Inspiring Conversations with Karlyta Williams of Mockery

Today we’d like to introduce you to Karlyta Williams

Hi Karlyta , please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My story started when life was changing for all of us during quarantine. I was doing all of these virtual wine downs and remembering how many times I’d sat down and had conversations with peers and friends about how much we’d change about our lives and daily routines if we had more time on our hands or more freedom to be at home. Yet here I was, here we were, having little to no changes in how we socialized.

I decided I wanted to try something different in many facets of my life but especially in social drinking. I began revisiting these drinks I would create as a kid and call them “spritzes.” They were essentially just juice and sodas which aren’t particularly good for you either but it became the baby step towards getting into crafting mocktails which led me to the world of zero proof spirits and that was when my curiosity and passion were unlocked!

I had nothing but time on my hands and I began devoting it to what felt so fun snd freeing during that time. Engaging with these spirits and seeing what I could do with them reminded me of my love for baking. This felt like creating recipes from scratch and I was obsessed in the best way.

I honestly never in the beginning thought of it as a business. It was just fun and reconnected me to my own childlike energy which I loved and in that moment was enough for me. Then I started offering them to friends and began hearing stories about wanting to drink less and wishing there was more information about non alcoholic alternatives and of course“you should sell these!” I’m not a person who just jumps straight into selling, I truly believe some things are meant to be fulfilling personally and not business ventures.

I spent an entire year doing it for free. I wanted to see who the customer was and I have to have a connection to things, they have to feel as if they are in some way facilitating something beautiful amongst the collective for me to have a buy in. Then, the magic happened. The stories I heard, the unsolicited “thank you’s” I realized it was no coincidence that I was being led to this space. This was something people wanted, needed and appreciated for so many reasons that went beyond just mixing up a drink. That’s where the rubber met the road for me, it aligned with who I am and my desire to be a contributor to the world through utilizing my skills fueled by passion and my heart by bringing people together and that’s how it was born.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It definitely has NOT been a smooth road! I of course ran into the usual entrepreneurial woes. Access to affordable capital, furthering my knowledge inside the zero proof sector in addition to balancing a full time job with building a business, being a mom and partner, creating a robust business plan, finding small business educational resources and breaking into this still very young business with no contacts in the industry and going it alone and the list goes on.

I think most of us would say we have a full plate without starting a business and adding that on of course brings some struggles and challenges. Heck, I’m currently working through one behind the scenes now! There is no department that handles anything, there’s just you, your belief in what you’re doing, your dreams that grow daily for what you want this to become and 24hrs in a day to be and do all the things.

However…there was always something so unexpectedly GREAT on the other side of overcoming every obstacle. You hear it all the time but it’s true, when you reach your hand out to grab a dream something much bigger than you reaches back out and guides you.

I’ve told myself through tears a few times… “maybe I’m wrong, maybe this space isn’t for me .” Then out of nowhere, an opportunity would appear, I’d get the answer I needed or the connection I needed would find me. However through it all, my sense of gratitude has remained and this adventure has been FULL of moments that create beautiful things in me and for me so I won’t ever complain.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
I specialize in sophisticated zero proof craft cocktails that bring people together to enjoy one another. I facilitate joy through intentional events and collaborations aimed at reconsidering how we go about the act of celebrating and connecting.

My goal is to offer an option that can be seamlessly added to the tradition that is drinking (alcohol) and do it in a way that is creative, engaging and fun. My goal will ahead be to create opportunities for people to connect with themselves through exploring new hobbies or revisiting old one’s via event offerings and collaborations.

I’m excited to be entering the next phase of my dream and that is opening a non-alcoholic dedicated bottle shop and tasting room! It will be the first in Detroit and located in the Bagley-Fitzgerald neighborhood and I’m very proud of that.

We will be doing a few soft launch events leading up to the grand opening to welcome people into the space. Our first will be a Friendsgiving event on November 21st with a delicious food and zero proof cocktail pairing and a soft opening on Small Business Saturday with so many more fun things we have planned! My heart is full and I can’t wait to have everyone in.

I feel like that’s what sets what we’re doing apart, that love is at the center of this (and most everything I do) and my deep desire to see people find new ways to love themselves in social engagements, connect with those they love and enjoy life with a few new rituals and the ongoing journey of self discovery.

Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
Well most people who know me probably wouldn’t be surprised about anything about me. HA! However if I had to pick something it would probably be…

I love disco music and the fashion of the 70’s along with 80’s and 90’s pop music.

Good music playing in the background has been responsible for so many recipes that people have tasted and loved. I grew up in a house filled with music. My dad was a huge rock fan. Frank Zappa, Pink Floyd, Metallica, The Who, The Beatles, AC/DC, you name it! My mom loved all things Motown from her childhood love of The Jackson 5. Music has always filled gaps for me from my youth to now and a soundtrack is always playing in the background of my mind for nearly every situation in my life.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.mockeryzeroproof.com
• Instagram: @mockeryzeroproof