We had the good fortune of connecting with Guillaume Bienaime and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Guillaume, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
It’s something I’ve wanted to do since I was 15 years old. I really enjoy being on my feet and spending my day solving problems.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I’m most proud of being the neighborhood place people come to on a regular basis for all kinds of reasons. Honestly It’s never easy, but I’ve had amazing support along the way and was never afraid to ask if I didn’t know something. I learned a lot of things along the way, but still have a lot to learn. The world should know that when you come to BarZola, you’re getting an authentic experience.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Being in Northern California, we really have an abundance of options here. A day in the city, wine tasting in Sonoma, driving the 1 in Big Sur. I mean, where do I start. For a day close to home I would take them to Bucks for brunch, wine tasting at Thomas Fogarty Winery followed by dinner at The Mountain House, all in the Santa Cruz Mountains.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Howard Bulka of Howie’s Pizza here in Palo Alto taught me how to cook and is always a phone call away when I need him. Geoffroy Raby of Cuisinett in San Carlos is my business sounding board on a weekly basis. I’m grateful to have met both of them. Of course there are many others that have been there along the way and I wouldn’t be the same person if I hadn’t received some great advice.

Website: zolapa.com

Instagram: zola.barzola

Image Credits
Eden Kiryakos

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutLA is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.