and Events, who offered guidance. “He has really helped me so much. He’s given me his time, his energy in teaching me, and helped me get it off the ground.”
Since posting about First Sip in local social media, Madison shares that people have reached out for both bookings and to help her get the business going. “Within the past month, the communication and networking have been so lovely and really filled my heart. Knowing that my time and energy working at The Henry has built these connections is just so amazing.”
How to book First Sip
To inquire about a booking, visit First Sip Mobile on Instagram or complete the Event Inquiry Form. She recommends inquiring three months in advance. On occasion, she can make something work sooner, but she wants to be sure she provides the best customer experience every time.
At the end of the day, Madison’s premise is simple: she loves making cocktails and connections. “I love making people laugh, and I just want people to have a good time. I enjoy doing it.”
