Today we’d like to introduce you to Brandi Irving
Hi Brandi, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I’m the mother of 3 daughters. Having my 1st child at 16 and my second at 18, I knew that I had to ensure that we wouldn’t become a statistic. I grew up in Cleburne, which is rural and opportunities were scarce. I was raised by my mother and step father, but my Dad has been a huge part of my life since I was 18. My mother withheld his identity from me for a long time, in fear that he would take me from her, which he should have. My mother was negligent as a result of mental illness and depression. My father, is an incredibly intelligent, caring man that has stood by my side, right, wrong or indifferent and has fiercely defended and supported me. I started working as a Correctional officer when I was 19 at Johnson county Jail, and from there I worked for TDCJ Prison System. While working for the prison system I went to college to become a Paralegal, finishing in 2017. I’ve worked as a Paralegal for 7 years or so. I opened my 1st business in 2021, WhiskBran Studios, an all natural bath and body care company my boutique was located in Crowley Tx, unfortunately because of a divorce, I had to close my doors or risk losing half of my business to my now ex husband in our divorce. I would have rather shut my doors then give him 1 dime of something he hadn’t worked for. I bartended off and on for 20 years, as it was needed to make ends meet. I picked it back up in 2023 as I was going through a divorce and closing my business so that I could supplement my income. I also work a full time Corporate job as well as bartend part time. I’ve started to push my social media for my bartending, because it’s a creative outlet for me., and I have started to get a following. I love the art of bartending, the entertainment aspect of it. At times you are someone’s mentor, therapist, best friend, mother, safe space, a person to celebrate victories or mourn a loss with. Bartending is so much more then just serving liquor or beer. You can be so much more to a person then what you think, and sometimes a friendly smile or an encouraging message can literally save someone. Bartending has afforded me the opportunity to pay off almost all of my debts while still building my life and supporting myself and my youngest daughter, I have since started two more companies Since I had to close the doors on my first one. I now own Phénix Rising Skin Care and Tatted Bartender & Co. and am in the process of starting a Mobile Bar Trailer, Tatted Bartender on Tour. Tatted Bartender & Co represents those of us in the service industry and those of us who love body art. The ones of us that feel like misfits but function in everyday society among everyone else, except we’re more colorful. My other company, Phénix Rising was born out of a need to make a product that my youngest daughter could use. She suffers from eczema and wanted to use the fun bath stuff, but her skin would pay for it. I created all natural soaps and bubble baths for her and it flourished from there. When we were WhiskBran Studios, I started out at the Burleson Farmers Market and grew from there and within 10 months I was able to open a store front. I was successful for a year in that location and was in the process of looking to expand and move to a more established location, then I was forced to close my doors. I had been the victim of extreme domestic violence for quite a while from my husband, and it had finally reached a point that I had to leave or I may not leave alive. He went to jail and was convicted of domestic violence, and was also found guilty in a civil lawsuit as well of the abuse, cruelty and adultery. I was able to still walk away with my head held high and move on 18 months later and start over and open 2 business. God is Good, all the time.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
it has been anything but a smooth road. From teenage pregnancy to divorces to rampant drug use in my childhood from my parents, becoming a statistic of teen pregnancy and drug fueled child raising from my parents. There are so many stories I could share, like the time when I was 10 I was held as drug ransom for 2 weeks and my mother didn’t call the cops, to the time when I was 9 I was told to put drugs in my pants when we were getting pulled over by the cops. I was destined for tragedy however, I had enough sense to me to know that I had to break generational curses. Those traumas and curses that my own mother to this day will deny that ever happened nor will she apologized for them. I knew I had to break them, Even if that meant working tirelessly relentlessly falling along the way, picking myself up falling again and finally getting it right at 38. 2 years ago I left an extremely bad and abusive marriage. My husband of 6 years had been beating me and mentally and emotionally abusing me. The abuse became so intense that I wanted to end my own life. I now advocate for people, not just women, in domestics violence relationships by sharing my own story on social media on my personal pages not my business pages. During that marriage not only was a physically abused, but I was mentally destroyed. I forgot who I was, I forgot what it was like to Love myself. While I was in the middle of the divorce, I reached back out to the only thing I knew that could save me, our Lord and Savior. Through Christ, I was strengthened again, I remembered who I was. All the difficulties and traumas I had endured as a child, I gave to God and refused to allow it to determine who I was anymore. I learned to love myself fiercely. I learned that I am worthy of so much more then what I had given myself for 37 years. I was not kind to myself for a long time so in turn I allowed others to treat me poorly. But through God, I found my worth. I have 3 daughters watching me and looking to me for strength, encouragement and guidance. What type of mother would I be if I fell victim to this situation and stayed in it. It is my goal to raise and release productive women into society, not women who will continue the process of trauma.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I rather not talk about my Corporate job, as I am under contract for that. My personal business though, Phénix Rising Skin Care, is an all natural bath and body care company, it was name in recognition of my previous company, A Phoenix rises from the ashes, overcoming turmoil. I chose the French spelling because of my Cajun heritage. My other business, Tatted Bartender & Co pays tribute to Bartenders, Barack’s, waiters/waitress and all the tatted misfits in between. We have a clothing line, bartender tools, waiter tools and cool alternative stuff for everyone else. It was born from a need to reach the service industry and what we really need to preform our jobs, at affordable prices and look stylish at the same time.
What were you like growing up?
I was always a loud, outgoing, crazy child. I was difficult for parents I was given, because they didn’t have the intelligence or ability to nurture or care for me the way I needed to be cared for. I have ADD, and ADHD. I know I was difficult, I would bounce off the walls, I still do to this day. But, I really just wanted to me loved, and understood and I didn’t have that safe space to do so. So, I decided to run the streets, for a very short amount of time. Once I got pregnant at 15, I knew my life was more important then what my parents made me believe. I knew I had to create a life that child could thrive in. I was raised in drug filed chaos, and dysfunction. Days where we would come home from school and the power was turned off or we didn’t have water. Days where we ate ranch beans for dinner. When I was 23 and my brother was 15, my mother kicked him out. I didn’t think twice, I went and got him and moved him in with me and my 3 daughters. He has since done nothing but thrive, he is now 33 and is an electrical engineer. I could not be prouder of him. My oldest daughter, Journey is a High School Paraprofessional, my Middle daughter, Jada is a Vet Tech in training and my youngest daughter Keke will be graduating High School in 2027.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://tatted-bartenderco.square.site/
- Instagram: Thattattedbartender
- Facebook: That Tatted Bartender
- Youtube: @ThatTattedBartenderBrandi
- Other: Phénix Rising Skin Care on all socials
