The recent emergence of a new initiative on the European bar scene aims to create a strong female community within the hospitality industry. The project, named “Ellas,” seeks to promote greater inclusivity and gender equality in the world of bars.
The initiative’s main slogan is “Be who you are!” Ellas is a Spanish pronoun that translates to “they” and, in modern Hebrew, means “goddesses.” Originally, the intention was to create a group of women who could support and share experiences with each other. Over time, the platform evolved its logo to ELLӘS to express its additional mission of inclusivity. Ginevra Castagnoli, the founder from Milan, built her bartending career and the entire project in Spain.
How would you describe the Ellas project?
We are a group of women aiming to inspire, support, and empower others through various events across Europe, knowledge-sharing, and networking.
What inspired you to start this project?
Having worked as a bartender for twelve years, I always felt the advantage of having someone to share feelings with, confide in about doubts or questions. For me, it was almost a necessity to create a platform that amplifies every voice, representing and showcasing women in hospitality. We also offer support and a safe environment for women working night shifts.
What is your primary goal?
Friendship among women is our main motto, more important than competition! We want women in the hospitality business to feel supported, understood, and have the opportunity to progress and improve. Through our initiative, we aim to increase the visibility of women in our industry and expand internationally through networking, activities, and various services. We also offer mentoring to younger colleagues, helping them understand the business better and pursue their dreams.
What accomplishments have you achieved so far?
In the past year and a half, we’ve organized twenty events and participated in several bar shows in Spain, France, and Italy. This allowed us to connect with the European community, learn various nuances, and exchange knowledge. We held several masterclasses, presenting Ellas Empowerment and our vision. Nonetheless, there’s still much work ahead. The primary goal is education on inclusivity through workshops and masterclasses and raising awareness about issues concerning women in the hospitality industry, which often go unnoticed.
Do you see any concrete results from your work?
I believe we see a more significant positive impact of our work every day. Initiatives similar to ours, such as Celebrate Her, Mapa de Barmaids, Speed Rack, and others, contribute to our mission by sharing a similar philosophy. Thanks to our recruitment activities, we’ve become a reference point for many businesses seeking female candidates. With the rapid growth of our community, we can recommend excellent professionals for various positions.
How did you realize this entire project?
It came quite spontaneously, I consider it a result of my entire journey and growth in this industry. As a young bartender, I felt I needed more emotional and mental support than I received at the time. I needed a strong mentor nearby. A few years ago, I would have never thought I’d become the founder of a project with such potential or speak in front of hundreds of people. My idols, Lynette Marrero and Ivy Mix from Speed Rack, truly inspired me. One of my dreams was to do something similar in Spain and Italy. When I founded Ellas, my driving force was the desire to create something strong and useful. I have no experience in marketing, social media, or communication, but I’m learning along the way. What truly makes me proud and motivated is that in less than a year, we’ve achieved significant results, and our community keeps growing.
What are the biggest challenges you face?
Initially, I had no idea how to turn my thoughts and ideas into reality. I never studied business, marketing, or communication. So, that was definitely the first barrier to overcome. Addressing topics like feminism to make them understandable is genuinely challenging. People still have fears stemming from a lack of knowledge on these topics. Ellas isn’t about politics, but it certainly has a crucial social impact. We aim for equal rights for everyone in the hospitality business—men and women alike. It’s all about fairness. I want to emphasize that our goal isn’t to create conflicts between genders. We want to discuss opportunities, improvements, and growth. One of the significant challenges is breaking the cycle of competition among women, something we’ve been conditioned to from a young age, and instead creating a supportive and welcoming environment.
How was it for you to leave the bar and focus solely on your personal project?
I spent a whole year working in bars while simultaneously building Ellas. Every day, I had long shifts behind the bar, but I also wanted to make my dream a reality. After some time, I had to make a decision and prioritize. So, for several months now, I’ve been working solely for Ellas and new projects related to it. It requires a lot of effort and sacrifices, but when I think about what the future might bring, it always gives me renewed energy.
How can women or men benefit from Ellas? Do you help people find jobs, what other services do you offer?
Ellas is a tool for anyone willing to share a piece of their story with us. It’s an opportunity for visibility, finding new job opportunities, or consulting spaces. One of our services is recruitment. Through our network, we can help people find jobs and companies find employees. We appreciate the support of men who desire change and help us improve conditions in our industry. Everyone should be part of the change. Another focus of our initiative is inspiring and motivating young workers to never give up and keep progressing.
