WorkParty

Jaclyn Johnson and Marina Middleton are back with a brand new catch-up episode of WorkParty, this time live from New York City as Jaclyn celebrates turning 40 and steps into a major new chapter, personally and professionally. From closing the door on her LA era to testing the waters in NYC, Jaclyn opens up about choosing change over comfort and embracing uncertainty with curiosity and intention. Marina shares on how interior design became her unexpected creative outlet, why she’s building connection into every layer of the business, and how she’s finding her footing as a leader through every high-stakes moment.They dive into life milestones, creative rediscovery, and what it really looks like to evolve as women, founders, and friends. From buying dream homes and planning once-in-a-lifetime trips, to launching the biggest Create & Cultivate festival yet, this episode is a reflection on growth in all its forms. Whether you’re in a season of change, searching for balance, or just need a reminder that it’s okay to start over, this episode is full of insight, laughs, and permission to live life your way.Join Us for 2026 World’s Largest Festival for Women in Business here: https://www.createcultivate.com/festivalTo follow along with Create & Cultivate: https://www.instagram.com/createcultivateTo connect with Jaclyn Johnson: https://www.instagram.com/jaclynrjohnsonTo connect with Marina Middleton: https://www.instagram.com/marinaamiddletonwww.createcultivate.comPR: createcultivate@laruepr.com

In this episode of WorkParty, Jaclyn Johnson and Marina Middleton are joined by chef, entrepreneur, and storyteller, Hawa Hassan! The powerhouse behind Basbaas Sauce and the James Beard Award-winning author of In Bibi’s Kitchen, now she’s back with a stunning new cookbook, Setting a Place for Us: Recipes and Stories of Displacement, Resilience, and Community. This new book brings together 75 recipes and powerful personal narratives from countries shaped by war and migration.From launching the first Somali condiment line to building a brand rooted in culture and connection, Hawa shares her incredible journey from refugee to food entrepreneur. She opens up about turning a small idea into a big impact, the importance of storytelling in business, the emotional work behind sharing personal narratives, and why not everyone is meant to be an entrepreneur. Plus, she talks about her expansion into TV, building a holding company, and the power of preserving heritage through food. Whether you're a creative founder, a passionate storyteller, or simply someone looking to make a meaningful impact through your work, this episode will leave you inspired to lead with purpose and authenticity.Follow Hawa:Instagram: @hawahassanBasbaas: @babaasfoods  | basbaassauce.comResources & Mentions:Setting a Place for Us — Buy the bookJoin Us for 2026 World’s Largest Festival for Women in Business here: https://www.createcultivate.com/festivalTo follow along with Create & Cultivate: https://www.instagram.com/createcultivateTo connect with Jaclyn Johnson: https://www.instagram.com/jaclynrjohnsonTo connect with Marina Middleton: https://www.instagram.com/marinaamiddletonwww.createcultivate.comPR: createcultivate@laruepr.com

In this episode of WorkParty, Jaclyn Johnson and Marina Middleton welcome guest Suneera Madhani, the trailblazing entrepreneur and founder behind Stax Payments, and now the visionary CEO of Worth AI. Suneera built Stax at 25 year old, scaling it to over $140 M in recurring revenue, and then into a business valued at over a billion dollars, making her the first female CEO to lead a Florida-based startup to a billion-dollar valuation. She's also the founder behind the CEO School company, and podcast with over a million downloads, which empowers women to scale their businesses and change the landscape of the traditional business world.  In this episode, they dive into Suneera’s POV on leadership, with powerful insights on scaling, structure, and culture. They’ll explore how she approaches team-building and the art of “fire fast”, striking the right work-life balance as a mom and CEO, the differences between founding a first-time startup and launching a high-growth AI fintech venture. They’ll touch on her mission behind Worth AI surrounding bringing transparency and ownership of financial data to small businesses everywhere. If you're building a brand or startup with scale, evolution, and intentional impact in mind, this conversation will provide you the guidance you need!Follow Suneera:Instagram: @suneeramadhaniMore at: suneeramadhani.com Podcast: CEO School-Ep 288. Your 5 Love Languages and How You Can Apply Them As CEOJoin Us for 2026 World’s Largest Festival for Women in Business here: https://www.createcultivate.com/festivalTo follow along with Create & Cultivate: https://www.instagram.com/createcultivateTo connect with Jaclyn Johnson: https://www.instagram.com/jaclynrjohnsonTo connect with Marina Middleton: https://www.instagram.com/marinaamiddletonwww.createcultivate.comPR: createcultivate@laruepr.com

