Wellness Marketing 101
Welcome to Wellness Marketing 101. I’m Boryana — a marketing professor, mom of three, and a passionate advocate for all things health and wellness. I’m also the founder of Black Sea Advanced Marketing Solutions, where I help entrepreneurs build purpose-driven businesses in order to connect authentically with their ideal customers on a deeper level. Wellness Marketing 101 is the podcast for you if you’re an entrepreneur and want to know where to start with marketing. I’ll guide you with simple, clear, and actionable steps to help you build a rock solid foundation and grow your business organically by attracting the right for you customers. I also share personal experiences that have taught me valuable lessons that I can now apply to building my own business while also helping others do the same. Last, but not least, entrepreneurship isn't for the faint heart. Sometimes we are so deep in the hustle that we forget to take care of ourselves to be able to keep pouring into everyone and everything around me. I have therefore made it a purpose of mine to not only set time aside for self-care but also remind others they should do the same so they avoid burnout and stay sane on this crazy journey.
Episodes
Burnout is often treated as the price of success but what if it’s actually a sign something is broken?
In this episode of Wellness Marketing 101, I speak with Tara Butler Floch, leadership coach and former executive, about why hustle culture is outdated and how entrepreneurs and leaders can achieve better results with less effort and more joy.
Drawing from her own experience with executive ...
In this episode of Wellness Marketing 101, I sit down with Bo Zhao, founder of Baby Gear Group, to discuss how she turned a frustrating first-time motherhood experience into a powerful baby gear rental movement. Instead of encouraging parents to buy expensive baby items they’ll only use for a few months, Baby Gear Group offers a sustainable, community-centered alternative: renting high-quality baby gear when you need ...
In this episode of Wellness Marketing 101, I sit down with Robert Amar, founder and owner of Small World Seafood, to talk about food, community, and what it really means to build a relationship-driven business.
Robert shares his journey from fine dining and restaurant consulting to creating one of Philadelphia’s most beloved seafood businesses—born organically during the early days of COVID. What started...
In this episode of Wellness Marketing 101, I sit down with Maya Nazareth, founder of Alchemize Fightwear, Shark Tank deal recipient, and Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree. Maya shares how she turned a personal pain point in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu into a global women’s fightwear brand starting with one rash guard and growing through persistence, learning, and resilience.
This conversation dives deep into entreprene...
In this episode, I sit down with Jess Koteles, a mom of two and Arbonne business owner, to talk about entrepreneurship, flexibility, mindset, and what it really takes to build a business while raising a family. From redefining “busy” to prioritizing self-care and releasing control over others, this conversation is packed with honest insights for moms building businesses on their own terms.
In this solo episode, I’m sharing something more personal than I usually do. Over the last month and a half of 2025, life forced me to slow down in a way I didn’t plan for or expect.
As a mom, entrepreneur, and professor, I’m used to juggling a lot, but this season reminded me that sometimes the only option is to surrender. In this episode, I talk honestly about what it looked like to ste...
In this episode of Wellness Marketing 101, I sit down with Julia Bocchese, an SEO and Pinterest expert, to break down how small businesses can get discovered online without relying solely on Instagram.
We talk about why Pinterest is an underutilized search engine, how keyword strategy impacts both Pinterest and Google rankings, and what business owners should know about SEO in an AI-drive...
In one of the most powerful episodes of Wellness Marketing 101, I sit down with UFC fighter and Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt Bassil “The Habibi” Hafez to explore the realities behind a life built on grit, trauma, discipline, and second chances.
Bassil’s journey is far more than a highlight reel. It’s a story of extreme weight cuts, last-minute UFC opportunities, devastating injuries, personal loss, and...
In this solo episode of Wellness Marketing 101, I share a behind-the-scenes look at the juggling act of being a mom, entrepreneur, and professor during a particularly chaotic week. From last-minute schedule changes to the challenge of working with kids at home, this episode is a candid reminder that success isn’t about perfection, it’s about adaptability, asking for help, and giving yourself grace.
Wheth...
In this solo episode of Wellness Marketing 101, I share important life and business lessons inspired by a simple event: watching my kids and their friends take swim tests at the community pool. What started as a summer memory turned into a reminder that other people’s opinions, judgments, and imposed limits don’t define what we’re capable of.
I also reflect on my own experiences as a young basketball pla...
In this episode of Wellness Marketing 101, I sit down with Andrés Oliveros, co-founder of Astrolab, a professional development training firm that helps leaders and teams become more clear, memorable, and inspiring through the power of storytelling.
Originally from Mexico and now based in Philadelphia, Andrés shares his journey from corporate lawyer to behavioral science expert and storyte...
In this episode of Wellness Marketing 101, host I welcome back Grace Ambroze (first featured in Episode 25) for a deeper dive into accessibility, this time focusing on physical product design. Grace shares powerful insights from her work with Lululemon and the Canadian Paralympic Team during the 2024 Paris Olympics, where inclusive innovation shaped everything from uniforms to user experience.
Together, ...
In this inspiring episode of Wellness Marketing 101, I sit down with Renee Plyler, co-owner of Elevated Studios, a jiu-jitsu school in Wilmington, Delaware that she runs with her husband. Renee’s journey is a powerful reminder that entrepreneurship often starts with passion, pivots, and a willingness to grow beyond your comfort zone.
Once an elementary school teacher with no athletic background, Renee ne...
In this episode of Wellness Marketing 101, I sit down with Natalie Contrera, Creative Director and co-founder of Mango Marketing Co., to talk about the power of intention, storytelling, and community in branding.
Natalie shares her journey from commercial makeup artist to leading a creative team that helps women-owned businesses grow authentically.
We dive into:
In this episode of Wellness Marketing 101, I sit down with Alison Wehr, an analytics specialist with experience at QVC and Aramark, to talk about one of the most important parts of building a successful business: knowing your ideal customer.
Alison shares how companies like QVC built loyalty by focusing on women over 50, why your customer persona should go beyond basic demographics, and how even small bu...
In this episode, I sit down with Terence Milstead, Head of User Experience Research @ CODE PA and Lecturer at the Wharton School. Terence is an expert in strategic communication and user experience. Together, we explore how entrepreneurs can improve their communication strategy, use AI responsibly, and build authentic professional connections.
Terence shares insights from his work improvi...
In this episode of Wellness Marketing 101, I talk with Kathryn Ambroze, a behavioral scientist and VP, UX Research Lead - Trust and Security at JPMorgan Chase, about how understanding human behavior can improve customer experiences for your business.
Kathryn explains the difference between behavioral science and user research and shares practical tips for entrepreneurs to optimize websites, apps, and ser...
In this episode, I sit down with one of my students, Michael Golkow, to explore his journey as an entrepreneur and creator. Michael shares the pivotal moments that shaped his career, the lessons he’s learned from both successes and challenges, and the marketing strategies that have helped him grow.
We discuss:
- Building a business with resil...
In this episode of Wellness Marketing 101, I sit down with Shane Barker, a digital marketing strategist and founder of TraceFuse, a platform dedicated to helping brands detect and remove fake and harmful Amazon reviews.
Shane brings over two decades of experience working with e-commerce businesses, influencers, and Fortune 500 companies, and shares practical insights every entrepreneur selling online nee...
Adrian’s journey is all about grit, resilience, and the courage to change course. Growing up in an immigrant family in Philadelphia taught him the value of hard work and delayed gratification—skills that carried him through a career in the pharmaceutical industry. But after a personal health scare, he walked away from his pharmaceutical business and straight into functional medicine. His mission is to help people prev...
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