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

Lauren Najar, Business Coach
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Updated Weekly

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.

  1. Your Brand Doesn't Feel Luxurious for This Reason w/ Erika Maram

    2d ago

    Your Brand Doesn't Feel Luxurious for This Reason w/ Erika Maram

    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 your brand matters more than the price tag.  She shares the three principles luxury brands consistently use to create trust, authority, and recognition: space, tone, and restraint. You'll learn why cluttered branding creates confusion, how consistency builds authority, and what you can borrow from some of the world's most recognizable luxury brands to elevate your own brand experience. Connect with Erika: Website: https://erikamaram.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/erika.maram/ Chapters: 00:25 Why luxury branding isn't about price 01:10 What makes a brand feel luxurious 02:25 How messy branding hurts authority 03:25 Why consistency builds recognition 04:25 The real meaning of luxury in design 06:15 The power of space, tone, and restraint 07:05 Why luxury brands avoid trends  Upcoming Events: Chicago Retreat - July 14-16, 2026 - https://laurennajar.myflodesk.com/iid9wbr2yc Napa Retreat - October 5-8, 2026 - https://laurennajar.myflodesk.com/cetj223rsr Growth & Connect Events - https://laurennajar.myflodesk.com/hb2a0mwbqw Let’s Stay Connected: → Follow Lauren on Instagram: www.instagram.com/laurennajar → Learn more or work with me: www.laurennajar.com → Follow Business Over Cocktails on IG: www.instagram.com/businessovercocktails → Attend Growth & Connect retreats & events: www.instagram.com/growthandconnect 🎧 Subscribe & Review: Love the episode? Don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share with a friend who needs a business boost and a good chat over a cocktail.

    9 min
  2. The Success Trap Nobody Talks About w/ Erika Maram

    6d ago

    The Success Trap Nobody Talks About w/ Erika Maram

    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 into long nights, constant client demands, and a business that was running her instead of the other way around. Erika shares the difficult decision to walk away from parts of her business, take a significant pay cut, and rebuild a company that aligned with the life she actually wanted. She also opens up about confidence, visibility, direct communication, creating brands that make people feel something, and why so many female entrepreneurs underestimate the value they bring to the table. If you've ever felt trapped by your own success, this conversation will help you rethink growth, reclaim your confidence, and build a business that supports your life instead of consuming it. Connect with Erika: Website: https://erikamaram.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/erika.maram/ Chapters: 00:40 Meet Erica Maram 04:40 From Art School to Entrepreneurship 08:20 Building a Business From Scratch 10:40 When Growth Stops Feeling Good 14:00 Choosing Freedom Over More Revenue 18:20 Why Direct Communication Builds Trust 21:40 Creating a Brand People Feel 25:20 The Story Behind Business Over Cocktails 27:10 Branding Through Emotion Instead of Design 31:00 The Confidence to Go After Bigger Opportunities 37:00 Recognizing Your Own Success 40:20 Why Female Entrepreneurs Play Small 46:00 Boundaries, Business, and Life Balance  Upcoming Events: Chicago Retreat - July 14-16, 2026 - https://laurennajar.myflodesk.com/iid9wbr2yc Napa Retreat - October 5-8, 2026 - https://laurennajar.myflodesk.com/cetj223rsr Growth & Connect Events - https://laurennajar.myflodesk.com/hb2a0mwbqw Let’s Stay Connected: → Follow Lauren on Instagram: www.instagram.com/laurennajar → Learn more or work with me: www.laurennajar.com → Follow Business Over Cocktails on IG: www.instagram.com/businessovercocktails → Attend Growth & Connect retreats & events: www.instagram.com/growthandconnect 🎧 Subscribe & Review: Love the episode? Don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share with a friend who needs a business boost and a good chat over a cocktail.

