how kava bars shaped the non-alcoholic social movement
Release Date: 01/21/2025
Interview with Maggie Klaassens, Founder of The Sober Hive
Mocktails with Marina
In this episode, Marina sits down with Maggie Klaassens: alcohol-free coach, mom of three, and the founder of The Sober Summit and The Sober Hive. What started as a personal 100-day challenge to ditch alcohol turned into a purpose-filled mission to help gray area drinkers take back their lives and build a future they’re excited to wake up to. Maggie shares how she created a powerful three-day virtual summit that’s now changing lives across the globe, what “gray area drinking” really means, and why sober community and connection are the key to long-term transformation. She also gives us...
info_outline
bev brand builder: start your own non-alc product company today
Mocktails with Marina
In this episode of Mocktails with Marina, we're diving deep into the booming world of non-alcoholic product creation. If you've ever dreamed of launching your own functional beverage, sober-friendly tincture, or wellness powder, this is the episode you can’t afford to miss. Marina breaks down exactly why now is the perfect time to enter the non-alcoholic beverage industry, how to position your idea in a rapidly growing functional beverage market, and what most new CPG startups get wrong when launching. You’ll learn: Why consumer demand is skyrocketing for sober-curious, alcohol-free...
info_outline
Interview with Blind Tiger's Founder, Rebecca Styn
Mocktails with Marina
In this episode of Mocktails with Marina, host Marina sits down with Rebecca Styn, founder of Blind Tiger, a non-alcoholic cocktail company rooted in inclusivity, hospitality, and premium zero-proof experiences. Discover how Rebecca turned the challenges of the 2020 pandemic into a groundbreaking pivot that transformed her speakeasy-style bar, Room 33, into the birthplace of Blind Tiger—now one of the most celebrated non-alcoholic beverage brands on the market. We dive into: The story behind the name Blind Tiger and its ties to Prohibition-era speakeasies The challenges and wins of...
info_outline
Interview with Becky Moreno, Founder of Unity SoBar and Unity Recovery Solutions
Mocktails with Marina
In this powerful episode of Mocktails with Marina, host Marina sits down with Becky Moreno, founder of Unity SoBar and Unity Recovery Solutions, to explore the deeper meaning behind the growing non-alcoholic movement. Becky shares her raw and inspiring recovery journey—from navigating life as an alcoholic to becoming a bold leader in the sober entrepreneur space. Listeners will hear how Becky transformed her lived experience into a mission-driven business, creating alcohol-free environments that prioritize wellness, community, and connection. This episode dives into the heart of why sober...
info_outline
holding the line: turning boundaries into business strategy
Mocktails with Marina
In this episode of Mocktails with Marina, we explore a powerful and often overlooked business skill: setting boundaries as a business owner while maintaining professionalism, leadership, and client trust. If you're an entrepreneur in the non-alcoholic beverage industry, a CPG founder, or a wellness-based business leader, chances are you've experienced clients, collaborators, or leads pushing past agreed-upon limits—whether that's asking for free advice, assuming access to services you don’t offer, or expecting deeper involvement than what was originally scoped. Marina shares...
info_outline
notes on being a mentor and teacher
Mocktails with Marina
Are you stepping into a mentorship role, teaching others, or seeking guidance for your own business journey? In this episode of Mocktails with Marina, we explore what it really means to be a mentor, teacher, or guide—especially in the non-alcoholic beverage industry, entrepreneurial space, and personal development world. Many people believe that simply knowing something qualifies them to teach it, but the reality is much different. The best mentors never stop being students themselves. A great teacher remembers what it’s like to struggle with new concepts and knows how to break down...
info_outline
how to change your life in less than 3 minutes
Mocktails with Marina
In this high-impact, no-fluff episode, I’m breaking down how to shift timelines and step into the reality you actually want - fast. Your current life is a loop of past thoughts and actions, but you don’t have to stay stuck in it. The secret? Identity shifting. Here’s what we cover in just 2 minutes: ✅ Decide who you are right now. Not someday. Today. ✅ Act outside your current reality. Do something your future self would do. ✅ Override the doubt. Your brain will resist change, but keep moving. If you’re ready to break out of the old patterns and start living the life that’s...
info_outline
how I used our business to heal from burnout
Mocktails with Marina
In this episode of Mocktails with Marina, I share how our first year in business was more than just a career shift—it was a healing process. If you have ever felt burned out, stuck in the 9-5 grind, or unsure how to build a business that truly supports you, this episode is filled with real-world lessons, faith-driven perseverance, and insights from the growing non-alcoholic beverage industry. Burnout is more than exhaustion; it is often a sign that something fundamental needs to change. For us, that realization came when we walked away from traditional employment. Our last jobs were not the...
info_outline
Interview with Leilo's Director of Sales Weston Porter
Mocktails with Marina
In this episode of Mocktails with Marina, I sit down with Weston Porter, Head of Sales at Leilo, a leading brand in the functional beverage and non-alcoholic drink space. Weston shares his journey from being Leilo’s fourth employee to spearheading the sales team, revealing valuable insights into the rapid growth of the non-alcoholic industry since 2021. https://leilo.com/ We explore how Leilo’s kava-based drinks are redefining relaxation for the health-conscious consumer, the common misconceptions about kava, and how education plays a key role in consumer adoption. Weston dives into...
info_outline
kava bars & non-alcoholic lounges: how to start & succeed
Mocktails with Marina
Are you building a non-alcoholic third space like a kava bar, sober lounge, or functional beverage café? To succeed in this fast-growing industry, you need more than great drinks—you need a strong brand, smart marketing, and an effective sales strategy. In this episode, we cover: -How to brand your business so it stands out in the competitive functional beverage market -The best marketing strategies to attract loyal customers without relying on expensive ads -Sales techniques that feel natural, not pushy, so you can confidently grow your revenue -How to avoid jackassery in the...
info_outline
In this episode of Mocktails with Marina, we dive into the untold history of kava bars and their pivotal role in shaping the non-alcoholic social movement in the United States. Long before the current boom in non-alcoholic bars, kava bars were creating unique, community-driven spaces focused on wellness, relaxation, and connection—without the need for alcohol.
I share my personal journey with kava, from discovering it during my own sobriety journey to working my way up in the kava bar industry. We'll explore the origins of kava bars, starting with Nakamal at Home in 2002, and discuss how they laid the groundwork for today’s non-alcoholic spaces.
This episode is more than a history lesson—it’s a call to action. To move forward, we need to understand the roots of the industry and think bigger about where it's headed. If you're an entrepreneur, business owner, or simply someone passionate about the non-alcoholic movement, this episode will challenge your perspective and spark intentional thought about the future of this growing industry.
To learn more about creating a successful kava or non-alcoholic business, check out the Bula Boss program at www.marinamars.com/bulaboss. If you have questions or want to share your thoughts, I’d love to hear from you. Send me an email at [email protected].
Listen now to discover how kava bars shaped the non-alcoholic movement and why understanding their legacy is essential for building the future.
Episode cover photo context: my dear friend and fellow kavatender, Maya and I taking a clock-in photo; something our POS system required of us to confirm we weren't clocking in for each other. Our team began to grow fond of these photos and I still have an album of dozens of these photos! Shout out to the #dreamteam, y'all eternally rock and legend of you echoes in every one of our programs <3