As a non-alcoholic business owner, how much do you really need to be online to succeed? In this episode of Mocktails with Marina, I break down exactly how I built two podcasts that have generated over $100,000 in revenue ALONE without ever having more than 6,000 followers on social media.

I’ll walk you through my simple content strategy: a weekly audio-only podcast, one evergreen paid ad that’s been running for nearly two years, and a consistent newsletter that ties it all together. You’ll learn why consistency matters more than virality, how to decide what “showing up” looks like for you, and why different business seasons require different levels of online presence.

Whether you love creating daily content or you’d rather build a system that runs while you’re offline, this episode will give you permission to design your business around your lifestyle, not someone else’s algorithm.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Why you don’t need to be online 24/7 to grow your non-alc business

• How my podcast-first strategy attracts 100% of my clients

• The role evergreen ads play in creating a stable flow of leads

• How to adapt your online presence based on the season you’re in

• Why lifestyle richness > hustle culture, especially for long-term sustainability

Tune in to find your balance between visibility and freedom and discover just how little you actually need to be online to thrive in the non-alc space.

Join the newsletter: www.marinamars.com/contact

Welcome back to Mocktails with Marina! In this episode, Marina breaks down how non-alcoholic business owners, kava bar operators, and sober entrepreneurs can strategically plan for the holiday season from October through January.

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by seasonal chaos, scrambling to launch in two weeks, or struggling to capture momentum from big seasons like Dry January, this episode is your wake-up call. Marina shares:

• October: Why it’s your set-up month and the danger of rushing launches without a 30-day lead time.

• November: How to lean into gratitude and loyalty instead of getting lost in Black Friday noise.

• December: The importance of curated clarity; less is more when your customers are overbooked.

• January: Why it’s the ultimate launchpad for non-alc businesses and how to be ready before the ball drops.

• Seasons of growth & rest: How reflection and note-taking are the hidden keys to sustainable success.

This is a problem-aware episode designed to help you see where you might be getting stuck. And if you want the holistic solutions from operations systems to sales strategies to event planning, that’s exactly what Marina and her team are here to help with.

Whether you’re running a kava bar, launching a non-alc brand, or growing a sober community space, this episode will help you navigate the holiday season with confidence, clarity, and calm.

Listen in and learn how to stop scrambling, start planning, and finally feel in control of your busiest season.

Email: hello@marinamars.com

Learn more: www.marinamars.com/themodernmocktail

🍂 Clear Your Mind. Reclaim Your Energy. Reset Your Business.

This week’s episode is an invitation into the 7-Day Fall Reset Challenge: a powerful seasonal reset designed for founders and operators in the non-alcoholic beverage space.

Whether you’re dreaming of opening a kava bar, building a bottle shop, or launching a functional beverage brand, it’s easy to get buried under regulations, trends, and endless to-do lists. This reset is your chance to stop spinning and start leading.

• Clear out mental clutter and distractions.

• Reclaim your energy and focus.

• Audit your connections and protect your vision.

• Build your strategy on rock instead of sand.

• Step into the season with clarity and momentum.

When you submit your daily reflections, you’ll be on your way to unlocking $500 worth of FREE one-on-one consultation sessions with Marina of The Modern Mocktail.

• Complete all 7 days.

• Submit your reflections.

• Become a Modern Mocktail client.

We’ll send you a compiled copy of your answers plus a tailored program recommendation based on your goals and you’ll receive your $500 bonus once you’re onboarded.

Sign up here: https://www.marinamars.com/challenge-page/7-day-seasonal-reset

The non-alcoholic beverage industry is booming; kava bars, sober curious lounges, functional beverage brands, and alcohol-free bottle shops are popping up everywhere. But with rapid growth comes hidden threats: wolves in sheep’s clothing.

In this episode of Mocktails with Marina, host Marina Castillo exposes 11 wolves in the non-alc industry that every founder, operator, and sober entrepreneur needs to recognize. From bar owners who exploit staff with “family” language, to distributors demanding exclusivity, to brands lying about functional ingredients or selling expired products, Marina calls out the wolf tactics that weaken our movement.

You’ll hear:

• Why late paychecks + owner draws are a major red flag

• How sloppy serving practices ruin entire regional markets

• The dangers of expired kava, kratom, and functional blends

• How “functional” brands use wellness language while sneaking in endocrine disruptors

• The truth about exclusivity deals, non-compete clauses, and industry lobbyists

• Why predatory mentors demanding equity aren’t guides — they’re wolves in disguise

This episode is both a warning and a rallying cry. Because the non-alcoholic space is fragile and worth protecting.

👉 This is just the beginning of the Wolves series. Follow Marina on Instagram @mocktailswithmarina to catch the full set of reels and future updates.

If you’re building in the non-alcoholic, sober curious, or functional beverage world, this episode is a must-listen.

In this behind-the-scenes episode of Mocktails with Marina, host Marina Castillo gets real about what it looks like to navigate pregnancy as a full-time entrepreneur with no day job, no safety net, and no “Plan B.”

