Joerg Meyer: The bar business is all about word of mouth

Cocktail competitions are great for networking, but they have nothing in common with real life behind the bar.

First of all, a good bartender should be the best at loving people.

Behind every successful bar stands a great team.

You are nothing without good staff. But staff should also realise that they are nothing without an amazing bar.

Good salary for good people. At Le Lion, beginner bartenders start at around €1,250 net plus tips, which can be from €500 to more than €1,000 a month. Top bartenders earn €2,000+ net plus good tips in Hamburg.

From the bartender's side, one bar is more than enough. Because you only can be in one place at one time. But from the entrepreneur's side, there is no limit if you've found the right system to run it. In general I think: less is more and small is beautiful.

Success is not only being a great bartender, but also becoming well-known and operating a successful bar.

We play music that I like to hear in my bar. Jazz, electro, lounge and a little bit of hip-hop. Music is very important for the atmosphere, but we never play it too loud.

For a long-term business, it is important not to have a narrow focus with your guest group. I am happy that our guests are totally mixed.

It is my pleasure to serve people every night.

I used to care very much about what people say. I stopped, kind of.

An open bar is not the place where brand managers should work. They should do their business during daytime hours.

We all started as a brotherhood of a few enthusiasts years ago; the scene has now become too big for a brotherhood.

If I was born in Alaska, I’d sell crystal-clear, super-big ice blocks to bartender freaks in Russia.

I cannot stop thinking — what really makes people come to one special bar on one special night?

The bar business is all about word of mouth.

Photo: Klaus Westermann