Friendship test: Alex Jump & Lauren Paylor O’Brien
The US-based bartenders who also run hospitality wellbeing project, Focus On Health, take Campari Academy’s friendship test. They talk country songs, pet names and sober bachelorette parties
Alex Jump and Lauren Paylor O’Brien have both worn many hats over their illustrious bartending careers, from head bartender and consultant, to R&D chef and writer respectively – and with numerous awards between them are powerhouses in the community.
It’s their project Focus on Heath, however, that brought them together to address mental health and wellness in the bar industry, with O’Brien operating as CEO and creative lead, and founder and senior manager of operations. Their approach to training is an intersectional one, taking into account and emphasising the need for harm reduction approaches that reflect an understanding of and commitment to addressing the historical, socio-cultural and political forces that shape responses to mental illness, health, addiction and more.
They also undertake speaking engagements, develop no & low programmes and run event production too. They also organise runs, ‘Hospitality hustle’ (foraging, fishing, harvesting) and No Low pop ups.
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