    50 min
  3. Why More Wellness Isn't Making You Feel Better w/ Jasmine Jafferali

    Jun 26

    Why More Wellness Isn't Making You Feel Better w/ Jasmine Jafferali

    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 reconnecting with their bodies, and how that disconnect may be keeping them stuck in the same cycle.  She dives into the powerful connection between breath, nervous system regulation, movement, music, and embodiment. Jasmine breaks down why real healing is not about doing more, but about learning to feel safe, present, and connected within your own body.  So, if you’re ready to learn why breathwork may be the most overlooked tool for reducing stress, improving your health, and creating sustainable well-being, then this episode is for you. Connect with Jasmine: Website: https://healthyjasmine.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/healthyjasmine/ Chapters: 00:25 Why wellness trends aren't solving the real problem01:35 The surprising link between breath and metabolism03:15 Jasmine's wake-up call with breathwork04:20 How breath impacts stress, sleep, and healing05:30 Why nervous system regulation matters06:15 Simple ways to activate the vagus nerve07:15 How music became part of Jasmine's healing09:00 Why movement is medicine10:10 What embodiment really means11:40 Why achievement isn't the same as worthiness 13:00 Learning to trust your body again Upcoming Events: Chicago Retreat - July 14-16, 2026 - https://laurennajar.myflodesk.com/iid9wbr2yc Napa Retreat - October 5-8, 2026 - https://laurennajar.myflodesk.com/cetj223rsr Growth & Connect Events - https://laurennajar.myflodesk.com/hb2a0mwbqw Let’s Stay Connected: → Follow Lauren on Instagram: www.instagram.com/laurennajar → Learn more or work with me: www.laurennajar.com → Follow Business Over Cocktails on IG: www.instagram.com/businessovercocktails → Attend Growth & Connect retreats & events: www.instagram.com/growthandconnect 🎧 Subscribe & Review: Love the episode? Don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share with a friend who needs a business boost and a good chat over a cocktail.

    15 min
  4. What Your Body Is Actually Trying to Tell You w/ Jasmine Jafferali

    Jun 22

    What Your Body Is Actually Trying to Tell You w/ Jasmine Jafferali

    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-world coaching experience to her work. But the most powerful thing she brings to her clients has nothing to do with supplements or workout plans. It is the understanding that what shows up physically in the body almost always has an emotional root, and that the healing most women are looking for requires going inward before anything else will stick. In this episode, Jasmine and Lauren get into the real stuff. They talk about growing up in diet culture, the core memories that shape how women see their bodies, why gut issues are often tied to control and boundaries, and what it actually means to heal rather than just manage symptoms. Jasmine also shares her own story, including being an overweight child in the eighties, navigating her own health challenges after moving from Chicago, and the moment she realized that what we fear, we draw near. If you have ever felt like you are doing all the things and still not getting better, this episode will give you a completely different lens for understanding what your body might actually be asking for. Connect with Jasmine Jafferali: Website: https://healthyjasmine.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/healthyjasmine/ Chapters: 01:20 Meet Jasmine and her background in wellness 02:20 Growing up overweight in the eighties and being bullied 04:20 How generational wounds around weight get passed down 06:20 Lauren's experience with body image and her mom 09:20 Why the body keeps score 11:20 The emotional root of physical symptoms 13:20 Lauren's cancer diagnosis and the stress connection 16:20 What Jasmine learned from mold illness and Lyme disease 18:20 Gut health, control, and leaky boundaries 20:20 What women are missing from their healthcare support 21:20 The over-functioning mom and under-functioning partner dynamic 24:20 Relinquishing control and getting into feminine energy 26:20 Why triggers are teachers 27:20 Working with women in the perinatal and perimenopause phases 29:20 Where to connect with Jasmine Upcoming Events: Chicago Retreat - July 14-16, 2026 - https://laurennajar.myflodesk.com/iid9wbr2yc Napa Retreat - October 5-8, 2026 - https://laurennajar.myflodesk.com/cetj223rsr Growth & Connect Events - https://laurennajar.myflodesk.com/hb2a0mwbqw Let’s Stay Connected: → Follow Lauren on Instagram: www.instagram.com/laurennajar → Learn more or work with me: www.laurennajar.com → Follow Business Over Cocktails on IG: www.instagram.com/businessovercocktails → Attend Growth & Connect retreats & events: www.instagram.com/growthandconnect 🎧 Subscribe & Review: Love the episode? Don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share with a friend who needs a business boost and a good chat over a cocktail.

