Margs and Mindset

Barlyssa Lopez
  • 5.0 (6)
  • Self-Improvement
  • Updated Weekly

Barlyssa have been taking on life's challenges side by side, discovering what works and what doesn't. We're not just addressing past wounds, but also picking up handy skills and strategies along the way to steer our journey forward. We're convinced that no one should have to pilot through these experiences alone. With a common objective, we pondered the most impactful way to extend out support to women of color tackling generational traumas and experiences in solitude. It turned out that launching a podcast is the best conduit to build a supportive community that engages in raw, real and open dialogues that yield authentic growth. But, add tasty margaritas and some laughs for a good time because a good laugh can overcome more difficulties and dissipates more dark clouds than people realize.

  1. 1d ago

    RIP Tea Cups

    Send us Fan Mail The scariest sound isn’t metal on metal, it’s fragile vintage teacups crashing forward when you slam on the brakes and realize how close you just came to a real accident. We’re kicking off Friday with margaritas and a story that’s way too fresh: a reckless turn, a full car of one-of-a-kind vintage teacups and plates, and that split-second moment where your body goes straight into survival mode. We talk about the heartbreak of losing irreplaceable pieces we’ve collected for years and why, in an event planning and party rental business, “stuff” is never just stuff. Then we take the bigger lesson: how do you show up when something goes wrong and it’s not your fault? We break down the mindset muscle we’ve built over time, taking a breath, assessing the damage, and making a different choice so one bad moment doesn’t hijack the next 12 hours. We reflect on what 141 episodes of showing up has taught us about emotional regulation, self-awareness, and the kind of maturity that only comes from practice. From there, we pivot into tools that prove your growth: flipping back through journals, revisiting old archives, and even remembering our early audio diary days. We also share what’s lighting us up right now, a creative content day that’s turning into community building, mentorship energy, and collaboration with mostly women-owned businesses, including moms doing it all. If you’re building a service-based business, craving connection, or trying to become the contractor of your life, this one will land. Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs a reset, and leave a review so more people can find the show. Music Track: Building Dreams by Aylex Source: https://freetouse.com/music Copyright Free Background Music

    35 min

  2. Jun 17

    From Climate to Camera with Britten Evans

    Send us Fan Mail A hurricane, a climate change speech, and a pink margarita might not sound like the start of a photography career, but that’s exactly where this story leads. We sit down with Britten Nicole of Britten Nicole Photography, the artist who shot our branding content day and made us feel more like ourselves on camera than we ever thought possible. If you’ve ever dreaded being photographed, struggled to trust a creative partner, or felt like your personal brand doesn’t match who you are now, you’ll hear yourself in this conversation.  Britten shares her origin story from Florida’s Gulf Coast, the loss and meaning wrapped up in her grandparents’ home, and how Hurricane Charlie became a catalyst that pushed her toward environmental science, public speaking, and a decade of nonprofit work. Then we get real about burnout, leaving politics behind, and picking up a camera as a way back to joy. We talk about what makes branding photography feel safe, why “awkward” often means you’re on the edge of something powerful, and how the right images can mark a true level-up moment in your business.  We also go deep on manifestation and journaling with moon cycles, new moon intentions, and solstice rituals, including how Britten wrote down a specific six-month plan and received the exact money she needed to go full time. The second half turns into a needed reminder about alone time, nervous system care, and treating self-care like a real business expense, especially for moms and entrepreneurs carrying a lot. If this hits home, subscribe, share it with a friend who needs a push to be seen, and leave a review so more people can find the show. Guest Info: Website: www.brittennicole.com Instagram: @brittennicole  Email: hello@brittennicole.com Music Track: Building Dreams by Aylex Source: https://freetouse.com/music Copyright Free Background Music

