Raise the Bar matches celebrated beverage industry leaders with up-and-coming talent to support their development, expand their network, and fast track their rise in the community. This is accomplished through 1:1 mentoring, strategic goal setting, and the mentee’s chosen capstone project.

The program is a robust six-month commitment, with regular mentor-mentee discussion sessions, individual and group progress presentations, and a final capstone project presentation by mentees to key stakeholders resulting in the award of a $10,000 grant to fund ongoing project development.

A key difference in Raise the Bar’s programming is our focus on mentor development. While many leaders in our industry are experts in their field and have the desire to share their knowledge and expertise with the next generation, for mentorship to be successful it needs structure. Our program ensures participating mentors are set up for success by providing tools to strengthen the skills needed to facilitate the mentoring process.

At the heart of the Raise the Bar program is the mentee’s capstone project—a personalized initiative that reflects their unique vision and aspirations within the hospitality industry. Guided by their mentor, each mentee creates a project aligned with their passion to create change and positive impact in the bar community. Over the six-month program, mentees dedicate time each week to clarify their big ideas and develop their project, turning passion into purpose. The program culminates in a final presentation of the capstone project showcasing mentees’ growth and creativity and offers an opportunity to receive a $10,000 grant to further their project’s impact.

• Raise the Bar is centered around inclusivity and equity within the bar industry. To this end, we will not focus on any singular demographic in our recruitment or selection, however we will make it a point to ensure that each cohort reflects a broad representation of our bar community.

• The application requirements include a completed application form with essay questions or a video submission explaining why you want to be considered for the program, as well as two industry references. Applicants who move on to the second round of consideration will complete a virtual interview.

• Section of mentees will be based on their communicated ambition to positively impact the industry, not on prestige of their current job status, employer, or network.