Entrepreneurial Alumni

Portia Mwangangye

Posted 01 October 2018

New York Program

March 2017 Intake

Describe your business and your role within it.
Draw + Liquor’s mission is to provide experiential networking and therapy through art. We are reinventing the average night out by adding a twist to the usual painting sessions. Through curating our own music playlists, collaborating with the best food vendors and independent artists the UK has to offer, Draw + Liquor ensure to provide a unique experience through our themed events. Our sessions are great for couples, group events, team socials and individuals looking to redefine their night out.

As the Co-founder Draw + Liquor, I handle the logistics, create and maintaining good relationships with our suppliers, venue hires, and handle the administration and business development.

How did you get into this line of business?
The inspiration to start Draw + Liquor was influenced by my time in New York. In the latter part of my program I was introduced to New York’s famous “Paint and Sip” sessions. After attending one class with a family member of mine, I was hooked! Upon returning to the UK, I had a lot of business ideas bouncing around in my head, but this idea just wouldn’t go away! It might have been related to my love for event planning.

I spoke to one of my family members about the idea and she was onboard straight away, and just like that within a month of planning and research, Draw + Liquor launched their first event on June 29th 2018.

How did you go about setting it up and getting established?
Draw and Liquor is set up as a Private Limited Company with Companies House. The process of setting up a company is straightforward, however we received the aid of an account to help us ensure that we met all the requirements needed with Companies House.
What else is in the pipeline?
At Draw + Liquor we are big on collaboration, and therefore we are connected to the best independent artists, food and beverage vendors, and arts suppliers that help add to the experience we create for our customers. We are looking forward to working with companies in curating bespoke art sessions for their team building/social events and look forward to the growing number of birthday and group bookings that we have coming up.

What has been the proudest moment in your working life thus far?
Watching people enjoy themselves in a way they never would have thought about before. I like making people happy so I’m glad I’ve been given the opportunity to create something that puts a smile on people’s faces.

What has been your biggest learning experience?
My biggest learning experience is that there is a market for everything these days. When I developed this idea, I thought “No one in London is doing this”. Little did I know there had been many pop up “Paint and Sip” events within London. I did not let this deter me from developing Draw + Liquor, it encouraged me to expand my business model and take something that other people were doing and make it different.


Any words of advice/wisdom would you impart to others thinking of setting up their own business?
That idea you’re thinking about, do it. You can make every excuse under the sun as why it wouldn’t work, but amongst all those excuses could be the answer to your success. Focus on the process; the things you do every day to achieve your end goal. The greatest entrepreneurs have gone through at least three businesses before they landed on their goldmine. TRUST THE PROCESS!

To learn more about Draw + Liquor please visit us on our social media networks

Instagram - @drawandliquor

Facebook - @drawandliquor

Twitter - @drawliquor