This Black Woman Entrepreneur Created the Ultimate Pop-Up Program For Emerging Businesses

BIPOC-founded Immersive and IRL pop-up program, Sip Shop Eat! may be coming to a city near you, and you might not want to miss being a part of this space of emerging entrepreneurs.

Sip Shop Eat! was launched by CEO & Founder Taylar Colyar in April 2017 as a platform for small businesses to gain visibility within a community where they can connect, share, and promote their brands with like-minded entrepreneurs.

Coylar was inspired to curate a circle of resources after her experience as a vendor left her dissatisfied. Her mission was to associate with other entrepreneurs to have a space to learn and inspire each other.

“I love small businesses, Coylar says on the Sip Shop Eat! website.

“I’ve always wished I had a full-circle resource to connect with and learn from other entrepreneurs. I created Sip Shop Eat as a platform for small businesses to gain the visibility they often yearn for. Providing a resource for the entrepreneurs that run them and the shoppers that support them.”

The experiential platform invites entrepreneurs and consumers to gather, connect, and discover the best food, beauty, style, and drinks through IRL and virtual experiences provided by various independent brands.

In an interview with BLACK ENTERPRISE, Colyar shared her experiences navigating entrepreneurship and growing the Sip Shop Eat! brand.

The Inspiration Behind Sip Shop Eat!

“My inspiration was created from something I craved. An experience that would provide brands with the visibility, support, community, and sales that they too were craving.”

“My journey started with an online, luxury vintage boutique. As a new mom of two, I found it challenging to navigate entrepreneurship. I was attempting to keep my online business afloat,” she told BLACK ENTERPRISE. “I started doing pop-up shops and events after struggling with online sales for a few years. While I experienced sporadic success at pop-up events, my experiences were inconsistent, and I realized that many market organizers did not truly consider the brands who were showcasing.”

These experiences led Colyar to host her first Sip Shop Eat! in Manhattan, New York. Her efforts to keep brands at the center of the mission led to curated experiences where business owners were thriving from the events. After a one-time event, her pop-up was becoming highly requested.

Does Your Brand Match The Sip Shop Eat! Vibe?

“At Sip Shop Eat, we are always looking for brands that are innovative, on-trend, and unique. Our customer has a unique sense of style, appreciates vintage, but also enjoys wearing the latest trends. As a result, we always look for brands who are one of a kind.”

Colyar shared that she aims to avoid overlapping too many similar brands.

Additionally, a brand’s vibe plays a significant factor when selecting vendors for pop-up events.

“More than anything, the vibe we create is the most important for us. For this reason, the number one thing we look for is the applicant’s overall vibe which is demonstrated in the application.”

Entrepreneurs Gain Invaluable Benefits

According to the creative entrepreneur, “The benefits for participating entrepreneurs are invaluable.”

Colyar said the overall goals for her pop-up events are for entrepreneurs to find community, raise brand awareness, meet new customers, and network with like-minded entrepreneurs.

Additionally, business owners can make direct sales from event attendees.

The Future of Sip Shop Eat!

“In the future, we plan to expand to more cities, adding more dates to our annual tours. In addition, we plan to continue elevating the IRL and virtual shop small experiences for our audiences,” Colyar said.

According to the website, the Sip Shop Eat! entrepreneur program cultivates emerging entrepreneurs through virtual gatherings, The Entrepreneur’s Book Club, and by gathering and sharing transformative information and resources that benefit entrepreneurs.

Sip Shop Eat! has expanded to three major cities, a virtual Pop-UP, and a digital online shop for larger brands and smaller brands to connect.

The brand will be hosting its upcoming Sip, Shop, Eat! Holiday in Brooklyn Pop-Up at Hook Studios in Brooklyn, New York, from Dec. 10–11. Attendees at the two-day pop-up will experience a selection of over 65 small business vendors to shop from while enjoying a nail bar, tarot, unlimited cocktails, cotton candy, and more.

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