In this episode of Mocktails with Marina, we dive into one of the most powerful and misunderstood growth engines in the non-alcoholic industry: Event Planning & Event Management.

If you run a non-alc bar, kava bar, bottle shop, sober lounge, or third space, you already know that events drive everything: foot traffic, community-building, customer retention, brand visibility, and revenue spikes. But most business owners treat events like last-minute ideas instead of what they really are: a core department inside your business.

In Part 5 of the Department in a Box™ Series, Marina breaks down:

• why events must function as an internal department, not a chaotic side project

• the three pillars of an effective event system: Planning, Management, and Debriefing

• the most common mistakes businesses make when hosting events (and why they keep happening)

• how to reduce stress, eliminate last-minute scrambling, and turn events into predictable revenue drivers

• the templates, SOPs, timelines, checklists, and systems behind high-performing event programs

• how the right structures can help you scale community events, vendor activations, tastings, pop-ups, sober meetups, live music, workshops, menu launches, and more

If you want the plug-and-play tools Marina uses with top NA bars and kava bars across the country, grab The Event Planner Box™, which includes ready-to-use event workflows, run-of-show templates, vendor coordination guides, permit checklists, marketing rollout calendars, Notion event databases, and full department SOPs.

🎁 Get instant access to The Event Planner Box™: https://themodernmocktail.thrivecart.com/the-event-planner-box/

This episode is essential for any founder or operator who wants to host smoother events, drive consistent traffic, and build a real community around their business without burning out.

In today's episode, we're diving into the department most founders avoid until it becomes a problem: Employee Manuals + SOPs, the backbone of consistency, culture, and operational sanity inside any non-alcoholic bar, bottle shop, or third place.

If you've ever felt like you're repeating yourself every day, constantly correcting the same issues, or carrying the entire business in your head, this episode will be a breath of relief. We break down why your manual isn't just a "rules document," but your team's source of clarity, empowerment, and protection. And we talk about how SOPs go far beyond checklists; they create accountability, reduce training time, and stabilize the customer experience no matter who's on shift.

Inside this episode, you'll learn:

• Why "chill vibes" still require structure

• What a great employee manual actually includes

• How SOPs remove friction from your leadership

• The hidden staff retention benefits of clarity

• The difference between policies, expectations, and step-by-step procedures

• The real reason things fall apart when you're not there

If you're ready to stop running your business on oral tradition and start building a team that's confident, consistent, and self-sufficient, this is the department that will change everything.

Get instant access to The Employee Manual + SOPs Box™ here: (The same templates and frameworks we use with clients to build professional, plug-and-play manuals and procedures.) https://themodernmocktail.thrivecart.com/the-employee-manual-box/

In today's episode, we're breaking down one of the most important (and most misunderstood) departments in every non-alc bar, bottle shop, or third space: Interviewing, Hiring & Onboarding.

Most owners treat hiring like an emergency. A scramble. A reaction.

But the truth is if you don't build this department as a system, your business will always feel unstable.

Inside this episode, we look at:

• Why hiring is a department, not a task • How to interview for values, not just resumes • The standards that determine the quality of every hire • The onboarding mistakes that cost businesses thousands • What a real onboarding system looks like • How this department reduces turnover, protects culture, and stabilizes growth

If you want the templates, the interview scripts, the hiring rubrics, and the complete onboarding system we use with clients, you can get The Hiring & Onboarding Box here:

https://themodernmocktail.thrivecart.com/the-hiring-onboarding-box/

This is Part 3 of the Department in a Box Series.

In today's episode, we're diving into the second installment of the Department in a Box Series™ and this time, we're talking about the department that keeps your non-alc bar, bottle shop, or third space alive: your Marketing Department.

This episode isn't a tutorial on content creation or how to run ads.

It's a high-level breakdown of why marketing must function as a real department inside your business, not as random posts, rushed flyers, or last-minute "I guess I should say something today" content.

We explore:

• Why marketing is your 24/7 reputation system

• How a consistent marketing engine positions you as a leader (not a noise-maker)

• Why education-driven marketing is essential in the non-alc world

• What most founders get wrong when they "do" marketing

• The difference between chaotic posting vs structured brand storytelling

• How a marketing department builds trust, demand, and community over time

If you've ever felt like you're reinventing the wheel every time you sit down to market your business, this episode will give you clarity on what's missing and what becomes possible once you have an actual system.

To get the full set of templates, frameworks, SOPs, and marketing structures mentioned in this episode, check out The Marketing Department in a Box™ here:

https://themodernmocktail.thrivecart.com/the-marketing-dept-box/

Let's build your departments one by one, so you can finally work like the business you're trying to become.

In today's episode, we kick off a six-part series designed to walk you through the core departments every non-alc bar, bottle shop, or third space needs in order to function smoothly.

