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Business Over Cocktails - Behind the Business - Real Talk with Female Entrepreneurs
Welcome to Business Over Cocktails — the podcast where female entrepreneurs, founder stories, and soulful business growth take center stage.
Hosted by business strategist and community builder Lauren Najar, this show dives into the “why” behind the business, the real stories behind entrepreneurship, and the pivotal moments that shape women-led brands.
Expect candid interviews with creative entrepreneurs, behind-the-scenes reflections on small business growth, and bite-sized solo episodes inside The Business Chaser — where we explore authentic visibility, organic marketing, and building a business that actually feels good.
Whether you're scaling a service-based business, navigating a pivot, or craving real talk for entrepreneurs, this is your spot.
Pull up a seat. Pour your favorite drink. Let’s talk business.
Episodes
78 episodes
When Your Career No Longer Fits Your Life w/ Lyndsey Akers
At some point, you realize the life you built doesn’t actually fit you anymore. For Lyndsey Akers, success once meant climbing the corporate ladder, chasing titles, and building a career in high-profile spaces from Capitol Hill to n...
The Real Reason Selling Feels Icky w/ Lauren Najar
Selling feels icky when you’re trying to rush to the pitch instead of actually getting to know someone.If you’ve ever found yourself overthinking when to pitch, how to transition a conversation, or why selling feels unnatural, this episo...
Your ‘Why’ Will Change And That’s the Point w/ Lauren Najar
You don’t start a business because you have it all figured out. Most of the time, you’re just trying to solve a problem right in front of you.Today, I’m sharing the real story behind how my business started. I didn’t start this with some...
You’re Busy But Not Intentional w/ Alyssa Gawlinski
You’re showing up to everything but getting very little out of it.It’s easy to say yes, stay busy, and feel like you’re doing what you’re supposed to be doing. But without intention, you end up scattered, drained, and wondering why nothi...
The Moment She Found Her Purpose in Serving Others w/ Alyssa Gawlinski
You didn’t plan to become the person others lean on. It usually starts with a moment that changes everything.In this episode, I sit down with Alyssa Gawlinski to talk about how personal loss and experiences with cancer shaped the path sh...
Your DMs Aren’t Converting to Sales & This Is Why w/ Lauren Najar
You’re sending messages, starting conversations, trying to sell and still not seeing results.In this episode, I break down what actually turns people off in the DMs and why so many common sales tactics feel forced, exhausting, and ineffe...
4 Years In. The Truth About Leaving My 9 to 5 w/ Lauren Najar
Four years ago, I made the decision to leave my 9 to 5 and build my business full time. And while that decision changed everything, it didn’t happen the way I thought it would.In this episode, I’m reflecting on what it actually took to g...
You Need to Fail Better Not Avoid It w/ Summer Borkowski
You’re not stuck because nothing is working, you're stuck because you’re trying not to fail.If you’ve been overthinking your next move, holding back from launching, or constantly questioning your decisions, today’s guest, Summer Borkowsk...
What Actually Happens When You Bet on Yourself w/ Summer Borkowski
You don’t randomly wake up and start a business that makes zero logical sense or do you?In this episode, I sit down with Summer Borkowski, founder of Summer Gold, a beauty and wellness club, to talk about what really happens when you fol...
AI Can’t Replace This & It’s Costing You Clients w/ Lauren Najar
You’re using AI to create content, write your marketing, maybe even build your strategy, so why isn’t it actually bringing in clients?Everything looks fine on the surface. The content sounds good. The ideas are there. But it’s not landin...
Hiring a Business Coach Isn’t What You Think w/ Lauren Najar
I followed the strategy. Did the work. Checked every box and I still didn’t get the results I expected.I invested thousands into coaching thinking it would give me the answers, help me grow faster, and take my business to the next level....
You Don’t Have a Strategy Problem: Why Your Income Feels Stuck w/ Cara Barone
You’re doing everything “right” so why does making money still feel so hard?You’re showing up. You’re following the strategy. But behind the scenes, it still feels like a cycle of stress, overthinking, burnout, and starting over again.
3 Hidden Stress Patterns Keeping You Stuck w/ Cara Barone
You’re doing everything “right”… so why do you still feel stuck?You’ve learned the strategies. You’ve invested in the programs. You’ve seen some success. But no matter what you do, it feels like you keep hitting the same ceiling.I...
How to Host a Meaningful Business Event w/Lauren Najar
In this Business Chaser episode, Lauren breaks down what actually makes an event meaningful, impactful, and worth attending. From networking dinners to retreats, she shares her perspective on why hosting an event is about far more than filling ...
She Rebuilt Her Life From Scratch w/ Maria Rojas
Maria Rojas did not set out to become a marketing agency owner. She began her career as an electrical engineer in Venezuela, certain of the path she was building. But when life changed and opportunity disappeared, Maria was forced to make a har...
Afraid to Start? 3 Steps to Trust, Act & Pivot w/Jessi Dunnagan
When starting feels scary, it’s usually not a lack of talent—it’s a lack of trust.In this quick Business Chaser, Jessie from Big Time Publishing shares three powerful reminders to help you move forward when fear shows up:Trus...
I Turned a Hard Chapter Into a Book w/ Jessi Dunnagan
In this episode of Business Over Cocktails, Lauren sits down with Jessi Dunnagan—author and founder of Big Time Publishing—for an honest conversation about what it really looks like to follow the nudge, tell the truth, and create before you fee...
How to Start Meta Ads Without Wasting Money w/ Lauren Najar
In this quick Business Chaser, Lauren breaks down what you actually need to know before running Meta ads—without the overwhelm. She shares why ads don’t magically fix a marketing problem, how they amplify what’s already working (and what isn’t)...
After Cancer: Grief, Fear, and Learning to Live Again w/ Lauren Najar
In this solo episode, Lauren shares the part of her cancer story that doesn’t get talked about enough: what happens after remission. Thirteen years cancer-free after surviving Hodgkin’s lymphoma twice, she opens up about the mental wei...
Product Market Fit Made Simple (For Founders) w/ Heather Miller
In this episode, Heather Miller breaks down the core of product thinking—and why you don’t need perfection to launch something successful. If you’re building from scratch or trying to scale a scrappy offer, app, or service, this is a practical ...
A Woman’s Quiet Power in a Loud Tech World w/ Heather Miller
In this episode of Business Over Cocktails, Lauren sits down with Heather Miller, a product management consultant and the CEO of PDRM Consulting—and what starts as a conversation about “products” quickly becomes something deeper.Heather ...
Networking Strategy: Turn Events Into Clients w/ Michelle Thames
In this educational Business Over Cocktails episode, marketing strategist and community builder Michelle Thames breaks down a repeatable approach to community building and networking that helps entrepreneurs grow a magnetic personal brand and i...
The Day I Got Fired and Built My Dream Business w/ Michelle Thames
Michelle Thames went to work one day in 2016 and walked out fired from her healthcare compliance job. What felt like an ending became the pivot that changed everything.In this episode of Business Over Cocktails, Michelle shares how she l...
How to Date Consciously & Choose with Purpose w/ Lauren Fondriest
Dating doesn’t have to feel like a guessing game or a grind. In this Business Chaser episode, dating coach Lauren Fondriest shares a grounded, empowering framework for high-achieving women who are ready to shift from casual dating to consciousl...
How She Turned Dating Struggles Into a Calling w/ Lauren Fondriest
What happens when a high-achieving corporate coach realizes the deepest transformation she’s ever had wasn’t in the boardroom—but in her love life?In this soulful conversation, Lauren sits down with Lauren Fondriest, a leadership coach t...