In this episode of WorkParty, Jaclyn Johnson and Marina Middleton chat with Henley Vazquez, the co-founder and CEO of Fora, a modern travel platform reinventing the role of the travel advisor. With a background in luxury travel and a mission to create more accessible, flexible, and inclusive career paths, Henley has built a fast-growing community of over 97% newcomers to the industry, 86% of whom are women. Under her leadership, Fora is reshaping an outdated industry by equipping travel lovers with the tools, tech, and support to turn their passion into a thriving business.Jaclyn and Marina talk with Henley about the massive shifts happening in the travel industry, including the rise of last-minute bookings, the demand for local and authentic experiences, and the surprising surge in cruise travel. Henley also breaks down what it takes to become a travel advisor today, how Fora uses tech and AI to empower small business owners (not replace them), and why flexibility and community are key to building a work model that truly works. Whether you're dreaming of a career in travel or just looking for smarter ways to plan your next trip as an entrepreneur on a mission to your next networking event, this episode is packed like a carry-on with actionable insights. Links:Become a Fora Advisor: https://www.foratravel.com/join-usWebsite: https://www.foratravel.comInstagram:https://www.instagram.com/foratravel/Join Us for 2026 World’s Largest Festival for Women in Business here: https://www.createcultivate.com/festivalTo follow along with Create & Cultivate: https://www.instagram.com/createcultivateTo connect with Jaclyn Johnson: https://www.instagram.com/jaclynrjohnsonTo connect with Marina Middleton: https://www.instagram.com/marinaamiddletonwww.createcultivate.comPR: createcultivate@laruepr.com

This week on WorkParty, recorded live from Austin at this year’s SXSW, Jaclyn Johnson and Marina Middleton sit down with a true game-changer in the world of food, Jeni Britton. Not only is she the founder of Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams (aka, your favorite pint in the freezer aisle), but she’s sharing all about building her next iconic brand, Floura & Co. Bold, brilliant, and mission-driven, Floura isn’t just another food startup. It’s an ambitious new venture, out to tackle two massive problems: America’s food waste and the fiber crisis, all at the same time! Jeni’s goal is to upcycle 100 million pounds of fruits and veggies headed for the landfill and turn them into delicious, fiber-packed foods people actually want to eat. Jeni gets into how her personal health journey led to this surprising revelation and what sparked the discovery to create this brand. In this episode, Jeni shares how she’s applying everything she learned from her first brand to build and scale something completely new. She’ll touch on why she believes fiber is the next protein, and what it takes to launch a truly disruptive product in an industry that’s overdue for innovation. From embracing slower growth, to tackling chronic illness through food, Jeni is proof that entrepreneurship can evolve with purpose. A great conversation for those dreaming of launching something that just might change how people live, and eat! Follow Jeni:Instagram: @jeni @liveflouraExplore Floura: https://www.floura.comTry Jeni’s: jenis.comJoin Us for 2026 World’s Largest Festival for Women in Business here: https://www.createcultivate.com/festivalTo follow along with Create & Cultivate: https://www.instagram.com/createcultivateTo connect with Jaclyn Johnson: https://www.instagram.com/jaclynrjohnsonTo connect with Marina Middleton: https://www.instagram.com/marinaamiddletonwww.createcultivate.comPR: createcultivate@laruepr.com

Jaclyn Johnson and Marina Middleton are back with a brand new episode of WorkParty, this time reflecting on Marina’s first year as CEO of Create & Cultivate and what it really takes to lead at the next level. They get honest about the hilarious and hard realities in the transition from running a lifestyle business as a solopreneur to operating a full-scale company with investors, departments, and high stakes at every turn. From redefining the CEO title, to learning how to lead without burning out, this chat explores the mindset shifts, leadership lessons, and unexpected challenges that come with scaling a brand beyond yourself. Marina shares what she wishes she knew before stepping into the role, and Jaclyn offers real insight about evolving from founder to mentor. They also touch on the benefits of working with a business partner and how welcoming different perspectives and shared goals has helped them grow not just the business, but themselves as leaders. Whether you’re growing your own team or growing into your next identity in a new chapter, this episode is a must-listen for anyone navigating what’s next!Join Us for 2026 World’s Largest Festival for Women in Business here: https://www.createcultivate.com/festivalTo follow along with Create & Cultivate: https://www.instagram.com/createcultivateTo connect with Jaclyn Johnson: https://www.instagram.com/jaclynrjohnsonTo connect with Marina Middleton: https://www.instagram.com/marinaamiddletonwww.createcultivate.comPR: createcultivate@laruepr.com

This week on WorkParty, Jaclyn Johnson and Marina Middleton sit down with Aleen Dreksler, co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Betches Media, the defining voice in culture for women and the go-to destination for hilarious, smart, and unfiltered content. In this episode, Aleen shares the full story of how she and her lifelong besties turned a satirical blog into a powerhouse media company with a built-in community reaching 250M+ across all platforms. We dive into what it takes to grow a content brand while staying culturally relevant, how Aleen leads with creativity and strategy, and why putting your audience first creates that true, close-knit connection. She also shares the non-negotiables that have guided their brand evolution, how she learned to lead without a mentor, and why waiting to sell the business until the right moment and right partners, was one of the most empowering decisions of her career.Aleen will also be making an upcoming appearance at The World’s Largest Festival for Women in Business, where she’ll be taking the stage to drop even more insight into brand building, scaling media, and showing up authentically in your leadership journey. Follow Aleen + Betches:Instagram: @aleen | @betchesMore at: betches.com Substack: Please AdviseJoin Us for 2026 World’s Largest Festival for Women in Business here: https://www.createcultivate.com/festivalTo follow along with Create & Cultivate: https://www.instagram.com/createcultivateTo connect with Jaclyn Johnson: https://www.instagram.com/jaclynrjohnsonTo connect with Marina Middleton: https://www.instagram.com/marinaamiddletonwww.createcultivate.comPR: createcultivate@laruepr.com