    31 min
  5. How to Sell Without Feeling Yucky w/ Lauren Najar

    Jun 19

    How to Sell Without Feeling Yucky w/ Lauren Najar

    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 how sales happen. Lauren also walks through how she reads cues and clues to know when someone is actually ready for a sales conversation, why releasing the outcome leads to more closed deals, and how her background in banking, retail, and service industry sales shaped the way she approaches business today. When you stop trying to close and start genuinely connecting, the sale becomes the natural next step. Chapters: 00:40 Why selling feels yucky in the first place 02:05 The pressure to convert every conversation 03:25 How Lauren builds relationships that lead to sales 05:25 Reading cues and clues from your leads 07:25 Why sales calls are not the only way 08:25 Building confidence in your sales approach 10:05 Releasing the outcome and staying open 11:40 Why one relationship can lead to many sales Upcoming Events: Chicago Retreat - July 14-16, 2026 - https://laurennajar.myflodesk.com/iid9wbr2yc Napa Retreat - October 5-8, 2026 - https://laurennajar.myflodesk.com/cetj223rsr Growth & Connect Events - https://laurennajar.myflodesk.com/hb2a0mwbqw Let’s Stay Connected: → Follow Lauren on Instagram: www.instagram.com/laurennajar → Learn more or work with me: www.laurennajar.com → Follow Business Over Cocktails on IG: www.instagram.com/businessovercocktails → Attend Growth & Connect retreats & events: www.instagram.com/growthandconnect 🎧 Subscribe & Review: Love the episode? Don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share with a friend who needs a business boost and a good chat over a cocktail.

    14 min
  6. What You're Getting Wrong About Building Relationships w/ Lauren Najar

    Jun 15

    What You're Getting Wrong About Building Relationships w/ Lauren Najar

    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 keeping you stuck. She walks through how relationships in real life actually form, and why the same principles apply to your online business. Lauren also gets into what it really looks like to engage with intention, why your content is not the most important thing you're doing on social media, and how she has closed the majority of her business in six years entirely through the DMs by focusing on real connection over closing. If you've been exhausted by your own lead generation strategy, this is going to reframe how you think about the whole thing. So if you've been making every conversation feel like a sales call before it even starts, this episode will show you a completely different way to approach it. Chapters:  00:40 What you're getting wrong with relationship building 01:40 Why tying outcomes to connections holds you back 03:40 How real relationships actually form 05:40 Why tailoring your pitch starts with actually knowing your audience  09:40 Tailoring your approach without overwhelming the ask 11:40 Why the wrong client creates friction on both sides 13:40 How to validate whether you can actually help someone 14:40 How relationship building works on social media platforms 17:40 Why engagement matters more than your content 18:40 Closing business in the DMs without sales calls 19:40 Six years of building relationships entirely online 21:40 How to start building relationships in the online space 23:40 Why posting alone is not enough 25:40 Engagement versus posting and what actually drives growth 26:40 How to stop pressuring yourself to close every conversation 28:40 What happens when you genuinely build trust first 30:40 Consistency in connections and content equals sales 32:40 My upcoming events and retreats Upcoming Events: Chicago Retreat - July 14-16, 2026 - https://laurennajar.myflodesk.com/iid9wbr2yc Napa Retreat - October 5-8, 2026 - https://laurennajar.myflodesk.com/cetj223rsr Growth & Connect Events - https://laurennajar.myflodesk.com/hb2a0mwbqw Let’s Stay Connected: → Follow Lauren on Instagram: www.instagram.com/laurennajar → Learn more or work with me: www.laurennajar.com → Follow Business Over Cocktails on IG: www.instagram.com/businessovercocktails → Attend Growth & Connect retreats & events: www.instagram.com/growthandconnect 🎧 Subscribe & Review: Love the episode? Don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share with a friend who needs a business boost and a good chat over a cocktail.

    35 min
  7. Why Manifestation Isn’t Working (And It’s Not the Tools) w/ Jen Gutfriend