Marina shares her journey of leaving her last job without savings, getting slammed with a $9k vet bill, and spending the next year building a sustainable business with her husband. She dives into the practical strategies that allowed them to prepare for pregnancy with confidence—like eliminating non-essential expenses, mastering tax strategy as a lifestyle, and building business systems that make maternity and paternity leave seamless for clients.

This episode is part personal story, part roadmap for anyone wondering how to balance business ownership and parenthood without relying on traditional jobs. Marina opens up about why entrepreneurship actually feels safer than a 9–5 when daycare costs and family values are factored in, and how they’re setting their kids up for generational wealth with both a business and a 401k before they even turn 18.

If you’re an entrepreneur, sober creative, or non-alcoholic industry founder who’s thinking about starting a family or simply looking for inspiration on how to build a life that aligns with your values this conversation will give you both perspective and practical takeaways.

In this episode of Mocktails with Marina, Marina Castillo shares an exciting invitation to Bula Boss Live 2025, a two-day, in-person business bootcamp and Arizona tour designed for non-alcoholic beverage founders, kava bar owners, bottle shop entrepreneurs, and sober community builders. Taking place November 3–4, 2025, Bula Boss Live blends hands-on strategy sessions with real-world field research inside some of Arizona’s most innovative non-alc lounges.

Marina walks you through why this experience isn’t just another event — it’s a transformation. You’ll discover how to identify the wow factor of successful non-alcoholic businesses, refine your unique brand delivery, increase nightly tab sizes with upsell strategies, design more profitable menus, and spot market gaps waiting for your vision.

Whether you join in person or follow along with a digital access pass, Bula Boss Live will give you the clarity, connections, and confidence to scale your non-alc business in 2025. With options ranging from community access to a full VIP Founder Experience, this is your chance to stop second-guessing and start leading.

If you’ve been searching for your people in the non-alcoholic, kava, or sober entrepreneurship movement, this episode shows you why Arizona in November is where you need to be.

✨ Grab your ticket at www.marinamars.com/bulabosslive2025

In today’s episode of Mocktails with Marina, we sit down with Vanessa Royle, founder of Tilden, a brand that’s changing the non-alcoholic cocktail game with one key philosophy: flavor comes first.

Vanessa shares her deeply personal journey of going alcohol-free during the early days of the pandemic and how that shift revealed a massive gap in the beverage space—especially for people who are pregnant, on medications like SSRIs, or simply craving something complex without the crash.

From launching Tilden as a class project during business school to crafting each bottle with culinary-grade ingredients like Lapsang Souchong, Sichuan pepper, and American oak, Vanessa breaks down what it takes to make a truly adult non-alc drink.

We talk about:

• Why non-alcoholic doesn’t mean non-decadent

• Navigating the space as a sober consumer in a cocktail world

• The behind-the-scenes process of flavor development, including sourcing, testing, and iteration

• Tilden’s mission to offer inclusivity without compromise

• The rising consumer demand for adult NA drinks that don’t rely on adaptogens

• How Tilden is designing with bars, restaurants, and pregnant folks in mind

If you're tired of sugary mocktails, overwhelmed by buzzword-heavy bottles, or simply looking for a drink that delivers the entire cocktail experience minus the alcohol, this one’s for you.

Tune in now and meet the team behind one of the most thoughtfully crafted, pregnancy-friendly, and flavor-forward NA brands on the market.

Get 20% off your first Tilden order at www.drinktilden.com
Follow Vanessa on Instagram: @drinktilden
Questions? Send us an email: hello@marinamars.com

In this episode of Mocktails with Marina, we sit down with David Lund, the founder of Drømme, a premium non-alcoholic beverage brand that's reshaping how we relax, connect, and celebrate without alcohol. If you’ve been curious about functional alcohol alternatives, botanical spirits, or how to create a wellness-focused drink that actually tastes good, this episode is for you.

We explore the origin of Drømme; from the Scandinavian-inspired name to the founder’s personal motivation for launching a non-alc beverage company. David shares what makes Drømme different from other zero-proof drinks on the market, including its unique use of functional ingredients, dreamy branding, and the science behind the feel-good effects.

Whether you're a sober-curious consumer, wellness enthusiast, kava bar owner, bottle shop buyer, or non-alc entrepreneur looking for inspiration, this episode is a must-listen. David breaks down what it means to build a beverage that’s not just a substitute for alcohol but a category of its own.

Topics Covered:

• Why David Lund started Drømme

• The meaning behind the brand name

• Functional botanicals used in non-alcoholic spirits

• How Drømme stands out in the non-alc and adaptogen drink market

• Tips for launching a beverage brand with intention

• The future of mindful drinking and alcohol-free nightlife

Resources Mentioned:
Visit: drinkdromme.com
Follow: @drinkdromme

Questions? Send them to hello@marinamars.com