Margs and Mindset

Barlyssa Lopez
  • 5.0 (5)
  • 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. 3D AGO

    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

  2. APR 29

    Ebb + Flow

    Send us Fan Mail A grapefruit margarita at 10:30 AM sounds like chaos until you hear the point behind it: we’ve built a life where we get to choose our mornings. That little moment turns into a bigger conversation about entrepreneurship, time freedom, and why your calendar should be a tool instead of a trap. We talk about the never-ending to-do list and how changing the narrative helps us feel less boxed in while still getting real work done. We also go deeper into the mindset shift that “time is made up.” Not as an excuse to avoid responsibility, but as a way to stop letting the clock run your nervous system. We share what it looks like to stay grounded when plans change, why we’re proud of the earlier versions of ourselves who pushed through the hard seasons, and how emotional resilience shows up in everyday moments that used to derail our whole day. Then we pivot into health, wellness, and routines that finally stick. We unpack morning and evening routines, the value of working with a nutrition coach and personal trainer, and why your food story can be tangled up with stress, mental health, and old survival patterns. We also share a very real wake-up call around diabetes risk and lifestyle change, plus the reminder we keep coming back to: you don’t have to like everything you do, but you still have to do it if you want the best version of you. If this hit home, subscribe, share it with a friend who’s rebuilding their habits, and leave a review so more people can find Margs And Mindset. Music Track: Building Dreams by Aylex Source: https://freetouse.com/music Copyright Free Background Music

    31 min

  3. APR 22

    Back To Homeostasis

    Send us Fan Mail Eight courses will do that thing where you show up thinking you’re just going to eat, and you leave remembering who you are. We’re fresh off a North Carolina family vacation and the end of four back-to-back trips, and our bodies are begging for routine, homeostasis, and that simple grounded feeling of being home in our own space. We talk honestly about motherhood, travel fatigue, and why rest can feel like the smartest move you make before a packed season. Then we jump into the private dinner that brought everything together: an elevated Mexican tasting menu with a real story arc, plus craft cocktail pairings that somehow taste exactly like the bartender predicts. We break down the experience course by course, including the dishes we swore we wouldn’t like and then absolutely demolished, and we share the tiny details that made it feel intentional: being seated like guests, being prompted to take the photo, and being pulled into community with total strangers. The deeper takeaway is bigger than food. Telling our story out loud reminds us how far we’ve come, and it reinforces the celebration system we’re building on purpose so we can pour into our business without burning out. If you’ve been stuck in “life is happening to me,” we get into the mindset shift that changes everything: life can happen for you when you choose a new perspective and actually say yes to the moments that refill your cup. Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs a reset, and leave a review if the mindset shift lands for you. Music Track: Building Dreams by Aylex Source: https://freetouse.com/music Copyright Free Background Music

    45 min

  4. APR 15

    One Year All In with Aubre Fox

    Send us Fan Mail Getting laid off can either shrink your world or crack it wide open. We sit down with returning guest Aubre Fox exactly one year after she gets pushed into full-time entrepreneurship, and the timing is almost too perfect: the day we record, we’re also processing a fresh layoff on our side. What follows is an honest, grounded 365-day look at how confidence actually gets built, one project, one relationship, and one hard decision at a time.  Aubre walks us through AF Brands and Co, the umbrella that finally makes her work feel clear and bookable: NXT Level Collective, A Fox Interiors, and “Aubre” as a brand for speaking, programming, and creative opportunities. We talk personal branding and business clarity, why “trying things” is not being scattered, and how you know you’ve moved from exploration into alignment. If you’re searching for entrepreneurship advice, solopreneur support, or how to build multiple income streams without confusing your audience, this conversation delivers real examples.  We also get into the culture shift that matters most: no gatekeeping. From CEO circles and retreats to simple moments of asking a friend for the number you don’t know, we explore how community building helps women in business grow faster. Aubre shares what it’s like to book commercial acting work through relationships, what “proof of life” selfies are, and why she’s comfortable saying, “I usually get paid for this.”  If this hits home, subscribe, share it with a friend who’s building something new, and leave a review so more founders can find the show.  And if you've been thinking about joining the collective but have been on the fence we're here to say DO IT! We even have a discount code to save you 10% off your membership: HOMEMADE10 Meet Aubre Fox Aubre Fox is the founder of AF Brands & Co., where she builds brands that blend creativity, strategy, and community. She also brings her on-camera and creative experience to each company. This includes being featured in commercials, leading brand shoots and promotions, and partnering on events as a creative collaborator from concept through execution. The NXT Level Collective is Aubre’s community for women in business who want real support, real strategy, and zero gatekeeping. Through memberships, events, and curated experiences, it helps women scale with stronger systems, confidence, and connections. A.Fox Interiors is her high-end residential interior design firm, focusing on family-friendly, elevated spaces that feel timeless and functional. The team offers full-service design support from concept to completion, allowing clients to enjoy the process and love the result. If your’re anything like us, you’ll want to be friends with Aubre after this episode! You can follow her journey on: NXT www.thenxtlevelcollective.com ig: @nxt_levelcollective A.Fox Interiors www.afoxinteriors.com ig: @a.fox_interiors Personal Brand / AF Brands & Co www.afbrandsco.com ig: @Aubre_Fox  Music Track: Building Dreams by Aylex Source: https://freetouse.com/music Copyright Free Background Music

