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

Lauren Najar, Business Coach
  • 5.0 (7)
  • ENTREPRENEURSHIP

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. AI Can’t Replace This & It’s Costing You Clients w/ Lauren Najar

    1D AGO

    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 landing, it’s not connecting, and it’s definitely not converting the way you expected. In this Business Chaser episode, I’m breaking down what’s really going on when AI “isn’t working” in your business. Because the problem isn’t the tool. It’s how you’re using it. I’m sharing a behind-the-scenes story from my own business that completely changed how I see AI, value, and what I actually get paid for. I also get into the piece most people are missing when it comes to AI, your ability to think, ask better questions, and actually understand what your client needs. Because that’s the part AI can’t replace. If your content feels generic, your messaging isn’t hitting, or you’re wondering why AI isn’t getting you results, this will help you see what’s actually missing and how to start using it in a way that supports your business growth. So, AI isn’t replacing you. But the way you’re using it might be the reason your business isn’t growing the way you expected. Chapters: 00:30 What these short episodes are really for 01:45 Why everyone is suddenly switching AI tools 03:30 Why your AI content sounds like everyone else 05:00 The real reason AI isn’t working for you 06:00 The client story that changed everything 07:30 Why I felt guilty charging for faster work 08:30 What AI made me realize about my value 09:30 The one thing AI will never replace 11:00 Why generic advice keeps failing you 12:00 What AI should actually be used for 13:00 Why your input changes everything 13:30 The shift you need to make with AI 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
  2. Hiring a Business Coach Isn’t What You Think w/ Lauren Najar

    5D AGO

    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. Instead, I ended up overwhelmed, burnt out, and questioning everything. In this episode, I’m breaking down what coaching actually is and why so many people walk away from investments feeling frustrated or like they made a mistake. Because hiring a coach isn’t about someone telling you exactly what to do. And when you expect it to be, that’s where things start to fall apart. I’m sharing my experience with a $4,000 investment that didn’t lead to results, what caused me to burn out even while doing everything “right,” and what finally shifted when I stopped looking for someone else to fix my business. If you’ve ever invested in coaching and questioned whether it was worth it or you’re thinking about hiring a coach and want to make sure you do it right, this episode will help you rethink how you approach it. Chapters: 00:30 Why investing in your business is necessary 02:30 Why “guaranteed results” should be a red flag 05:30 Expecting coaches to give you all the answers 07:30 The $4,000 investment that didn’t pay off 10:00 Following the strategy and still getting no results 12:00 Burnout from doing everything “right” 13:30 Stepping away and finding my own direction 15:00 The mastermind that actually changed everything 16:30 What coaching is really supposed to be 18:30 Why execution matters more than strategy 20:30 The biggest mistake people make when hiring support 22:00 How to evaluate an investment properly 24:00 Impulse decisions vs aligned investments 26:00 When to say no to investing 27:30 Lessons from bad hires and failed investments 29:00 Why experience matters more than strategy 30:30 What to look for before hiring someone 32:00 Why you’re still responsible for your results 33:30 Final takeaway on making better investments 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.

    36 min
  3. You Don’t Have a Strategy Problem: Why Your Income Feels Stuck w/ Cara Barone

    APR 3

    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. In this episode, nervous system and subconscious pattern expert Cara Barone breaks down what’s actually keeping you stuck at the same income level even when you’re doing everything right. And it’s not your strategy. It’s how your nervous system has been wired to keep you safe. Cara unpacks the deeper layer most people overlook: the patterns you’ve been practicing your entire life and how they directly impact your ability to make, receive, and hold more money. She also breaks down the neuroscience behind why your state drives your thoughts, decisions, and actions which explains why traditional mindset and strategy alone are not enough to create lasting change. If you’ve ever found yourself stuck in hustle, avoidance, inconsistency, self-doubt, or disappearing when things start to grow, this episode is going to connect a lot of dots. In this episode, you’ll learn why you keep cycling between hustle and burnout, how your nervous system is shaping your decisions and results, and what it actually takes to build the capacity to make, receive, and hold more money. Chapters: 00:30 Why you don’t have a strategy problem 02:15 Cara’s background and burnout turning point 05:15 What your nervous system actually controls 07:30 The 3 nervous system states explained 10:30 Why your state drives your thoughts and actions 12:15 Why high performers stay stuck at the same income level 13:45 Visibility blocks (overposting vs disappearing) 16:00 Consistency blocks (sprint and crash cycle) 17:30 Receiving blocks (undercharging, overdelivering, avoiding sales) 19:30 Identifying your default money pattern 22:30 How to regulate your nervous system (practical tools) 24:45 Building capacity through small, consistent action 26:00 How to increase your ability to hold more income Connect with Cara Barone: Instagram: @carabarone Tik Tok: @carabarone Work with Cara: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YGdGQyQaFzLsbYzowHVEqoeNczbYQQpoijjRxx8MH-s/edit?tab=t.0 Cara’s Linktree: https://linktr.ee/cara.barone?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio Release fear of rejection & step into confident visibility that attracts premium opportunities - https://go.carabaroneaiconsulting.net/fear-of-rejection-release-discounted?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio 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.