    1h 14m

  3. Jun 10

    Aging Hits Different

    Send us Fan Mail Your knees crack after the gym, you blink, and your “baby” is suddenly 10. That’s the kind of emotional whiplash we’re sitting in today: the very real physical shift of aging in our 40s paired with the even bigger parenting shift of raising kids who don’t need us the way they used to. It’s tender, it’s messy, and it’s also strangely beautiful. We talk honestly about what it takes to stop mothering on autopilot and start adjusting to this new phase: giving kids more responsibility, letting them make mistakes, and learning when helping becomes hindering. We share how therapy language helped us name the change, why it feels like we’re “playing catch up” sometimes, and how we’re practicing self-care and mindset work while our bodies demand more intention than they did in our 20s. Then we zoom out to the bigger question: surviving vs thriving. When you’ve lived in survival mode, it’s hard to imagine the future. When you finally have space to breathe, you realize your kids can dream, plan, and know themselves in ways you never got to. We also tell the quince dress shopping story that cracked our hearts open, and we unpack what a “rich life” really means: not just money, but values, freedom, authenticity, gratitude, and refusing to let comparison steal your peace. If this conversation hits home, subscribe, share it with a mom who needs a little hope, and leave us a review so more women can find this community. What season are you in right now: surviving, thriving, or somewhere in between? Music Track: Building Dreams by Aylex Source: https://freetouse.com/music Copyright Free Background Music

    28 min

  4. Jun 3

    One Margarita Rule

    Send us Fan Mail Two margaritas used to be a harmless night out. Now it’s a full-body message we can’t unsee. We’re talking perimenopause, alcohol tolerance, and the moment you realize your “normal” needs a serious update. Not from shame, not from rules, but from finally listening to what your body is saying and choosing what actually supports your health, sleep, mood, and energy. From there, we shift into celebration mode because we just hit five years in business and the way we spent our birthday says everything about who we are now. The plan changed (of course it did), we accidentally took a meeting, and it turned into the most aligned, ideal-client call imaginable. We share why that felt like a universe-level wink, plus the bigger lesson: building a sustainable business sometimes looks like pancakes, dog walks, meditation, ice cream, and doing work that fills you up instead of drains you. We also break down the emotional weight behind our new branding photo shoot, the fear of “burning it down and rebuilding,” and the relief of seeing a story told clearly through photos. Then we’re fresh off the Reiki table with two very different experiences, one deep release and one electric, jittery discomfort that raises real questions about energy work, resistance, and growth. We wrap with a business coaching exercise that hit hard: writing 100 reasons we’re already successful and flipping them into future tense. If this resonates, subscribe, share with a friend who’s in their reinvention era, and leave a review. What’s one change you’re making lately that you’re choosing to see as care instead of loss? Music Track: Building Dreams by Aylex Source: https://freetouse.com/music Copyright Free Background Music

    44 min

  5. May 27

    Five Years Of Making Magic

    Send us Fan Mail Five years ago we were just hoping a family would say yes to a party proposal we built in Canva. Now we’re celebrating a fifth business birthday with a full-blown brand shoot, a cake that made our jaws hit the floor, and the kind of gratitude that only comes from doing the scary thing and not stopping. We talk through the milestone from the inside out: how time moves like a blink, how “mature business” energy feels different, and how our work shifts when we let it reflect who we really are. We get into creative entrepreneurship choices that sound small but change everything, like giving ourselves permission to make up the rules, build a brand with meaning, and even call ourselves “event magicians” when that’s the truest title. If you care about event planning, brand identity, small business growth, or creative marketing, this one is packed with real talk and lived experience. Then we take you behind the scenes of our biggest branding shoot to date: the timeline, the multiple concepts, the outfit changes, and the intention to time capsule the story. We share why brand photography and video content matter when you’re building trust and telling a consistent story, plus the hilarious reality of filming an MTV Cribs style tour at Slate and realizing that being good at something in real life does not mean you won’t freeze on camera. The heart of it lands on purpose. We honor Mama Adele for seeing our gift early, naming it out loud, and helping set us on a path we couldn’t have predicted. If you’re building something in ROC or anywhere and you need a reminder to keep going one bite at a time, press play. Subscribe, share this with a friend who’s chasing a dream, and leave us a review so more people can find the magic. Music Track: Building Dreams by Aylex Source: https://freetouse.com/music Copyright Free Background Music