    Jun 12

    Why Manifestation Isn’t Working (And It’s Not the Tools) w/ Jen Gutfriend

    You’re doing everything you’ve been told to do to manifest, so why isn’t it working? In this episode, Jen breaks down the part of manifestation most people completely miss. She shares her experience of doing all the “right” things for years with little to show for it, until one shift changed everything. Instead of focusing on more tools or routines, this conversation gets into what’s actually driving your results. This is the part of manifestation most people skip. You can follow every tactic out there and still feel stuck if you don’t believe you’re actually worthy of what you want. Jen walks through how those beliefs form, how they show up in your life and business, and what started to change for her once that shifted, including unexpected income and opportunities showing up quickly. So, if you’ve been putting in the effort but not seeing the results, this will help you understand why and what needs to shift. Connect with Jen: Instagram: @hypnotherapist_jen Website: https://pages.hypnotherapistjen.com/links Chapters: 00:25 Why manifestation tools are not the real answer 01:25 How your current reality reflects your energy 02:25 Why worthiness controls what you receive 03:25 Jen’s story of doing everything “right” 04:25 The belief that changed everything 05:25 How worthiness impacts success and money 06:25 The cycle of growth and energetic ceilings 07:25 How to identify your limiting beliefs 08:25 What your inner dialogue is revealing 09:25 Where beliefs come from and how they form 10:25 Why subconscious work is required 11:25 How quickly results can change after shifting beliefs 12:25 Why you don’t need a strict mindset routine  Upcoming Events: Chicago Retreat - July 14-16, 2026 - https://laurennajar.myflodesk.com/iid9wbr2yc Napa Retreat - October 5-8, 2026 - https://laurennajar.myflodesk.com/cetj223rsr Growth & Connect Events - https://laurennajar.myflodesk.com/hb2a0mwbqw Let’s Stay Connected: → Follow Lauren on Instagram: www.instagram.com/laurennajar → Learn more or work with me: www.laurennajar.com → Follow Business Over Cocktails on IG: www.instagram.com/businessovercocktails → Attend Growth & Connect retreats & events: www.instagram.com/growthandconnect 🎧 Subscribe & Review: Love the episode? Don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share with a friend who needs a business boost and a good chat over a cocktail.

    13 min
  8. When Your Life Looks Perfect But Feels Wrong w/ Jen Gutfriend

    Jun 8

    When Your Life Looks Perfect But Feels Wrong w/ Jen Gutfriend

    You can build a life that looks perfect on paper and still feel completely miserable. In this episode, Jen Gutfriend shares the moment everything changed for her, from working 50 to 60 hour weeks and pushing through burnout to a wake up call that forced her to walk away after her body completely shut down. What came next was realizing how much of her life had been driven by beliefs she didn’t even know she had, and how discovering hypnotherapy helped her start changing them. This conversation goes way deeper than burnout. We get into why you can be doing everything right and still feel off, how people pleasing shows up in business, and what actually starts to change when you stop building your life around what everyone else expects. We also talk about what manifestation actually looks like and why it is not just thinking positively or waiting for things to happen.  Jen shares what it really looked like to walk away from a business that was working on the outside but wasn’t working for her, and how that led her into the work she does now.  And the biggest shift is this, when you actually start making decisions based on what you want, things start to fall into place. So, if you’ve ever felt like your life looks right but feels wrong, this will make you rethink what success actually looks like for you. Connect with Jen: Instagram: @hypnotherapist_jen Website: https://pages.hypnotherapistjen.com/links Chapters: 00:40 Why her burnout became a breaking point 01:40 The moment her body forced her to stop 03:40 The belief that changed everything 05:40 Why manifestation wasn’t working before 08:40 What manifestation actually looks like 12:40 Why mindset alone is not enough 15:40 Her life before entrepreneurship 17:40 How success started to fall apart 19:40 The cycle of self sabotage in business 21:40 Building a life that looked perfect but wasn’t 24:40 The pressure of expectations and people pleasing 27:40 Navigating identity in your 20s and 30s 30:40 How environment shapes your growth 33:40 What actually creates long term success 37:40 The reality of up levels and growth 41:40 Why things get harder before they work  Upcoming Events: Chicago Retreat - July 14-16, 2026 - https://laurennajar.myflodesk.com/iid9wbr2yc Napa Retreat - October 5-8, 2026 - https://laurennajar.myflodesk.com/cetj223rsr Growth & Connect Events - https://laurennajar.myflodesk.com/hb2a0mwbqw Let’s Stay Connected: → Follow Lauren on Instagram: www.instagram.com/laurennajar → Learn more or work with me: www.laurennajar.com → Follow Business Over Cocktails on IG: www.instagram.com/businessovercocktails → Attend Growth & Connect retreats & events: www.instagram.com/growthandconnect 🎧 Subscribe & Review: Love the episode? Don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share with a friend who needs a business boost and a good chat over a cocktail.

    45 min
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About

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.

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