In this episode of WorkParty, Jaclyn Johnson and Marina Middleton sit down with Ashley Jappe, Head of Marketing for FRE Non-Alcoholic Wines, to explore how intentional choices are transforming the way we socialize, celebrate, and connect. As a seasoned brand strategist with over a decade of experience leading multi-million dollar wine portfolios, Ashley dives into her perspective on balance, personal passion and deep industry insight to her work in the non-alc space. Ashley shares how her own lifestyle shift toward more presence and mindfulness perfectly aligns with FRE’s mission to support evolving entrepreneurs. From launching FRE’s new Sober Curious City Guide, to redefining what it means to show up at events, glass in hand, alcohol optional, Ashley walks us through how the brand is building a community rooted in connection, beyond the product. If you’ve ever felt curious about non-alc, or simply want to lead with more intention in both life and business, this episode offers real inspiration and plenty of thoughtful takeaways. Plus, get the inside scoop on where FRE is showing up next (spoiler: the Create & Cultivate Festival is about to get even more refreshing!)FRE Links:Website: https://www.frewines.comInstagram: @FREwines Tiktok: @FREwinesJoin Us for 2026 World’s Largest Festival for Women in Business here: https://www.createcultivate.com/festivalTo follow along with Create & Cultivate: https://www.instagram.com/createcultivateTo connect with Jaclyn Johnson: https://www.instagram.com/jaclynrjohnsonTo connect with Marina Middleton: https://www.instagram.com/marinaamiddletonwww.createcultivate.comPR: createcultivate@laruepr.com

Jaclyn Johnson and Marina Middleton are back with another live episode of WorkParty, straight from Austin during South by Southwest (SXSW) and in celebration of the upcoming Future Summit. With over 6,000 RSVPs and an electric lineup of powerhouse speakers, they’re sharing major takeaways from the week, from live broadcasts and back-to-back panels, to unforgettable full-circle moments. Marina reflects on attending Create & Cultivate events just a few years ago and now standing center stage, while Jaclyn opens up about what it means to be a legacy founder in a constantly evolving landscape.They also give us a sneak peek into the Future Summit, the return of fan favorites like Adrienne Bailon and Ashley Graham, exciting first-timers like Teighan Gerard of Half Baked Harvest and many others! With conversations around personal evolution, building community, and staying relevant in an ever-changing entrepreneurial world, this episode is a powerful reminder that sometimes just showing up can change everything. Join Us for 2026 World’s Largest Festival for Women in Business here: https://www.createcultivate.com/festivalTo follow along with Create & Cultivate: https://www.instagram.com/createcultivateTo connect with Jaclyn Johnson: https://www.instagram.com/jaclynrjohnsonTo connect with Marina Middleton: https://www.instagram.com/marinaamiddletonwww.createcultivate.comPR: createcultivate@laruepr.com

In this episode of WorkParty, Jaclyn Johnson and Marina Middleton chat with Olivia Ormos, founder of Mavn, the game-changing platform that’s transforming how brands and influencers collaborate. From launching her agency OO & CO in 2010, to creating Mavn, a powerful tool for seamless influencer partnerships, Olivia has been at the forefront of digital marketing and brand growth. Her journey started with Model Volleyball, a community-driven Miami event now celebrating its 15th year, and evolved into solving the biggest pain points in influencer marketing with Mavn. With no tech background, Olivia built Mavn purely from frustration with manual processes and a vision for something better.In this conversation, Olivia shares how she brought Mavn to life, prioritizing quality over quantity in influencer partnerships and focusing on real ROI for brands. She breaks down the challenges of building a platform, why she values relationships and networking as her secret weapon, and how she’s scaling Mavn with authenticity and community at its core. Plus, she gives us a behind-the-scenes look at Model Volleyball, her relentless networking strategies, and the exciting plans she has for expanding Mavn. For anyone looking to build brands with purpose and forge real connections that fuel growth, Olivia's insights are a must-hear!Follow Olivia Ormos:Instagram @oliviaormosInstagram @mavncreatorswww.mavncreators.comInstagram @ModelvolleyballJoin Us for 2026 World’s Largest Festival for Women in Business here: https://www.createcultivate.com/festivalTo follow along with Create & Cultivate: https://www.instagram.com/createcultivateTo connect with Jaclyn Johnson: https://www.instagram.com/jaclynrjohnsonTo connect with Marina Middleton: https://www.instagram.com/marinaamiddletonwww.createcultivate.comPR: createcultivate@laruepr.com