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

    1d ago

    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  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
  2. Why Your Business No Longer Feels Like You w/ Jacquelynn Pilcher

    4d ago

    Why Your Business No Longer Feels Like You w/ Jacquelynn Pilcher

    You can build a business that looks good online and still feel completely disconnected from the life you’re actually living behind it. In this episode, Jacquelynn Pilcher shares what it has looked like to rebuild her life and identity in real time. From growing up in survival mode to navigating divorce, motherhood, entrepreneurship, and major life changes all at once, she opens up about the version of herself she spent years performing and why she finally stopped trying to maintain what only looked good on paper. She talks about why so many people struggle to show up authentically online, how survival mode quietly shapes the way you build your business, and why people connect more deeply to human connection than polished perfection. Jacquelynn also shares the mindset shifts that helped her stop building from pressure and performance and start creating a business that actually fits her real life instead of building a brand around who she thought she needed to be. So, if you’ve been feeling disconnected from your business, exhausted trying to keep up online, or like the version of success you built no longer feels aligned, this episode will probably hit deeper than you expect. Chapters: 00:25 Jacquelynn’s life changes since the last episode02:15 Growing up as a “chameleon”04:25 Why authenticity is not a branding trick05:45 How survival mode follows you into business07:25 Why people connect to human over perfect08:55 Trust, emotional connection, and sales10:00 Stop building your business from survival mode11:10 Be magnetic instead of marketable12:00 Why confidence comes from visibility13:00 Building a business your nervous system can sustain14:05 Letting people watch you evolve  Connect with Jacquelynn: Instagram: @evolvewithjacquelynn Just Women Talking Shit Podcast: https://justwomentalkingshit.buzzsprout.com/ 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
  3. She Built a Brand by Finally Being Herself w/ Jacquelynn Pilcher

    Jun 1

    She Built a Brand by Finally Being Herself w/ Jacquelynn Pilcher

    You can build a brand that looks polished online and still feel completely disconnected from yourself behind the scenes. In this episode, Jacquelynn Pilcher opens up about the years she spent trying to fit into the online business world, constantly reinventing herself, chasing success, and struggling to figure out who she actually was underneath it all. From growing up in survival mode to navigating mental health challenges, chronic illness, comparison, and burnout, she shares how those experiences shaped the way she built her business and why authenticity eventually became non-negotiable. This conversation goes far beyond personal branding. We talk about the pressure to perform online, the exhaustion that comes from trying to keep up with everyone else, and the moment Jacquelynn realized she did not want to build a business around who she thought she needed to be. She also shares how storytelling became one of her greatest strengths and how everything started to shift once she stopped performing for approval and finally built a brand rooted in who she actually is. So, if you have been feeling disconnected from your business, exhausted from trying to keep up online, or unsure how to fully show up as yourself, this conversation will remind you that the strongest brands are built when you stop performing and start owning who you really are.  Chapters: 00:40 Jacquelynn’s story and personal evolution 05:40 Growing up in survival mode 09:20 Side hustles and early entrepreneurship 12:40 Starting coaching during COVID 16:40 Realizing success still did not feel aligned  20:40 Learning to stop comparing herself 24:40 Detaching from money and outcomes 28:40 Why honesty changed her business 32:40 Feeling exhausted by online business culture 36:40 The lack of support in coaching spaces 40:40 Why personal branding matters now 44:40 How storytelling became her biggest strength 49:40 Why messaging is really about clarity 57:40 The advice she would give herself today  Connect with Jacquelynn: Instagram: @evolvewithjacquelynn Just Women Talking Shit Podcast: https://justwomentalkingshit.buzzsprout.com/ 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.

