From humble beginnings working in local dive bars and neighborhood restaurants. Taneka Reaves fell in love with the beverage industry. She cultivated that passion by expanding her knowledge in beer, wine, and spirits, as well as the hospitality and tourism industry. Due to the lack of Employment opportunities and lack of diversity in the hospitality business, in 2013 Taneka partnered with her friend, Johnny Caldwell, to create the beverage brand Cocktail Bandits.

As cofounder of the Cocktail Bandits, Taneka is able to leverage her passion, knowledge and talent to be innovative and influential in the beverage industry. The Cocktail Bandits educate, empower and entertain their followers about beverages from a feminine, urban perspective. The Cocktail Bandits have been well received by the beverage community and have been given the unique opportunity to travel regionally, nationally and internationally to learn about cultures through cocktails. In 2018 the cocktail bandits wrote a book, Holy Spirit Charleston’s culture two cocktails, which is the first cocktail book written by African-American women in this country. So in addition to culture in influence, Taneka has also made her mark in the history books.