Meet Joanna Suazo | Bartender | TABC Certified

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

Hi Joanna, as a parent, what do you feel is the most meaningful thing you’ve done for them?
The most important thing I’ve done as a parent specifically being a single-mother in terms of impact on my son is that although I may have a hectic schedule, but as a result he is learning how to be independent and self-reliant. He is also included in the business whether that’s attending pop-up markets or helping me with a setup for an event. This allows him to get an inside look on the day to day operations of the business and take part on the journey.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
As owner/founder of Its JoJo, LLC, I’m most proud to be a woman owned business and mother setting an example for my son.

The journey for Its JoJo, LLC hasn’t always been smooth and continues to be a learning process.

Oftentimes many people think owning and running a business can offer significant rewards but it’s not easy. Challenges I encounter often are balancing personal and professional life, working early mornings/late nights, being under lots of stress to meet deadlines or attend meetings. To overcome these challenges, I always have to tell myself at the end of each day that I TRIED whether it was a good or bad day. And be proud of myself that I did my part to be one step closer to fulfilling my goals.

The thought of opening a business is a scary thing within itself not knowing what obstacles you will face. Truth is…you know way more than you think you do. Throughout your journey you learn many lessons to help you grow. Some lessons that I’ve learned personally dealt with wasted time and financial losses.

Its JoJo dedicates to providing professional and one-of-a-kind bar services. Whether it’s a small gathering or business event, we want our clients to be stress free when it comes to the bar. All they have to worry about is providing the alcohol, mixers, ice, cups and we will take care of the rest. With over four years of experience in the industry, Its JoJo has a passion and enthusiasm when it comes to crafting cocktails and working behind the bar. We offer services in Houston, TX and surrounding areas.

We care about our customers and there’s nothing more important to me than executing a successful bar experience.

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.
Tough one…

We are lucky that our city is rich in culture and history! There’s so many OPTIONS, and I’m such a foodie and love spending time visiting local businesses/markets. I would recommend going to Chinatown in the Bellaire and Beltway 8 area, they have a huge selection of stores and restaurants rich in Asian culture. Schedule a tour with Houston Asiantown Tours, they provide a curated tour on the rich history, hidden gems, good eats in that define Houston’s Asian community. If you’re looking for authentic Louisiana Creole comfort food, look no further and visit Rouxlicous Restaurant located near the Arena Theatre. They offer gumbo, po’boys, crawfish etouffee, boudin to name a few and one word to describe the food, DELICIOUS. The POST in the downtown area is a great place to see as it has many small local shops inside. Just about every weekend there’s a local farmer’s market around town that a definite to checkout if you’re visiting a few to name are: Bayou City Community Market, Braeswood Farmers Market, HTX Market.

Definitely recommend taking a trip down to the coastal area down to Galveston. Take a stroll down to the The Strand, a mini version of New Orleans’ Bourbon Street that has small shops and bars. I’d recommend stopping by Galveston Island Brewing which offers a vast selection of beers that are delicious and brewed locally of course. The atmosphere is laidback and everyone is friendly, best of all you get free samples of beer. Shrimp N Stuff, The Gumbo Bar, Gaido’s, Katie’s Seafood House are a few spots for good eats.

Kemah and Seabrook area are also a destination spot. This area offers the Kemah Boardwalk which offers the Landry’s restaurants and across are the seafood markets where you can purchase the fresh catch of the day. The famous NASA Space Center Houston is located in this area and definite place to visit. Places I love to eat while in this area are Seabrook Classic Cafe and Skippers.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’ll be honest…the list is a little lengthy to name all the people who deserve a shoutout to show my appreciation for making a significant impact in my journey! Also, my family and friends are the backbone to my successes in life. There were many occasions when I wanted to throw in the towel and give up. But they didn’t allow it and constantly pushed me to keep going especially giving me the consistent reminder that the fight was to seek a better life for me and my son.

I love to read books that are about positive mindset and faithfulness. One book that I read that combined the two and stood out for me was written by Joel Osteen called, “Empty Out The Negative”. This book was very inspirational that offered lots of encouragement and helped me think more positively.

Website: https://itsjojo0503.wixsite.com/itsjojollc

Instagram: itsjojo_bartending

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/itsjojobartending/