Business Over Cocktails - Behind the Business - Real Talk with Female Entrepreneurs

What happens when you start a podcast without a five-year plan, a huge audience, or a goal to become the next big show?

In this special one-year episode of Business Over Cocktails, Lauren Najar reflects on her first year of podcasting and what she’s learned about starting a podcast, growing an audience, finding the right guests, creating meaningful conversations, and building a podcast that actually feels aligned with your bus...

The way you build your business matters just as much as the business you build. 

After surviving a life changing accident that broke her neck, Stefanie Dingbaum promised herself she would never ignore the warning signs of burnout again. But after changing careers and finding herself right back where she started, she realized the answer wasn't another job. It was building a business that aligned with who she truly was. 

In t...

The life you're meant to build often begins when you finally believe you're worthy of it.

Before Stefanie Dingbaum became a hypnotherapist, entrepreneur, and intuitive therapist, she was a burned out social worker quietly questioning whether the life she'd built was the one she was meant to live. Through her own healing journey, she discovered hypnotherapy, found the courage to leave the security of her school social worker career a...

Every woman deserves a place where she feels heard, supported, and connected.

After more than a decade of serving women through Espa Aesthetics and Wellness, Verginiya Burgess realized she wanted to create something that went beyond traditional services. She envisioned a space where women in Northwest Indiana could come together, ask questions, find encouragement, and build meaningful relationships with others on similar journeys.

In...

Sometimes the life you're meant to build looks nothing like the one you planned.

When Verginiya Burgess left Bulgaria shortly after high school, she wasn't chasing entrepreneurship. She came to America after her grandparents sold their home to fund her education, carrying the weight of their sacrifice and the determination to make their investment worthwhile. What followed was a journey through science, medicine, unexpected disappoi...

Real visibility isn't built on social media alone.

Many entrepreneurs spend hours trying to perfect their content, believing that posting consistently is the key to getting noticed, attracting clients, and growing their business.  While social media can be an important part of your marketing strategy, it shouldn't be the only way people discover you. In this episode, I share why expanding your visibility beyond social media can...

Sometimes the person who changes your life is the one who believes in you before you believe in yourself.

Long before I built a successful business, there was uncertainty, career frustration, and a series of business ideas that never quite felt right. In this special episode, recorded in celebration of their 10th wedding anniversary, I sit down with my husband, Darrin, to reflect on the journey that started long before entrepreneurs...

Most entrepreneurs make time for their clients. Very few make time for their business.

It's easy to get caught up serving clients, answering emails, and checking off daily tasks without ever stopping to ask whether your business is actually moving in the direction you want. When every week feels the same, it's hard to find the time and space to think strategically, improve your systems, or make intentional decisions about what's nex...

Have you ever left one job only to realize you brought all of your old habits with you?

When Tracy Medeiros lost her father, she and her husband made the life changing decision to move to Hawaii. She planned to continue working for her corporate employer after the move, but when that opportunity fell through, she accepted a new job in Hawaii. A year later, that company planned to lay her off, and instead of starting over, Tracy turn...

What if the reason people aren't buying has nothing to do with your offer?

Many business owners spend their time trying to generate more leads, create more content, or improve their sales process. But according to Hunter Myers, the problem may be much simpler. You're treating customers like transactions instead of relationships. In this episode, she shares her Matchmaker Method and explains why businesses should start thinking about...

What if the biggest thing holding your business back is trying to be someone you're not?

For years, Hunter Myers believed she needed to fit a certain mold to be successful. She built a brand around what she thought clients wanted, leaned into trends that did not feel natural, and found herself performing instead of showing up authentically. It wasn't until she embraced who she really was that her business began to feel aligned, sust...

What if the breakthrough you're waiting for doesn't require a bigger strategy, but a smaller daily commitment?

Big business goals are exciting, but they often leave entrepreneurs chasing results instead of building the habits that actually create them. In this solo episode, I share why I committed to running 39 miles during my birthday month and how that personal challenge became a great reminder of what consistency can accomplish.

I...

What happens when you reach the age that changed your parent's life forever?

As I reflect on my 39th birthday, I found myself thinking about a number that carries deep meaning. Thirty-nine was the age my mom was diagnosed with colon cancer, and reaching that same milestone brought up unexpected emotions about grief, family, identity, and the passage of time.

In this deeply personal episode, I'm sharing memories of my mother's cancer ...

Ever wonder why some brands instantly feel trustworthy, luxurious, and worth paying more for?

Most business owners think luxury branding comes from expensive logos, fancy design elements, or following the latest trends. In reality, it's about something much deeper. It's about how your brand makes people feel. In this Business Chaser episode, Erika Maram breaks down the psychology behind luxury branding and why how people feel about ...

What if the business you worked so hard to build became the very thing stealing your freedom? 

In this episode, Lauren sits down with brand and web designer Erika Maram to explore the journey behind her business, from learning to code as a kid and bartending for seven years to building a thriving design studio that eventually grew into a full-service marketing agency. What started as a dream of creating freedom quickly turned i...

You've tried the diets, workouts, supplements, and wellness trends, so why don't you feel any better? 

In this episode, Jasmine Jafferali shares what she learned after more than 30 years in the health, fitness, and wellness industry. She opens up about chasing external solutions for healing while ignoring the wisdom of her own body. Jasmine shares why women are constantly searching outside themselves for healing instead of reco...

Most women are doing everything right on paper, and still not feeling well.

Jasmine Jafferali has been in the health and wellness space her entire career, starting as a fitness instructor at 20 and eventually building her work around functional nutrition, corporate wellness, and perinatal health. With a master's degree in public health focused on maternal infant health education, she brings both the research background and the real-...

If selling feels forced, uncomfortable, or just plain yucky, the problem probably is not your pitch.

In this episode, Lauren breaks down why so many entrepreneurs feel gross when they try to sell and what to do instead. She shares why the pressure to convert every conversation into a sale is not only unrealistic but actually working against you, and how shifting your focus to genuine relationship building changes everything about ho...

You're probably working way harder at relationship building than you need to.

In this episode, Lauren breaks down why so many entrepreneurs are getting relationships completely wrong online. From immediately viewing every new follower as a potential client, to sending cold DMs with the pressure to close before any real connection has been made, Lauren explains how tying a specific outcome to every person you meet is the very thing k...