    43 min

  6. May 20

    Vacation Shopping with Kim Della Porta

    Send us Fan Mail A vacation is supposed to feel like relief, not like a second job with 37 browser tabs and a dozen deadlines. We sit down with repeat guest Kim Della Porta, who made a bold career pivot from mom health coach to travel planner, and she tells the honest story of what pushed her to change lanes, what she was afraid it would “mean,” and why this new path finally took off. We get practical about what a travel agent actually does, especially for overwhelmed moms who are already managing everyone’s needs. Kim walks us through her process, from the client who says “take me somewhere warm” to the client who has a specific ship, cabin, and travel month picked out. We talk vacation planning priorities like budget, kid-friendly amenities, excursions, and whether you want to stay on-resort or explore. Then we nerd out on Disney vacation planning details like midnight bookings, 6 a.m. dining windows, and Lightning Lane style timing that can make or break your trip if you don’t know what’s coming. The biggest takeaway is that “vacation shopping” can be part of the memory. When someone you trust curates the best options, answers questions fast, and keeps you on track, the whole experience gets lighter, and you actually arrive excited instead of depleted. We also break down how commissions work so many trips cost you the same as booking direct, plus when some planners charge a planning fee for complex custom itineraries. If you’re dreaming about a cruise, an all-inclusive resort, Disney, Universal, or even a simple weekend away, hit play and start planning smarter. Subscribe, share this with your favorite trip planner, and leave a review telling us where you want to go next. Music Track: Building Dreams by Aylex Source: https://freetouse.com/music Copyright Free Background Music

    43 min

  7. May 15

    Big Girls Use Mic Stands Now

    Send us Fan Mail Mother’s Day hits different when your life has chapters you don’t want to erase. We’re sipping margaritas, adjusting to mic stands that somehow make us feel like beginners again, and then we get honest about the real mood behind the holiday: gratitude, love, pressure, and memories that still have weight. We talk about what it’s like to celebrate being a mom while also carrying complicated family relationships and the emotional reality that motherhood didn’t start out the way we imagined. There’s a particular kind of heaviness when the day feels “showy”, when everyone wants to make it big, and your nervous system just wants it to stay simple. We unpack that tension and why it’s okay to love your life now without pretending the past didn’t shape you. Then we zoom out to the season we’re in as parents: milestone after milestone. Dance recital days that leave you exhausted but in awe, high school transition nights that make time feel loud, and taekwondo testing that reminds you your kids are becoming their own people. We keep coming back to one theme: the duality. Being proud and heartbroken at the same time doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong, it means you’re paying attention. If this resonates, subscribe for more real talk, share the episode with a mom who needs it, and leave a review so more people can find us. What part of Mother’s Day feels the most complicated for you right now? Music Track: Building Dreams by Aylex Source: https://freetouse.com/music Copyright Free Background Music

    29 min

  8. May 6

    What If Success Is The Scary Part

    Send us Fan Mail Five years into business sounds like a celebration until someone calls your company “mature” and you realize… oh, this is the livelihood now. We’re sipping margaritas and telling the truth about what that milestone brings up: pride, pressure, gratitude, and the very real question of how to build a sustainable business for the long haul without spiraling into fear. We also get into the brand refresh we thought would be “just new photos,” then quickly became a full identity check. New pictures lead to new website copy, new clarity, and a new standard for how we want to show up as business owners. If you’ve been feeling like your old brand no longer fits, this conversation will help you name what’s changing and why it’s so emotional, especially when you run multiple services and your business keeps evolving. From there, we zoom out into the entrepreneurship mindset that keeps us moving: intentionality over reaction, asking deeper questions, and letting fear ride along without letting it choose the route. We talk about the weird nerves of full-time entrepreneurship, the fear vs excitement reframe, and the reminder we found in our original Dream Big notebook that the process and the vision were always there. If you’re building something in Rochester (ROC) or anywhere else and you want a grounded push to keep going, you’re in the right place. Subscribe, share this with a friend who’s in a growth season, and leave a review so more builders can find us. What part of success feels the scariest to you right now? Music Track: Building Dreams by Aylex Source: https://freetouse.com/music Copyright Free Background Music

    38 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
6 Ratings

About

Barlyssa have been taking on life's challenges side by side, discovering what works and what doesn't. We're not just addressing past wounds, but also picking up handy skills and strategies along the way to steer our journey forward. We're convinced that no one should have to pilot through these experiences alone. With a common objective, we pondered the most impactful way to extend out support to women of color tackling generational traumas and experiences in solitude. It turned out that launching a podcast is the best conduit to build a supportive community that engages in raw, real and open dialogues that yield authentic growth. But, add tasty margaritas and some laughs for a good time because a good laugh can overcome more difficulties and dissipates more dark clouds than people realize.

Information

  • Creator
    Barlyssa Lopez
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    142
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Margs and Mindset
  • Show Website
    Margs and Mindset