    55 min

  5. APR 8

    Better People

    Send us Fan Mail The calendar flips to spring in Rochester and suddenly it’s go time: events stack up, the pace accelerates, and every tiny crack in your business systems shows up all at once. We’re fresh off a one-day retreat called Scaling For Sustainable Success, and it gives us the exact mindset shift we need to step into busy season without melting down. Not because we find a magic template, but because we realize the real work starts with the person leading the business. We talk about why the most effective business retreat experience we’ve had doesn’t begin with revenue goals or marketing plans. It begins with self-awareness, identity, and leadership. We share how breathwork and visualization keep landing for us, even when we doubt it right before it starts and how releasing old stories changes the way we make decisions, handle pressure, and show up as business owners. If you’ve ever felt like you’re “bad at this” after one messy day, this conversation is for you. Then we bring it straight into real life: four events in three days, a full array of challenges, and a totally different response than we used to have. Instead of spiraling, we problem-solve in the moment, plug holes in our workflows, and treat mistakes like data. Yes, we even talk about the scissors problem and why “buy more scissors” is sometimes the most honest operations strategy. We also share a coaching line that hits us in the chest: you can’t judge your whole career off your worst game. If you’re building a small business, scaling an event business, or craving sustainable success without burnout, hit play. Subscribe, share this with a friend who’s in growth mode, and leave a review with the biggest system you need to build next. Music Track: Building Dreams by Aylex Source: https://freetouse.com/music Copyright Free Background Music Music Track: Building Dreams by Aylex Source: https://freetouse.com/music Copyright Free Background Music

    35 min

  6. MAR 25

    Fired On Your Day Off

    Send us Fan Mail One Friday call. Boss, boss’s boss, HR. “Effective immediately, you no longer work here.” After 11 years in corporate America, Lyssa expects the kind of moment that wrecks your stomach and scrambles your future. Instead, a smile creeps in and the truth lands fast: she wasn’t going to quit, so the universe pushed her off the ledge. We unpack the real-time aftermath of becoming a full-time entrepreneur, including the part nobody warns you about: you can be “fine” and still not have processed it. Lyssa shares how she kept it together to record a podcast minutes after the firing, why privacy and professionalism mattered, and what it means to finally answer “Do you do this full time?” with a clear yes. We also talk about the limiting beliefs that keep smart, capable people stuck like the comfort of steady pay, the myth of “free money,” and the identity trap of being a high achiever who won’t let anyone down. Then we get practical about the nervous system shift: sleep changes, weekends feel different, vacations aren’t haunted by a laptop, and work-life balance stops being a theory. We reflect on scaling a small business, “working ourselves out of our jobs,” and how being surrounded by women entrepreneurs turns fear into momentum, especially when your people cheer for you instead of grieving the job. If you’re thinking about leaving your corporate job, starting a business, or stepping into a bigger season of abundance, this conversation will hit. Subscribe to the show, share it with a friend who needs a push, and leave a review. What would it take for you to finally choose yourself? Music Track: Building Dreams by Aylex Source: https://freetouse.com/music Copyright Free Background Music Music Track: Building Dreams by Aylex Source: https://freetouse.com/music Copyright Free Background Music