This first installment focuses on the importance of Project Management & To-Do's. NOT the mechanics of setting up systems, but the deeper reason this department determines whether your business operates with clarity or chaos.

You'll learn why project management is the foundation of a sustainable, scalable company… why most founders struggle without it… how forgotten tasks quietly erode momentum… and why you can't grow a business you're still running from memory.

If you want the templates, Notion dashboards, and full plug-and-play system that goes with this episode, get instant access to The Project Management Box here: https://themodernmocktail.thrivecart.com/the-project-management-box/

If you left the 9-to-5 to feel free but find yourself more stressed than ever on Sunday nights, this episode is for you.

In this week's Mocktails with Marina, we're unpacking the real reason entrepreneurs experience the "Sunday Scaries" (and why it has nothing to do with laziness or discipline). You'll learn how structure is the antidote to anxiety, and how to design a rhythm that actually supports your life instead of draining it.

Marina shares her personal story of breaking the weekend work cycle and building systems that let her rest without guilt. She walks you through six practical strategies to reset your week: from the Friday Close Ritual to the Sunday Power Hour, all tailored for founders, creators, and business owners in the non-alcoholic, kava, and functional beverage space.

You didn't quit your job to become your own worst boss. You left to feel peace, purpose, and possibility and it starts with how you end your week.

👉 Learn how to build a business that doesn't make you dread Mondays.

Connect: www.marinamars.com/contact

Effortless Operations: https://marinamars.notion.site/effortlessoperations

Everyone wants the secret to success but the truth is, there isn't one.

In this episode of Mocktails with Marina, we're getting brutally honest about what it actually takes to reach long-term stability and profitability as a non-alcoholic business owner. From balancing your nervous system to facing rejection head-on, Marina breaks down the five principles that separate sustainable founders from burnout-prone dreamers.

Forget the 30-day success hacks and "10K in a month" formulas; this is about the real work: emotional regulation, consistency, community, and courage.

Whether you're running a kava bar, bottle shop, non-alc beverage brand, or consulting business, this conversation will help you reframe what progress truly looks like and remind you that the path to profit is never linear but always worth it.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why "linear growth" is a myth (and what sustainable progress really looks like)

• The 5 habits of long-term stability in business

• How to recognize your "glass ceiling" moment and break through it

• The mindset shift that turns chaos into calm and burnout into balance

• Why most businesses fail within 3–5 years and how to design yours to last

If you're building a functional solo or family business in the non-alcoholic industry (bar, bottle shop, beverage brand, or coaching company) and want personalized guidance, visit www.marinamars.com/contact to start the conversation.

Because sustainability isn't about sprinting; it's about learning how to build a business that breathes with you.

In this episode of Mocktails with Marina, host Marina Castillo breaks down what it really takes to build and maintain a million-dollar-a-year non-alcoholic bar. Spoiler: it's not about your menu but it IS about your people, systems, and culture.

Marina reveals the five most common reasons bars plateau before hitting seven figures, including leadership imbalance, burnout, lack of systems, and disconnection from community. She shares how successful founders balance human touch with technology, and why treating your team like gold will always outperform another rebrand or menu revamp.

If you've ever wondered how to scale your sober space sustainably — whether you run a kava bar, functional beverage lounge, or zero-proof bottle shop — this episode will show you how to evolve from a local hangout to a lifestyle brand that breaks sales records and builds real loyalty.

💡 In this episode:

• The difference between $500k bars and $1M+ bars

• How leadership imbalance quietly sabotages your success

• Why "culture debt" costs more than turnover

• The role of tech in building scalable systems (without killing vibe)

• What it means to become a one-stop lifestyle hub

Want personalized guidance for your bar or brand? 👉 Visit marinamars.com/contact to get tailored recommendations from Marina and her team.

Listen if you're a:

• Non-alcoholic or kava bar owner

• Beverage founder or operator

• Community-driven entrepreneur

• Functional mixologist or sober space visionary

In this episode, Marina breaks down one of the fastest-growing non-alcoholic markets in the country: Arizona. With over twenty kava bars, bottle shops, and functional beverage spaces now thriving across the state, Arizona has quietly become a blueprint for how to build nightlife rooted in connection instead of intoxication.

You'll learn what makes this ecosystem so successful, from its collaborative founders and lean operational strategies to the cultural and economic shifts fueling community-based nightlife. Marina also shares insights from behind the scenes of her work in Arizona's non-alc industry and reveals what founders can learn from the state's rise as a non-alc powerhouse.

If you're hearing this live, don't miss Bula Boss LIVE this November: a two-day, multi-city Arizona experience for beverage founders and sober-curious leaders ready to see this movement up close. Details and tickets at www.marinamars.com/bulabosslive2025

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