    1h 2m
  4. How to Actually Get ROI From Events w/ Lauren Najar

    May 29

    How to Actually Get ROI From Events w/ Lauren Najar

    You can spend thousands of dollars attending events and still walk away wondering if any of it actually helped your business. In this episode, Lauren breaks down how to actually get ROI from events, whether that’s networking dinners, workshops, conferences, or retreats. She shares how constantly saying yes to events started impacting her time, energy, work schedule, and family life, forcing her to become far more intentional about where she invests her money and attention. Lauren talks about the difference between going to events because of FOMO versus going with a clear reason for being there. She shares why relationships are often the biggest return on investment, why some opportunities take months to pay off, and how meeting people in person completely changes the depth of connection and collaboration. She also opens up about navigating events as an introvert and the questions she now asks herself before saying yes to any room she walks into.  So, if you’ve been questioning whether events are really worth the investment, this episode will help you think about ROI in a completely different way. 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 Chapters: 00:25 Why events take more than money  02:05 The hidden cost of saying yes too often 03:25 What ROI actually looks like from small events 04:20 How hosts create meaningful connections 05:25 Going to events as an introvert 06:35 How to intentionally create ROI at events 07:25 The long-term payoff from bigger investments 08:25 Choosing events for the people in the room  09:25 Why in-person connections change everything 10:05 How to stop making event decisions from FOMO 11:10 Questions to ask before investing in an event 12:20 Why intentionality creates better ROI 13:00 Lauren’s upcoming retreats and events  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
  5. I Created the Networking Space I Couldn’t Find w/ Lauren Najar

    May 25

    I Created the Networking Space I Couldn’t Find w/ Lauren Najar

    Most networking events leave you with a stack of business cards and very little real connection. After years of attending networking groups that felt surface level, transactional, or completely misaligned, I realized the kind of space I was looking for didn’t actually exist. In this episode, I’m sharing the real story behind why I created Growth & Connect dinners and retreats after walking away from networking experiences that left me feeling disconnected, frustrated, and craving something more intentional. This conversation goes far beyond hosting events. I’m diving into what felt missing in traditional networking spaces, the pressure to fit into environments that never felt right, and the moment I stopped waiting for someone else to create the kind of community I wanted to be part of. I’m also sharing what people are truly craving right now in business, why intentional connection matters more than surface-level visibility, and how creating the right environment changes the entire experience people walk away with. So, if you’ve been craving deeper connection, more meaningful conversations, or spaces where people genuinely see and support each other, this episode will encourage you to stop waiting for the right room to appear and start creating it yourself.  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 Chapters: 00:40 Introduction and upcoming retreats/events 03:40 Why I wanted deeper connection 05:40 The first networking event that changed everything 09:40 Feeling disconnected from traditional expectations 15:40 Starting a business in Chicago 17:20 Returning to Northwest Indiana after motherhood 18:40 Trying local networking groups again 21:20 Why some networking events felt empty 24:00 The event that made me rethink networking  26:40 Realizing I could create something better 29:40 The beginning of Growth & Connect 31:40 What makes meaningful events different 34:40 The impact of intentional connection 35:20 Why there is room for more community leaders 37:00 Create the thing you feel is missing  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
  6. 8 Business Lessons From Building Multiple Businesses w/ Nichole DeMario

    May 22

    8 Business Lessons From Building Multiple Businesses w/ Nichole DeMario

    You don’t need another strategy. You need to pay attention to what actually holds up over time. After building multiple businesses and constantly looking for what connects them, Nicole realized the same patterns kept showing up. Not trends. Not tactics. Real, foundational lessons that impact how your business grows and how it feels to run it. In this episode, she breaks down eight lessons that have shaped the way she approaches business today. From building something you genuinely believe in to understanding why visibility rooted in community and connection matters more than chasing followers or numbers. This is a look at what actually drives growth and where most people hold themselves back without realizing it. She also shares the mistakes most people make like staying quiet about what they are building and expecting people to notice anyway, overproducing instead of documenting what’s actually happening, and losing sight of why they started in the first place. So, if you’ve been stuck in overthinking, second guessing, or focusing on the wrong things, this will bring you back to what actually matters and help you move forward with more clarity. Connect with Nichole: Instagram: @womantowoman.connect Instagram: @momtomon.connect Instagram: @storiedelements Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/momtomommag Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/womantowomanmag Website: https://www.sendmediacompanyllc.com/ Chapters: 00:30 Why these 8 business lessons matter 01:30 Build what you actually believe in 02:30 Visibility is not about vanity metrics 03:30 How to find connection points in your business 04:30 Why you need to share what you’re building 05:30 Promoting yourself and actually sharing what you’re doing  06:30 Staying human in your messaging 07:30 Why documenting beats overproducing 08:30 What to systemize and what to personalize 09:30 Protecting your values while growing  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
  7. She Turned Other People’s Stories Into a Media Company w/ Nichole DeMario

