Exploring Life & Business with Kristy Bottini of Battle Born + Co

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kristy Bottini

Kristy, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My husband and I have been in the restaurant industry for a combined 25 years. After working through various roles (and working far too long for other people), we decided it was time to take the plunge into focusing our energy on our own business. Battle Born + Co was created from the blood, sweat, and tears of our own experiences throughout the years. To put it plainly, we help restaurant owners, operators, and employees with operational support, in whatever capacity they need it. We tend to shy away from calling ourselves consultants, since what we do extends far beyond just providing advice on what to do. Today, we have a healthy handful of clients who we have built sturdy relationships with, and we couldn’t be more grateful.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I’ll start out by saying, nothing about starting your own business is easy. There’s the doubts, the nay-sayers, the what-ifs, the did I just make a huge mistake leaving my 9 to 5 job, the having to work on weekends and missing life events, the grind, the everything being on you, the just..everything.

But in comparison to all of that, nothing really compares to what my husband, Josh, and I are currently dealing with. This past December, he was diagnosed with Oligodendroglioma. They found a clementine-sized brain tumor on his right frontal lobe, after being rushed to the ER after a series of seizures (which he had never had prior to December). He had brain surgery a few days later and since then, it’s been a challenge, to say the least. We are dealing with his health issues, figuring out what treatment is best, trying to run a business, taking care of our family (we have a dog and two cats), and truly just trying to survive each day.

We may have a lot of unknowns right now, but one thing I will say is that this man, a mere 3 months after brain surgery, is back to work managing projects that I myself, with an un-compromised brain, struggle with. Josh has so much passion and care for what he does; he is truly a wonder and continues to amaze me every day. We still have a long road of recovery ahead, but his mental strength has and always will be his super power.

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Think about a restaurant and everything that goes on within it. We are the ones who not only provide insight on how to solve x problem or what to do in order to boost x, but we will physically do the work for our clients. We’re the, go in, get our hands dirty, work the line if Jimmy called out 10 minutes before open and you have a 75 person lunch set up, type of people.

For example, some of our current work includes:
-Setting up a second location (lease structure, equipment needs, POS setup, etc)
-Hiring, employee paperwork, business licensing
-Seeking out an operator who would be a good fit for a mountain concept

We are also part-owners of a concession stand concept called Hall & Worth. We provide the type of food that you want to eat when you go to a football or baseball game, but you can never seem to find it. Come find us at Coors Field and Empower Field!

What’s unique about us is that we don’t have a set of services that you choose from. You tell us what you need, big or small, and we will price it out accordingly, tailored to YOUR business. My husband, Josh, is also our secret weapon. I say that because his non-neurotypical way of thinking is what propels our business. He is an excellent leader, figures literally EVERYTHING out (I swear, he won’t sleep if he’s stuck on something), and puts everyone else before himself.

We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
Starting your own business is a risk, but one I highly suggest you leap into, even if you fail. I think it humbles you, strengthens you. makes you realize that life isn’t always easy, and helps you understand what calling the shots feels like.

My dear friend and peer, Sarah Green, started a women’s networking group for women in our industry, called W.I.C.H. (Women in Colorado Hospitality) back in January of this year. At that time, my husband Josh had just gotten out of the hospital for his brain surgery and I was a little fuzzy on quite literally everything, Starting this group during this time was a risk for a couple reasons. What if I wasn’t capable of speaking in front of a group of 20 women after the trauma my family had just endured? What if no one even showed up?

With the support of Sarah, I was able to not only show up and speak in front of these strong and beautiful women, but we meet monthly and continue to gain interest in our group. There’s risks associated with most things in life, but most of the time you just have to say “screw it, let’s ride,” and jump in, because if you don’t, someone else will.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.battlebornandco.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/battlebornandco/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/battlebornandco