    33 min

  7. MAR 18

    VIVA LAS VEGAS

    Send us Fan Mail Vegas didn’t blur for us. It sharpened. We came home one day removed and already know we’re not the same people who boarded that plane. No partying fog, no boozy memory gaps just full-senses, wide-awake joy, awe, and a couple of moments that hit so deep we’re still processing them. We went to Las Vegas to celebrate a 37th birthday and finally see Jennifer Lopez live on March 6, after months of anticipation and a past tour that got canceled. The timing felt unreal, like everything lined up on purpose. Then the universe doubled down: a random pick for birthday breakfast turns into a stranger giving an eerily spot-on reading that cracks us open before 10 a.m. It becomes this reminder that the right trip at the right time can feel like confirmation, not coincidence. And then there’s the desert. First time seeing it and our brains basically short-circuit. Raw earth, naked mountains, sunsets that don’t look like they belong on the same planet as our everyday life. It sparks a bigger question about travel, curiosity, and how much of the world we’ve been taking for granted. Add in the Vegas food experience list (Hell’s Kitchen, Mon Ami Gabi, Jardin, Wolfgang Puck) and we’re forced to admit our standards and our mindset both leveled up. If you’ve been craving a reset, a girls trip idea, or a push to build “something to look forward to” into your life, hit play. Subscribe, share this with a friend you’d travel with, and leave a review with the place that changed you most. Music Track: Building Dreams by Aylex Source: https://freetouse.com/music Copyright Free Background Music Music Track: Building Dreams by Aylex Source: https://freetouse.com/music Copyright Free Background Music

    33 min

  8. MAR 11

    Seared & Saccharum w/ Adrean Valerio

    Send us Fan Mail A pink-tinged marg, a splash of ginger beer, and a truth bomb: hospitality is the art of making people feel held. We sit down with Adrian of Seared and Sacrum—our go-to catering partner—to unpack how a women-led team builds unforgettable events through craft, care, and clear boundaries. From proper shake technique and why texture matters to edible storytelling that turns grazing tables into tiny worlds, Adrian shows how customization beats cookie-cutter, every time. Her journey runs from dive bars and distilleries to fine dining and craft cocktails, then into entrepreneurship sparked by a simple question: if mediocre men can launch businesses, why not us? We dive into the math and mindset of growth—hitting a 50-client cap on meal prep, deciding when to hire, and why culture outranks skill when you bring people aboard. Chef’s choice menus become a case study in saying yes wisely: lower costs, better quality, more magic. Not everyone will love it, and that’s the point—alignment over appeasement. We also get personal. Adrian works with endometriosis and designs her schedule around her cycle, naming what many women feel but rarely say: consistency is not a moral virtue. We talk motherhood, rest, and how permission creates better work. Anthony’s story—three years sober, shifting from “Guinness Tony” to Chef Anthony—highlights quiet leadership and food as a voice. Then we zoom out: the patriarchy’s fingerprints on hospitality, from witches who pioneered brewing and distilling to the power of “gossip” as community care. Aging comes into focus as an asset, not a flaw—moving from producing to mentoring, from proving to guiding. If you care about events that feel like you, about building a business without burning out, and about partnerships where values show up on the plate, you’ll feel at home here. Tap play, then tell us: what boundary are you claiming this year? If this resonated, subscribe, share with a friend, and leave a review so more people can find the conversation. Meet Adrean: Adrean Valerio has worked in the hospitality industry since she was 15 and is the owner of Seared & Saccharum Catering alongside her husband, Anthony. She built her career around the belief that good food and genuine hospitality can bring people together in meaningful ways. She’s a mom to Leland, with a beloved dog named Walnut rounding out the household. When she’s not planning events, she’s usually reading or falling down the rabbit hole of a new hobby. Adrean is a staunch feminist and human rights advocate who cares deeply about community, family, and doing what she can to make the world around her a little better. If your’re anything like us, you’ll want to be friends with Adrean after this episode! You can follow her journey on Instagram: @searedandsaccharum Website: searedandsaccharum.com And if you're looking for delicious and healthy meal prep don't forget to our listeners get 50% off meal prep using code Margs50! Music Track: Building Dreams by Aylex Source: https://freetouse.com/music Copyright Free Background Music Music Track: Building Dreams by Aylex Source: https://freetouse.com/music Copyright Free Background Music

    1h 15m
See All (135)

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
5 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
    135
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Margs and Mindset
  • Show Website
    Margs and Mindset

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