    30 min
  4. 3 Hidden Stress Patterns Keeping You Stuck w/ Cara Barone

    MAR 30

    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. In this episode of Business Over Cocktails, I’m sitting down with someone who has played a huge role in my own journey, my first mentor and business coach Cara Barone, to talk about what’s actually keeping high performers stuck. And it’s not what you think. We get into the deeper layer of growth that most people avoid: your nervous system, your belief patterns, and the subtle ways you might be holding yourself back without even realizing it. This conversation felt very full circle for me, and honestly… it explains so much about why growth can feel so hard even when you’re doing all the “right” things.   Episode Highlights: Why strategy is not your real problemThe low-level stress most high performers live inThe pattern of “I want this… but I am not doing it”How your body can actually block your next levelWhy you might be shrinking yourself without realizing itThe connection between stress, identity, and successWhat it actually takes to expand your capacity for more Chapters: 02:45 Cara’s background and multiple reinventions 07:15 Why mindset has always been the real driver of growth 09:45 The moment everything shifted into nervous system work 13:45 Identifying your unique strengths and owning them 17:45 Why high performers still feel stuck 21:45 Shrinking yourself to stay relatable 24:45 The nervous system “baseline” explained 27:45 Why success can feel unsafe 30:45 The belief that “I’m missing something” 33:45 Balancing corporate and business growth 38:45 How to step into your next level Connect with Cara Barone: Instagram: @carabarone Tik Tok: @carabarone Work with Cara: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YGdGQyQaFzLsbYzowHVEqoeNczbYQQpoijjRxx8MH-s/edit?tab=t.0 Cara’s Linktree: https://linktr.ee/cara.barone?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio Release fear of rejection & step into confident visibility that attracts premium opportunities - https://go.carabaroneaiconsulting.net/fear-of-rejection-release-discounted?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio 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.

    43 min
  5. How to Host a Meaningful Business Event w/Lauren Najar

    MAR 27

    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 seats or planning something pretty. It’s about intention, connection, and making people feel genuinely seen. Lauren walks through what she believes separates forgettable events from transformational ones, including guest experience, event etiquette, personalization, community building, and how to create real value for the people in the room. If you’ve ever thought about hosting an event for your business, this episode will give you a clearer understanding of what matters most and how to do it well. Episode Highlights: What makes a business event feel meaningful and memorableHow to make guests feel seen, supported, and connectedThe key difference between hosting a good event and creating real impact Chapters: 00:00 — Welcome to The Business Chaser 01:02 — Why Lauren Started Hosting Events 04:03 — Bad Event Experiences and What Was Missing 08:02 — How to Make Guests Feel Seen and Supported 11:10 — What Makes an Event Truly Impactful 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.

    16 min
  6. She Rebuilt Her Life From Scratch w/ Maria Rojas

    MAR 23

    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 hard decision: leave everything familiar behind and start over in the United States. In this episode, Maria shares the reality of rebuilding from the ground up, from navigating life as an immigrant and taking jobs she never imagined doing, to discovering a deeper sense of gratitude, resilience, and purpose along the way. What began as survival eventually became something more: a business rooted in service, empathy, and helping small business owners feel supported as they grow. This is a conversation about identity, sacrifice, faith, and what it really takes to begin again when life does not go according to plan. Episode Highlights: Maria’s journey from electrical engineer to entrepreneurLeaving Venezuela and starting over in the United StatesHow hardship shaped her gratitude, faith, and resilienceBuilding a marketing agency rooted in empathy and serviceWhat it really takes to survive and grow as a business owner Chapters: 00:00 — Welcome Maria Rojas 02:14 — Maria’s engineering background 09:17 — Leaving Venezuela and coming to the U.S. 10:50 — The hard first year and starting over 19:48 — Gratitude, money, and mindset 28:49 — Moving through Florida, Michigan, and Indiana 32:33 — Building Trace Marketing and growing the agency Connect with Maria Rojas: Website - https://tresmarketing.net/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/tresmarketingagency/ 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.

    40 min
  7. Afraid to Start? 3 Steps to Trust, Act & Pivot w/Jessi Dunnagan

    MAR 20

    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: Trust the desire in your heart—it’s there for a reason.Choose to see it as possible and ask, “What would my next step be?”Trust your instinct to pivot—shifting direction isn’t failure, it’s alignment.If you’ve been stuck, second-guessing yourself, or waiting for certainty, this episode will help you take the first small step—and follow the nudges from there. Episode Highlights: 3 reminders for when you’re afraid to start.Pivoting isn’t quitting. Chapters: 00:03 Trust the desire of your heart 01:10 Choose to see it as possible 03:05 Trust your instinct to pivot Connect with Jessi Dunnagan: Instagram & TikTok: @bigtimepublishing and @especiallyjessi Website - bigtimepublishing.com Resource library: https://app.heartbeat.chat/bigtimepublishing/invitation?code=233E3C 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.

    6 min
  8. I Turned a Hard Chapter Into a Book w/ Jessi Dunnagan

    MAR 16

    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 feel “ready.” Jessi shares how writing her first book started with a title in her head, became an unexpected kind of personal therapy, and ultimately turned into a business helping others stop sitting on the stories they’re carrying. Together, they talk about ditching the fear of being seen, why “failure” isn’t real if you keep going, how to protect your excitement by sharing wins with the right people, and why self-publishing can be one of the most empowering ways to own your story—without waiting for permission. If you’ve been holding a manuscript, a message, or a story you keep pushing off… this is your sign to start with the next sentence. Episode Highlights: Owning your story without waiting for permissionNot being afraid to be “mediocre” in public while you learnFollowing intuitive nudges that lead to the right next stepSelf-publishing as empowering, healing, and creatively freeingSharing wins with the right people and protecting your momentum Chapters: 00:01 — Meet Jessi + wearing many hats 00:48 — Not afraid to be “mediocre” in public 05:06 — When she knew she’d write a book 10:27 — Why people don’t follow the nudge 16:07 — Self-publishing: healing, empowering, no permission 25:43 — Leaving corporate + building Big Time Publishing 40:25 — Rapid fire: Hanson, skating, and owning your story Connect with Jessi Dunnagan: Instagram & TikTok: @bigtimepublishing and @especiallyjessi Website - bigtimepublishing.com Resource library: https://app.heartbeat.chat/bigtimepublishing/invitation?code=233E3C 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.

    43 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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