    May 18

    She Turned Other People’s Stories Into a Media Company w/ Nichole DeMario

    She didn’t set out to build a media company. She just kept saying yes to the right opportunities. Nichole Demario started in journalism during a time when jobs were scarce and stability wasn’t guaranteed. What began as freelancing and pitching herself to publications turned into something much bigger. Over time, she stepped into a growing role inside a local magazine, helped expand it into a second publication, and eventually took ownership of both. What she’s built today didn’t come from a perfect plan. It came from recognizing opportunity and running with it. In this episode, Nichole shares what it really looks like to build a business rooted in storytelling. From the behind-the-scenes reality of publishing to the moments that have stayed with her the most, this conversation goes beyond business strategy. It’s about the power of real stories, why people downplay their own experiences, and what happens when someone is finally ready to share. Because the moment you stop minimizing your story and start owning it, you create connections, impact, and opportunities you never saw coming.  So, if you’ve ever questioned whether what you’ve been through is worth sharing, this episode will challenge that completely. Connect with Nichole: Instagram: @womantowoman.connect Instagram: @momtomon.connect Instagram: @storiedelements Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/momtomommag Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/womantowomanmag Website: https://www.sendmediacompanyllc.com/ Chapters: 00:40 Why Nichole chose publishing 03:40 Starting in freelancing and early career moves 05:40 How Mom to Mom Magazine began 06:40 Creating Woman to Woman Magazine 07:40 Taking ownership of both magazines 08:40 Why storytelling matters so much 10:40 The impact of physical magazines 13:40 How the business evolved over time 16:40 Pivoting during COVID 18:40 The power of adapting under pressure 20:40 A story that created real change 23:40 Why sharing your story is healing 25:40 The story that almost didn’t happen 31:40 What people don’t see in their own communities 34:40 Why people downplay their stories 36:40 How Nichole chooses which stories to tell 39:40 Why sharing what you want matters 44:40 How her real estate journey started 49:40 Lessons from house flipping 51:40 Balancing multiple passions and businesses 52:40 Where to connect with Nichole  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.

    54 min
  8. Why You’re Still the Best Kept Secret in Your Industry w/ Lyndsey Akers

    May 15

    Why You’re Still the Best Kept Secret in Your Industry w/ Lyndsey Akers

    You’re showing up, creating content, doing the work, so why do you still feel invisible in your industry? In this Business Chaser episode, Lyndsey Akers breaks down what actually gets people featured, booked, and seen. It’s not the most qualified people winning these opportunities. It’s the ones who are positioned clearly, tell better stories, and understand how credibility is built through earned media. She also unpacks what’s changing right now with AI and why visibility is no longer about how often you post. It’s about where you show up and who is validating your expertise. From trust transfer to editorial authority, this episode breaks down what’s actually driving growth and what’s been keeping you stuck instead.  So if you’ve been doing everything “right” but still feel like the best kept secret, this will help you see what’s missing and how to start getting in the right rooms. Connect with Lyndsey: Instagram: @lyndseyakers LinkedIn: @lyndseyakers Chapters: 00:25 Why being good isn’t getting you featured  01:25 What actually gets people chosen for opportunities 02:25 The difference between branding and credibility 03:25 Why your story matters more than your resume 04:25 Why specificity wins in crowded markets 05:25 How AI is changing visibility and attention 06:25 Why earned media is more valuable than ever 07:25 How PR impacts AI search results 08:25 Why magazine features still matter 09:25 The long-term impact of digital media features 10:25 Why podcasts are powerful for visibility 11:25 How speaking builds authority quickly 12:25 Where to start with PR opportunities 13:25 Why awards are an underrated strategy 14:25 How editorial calendars can work in your favor 15:25 Why most pitches get ignored  16:25 The mindset shift behind getting featured  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
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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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